To the editor:
I, Ron Ensley, truly agree with Judy Duryee’s opinion in the Sept. 12 paper and what she said about not spending more taxpayers’ money just to have a shaded area on Forest Avenue for the last Friday of the month.
I have lived in Great Bend the majority of my lifetime. I graduated here in Great Bend in 1968.
I grew up with people that were Jaycees and Chamber members, business owners, bankers, oilfield business supply store owners and farmers.
The older Chamber members had a real vision to move forward. Somewhere along the way it got lost.
Great Bend should of taken advantage of all the monies during the oilfield days.
If the monies would of been put into a special investment fund then we wouldn’t be talking about the water treatment plant property increases and spending millions all at one time for the so-called Star Bond for the Expo, swimming pool, and etc.
A couple questions
- How many years to recoup off of the Expo project?
- Great Bend doesn’t have a good steak house anymore, so how is Great Bend to make a big draw happen at the Expo on their multi-million dollar expansion and/or investment?
We also do not have the 3-I show anymore.
Great Bend can’t even get a new big company to come to town due to housing shortages for just a common working person. Wages are set too low for workers at all the fast food places.
It is no wonder why a married couple has to work two jobs to make it and support their children.
As far as I’m concerned, I think that Great Bend is trying to spend monies willy-nilly to catch up and with monies that they do not have to spend.
Now it is on the taxpayers’ back to catch-up.
I say that the people running this town of Great Bend should come up with a better budget.
I would start by cutting back on the mill levies. We are already taxed to death in Great Bend.
When our leaders light the fuse on that new multi-million dollar building I hope it pays off in the long run.
We still haven’t moved the needle to draw people to really shop in Great Bend. Most people either travel to Hays, Salina, or Wichita to really shop for what Great Bend doesn’t really have.
I’m not trying to sound negative but Great Bend had their chances years ago with big companies coming into Great Bend. The reason being was not enough housing, higher wages to offer, and Great Bend didn’t want to negotiate tax breaks with bigger companies.
I think that our leaders today of Great Bend need to re-think the burden that they are putting on the taxpayers.
I really don’t think that our mayor and our city council members are all the ones to blame for the big spending spree. I just want to know why all of a sudden we need a new water treatment plant that’s going to cost millions of dollars and a brand new swimming pool for more millions and also the expansion of the Expo Complex and again millions.
I guess that they think that the taxpayers have money trees growing in their backyards. Ha!
If they want to play catch-up they shouldn’t of squandered monies that they did not have.
While they are on a spending spree with our monies then they might as well put in a horse track, a circle track for race cars, motorcycles and build a new and bigger rodeo arena – if they want big crowds coming to Great Bend.
Let’s try to get the State Fair located here.
Ron Ensley
Great Bend
