Every year when spring arrives, Great Bend residents find themselves with yards to mow and city employees find themselves with potholes to repair.

Consider what City Administrator Kendal Francis said to the city council in March of 2019: “I just want to bring up the subject of potholes,” he said. “We are aware of the issue and I know it has been prominent on social media. We’re not oblivious to it.”

At that meeting, then-Public Works Director Simon Wiley added, “I had the crews in all day Saturday working on potholes.” They were back at it the following Monday morning, he added.

It was a similar story this March. A resident said the stretch of Broadway Ave. that runs from Patton Road to K-96 was particularly “horrible.” The street was described as “riddled with craters.”

Other people who live in that part of town had also complained and gone to social media with photos of their potholes. The current Public Works Director, Jason Cauley, reported, “we have crews out now patching potholes.” 

Well, the potholes on Broadway have been patched for a couple of weeks and thanks to the city crews that made the repair is overdue. Others may disagree or have a less favorable experience, but we are grateful that this safety hazard and eyesore has been addressed. There is no way to keep potholes from happening; they appear as minor inconveniences and then get worse. They don’t get any better unless something is done.

Something was done on Broadway and that stretch of road is again functional. Thanks to everyone who made that happen — including the residents who didn’t give up until the work was done. People with concerns should get to know who their city council representatives are. There is also a City of Great Bend website, greatbendks.net, where concerns can be reported.