GREAT BEND, Kan. — The Great Bend City Council Monday approved a three-year contract with Animal Medical Center of Great Bend to provide veterinary services for Brit Spaugh Zoo. The clinic owned by Dr. Nels Lindberg is purchasing the clinic of the current provider, and is retaining one of their veterinarians to work with the zoo as the current owner is retiring. An additional veterinarian is also going to assist.
This is a highly specialized field of work, and the relationships and trust with staff and animals can’t easily be replaced.
The Council approved an ordinance to allow a beer garden on the city-owned Jack Kilby Square Saturday, May 3., and also approved the cereal malt beverage related to the beer garden. It also approved a premises extension for Dry Lake Brewery for an event they are holding that same day. This involves the parking lot behind the business and adjoining alley and is similar to past events they have held.
The Council has approved a just over $38,000 purchase of a TruNarc Analyzer for the Police Department. Police Chief Steve Haulmark said the analyzer is a laser device that allows testing of suspected drugs without having to remove it from packaging, which can create a number of hazards of their own, especially with drugs such as fentanyl.
It can also be utilized in cases of overdose to give first responders an idea about how to best treat it. This is being purchased with opioid settlement funds, which have very specific regulations regarding how they can be spent.
The Council approved a just over $49,000 bid from Hammeke Electric for electrical work at the Wastewater Treatment facility. When a new pump was being installed for the lower headworks, the existing electrical components were found to be in a degraded condition, with a need to move that wiring out of what is a very harsh environment involving a combination of hydrogen sulfide and recurring bird issues.
Public Works Director Jason Cauley said there were also issues with wiring that went nowhere. A shipping container has been secured to house the equipment along with a mini-split for environmental control. While an attempt was made to get three bids, Hammeke was the only one to submit a proposal.
