By Lucky Kidd
GREAT BEND, Kan. — With no discussion other than a member calling it a great idea, The Great Bend City Council has authorized allocation of $4,000 from the Municipal Court Diversion Fund in support of the Shop with a Cop program put together by the Great Bend Police Department and Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 23.
Each year, USD 428 is contacted and school staff provide names of students whose families may be suffering hardships or financial difficulties. Those children are then invited to come to Walmart where they are given a gift card and select their gifts, escorted and assisted by police officers.
The program aims to build positive relationships between children in the community and police and to help children who might otherwise go without gifts during the holidays. Last year fundraising by FOP members was augmented through funds from the police asset forfeiture fund.
The Council approved an ordinance revising sections of the city code related to pre-treatment of industrial waste and enforcement response plans that are required of cities with wastewater treatment plants. The revisions are made periodically to incorporate new requirements set forth by the Environmental Protection Agency and Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
Public Works Director Jason Cauley, Pre-treatment coordinator April Batt, and City Administrator Logan Burns have been working on these revisions for the past several months, and KDHE has signed off on then. This involved two votes, one to approve the response plan and a second to adopt the ordinance change.
The Council approved a renewal of their property and casualty insurance coverage through the Travelers for 2025. Carly Walker from Gallagher reviewed for the Council the process of obtaining renewal quotes, work on which began in July. Overall, Walker said the 2025 renewal did come in about as expected, with increases in line with what is being seen both in the government and private markets. One change was made in deductibles for collision and comprehensive coverage on the auto portion of the policy, which was increased from $1,000 to $2,500.
Purchase of a primary wet well pump for the wastewater treatment plant was approved during Monday’s Great Bend City Council meeting. The wet well has two pumps which alternate in pumping sewage to the upper headworks at the plant, and one of them went out of service in July. Repairs to that pump were estimated at over $47,000, and after seeking quotes it was determined a new pump could be purchased from FTC, the lowest of three bids solicited, for just over $35,000. The existing pump will be scrapped.
