City saves $106,000 on airport runway projects through KDOT agreements

Council approves airport land lease renewal, significantly increasing rent

Council approves public alcohol consumption for downtown brewery events

Downtown to host combined Art and Wine Walk and regional racing event

City inks new drag strip operating agreement, prepares for STAR bonds

Great Bend Batcats announce safety upgrades ahead of 10th season

Solar charging tables to be installed at four city parks

New city website scheduled for early May launch

Police chief addresses department retention rates

City saves $106,000 on airport runway projects through KDOT agreements

GREAT BEND, Kan. — The city council unanimously approved two supplemental agreements with the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) on Tuesday, saving taxpayers an estimated $106,000 on airport infrastructure projects. KDOT has agreed to cover a larger portion of the costs for a recently completed runway rehabilitation and the upcoming design of a new 4,000-foot cross runway. Under the new terms, KDOT will shift from a 50-50 cost-sharing model to a 90-10 model for the state-funded portion of the rehabilitation project, significantly reducing the city's financial burden for the upgrades to 10 percent of those specific match requirements.

Council approves airport land lease renewal, significantly increasing rent

GREAT BEND, Kan. — Following decades without a rate adjustment, the city council approved a five-year lease renewal with Tex-PAR Energy for 3.8 acres of land at the Great Bend Municipal Airport that raises the annual rent from $460 to $4,800. City Administrator Logan Burns noted that the previous lease rate was established in 1997 and had never been adjusted for inflation. The new agreement, which runs through March 31, 2031, represents a 6.5 percent rate of return for the city and requires Tex-PAR to pay all utilities, taxes and maintenance costs.

Council approves public alcohol consumption for downtown brewery events

GREAT BEND, Kan. — The city council unanimously approved an ordinance temporarily exempting the alley and parking lot west of Dry Lake Brewing from state statutes prohibiting alcohol consumption on public property. The exemption will allow the downtown brewery to host an extended outdoor footprint for three upcoming events: two yacht club gatherings on April 12 and April 26 and a fifth-anniversary celebration featuring live music on May 9. The business is currently coordinating with the Kansas Alcoholic Beverage Control Division to secure the necessary state permits.

Downtown to host combined Art and Wine Walk and regional racing event

GREAT BEND, Kan. — The 12th annual Art and Wine Walk will be paired with a regional racing event for a combined downtown celebration on Friday, June 5. Public Relations Director Addison Crites announced that Lakin Avenue will be blocked off from 4 to 8 p.m., allowing the public to view competitors' cars outside Dry Lake Brewing. The city is partnering with Great Bend Economic Development and the Sunflower Rod and Custom Association to host the dual event, which aims to draw diverse crowds to the downtown corridor by combining automotive interests with local arts and retail shopping.

City inks new drag strip operating agreement, prepares for STAR bonds

GREAT BEND, Kan. — The city council unanimously approved an updated operating agreement with the Sunflower Rod and Custom Association that establishes a new revenue-sharing model between the organization and the city for the SRCA Dragstrip. Under the terms, which run through Dec. 31, the city will receive 25 percent of net revenues from events, while the association retains 75 percent. City Administrator Logan Burns stated that the short-term agreement and new financial structure were drafted in preparation for the potential implementation of state STAR bonds. The drag strip is currently undergoing major renovations, including crash walls and track texturing.

Great Bend Batcats announce safety upgrades ahead of 10th season

GREAT BEND, Kan. — As the Great Bend Batcats prepare for their 10th anniversary season, team representative Roger Ward announced plans to implement new traffic safety measures near Al Burns Memorial Field. The organization has purchased reflective speed bumps and cones to be placed along 17th Street to protect young fans who frequently chase foul balls into the roadway. Ward stated he will coordinate with city staff to determine if the traffic calming devices will be permanent summer fixtures or deployed nightly. Ward also formally requested that the city continue to allow the team's traditional postgame fireworks displays.

Solar charging tables to be installed at four city parks

GREAT BEND, Kan. — City officials announced a joint project with Nex-Tech and Barton Community College to install solar charging tables at four public locations across Great Bend. The tables, which will allow residents to charge mobile devices using renewable solar power, are slated for installation at the Great Bend Brit Spaugh Zoo, the Great Bend Sports Complex, Veterans Memorial Park and the SRCA Dragstrip. A public ribbon-cutting ceremony and photo opportunity for the project is scheduled at the zoo.

New city website scheduled for early May launch

GREAT BEND, Kan. — The city of Great Bend's newly redesigned website is complete and is tentatively scheduled to launch in early May. Public Relations Director Addison Crites reported that city staff must undergo mandatory training sessions in mid-April before they are granted administrative access to customize the site. Residents are advised that current calendar dates will not automatically transfer to the new platform, though city employees plan to manually rebuild the event calendar as quickly as possible upon launch.

Police chief addresses department retention rates

GREAT BEND, Kan. — Addressing questions from the council regarding officer retention, Great Bend Police Chief Steve Haulmark stated that recent departures from the department have been driven by personal and family reasons rather than payroll disputes. According to exit interviews, the departures were primarily attributed to personal career changes and family relocations rather than dissatisfaction with the department. The chief noted that while pay is occasionally discussed, it has not been cited as the primary reason for recent turnover.

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