The Great Bend City Council will welcome three new members to the board in January. Dana Dawson, Jessica Milsap, and Chad Somers will be plugged into the eight-member council. All three won contested races this past November. Dawson and Somers eased by their opponents while Milsap won a close contest for the Ward 1 position.

Great Bend City Administrator Kendal Francis plans to bring each of them up to speed prior to their first meeting January 21.

Kendal Francis Audio

Francis hopes to create a more formal orientation for new council members in the future, but will be open to answer any questions the council members have.

Brock McPherson also won an uncontested race in Ward 4 as he will begin his second two-year term. The four of them will officially be sworn into office on January 14 by City Clerk Shawna Schafer, but will not have their first meeting until the following Monday at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall.

Francis says a good council member is open to listening and has the best interest of the city in mind.

Kendal Francis Audio

Once the council members get acclimated, facility tours will be provided to show them how the city operates and what each department handles.

Dawson returns to the council after stepping down last year. Dawson received 73 percent of the vote in November and spent 14 years on the board before not running for reelection in 2017. Milsap, a licensed realtor and personal trainer, garnered 53 percent of the General Election votes. Somers picked up just under 69 percent of the vote to win the Ward 2 seat and is co-owner of Golden Belt Cinema 6.