The Great Bend Police Department has come a long way since last summer in attempts to bulking up its staff. In June of 2017, it was reported that the Police Department was operating with 25 employees, five short of a full staff.

Great Bend City Administrator Kendal Francis says the Police Department hired another officer and will be fully staffed near the end of the month.

Kendal Francis Audio

The Great Bend City Council approved additional officer positions within the budget, and now the Police Department has 33 officers. The 33^rd officer will start on August 27, meaning that four of the 33 officers will be in training.

Police Chief David Bailey says the new hires go through 13 weeks of classroom training followed by 12 weeks of field training. At some point, the officers will have to spend an additional 14 weeks at the police academy in Hutchinson.

Great Bend’s on-call engineer Josh Golka says PEC plans to max out the $6 million of bonds for the water line improvements. The issuance of the bonds were earmarked specifically for waterline repairs, so APAC Kansas will try to replace as many aging pipes as possible.

This approach was highlighted when Golka came before the Great Bend City Council for a second change order to the project.

Josh Golka Audio

The second change order included additional improvements and modifications and is not to exceed $510,021. The main purpose of this change order is to address breaks and leaks in other pipes branching off the main waterlines and abandoning the old existing waterline.

The new pipes have put pressure on the old lines and residents may have noticed the water in the gutters.

Josh Golka Audio

The first change order came in under the not to exceed amount of $294,596. The final amount for the first change order was $214,528, which leaves the City with a remaining budget for additional improvements of $1,066,042.

Great Bend City Administrator Kendal Francis noted the project is roughly 70 percent complete and expects it to be completely finished by late fall or early winter.

“Party in the Park”, Great Bend’s annual end of summer bash returns to Veterans Park on Saturday. Activities begin at 8:30 with the obstacle mud run with the Oozfest mud volleyball tournament getting started at 9:00 a.m. At ten the Wet/Dry Parade begins on 17th St. Terrace and according to Great Bend Community Coordinator Christina Hayes, the parade gives people the option to stay dry or get wet.

Christina Hayes Audio

Activities that include the Kiwanis Club Canoe Races, the Optimist Club Fun Zone and a mega kite display and walk thru help fill the day with activities that lead up the 2:00 p.m. car show and the 3:00 p.m. cake eating contest. At 6:00 p.m., gates open for the evening concerts and fireworks show.

Christina Hayes Audio

Concert tickets are $5 if you buy them by Friday afternoon at 5:00 p.m. and are $10 each on Saturday. Coolers with beer are allowed but glass containers are not.

To find the entire schedule of events, visit Explore Great Bend on Facebook.

BOOKED: Steven Davis of Great Bend on Great Bend Municipal Court warrant for failure to appear, bond set at $1,000 C/S.

BOOKED: Dominique Burrow of Great Bend on Barton County District Court case for possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia, bond set at $2,500 C/S.

BOOKED: Lexie Gomez on Barton County District Court case for possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia, and window tint, bond set in lieu of $2,500 C/S.

BOOKED: Destiny Thomson of Great Bend for Great Bend Municipal Court case for battery DV, bond is $1,000 C/S.

BOOKED: Kyson Scott of Arkansas City on BTDC warrant for 30 day serve sentence.

BOOKED: Oliver Guyton of Great Bend on Barton County District Court case for probation violation, no bond. Great Bend Parole Office arrest and detain.

BOOKED: Tyler Fisher of Hoisington on Barton County District Court case for driving while suspended and speeding with a bond set at $1,000 C/S.

BOOKED: Nicholas Foster on Barton County District Court case for serve sentence.

BOOKED: Mark Reames of Great Bend on Barton County District Court warrant for unlawful possession of controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia, bond set at $1,000 C/S.

RELEASED: Steven Davis of Great Bend on GBMC warrant for failure to appear after he posted a $1,000 surety bond.

RELEASED: Lexie Gomez on BCDC case for possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia, and window tint after posting a $2,500 surety bond.

RELEASED: Destiny Thomson of Great Bend for GBMC case for battery DV after posting a $1,000 surety.

RELEASED: Sasha Kirksey of Great Bend on BTDC warrant for contempt after receiving an OR bond through District Court per Judge Keeley.

RELEASED: Tyler Fisher of Hoisington on BCDC case for driving while suspended and speeding after posting a $1,000 surety bond through Ace Bail Bonding.

EDWARDS COUNTY —Two people were injured in an accident just before 3p.m. Wednsday in Edwards County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2001 International Truck driven by Gregory C. Langenegger, 68, Burns, was eastbound on U.S. 50 just north of Lewis.

The truck rear-ended a 2008 Ford Explorer driven by Joanne E. Taylor, 18, Lewis, who was stopped, waiting to turn north onto Sunnyside Drive.

Taylor and a passenger Daniela K. Fulls, 42, Lewis, were transportred to the Edwards County Hospital. Langenegger was not injured. All three were properely restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

One of the three abatements presented at Monday’s Great Bend City Council meeting was the property at 3017 10^th Street. The Great Bend Hotel & Convention Center has remained closed at this location for nearly two years and is becoming an eyesore for anyone driving down the City’s busiest street. Sanitarian Austin LaViolette commented on the trash and refuse on the property and the need for mowing or trimming the weeds.

An audience member at City Hall questioned why the City does not step in and do something, but the repeated answer is the property is privately owned so the City does not have any say on how the building is maintained or used.

Great Bend City Attorney Bob Suelter told the audience member that eminent domain is out of the question.

Bob Suelter Audio

Suelter says unless the building is deemed unsafe and dangerous there is not much the City can do besides make them keep it cleaned up on the outside, and Suelter believes the building is structurally sound.

Great Bend Police Chief David Bailey stated his department has removed subjects, some homeless, that broke into the hotel through the back entrances. In April, police officers arrested a man suspected of stealing items from inside the hotel that was located hiding in between the walls of the building.

With a possible pool not drained, it was suggested an inspection be made inside the hotel to search for environmental violations.

Bob Suelter Audio

The City has reason to believe that water and electricity have been shut off to the Great Bend Hotel and that there are several taxes and bills not paid associated with the property.

The cost for the City to attempt to purchase the land and demolish the hotel would be extensive. Community Coordinator Christina Hays said the best bet is that the property comes available through the Barton County tax sale and some individuals purchase the land and develop something after the building has been razed.

The City has done a courtesy trimming of the weeds once and a business in town has voluntarily done the trimming twice. The City will continue to add the expense of cleaning up the property to the owner’s taxes.

The City of Great Bend has been trying to separate the now named Great Bend Events Center from the hotel since the City received ownership of the Events Center in 2011. The canopy that once connected the two buildings was removed and the Events Center entrance was repainted.

Suelter noted community businessmen bought the Events Center from the bank and handed over ownership of the facility to the City in 2011 for $500,000. Suelter says the City would be willing to strike a similar deal with anyone willing to purchase the hotel.

With five names on the ballot, the Ward 1 seat on the Great Bend City Council was by far the most crowded race in Barton County in the Primary Election. The list was narrowed down to two candidates following Tuesday’s results. Alan Moeder and Jessica Milsap advanced to the November General Election.

Moeder, the owner of his own business since 1982, said he was pleased with the results because he wants to bring more positivity to Great Bend.

Alan Moeder Audio

Milsap is a licensed realtor and personal trainer. She said following the election she was excited about the November election to see what she can do for Great Bend.

Jessica Milsap Audio

There were 481 voters in Ward 1 that cast their ballot Tuesday. Moeder received 51 percent of the vote with 243, and Milsap garnered 29 percent of the vote with 140 votes.

The winner from the General Election will replace Vicki Berryman and join Dan Heath as Ward 1 representatives. Moeder and Milsap will be in one of three contested races for City Council in November.

BOOKED: Denise Detter for Barton County District Court case for possession of controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

BOOKED: Amber Cline on Barton County District Court warrant for probation violation, bond is $2,500 C/S.

BOOKED: Brent Allen of Great Bend on Great Bend Municipal Court warrant for failure to appear with a bond set at $1,000 C/S x6. GBMC warrant for failure to appear with a bond set at $2,000 C/S, all for revoked bond.

RELEASED: Jose Arias Manuel on GBMC serve sentence.

RELEASED: Trisha Johnson of Great Bend on BCDC warrant for probation violation, released to City on the Hill Marinthal.

RELEASED: Eliazar Gonzalez of Great Bend on BTDC case, released to Juvenile KDOC in Topeka.

RELEASED: Denise Detter for Barton County District Court case for possession of controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia by order of the court.

RELEASED: Amber Wilson of Hoisington on BCDC warrant for failure to appear after 48-hour OR.

RELEASED: Brent Allen of Great Bend on GBMC warrants for failure to appear x6 after posting a $1,000 surety bond on each. GBMC warrant for failure to appear after posting a $2,000 surety bond through Around the Clock Bond Company. All for revoked bond through Around the Clock.