Great Bend Interim City Administrator George Kolb presented the recommended budget for 2019 to the Great Bend City Council Tuesday evening at City Hall. Kolb said the theme for 2019 would be “budgeting for outcomes.” How much does the City Council want to purchase of any item for any department?

Kolb and City Clerk Shawna Schafer noted the City sits in a good position in 2019 with motor tax receipts up $120,000 and the City’s assessed value increasing $3 million, but each could be different and their actions would have to be reevaluated.

George Kolb & Shawna Schafer Audio

The projected mill levy for 2019 is 52.07, down from 52.183 on the estimated 2018 year. Kolb anticipated a two percent increase in sales tax revenue in 2019 and mentioned one of the main areas the City wants to fix is compensation issues throughout the staff, especially within the fire and police departments.

The Council decided to use the necessary funds to bring all employees to the minimum of the pay range, and council member Cory Urban suggested taking care of the compression issue beginning January 1, 2019. The first estimated cost to get employees up to par will be roughly $91,000.

Cory Urban Audio

The other noticeable change the Council recommended was funding the Great Bend Public Library less money. The City was set to give the Library $771,000, a jump from $743,000 in 2018. The total included the Library’s $100,000 payment back to the city for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit. The pattern for the Library funding was $555,000 each year prior to 2018, when the Library received extra money from an excess cash balance in the library fund bumping their total to $743,000.

Urban noted that number represented a total from a one-time cash dispersal and the total should be reset close to the original amount.

Cory Urban Audio

The Council elected to put the Library’s fund to $690,000 which includes the $100,000 HVAC payment.

There will be a budget hearing on August 20 at 6 p.m. at City Hall with the budget getting published in the newspaper 10 days prior to the public meeting. The City has to send the approved budget to the Barton County Clerk by August 25.

USD 428 in Great Bend offered free breakfasts and lunches to anyone under 18 years old again this summer. The free meal program was offered at all five elementary schools during the month of June.

USD 428 Superintendent Khris Thexton says the total number of lunches served was down compared to last year’s total, but the program is still well worth the district’s time.

Khris Thexton Audio

During the month of June, there were 8,080 lunches served compared to 9,484 in 2017. The district served 4,678 breakfasts this summer, up 30 from the previous summer. Park Elementary School will be the only school that offers the free lunches during the month of July.

Number of meals served at each school during June…

Riley
Lunch: 1,813
Breakfast: 855

Park
Lunch: 1,666
Breakfast: 1,212

Jefferson
Lunch: 1,672
Breakfast: 843

Eisenhower
Lunch: 1,524
Breakfast 1,029

Lincoln
Lunch: 1,405
Breakfast 739

Venture Corporation plans to begin work on a hot mix asphalt overlay project on East Barton County Road as early as Saturday, July 14.

The project begins at the Y intersection at US-56 west of Ellinwood and extends eastward to the Hirsch Avenue intersection (East 110 Avenue). 7th Street along the north edge of Ellinwood is included in the work.

Venture plans to do asphalt milling and overlay work on various side street intersections along 7th Street first, and follow that up with the asphalt overlay on the roadway. The final phase of the project will be to place a narrow rock wedge along the edges of the new overlay.

The project should be completed within one week barring any weather delays. Traffic will be allowed through the work zone with a pilot car and flaggers, and motorists are advised to plan on delays in the work zone.

The project is funded by Barton County at a cost of $288,968.

No one booked in or releases from the Barton County Sheriff’s Office on July 10, 2018.

The Great Bend City Council conducted a special meeting Tuesday night at City Hall. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss personnel matters concerning the City Administrator position. The Council spent 15 minutes in executive session and adjourned immediately following the closed-door discussion without a decision or comments. It is anticipated by multiple councilmembers that a decision has been made and an announcement will be made soon.

There are three finalists in the running to replace Howard Partington, who retired early in 2017. Larry Collins, Kendal Francis, and Scott Hildebrand were chosen as finalists by Slavin Management Consultants, the firm that conducted the job search.

Each candidate went through formal interviews with the Council and went through two meet-and-greets with the public over a two-day period at the end of June.

The Kansas Board of Regents has launched the Get AHEAD (Adult Higher Education Accessible Degrees) initiative to encourage and assist the 300,000 Kansas adults who have some college credit, but did not graduate, earn a degree. Representatives from universities, community colleges, technical colleges, workforce centers, chambers of commerce, media outlets, public libraries, and other organizations have collaborated on the development and implementation of a communication plan to help Kansas adults discover that it is never too late to earn a degree. Jennifer Pfortmiller is the Academic Program Coordinator for the Kansas State University Global Campus at Barton Community College.

Jennifer Pfortmiller Audio

The Get AHEAD initiative features seven of the 90 online bachelor’s degree programs currently offered by Kansas public universities, a reverse transfer option for students who attended a community or technical college and who are eligible to receive an associate degree, credit for prior learning and military training, and information about sources of financial aid. Pfortmiller says the initiative helps people get past the many barriers that may keep them from returning to school.

Jennifer Pfortmiller Audio

Kansans who have earned some college credit, but did not obtain a degree, should visit getaheadkansas.org to learn more about the options available to them.

Support for the Get AHEAD initiative has been provided by a $50,000 technical assistance grant from the Lumina Foundation Strategy Labs.

At the June meeting, the USD 428 Board of Education was informed there were 12 open positions for the 2018-2019 school year. On Monday, Assistant Superintendent John Popp told the Board that all the positions are filled except three school psychologists.

Popp added some of the classroom teaching assignments went to the district’s substitutes that are serving in a long-term substitute role now.

John Popp Audio

The board approved a $1,300 increase to the base pay for teachers just hired, and a minimum $1,700 raise to returning teachers for the upcoming school year.

Despite the “summer vacation,” Popp added many teachers are taking advantage of professional development and college credit courses.

John Popp Audio

During the 2017-2018 school year, from July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018, USD 428 personnel logged 19,338 hours professional development and earned 202 college credits.