Great Bend City Administrator Logan Burns said the pool committee will have a final concept meeting on Thursday. A recommendation for final concept approval, including a design contract, will come before the city council at the Dec. 15 meeting. The plan is to start construction in August of 2026 after the water park closes for the season.
This was part of Burns’ administrative update on what is happening within the City organization.
Public Lands staff are finishing installing Christmas decorations, Burns reported. On Nov. 19 they will install the artificial ice skating rink in the courthouse square and the greeter shack for the Trail of Lights at the Brit Spaugh Park entrance. Christmas lights will go live on Nov. 26 and then the Mayor’s Christmas Tree will be lit during the Home for the Holidays Festival on Nov. 29. More information about Home for the Holidays was shared later in the meeting during reports from Convention and Visitors Bureau Director Amanda Gaddis and Great Bend Public Relations Director Addison Crites.
“I might be biased, but I think we’ve got some of the best lights around,” Burns said of Great Bend's Trail of Lights.
At the dragstrip, the batch plant equipment has arrived the final test on the mix design will be on Nov. 25. Then concrete paving contractor Emery Sapp will start stockpiling aggregate on Dec. 2. Then they will put down steel mats and they’ll start paving on Dec. 10. Burns told the Great Bend Tribune that while paving isn’t starting as early as hoped, the project is still on schedule to be completed in time for the 2026 racing season.
The Great Bend Recreation will host a question-and-answer meeting on the future of the former Stone Ridge Golf Course from 4:30-7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 20, at Dry Lake Brewing. GBRC Executive Director Chris Umphres and his staff will unveil the concept that they’ve gotten back from their consultant, Burns said, noting, “ they’ve reallocated some holes, they’ve got (plans for) a clubhouse, and they’re looking at a possibility of an indoor pickleball arena.”
Burns also noted that the Great Bend High School football team will host Salina Central at 7 p.m. Friday at Memorial Stadium. “This could be the game that puts us in the State championship,” Burns said. “Come out and support them.”
Also during the administrative report, Great Bend Police Chief Steven Haulmark introduced the GBPD’s newest officer, Beau Burkhart. Born and raised in Great Bend, Burkhart graduated from Great Bend High School and attended Barton Community College. He joined the department about two and a half weeks ago.
“We’re excited to have him here with us,” Haulmark said.
Two nuisance properties abated
Two properties were abated at Monday’s Great Bend City Council meeting. Resolutions were passed finding nuisances exist at 721 Williams St. and 204 Elm St.
The property at 721 Williams St. has brush piles on two sides of the house and an air conditioning unit on the front porch, all of which need to be removed. The property at 204 Elm St. has a stack of tires in a pickup trailer that need to be removed.
The resolutions direct the city’s property maintenance supervisor to cause the removal of unlawful accumulation. The cost of the action, minus any salvage received, will be assessed against the property.
In other action Monday, the council approved covering the payroll ending Oct. 25, for $383,510.37, and approved paying the bills to date.
