Each month, Eagle Radio in Great Bend will recognize groups or individuals that make a big impact on our community. This Appreciation Month is highlighting the Great Bend Fire Department.

By COLE REIF Great Bend Post

Jordan Elliott and his wife are expecting the birth of their child in
November. It is safe to say that Elliott spends a lot of his time making sure everything
is ready for the new arrival to his family. When the future infant is not his
sole focus, Elliott is working to adjust to his role with the Great Bend Fire
Department that he started in October 2020. 
“These last seven months have been spent a lot on focusing on the new job,”
said Elliott. “I want to make sure I’m up to snuff on where I need to be.” 
Not only is working at the Great Bend Fire Department a new job for Elliott, it
is also a new profession after spending the previous seven years in the
computer networking industry. 
“I initially pursued graphic design in college, but quickly realized I liked the
computer side more,” said Elliott. “I ended up getting a degree in computer networking
from Fort Hays State University.” 
Elliott started working for a company based in Sterling called Gilmore Solutions.
The Great Bend native started handling IT support and worked his way into
installing networks for businesses. 
“I always liked the idea of being a firefighter,” said Elliott. “It was always
in the back of my head. “Living in Ellinwood, I finally volunteered with the
Ellinwood Fire Department in February 2020.” 
Elliott then obtained his EMT certification and was hired as a full-time
firefighter in Great Bend. 
“I liked doing the fire/EMS work a lot more than what I was doing the previous
seven years in IT,” Elliott said. “I jumped right in. I’m glad I did because I
love it. I have no regrets at all.” 
Elliott acknowledged that his technology background is slightly different than
most of the guys on the fire department staff. 
“I’m kind of the nerd that worked on computers,” joked Elliott. “I took a lot
of crap and still do because of my unique skillset.” 
Not only did Elliott learn a lot from his volunteer stint in Ellinwood, but he
also mentioned their staff was supportive of him making the transition to a
full-time position. 
“I loved what I was doing in Ellinwood, but wanted to do more,” said Elliott. “Great
Bend is a bigger city and stays busier. It’s been awesome.” 
Elliott referred to his first month on the job and the six-month probation
period for new hires as boot camp. It gave him time to prove to the rest of the
staff that he was going to be up to the challenge. 
One of the biggest concerns Elliott had regarding the position with the fire
department was the 24-hour shifts. The department is set up to where staff work
three, 24-hour shifts within five days and then have four straight days off. 
“I worried about being away from wife that long and now finding out that we’re
having a baby in November,” said Elliott. “I didn’t know how that was going to
impact things but it has been awesome. I don’t know if I could go back to a
normal 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. job.” 
By spending so much time with his colleagues during the 24-hour shifts, Elliott
noted working at the fire department is like having a second family. 
“Whenever you are doing something like this and are in crazy situations with a
group of guys, you naturally develop a bond,” said Elliott. 
One of the first pieces of advice his colleagues told him when he started with the
fire department was to talk about things. &nbsp; 
“If something bothers you, talk about it,” said Elliott. “No one is going to
make fun of you. Everyone has dealt with those things. Talk about it.”&nbsp;

Read the previous Appreciation Month stories by clicking&nbsp;<a href="https://greatbendpost.com/category/appreciation-month">HERE</a>.

Each month, Eagle Radio in Great Bend will recognize groups or individuals that make a big impact on our community. This Appreciation Month is highlighting the Great Bend Fire Department.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623094640795.jpeg" alt="Great Bend firefighter Jordan Elliott" />
 <figcaption>Great Bend firefighter Jordan Elliott</figcaption>
 </figure>By COLE REIF Great Bend PostJordan Elliott and his wife are expecting the birth of their child in
November. It is safe to say that Elliott spends a lot of his time making sure everything
is ready for the new arrival to his family. When the future infant is not his
sole focus, Elliott is working to adjust to his role with the Great Bend Fire
Department that he started in October 2020. 
“These last seven months have been spent a lot on focusing on the new job,”
said Elliott. “I want to make sure I’m up to snuff on where I need to be.” 
Not only is working at the Great Bend Fire Department a new job for Elliott, it
is also a new profession after spending the previous seven years in the
computer networking industry. 
“I initially pursued graphic design in college, but quickly realized I liked the
computer side more,” said Elliott. “I ended up getting a degree in computer networking
from Fort Hays State University.” 
Elliott started working for a company based in Sterling called Gilmore Solutions.
The Great Bend native started handling IT support and worked his way into
installing networks for businesses. 
“I always liked the idea of being a firefighter,” said Elliott. “It was always
in the back of my head. “Living in Ellinwood, I finally volunteered with the
Ellinwood Fire Department in February 2020.” 
Elliott then obtained his EMT certification and was hired as a full-time
firefighter in Great Bend. 
“I liked doing the fire/EMS work a lot more than what I was doing the previous
seven years in IT,” Elliott said. “I jumped right in. I’m glad I did because I
love it. I have no regrets at all.” 
Elliott acknowledged that his technology background is slightly different than
most of the guys on the fire department staff. 
“I’m kind of the nerd that worked on computers,” joked Elliott. “I took a lot
of crap and still do because of my unique skillset.” 
Not only did Elliott learn a lot from his volunteer stint in Ellinwood, but he
also mentioned their staff was supportive of him making the transition to a
full-time position. 
“I loved what I was doing in Ellinwood, but wanted to do more,” said Elliott. “Great
Bend is a bigger city and stays busier. It’s been awesome.” 
Elliott referred to his first month on the job and the six-month probation
period for new hires as boot camp. It gave him time to prove to the rest of the
staff that he was going to be up to the challenge. 
One of the biggest concerns Elliott had regarding the position with the fire
department was the 24-hour shifts. The department is set up to where staff work
three, 24-hour shifts within five days and then have four straight days off. 
“I worried about being away from wife that long and now finding out that we’re
having a baby in November,” said Elliott. “I didn’t know how that was going to
impact things but it has been awesome. I don’t know if I could go back to a
normal 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. job.” 
By spending so much time with his colleagues during the 24-hour shifts, Elliott
noted working at the fire department is like having a second family. 
“Whenever you are doing something like this and are in crazy situations with a
group of guys, you naturally develop a bond,” said Elliott. 
One of the first pieces of advice his colleagues told him when he started with the
fire department was to talk about things. &nbsp; 
“If something bothers you, talk about it,” said Elliott. “No one is going to
make fun of you. Everyone has dealt with those things. Talk about it.”&nbsp;Read the previous Appreciation Month stories by clicking&nbsp;<a href="https://greatbendpost.com/category/appreciation-month">HERE</a>.

Appreciation Month: Great Bend Fire Department – Jordan Elliott

Each month, Eagle Radio in Great Bend will recognize groups or individuals that make a big impact on our community. This Appreciation Month is highlighting the Great Bend Police Department.&nbsp;

Growing up in Garden City, Gary Davis was like many young boys who
idolized police officers and pretended to be a cop when he was playing. As he
got older, Davis decided against becoming a police officer because they did not
make much money. 
Thoughts of a law enforcement career were put off but not for long. Going to
college in Garden City, Davis started working at a gas station in 1988 making
$10 an hour. 
“My dad, when he was in his 50s, had worked at a tire store for over 30 years
but was laid off when it closed down,” said Davis. “That kind of scared me and
made me think. I did not want to be in my 50s and have to find a new job.” 
Davis decided to take a deeper look into law enforcement and applied at few
places. 
“I still thought about not doing it, because I was making good money at the
time at the gas station,” said Davis. 
The police department in Oakley, Kansas was the first to call Davis offering a
job. As a newlywed with a daughter at the time, Davis talked it over with his
wife. 
“My wife is the one that actually pushed me to get into law enforcement,” Davis
said. “She told me that I always wanted to give it a try. If I did not like it,
I could always go back and do something else.” 
Davis accepted the position in Oakley and started his training. He noted the most challenging thing of becoming a police officer was learning all
the laws and the amount of paperwork that was needed for reports. The part that
came the easiest to Davis was relating to people. 
“When you go to calls, people are angry most of the time,” said Davis. “It
really helps if you can calm the situation down.” 
Davis’ parents always taught him to treat everybody, no matter their race or if
they are rich, the way you want to be treated. 
“I try to put myself in their situation and think how I would like to be
handled,” said Davis. “Maybe they have family, friends or kids around. It is
really pretty delicate.”

After three years in Oakley, Davis accepted a job with the Great Bend Police
Department and has been in Great Bend the last 30 years, currently serving a sergeant. 
“When we get really busy, I still have to handle calls and go on the street,”
Davis said. “Most of the time, I am checking my officers, reports and making
sure officers are doing things the way they need to be done. When we get slammed, I will take any calls that come in.” 
Early in Davis’ career, police officers were handwriting all their reports.
Technology has alleviated much of that pain by allowing officers to change or
add anything with the use of computers. 
“Spellcheck is amazing,” Davis said. “I am a guy and I have never been good
with spelling, English or grammar. It is not that the report has to be perfect
because the courts and everyone understands that you are a human being, but I
always want to look professional. I am just picky about that stuff.” 
As select law enforcement groups across the country, mostly in larger cities,
have seen a negative light shown on them, Davis says he thanks God every day
that he works in Great Bend. 
“If I was in the big cities where the riots were going on last summer, I have
been doing this long enough that I would have resigned,” said Davis. “Here in Great
Bend, we have good public relations. I believe that if a criminal got the jump
on me, a good citizen in Great Bend would help me out.” 
Getting the “jump” on Davis is not going to be easy as the sergeant works out
an hour and a half each day. 
“A few years ago, I decided it was not fair that God did not make me Superman,”
said Davis. “He made human. So I realized these criminals stay young but I keep
getting older. I started working out to stay fit.” 
As a supervisor, Davis also wanted to set a good example for his patrolmen to
work out. Davis built his own shop house on his property and the top of the
shop has an exercise room. He wakes up every day at 5:30 a.m. and lifts weights
for about an hour. Davis then spends time working on cardio by using the elliptical,
treadmill or taking his dogs for a run. 
“If I decide I’m going to take the dogs for a run, they are waiting for me the
minute I come downstairs,” said Davis. “They are almost like a kid where they
are disappointed if you don’t go.” 
Making the switch from pumping gas in Garden City making $10 an hour to police work earning $5.50 per hour in Oakley, Davis does not
regret his decision one moment. 
“Now 33 years later, I have really enjoyed it and I have never worried about
getting laid off.”&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Each month, Eagle Radio in Great Bend will recognize groups or individuals that make a big impact on our community. This Appreciation Month is highlighting the Great Bend Police Department.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616820194273.jpeg" alt="Great Bend Police Department Sergeant Gary Davis" />
 <figcaption>Great Bend Police Department Sergeant Gary Davis</figcaption>
 </figure>By COLE REIF Great Bend PostGrowing up in Garden City, Gary Davis was like many young boys who
idolized police officers and pretended to be a cop when he was playing. As he
got older, Davis decided against becoming a police officer because they did not
make much money. 
Thoughts of a law enforcement career were put off but not for long. Going to
college in Garden City, Davis started working at a gas station in 1988 making
$10 an hour. 
“My dad, when he was in his 50s, had worked at a tire store for over 30 years
but was laid off when it closed down,” said Davis. “That kind of scared me and
made me think. I did not want to be in my 50s and have to find a new job.” 
Davis decided to take a deeper look into law enforcement and applied at few
places. 
“I still thought about not doing it, because I was making good money at the
time at the gas station,” said Davis. 
The police department in Oakley, Kansas was the first to call Davis offering a
job. As a newlywed with a daughter at the time, Davis talked it over with his
wife. 
“My wife is the one that actually pushed me to get into law enforcement,” Davis
said. “She told me that I always wanted to give it a try. If I did not like it,
I could always go back and do something else.” 
Davis accepted the position in Oakley and started his training. He noted the most challenging thing of becoming a police officer was learning all
the laws and the amount of paperwork that was needed for reports. The part that
came the easiest to Davis was relating to people. 
“When you go to calls, people are angry most of the time,” said Davis. “It
really helps if you can calm the situation down.” 
Davis’ parents always taught him to treat everybody, no matter their race or if
they are rich, the way you want to be treated. 
“I try to put myself in their situation and think how I would like to be
handled,” said Davis. “Maybe they have family, friends or kids around. It is
really pretty delicate.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616820910100.png" alt="Sergeant Gary Davis went to the Great Bend Public Library this past week for story time. (photo from Great Bend Police Department)" />
 <figcaption>Sergeant Gary Davis went to the Great Bend Public Library this past week for story time. (photo from Great Bend Police Department)</figcaption>
 </figure>After three years in Oakley, Davis accepted a job with the Great Bend Police
Department and has been in Great Bend the last 30 years, currently serving a sergeant. 
“When we get really busy, I still have to handle calls and go on the street,”
Davis said. “Most of the time, I am checking my officers, reports and making
sure officers are doing things the way they need to be done. When we get slammed, I will take any calls that come in.” 
Early in Davis’ career, police officers were handwriting all their reports.
Technology has alleviated much of that pain by allowing officers to change or
add anything with the use of computers. 
“Spellcheck is amazing,” Davis said. “I am a guy and I have never been good
with spelling, English or grammar. It is not that the report has to be perfect
because the courts and everyone understands that you are a human being, but I
always want to look professional. I am just picky about that stuff.” 
As select law enforcement groups across the country, mostly in larger cities,
have seen a negative light shown on them, Davis says he thanks God every day
that he works in Great Bend. 
“If I was in the big cities where the riots were going on last summer, I have
been doing this long enough that I would have resigned,” said Davis. “Here in Great
Bend, we have good public relations. I believe that if a criminal got the jump
on me, a good citizen in Great Bend would help me out.” 
Getting the “jump” on Davis is not going to be easy as the sergeant works out
an hour and a half each day. 
“A few years ago, I decided it was not fair that God did not make me Superman,”
said Davis. “He made human. So I realized these criminals stay young but I keep
getting older. I started working out to stay fit.” 
As a supervisor, Davis also wanted to set a good example for his patrolmen to
work out. Davis built his own shop house on his property and the top of the
shop has an exercise room. He wakes up every day at 5:30 a.m. and lifts weights
for about an hour. Davis then spends time working on cardio by using the elliptical,
treadmill or taking his dogs for a run. 
“If I decide I’m going to take the dogs for a run, they are waiting for me the
minute I come downstairs,” said Davis. “They are almost like a kid where they
are disappointed if you don’t go.” 
Making the switch from pumping gas in Garden City making $10 an hour to police work earning $5.50 per hour in Oakley, Davis does not
regret his decision one moment. 
“Now 33 years later, I have really enjoyed it and I have never worried about
getting laid off.”&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Read the previous Appreciation Month stories by clicking&nbsp;<a href="https://greatbendpost.com/category/appreciation-month">HERE</a>.

Appreciation Month: Great Bend Police Department – Gary Davis

When Paul Millard was first getting started in his law
enforcement career, one of the hardest parts of the job to grasp was being more
aggressive. 
 
“I was never really an aggressive person," said Millard. “Staff kept telling me
to be more assertive when dealing with people that you needed to be more
assertive with.” 
 
Millard’s interest and strength in talking with people and relating to them far
outweighed any challenges of being aggressive. Getting subjects to understand
that he and the rest of the law enforcement are there to help is what continues
to drive Millard now with over two decades employed with the Great Bend Police
Department. 
 
Growing up in Barton County in Hoisington and Great Bend, Millard spent much of
his time in high school competing in cross country, basketball, track and
staying involved with the yearbook and newspaper departments. 
 
Following graduation from Great Bend High School in 1994, Millard stayed home
to take care of his mother that was not doing well. 
 
“I did not really have any plans,” said Millard. “An opportunity came up to
apply for the Police Department. I took it and have been here ever since.” 
 
Millard went to work for the Great Bend Police Department in 1998 when his
uncle, Terry Millard, notified Paul of the opening. Terry was a detective and
told Paul the Police Department was short on officers. 
 
“I never thought about it before. My uncle came and talked to me about it and
asked if I would be able to do it. I said I could with the proper training.” 
 
Millard spent eight weeks at the range with a training lieutenant going through
all the firearms and low-impact weapons. He spent an additional eight weeks on
the street with a training officer to learn how to take reports and figure out
what questions to ask on different calls. 
 
When he was finally able to go out “on his own,” Millard acknowledges being
slightly scared early in his career. 
 
“That first call you take on your own, you are wondering if you are doing this
right and you are second-guessing yourself,” said Millard. “Luckily, I had a
good squad of guys with me. If I had questions, I could call one of them.” 
 
Millard noted he leaned on a number of officers when he needed help or was
looking for ways to improve. One of those officers was Casey Hubbard, now
working in the Barton County Attorney’s Office. 
 
Millard started in the patrol division with the Great Bend Police Department.
He moved to entry team, bike patrol and has spent the past five years as the
School Resource Officer. He now has an office inside the Great Bend High
School. 
 
“As a Resource Officer, I want to make a connection with the kids when they are
younger,” Millard said. “I do not want them seeing law enforcement as just the
people that give mom and dad a ticket or making arrests. We want them to know
we are here to help the community.” 
 
Building connections and relationships with the children since 2016, Millard
says students will stop and say hello to him when they see him at Walmart or
the convenience store. 
 
“For me, having the kids recognize and come up to me out of the uniform is
great. I encourage kids all the time to talk to officers. Officers say they
have kids coming up to them more and more.” 
 
While running the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E) program, Millard’s
schedule is flexible to interact with students at lunch or recess. Recently
diving into a game of pickleball with a group of elementary school students,
Millard admitted the children were better than he was at the game. 
 
“They are a lot more mobile than I am with all the gear on,” said Millard. “They
have fun interacting with us, especially when they can beat us at something like
pickleball. You just see them light up and glow when they can do something
better than the officer.” 
 
Spending the last 23 years with the Great Bend Police Department, Millard has
learned how to transition from the nice officer to the “this is what you have
to do” type of officer. But at the end of the day, it is still his ability to
communicate, deescalate the situation and his empathy that make him successful
at his job. 
 
“I have seen officers that strictly give orders of ‘you do this, you do that
right now,’” said Millard. “They do not tend to last very long. The officers
that ask how they can help and talk to people are the ones that last a long
time because they can relate to people.”

Read the previous Appreciation Month stories by clicking <a href="https://greatbendpost.com/category/appreciation-month">HERE</a>.

Each month, Eagle Radio in Great Bend will recognize groups or individuals that make a big impact on our community. This Appreciation Month is highlighting the Great Bend Police Department.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616309719571.jpeg" alt="Paul Millard" />
 <figcaption>Paul Millard</figcaption>
 </figure>By COLE REIF Great Bend PostWhen Paul Millard was first getting started in his law
enforcement career, one of the hardest parts of the job to grasp was being more
aggressive. 
 
“I was never really an aggressive person," said Millard. “Staff kept telling me
to be more assertive when dealing with people that you needed to be more
assertive with.” 
 
Millard’s interest and strength in talking with people and relating to them far
outweighed any challenges of being aggressive. Getting subjects to understand
that he and the rest of the law enforcement are there to help is what continues
to drive Millard now with over two decades employed with the Great Bend Police
Department. 
 
Growing up in Barton County in Hoisington and Great Bend, Millard spent much of
his time in high school competing in cross country, basketball, track and
staying involved with the yearbook and newspaper departments. 
 
Following graduation from Great Bend High School in 1994, Millard stayed home
to take care of his mother that was not doing well. 
 
“I did not really have any plans,” said Millard. “An opportunity came up to
apply for the Police Department. I took it and have been here ever since.” 
 
Millard went to work for the Great Bend Police Department in 1998 when his
uncle, Terry Millard, notified Paul of the opening. Terry was a detective and
told Paul the Police Department was short on officers. 
 
“I never thought about it before. My uncle came and talked to me about it and
asked if I would be able to do it. I said I could with the proper training.” 
 
Millard spent eight weeks at the range with a training lieutenant going through
all the firearms and low-impact weapons. He spent an additional eight weeks on
the street with a training officer to learn how to take reports and figure out
what questions to ask on different calls. 
 
When he was finally able to go out “on his own,” Millard acknowledges being
slightly scared early in his career. 
 
“That first call you take on your own, you are wondering if you are doing this
right and you are second-guessing yourself,” said Millard. “Luckily, I had a
good squad of guys with me. If I had questions, I could call one of them.” 
 
Millard noted he leaned on a number of officers when he needed help or was
looking for ways to improve. One of those officers was Casey Hubbard, now
working in the Barton County Attorney’s Office. 
 
Millard started in the patrol division with the Great Bend Police Department.
He moved to entry team, bike patrol and has spent the past five years as the
School Resource Officer. He now has an office inside the Great Bend High
School. 
 
“As a Resource Officer, I want to make a connection with the kids when they are
younger,” Millard said. “I do not want them seeing law enforcement as just the
people that give mom and dad a ticket or making arrests. We want them to know
we are here to help the community.” 
 
Building connections and relationships with the children since 2016, Millard
says students will stop and say hello to him when they see him at Walmart or
the convenience store. 
 
“For me, having the kids recognize and come up to me out of the uniform is
great. I encourage kids all the time to talk to officers. Officers say they
have kids coming up to them more and more.” 
 
While running the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E) program, Millard’s
schedule is flexible to interact with students at lunch or recess. Recently
diving into a game of pickleball with a group of elementary school students,
Millard admitted the children were better than he was at the game. 
 
“They are a lot more mobile than I am with all the gear on,” said Millard. “They
have fun interacting with us, especially when they can beat us at something like
pickleball. You just see them light up and glow when they can do something
better than the officer.” 
 
Spending the last 23 years with the Great Bend Police Department, Millard has
learned how to transition from the nice officer to the “this is what you have
to do” type of officer. But at the end of the day, it is still his ability to
communicate, deescalate the situation and his empathy that make him successful
at his job. 
 
“I have seen officers that strictly give orders of ‘you do this, you do that
right now,’” said Millard. “They do not tend to last very long. The officers
that ask how they can help and talk to people are the ones that last a long
time because they can relate to people.”Read the previous Appreciation Month stories by clicking <a href="https://greatbendpost.com/category/appreciation-month">HERE</a>.

Appreciation Month: Great Bend Police Department – Paul Millard

By AMY RICKER Great Bend Post

When one thinks of the Great Bend Police Department employees, it's often the police officers that first come to mind because that is who is seen out in public. However, there are several support staff who work at the GBPD. 

Sherry Stettinger has been employed at GBPD since 1982. A native of the German town of Schoenchen, Kansas, she dreamed of becoming a counselor/psychologist. It was one school subject that railroaded those plans.  

"Then I found out that you had to take a lot of math classes. I was not a good math student, so that took care of that. After that, I never really knew what I wanted to do," said Stettinger.  

After high school graduation, Stettinger worked at Travenol Laboratories in Hays before attending Faith Bible College in Great Bend in 1980. Once she moved to the area, she landed a position at Wilson's Cleaning Service. Little did she know, that job would lead to the next 40 years of employment.  

"I was cleaning First Kansas Bank one night, and there was a newspaper laying on the coffee table. I just felt pressed to pick up the newspaper and look at the help-wanted ads. There was a position for a Meter Clerk at GBPD, and I started here in 1982," explained Stettinger.&nbsp;

The urge to do "something different" was the driving force behind applying with GBPD. That, and getting involved with the community through the police department.  

Parking meters were the norm in downtown Great Bend. Stettinger says that when she was walking her route, she had to pull a canister behind her to carry all of the change she emptied out of the meters.  

"I walked the whole district four times every day and would chalk the tires, and then two hours later, I would ticket the cars that hadn't moved and made new chalk lines on the newly parked vehicles," said Stettinger.  

After 18 months, Stettinger was promoted to Meter Supervisor and Records Clerk, and in January of 1985, she was promoted to Chief Secretary, where she has been ever since.  

Stettinger's daily duties include purchasing all of the office supplies, maintaining personnel files, screen phone calls, payroll, accounts receivable and new employees' onboarding.  

"I'm pretty much involved in everything that goes on around here in this department," chuckled Stettinger.  

While most employed people in any industry can quickly say what the one thing is that they dislike most about their career, Stettinger is not in that category. She says she's been doing the position for so long that it all comes pretty easy to her these days.  

"Ok, there is one thing. I am not technology-savvy. Computers can be frustrating for me. That would be the toughest part of my job," she said.  

"It's working with all of the people that I work with. You just become family with these people, especially with so many of them being here for five, ten, or fifteen plus years. It's also the relationship with the citizens who come in that we get to help and just being a part of their lives."&nbsp;

While the average American stays at one job for an average of 4.6 years, Stettinger has been at her job for almost 40 years. When she moved to Great Bend and started working for GBPD, she met her husband, who was a fireman for the Great Bend Fire Department. After getting married and starting their family, she says they didn't have any help with their children.  

"With my husband working 24-hour shifts, Police Chief Dean Akins always told me that family comes first. He was wonderful to me by ensuring that I never missed anything that my kids were involved in. If we didn't have a babysitter, he allowed me to stay home until my husband was off work," explained Stettinger. "I had to make those hours up, of course, but he allowed me to have flexibility at a time that jobs just didn't offer people that." 

Stettinger says she worked alongside Chief Akins for 29 years and said she had the best of both worlds.  

"If I had to work, then I had the best job working. I had a wonderful boss that made sure that I took care of what was most important to me, which was my family," said Stettinger.  

The most memorable story occurred just a few months after starting her career. All city employees were required to take a First Aid /CPR class. One of the instructors was named John, and after the course was over, he called and asked her out. A year later, they were married, and this year, John and Sherry will celebrate their 38th wedding anniversary.  

With almost 40 years under her belt with GBPD, is retirement on the horizon? 

"I told the Chief yesterday that I plan on working here another ten years. I have no plans to retire at this point."  

Each month, Eagle Radio in Great Bend will recognize groups or individuals that make a big impact on our community. This Appreciation Month is highlighting the Great Bend Police Department.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615213697778.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By AMY RICKER Great Bend PostWhen one thinks of the Great Bend Police Department employees, it's often the police officers that first come to mind because that is who is seen out in public. However, there are several support staff who work at the GBPD. Sherry Stettinger has been employed at GBPD since 1982. A native of the German town of Schoenchen, Kansas, she dreamed of becoming a counselor/psychologist. It was one school subject that railroaded those plans. "Then I found out that you had to take a lot of math classes. I was not a good math student, so that took care of that. After that, I never really knew what I wanted to do," said Stettinger. After high school graduation, Stettinger worked at Travenol Laboratories in Hays before attending Faith Bible College in Great Bend in 1980. Once she moved to the area, she landed a position at Wilson's Cleaning Service. Little did she know, that job would lead to the next 40 years of employment. "I was cleaning First Kansas Bank one night, and there was a newspaper laying on the coffee table. I just felt pressed to pick up the newspaper and look at the help-wanted ads. There was a position for a Meter Clerk at GBPD, and I started here in 1982," explained Stettinger.&nbsp;The urge to do "something different" was the driving force behind applying with GBPD. That, and getting involved with the community through the police department. Parking meters were the norm in downtown Great Bend. Stettinger says that when she was walking her route, she had to pull a canister behind her to carry all of the change she emptied out of the meters. "I walked the whole district four times every day and would chalk the tires, and then two hours later, I would ticket the cars that hadn't moved and made new chalk lines on the newly parked vehicles," said Stettinger. After 18 months, Stettinger was promoted to Meter Supervisor and Records Clerk, and in January of 1985, she was promoted to Chief Secretary, where she has been ever since. Stettinger's daily duties include purchasing all of the office supplies, maintaining personnel files, screen phone calls, payroll, accounts receivable and new employees' onboarding. "I'm pretty much involved in everything that goes on around here in this department," chuckled Stettinger. While most employed people in any industry can quickly say what the one thing is that they dislike most about their career, Stettinger is not in that category. She says she's been doing the position for so long that it all comes pretty easy to her these days. And then she corrected herself. "Ok, there is one thing. I am not technology-savvy. Computers can be frustrating for me. That would be the toughest part of my job," she said. The best part? "It's working with all of the people that I work with. You just become family with these people, especially with so many of them being here for five, ten, or fifteen plus years. It's also the relationship with the citizens who come in that we get to help and just being a part of their lives."&nbsp;While the average American stays at one job for an average of 4.6 years, Stettinger has been at her job for almost 40 years. When she moved to Great Bend and started working for GBPD, she met her husband, who was a fireman for the Great Bend Fire Department. After getting married and starting their family, she says they didn't have any help with their children. "With my husband working 24-hour shifts, Police Chief Dean Akins always told me that family comes first. He was wonderful to me by ensuring that I never missed anything that my kids were involved in. If we didn't have a babysitter, he allowed me to stay home until my husband was off work," explained Stettinger. "I had to make those hours up, of course, but he allowed me to have flexibility at a time that jobs just didn't offer people that." Stettinger says she worked alongside Chief Akins for 29 years and said she had the best of both worlds. "If I had to work, then I had the best job working. I had a wonderful boss that made sure that I took care of what was most important to me, which was my family," said Stettinger. The most memorable story occurred just a few months after starting her career. All city employees were required to take a First Aid /CPR class. One of the instructors was named John, and after the course was over, he called and asked her out. A year later, they were married, and this year, John and Sherry will celebrate their 38th wedding anniversary. With almost 40 years under her belt with GBPD, is retirement on the horizon? "I told the Chief yesterday that I plan on working here another ten years. I have no plans to retire at this point."

Appreciation Month: Great Bend Police Department – Sherry Stettinger

As a young child growing up in the Medicine Lodge area, Great Bend Police Department Detective Heather McLemore has known she wanted to work in law enforcement since the third grade.  After graduating from Medicine Lodge High School, McLemore attended Hutchinson Community College and then jumped into the job force in Atcheson County.  

“I eventually moved to the Great Bend area and finished out my degree in Criminal Justice at Barton Community College,” said McLemore.  

After joining the Great Bend Police Department, McLemore started working with cases that involved crime against children.  

“I’ve always had a passion for it. It intrigues me. To me, children and the elderly really need someone to stand up and have a voice for them,” explained McLemore.  

Working with children isn’t always easy, and when it comes to offenses that have been committed against these vulnerable victims, it can be demanding, arduous and emotionally draining. McLemore says separating the job from the natural human emotions has to be done even in the simplest of cases, but it never really leaves your mind.   

“You’re always going to think about it, but you have to remember that it is a job. You have a family at home to take care of. I go home and hug my son super tight if I have an awful day or case of a child abuse or even worse. I call family, talk to them and just love them,” said McLemore.  

McLemore relies on the Family Crisis Center to interact with the children as much as possible when it comes to communicating with them. She is often on the backside of cases, and children don’t even see her until the day of court due to the stigma that some people have regarding law enforcement. Her goal is for the child to be able to speak freely about what happened without any fear or pressure.  

With all of that, what is the most challenging part of McLemore’s job? 

“I can’t fix it all. We try really hard to do what we can, but a lot of it is letting the community know that these things happen and it’s okay to talk about it. Things have changed a lot in the years ever since I was a kid when certain things were just not talked about,” explained McLemore. “It was kept a secret. People need to understand that it’s okay not to keep certain things a secret and to seek help.” 

When it comes to crime and the rise and fall of certain types, she says there hasn’t been a massive spike in anything particular. However, as access to the internet is readily given to young children, there have been fluctuating crimes relating to social media. During the pandemic, when children were stuck at home for extended periods, perpetrators used the internet to access children and attempt to entice them to engage in illegal activities. 

On the flipside, McLemore says the internet has made it easier to catch criminals in many ways.  

“I honestly don’t know how they did some of the cases back in the day before the internet. I can click the mouse a couple of times and have access to all the information I want. That would have taken weeks back in those days without the internet.” 

Like many careers, what does McLemore have a lot of when she’s on the clock? 

“Paperwork. There is so much paperwork and documentation. Some of my days are spent doing 99% paperwork,” chuckled McLemore.  

“To keep kids safe and give them a voice.” 

Each month, Eagle Radio in Great Bend will recognize groups or individuals that make a big impact on our community. This Appreciation Month is highlighting the Great Bend Police Department.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1614884888385.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By AMY RICKER Great Bend PostAs a young child growing up in the Medicine Lodge area, Great Bend Police Department Detective Heather McLemore has known she wanted to work in law enforcement since the third grade. After graduating from Medicine Lodge High School, McLemore attended Hutchinson Community College and then jumped into the job force in Atcheson County. “I eventually moved to the Great Bend area and finished out my degree in Criminal Justice at Barton Community College,” said McLemore. After joining the Great Bend Police Department, McLemore started working with cases that involved crime against children. “I’ve always had a passion for it. It intrigues me. To me, children and the elderly really need someone to stand up and have a voice for them,” explained McLemore. Working with children isn’t always easy, and when it comes to offenses that have been committed against these vulnerable victims, it can be demanding, arduous and emotionally draining. McLemore says separating the job from the natural human emotions has to be done even in the simplest of cases, but it never really leaves your mind. “You’re always going to think about it, but you have to remember that it is a job. You have a family at home to take care of. I go home and hug my son super tight if I have an awful day or case of a child abuse or even worse. I call family, talk to them and just love them,” said McLemore. McLemore relies on the Family Crisis Center to interact with the children as much as possible when it comes to communicating with them. She is often on the backside of cases, and children don’t even see her until the day of court due to the stigma that some people have regarding law enforcement. Her goal is for the child to be able to speak freely about what happened without any fear or pressure. With all of that, what is the most challenging part of McLemore’s job? “I can’t fix it all. We try really hard to do what we can, but a lot of it is letting the community know that these things happen and it’s okay to talk about it. Things have changed a lot in the years ever since I was a kid when certain things were just not talked about,” explained McLemore. “It was kept a secret. People need to understand that it’s okay not to keep certain things a secret and to seek help.” When it comes to crime and the rise and fall of certain types, she says there hasn’t been a massive spike in anything particular. However, as access to the internet is readily given to young children, there have been fluctuating crimes relating to social media. During the pandemic, when children were stuck at home for extended periods, perpetrators used the internet to access children and attempt to entice them to engage in illegal activities. On the flipside, McLemore says the internet has made it easier to catch criminals in many ways. “I honestly don’t know how they did some of the cases back in the day before the internet. I can click the mouse a couple of times and have access to all the information I want. That would have taken weeks back in those days without the internet.” Like many careers, what does McLemore have a lot of when she’s on the clock? “Paperwork. There is so much paperwork and documentation. Some of my days are spent doing 99% paperwork,” chuckled McLemore. What are McLemore’s career goals? “To keep kids safe and give them a voice.”

Appreciation Month: Great Bend Police Department – Heather McLemore

Each month, Eagle Radio in Great Bend will recognize groups or individuals that make a big impact on our community. This Appreciation Month is highlighting the Great Bend City Council.&nbsp;

Davis Jimenez can vividly remember where he was at when the terrorists
attacks happened on Sept. 11, 2001. 
“I was in Mr. Beaumont’s 6th grade class at Eisenhower Elementary
School,” said Davis. “Maybe I did not understand the full capacity of it, but I
knew it was going to change the world.” 
Jimenez knew he wanted to do something more in his life and eventually enlisted into the Army at the age of 17. 
“I was goal driven. It was my plan to pay for college. I had a plan for the
next two years and then afterwards I could go to college.” 
As a signal support specialist in the Army, Davis deals with anything with a
signal from radios to internet-related equipment. 
Jimenez has been deployed overseas twice to places like Qatar, Kuwait and Iraq and
most recently returned to Great Bend in December 2019. 
“I appreciate life here in the United States,” said Jimenez. “It is not
perfect, but it is pretty close compared to other areas.”

Outside of a few years living in California in his early teenager days, Jimenez
has spent his life in Great Bend. He was able to attend Barton Community
College and eventually started working with Aflac Insurance in 2018. 
“A lot of people do not understand insurance or do not want to talk about it,”
said Jimenez. “I like helping people by explaining it and finding their needs.” 
That desire to help people pushed Davis to seek a seat on the Great Bend City
Council this year. With no one filing for a Ward 3 seat in this past election, Jimenez
was appointed to the vacant seat and took his oath of office Feb. 1.
 
“Part of helping people is listening to them,” said Jimenez. “I want to hear
what people’s concerns are regarding issues.” 
Jimenez joked that he has probably asked City Administrator Kendal Francis too
many questions as he gets a feel for how things operate throughout the city.
The Army Reserve member stopped by the Fire Department and Police Department to
get a better understanding of what their processes are like. 
“I am still gathering information. I am not trying to start talking about
something, acting like I am an expert. I am still learning.” 
Jimenez takes on his new role on the city council while looking after his two
children and making time for his favorite pastime of hunting and target
shooting. His wife is currently active duty with the Army, stationed in Fort
Knox in Kentucky. The two met while deployed in Kuwait. 
“On deployment, my future wife and I did not talk,” said Jimenez. “It was not
until we got home that we talked while she was stationed at Fort Leavenworth.” 
Davis credits great communication his wife and him have to how they make
their relationship work while she’s stationed in Kentucky and he is working in
Great Bend. It is that type of communication that he hopes to carry over into
his role on the city council. 
“I really want to help everyone and I am always open to hear citizens’
concerns.”&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Each month, Eagle Radio in Great Bend will recognize groups or individuals that make a big impact on our community. This Appreciation Month is highlighting the Great Bend City Council.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611954734080.jpeg" alt="Great Bend City Councilmember Davis Jimenez" />
 <figcaption>Great Bend City Councilmember Davis Jimenez</figcaption>
 </figure>By COLE REIF Great Bend PostDavis Jimenez can vividly remember where he was at when the terrorists
attacks happened on Sept. 11, 2001. 
“I was in Mr. Beaumont’s 6th grade class at Eisenhower Elementary
School,” said Davis. “Maybe I did not understand the full capacity of it, but I
knew it was going to change the world.” 
Jimenez knew he wanted to do something more in his life and eventually enlisted into the Army at the age of 17. 
“I was goal driven. It was my plan to pay for college. I had a plan for the
next two years and then afterwards I could go to college.” 
As a signal support specialist in the Army, Davis deals with anything with a
signal from radios to internet-related equipment. 
Jimenez has been deployed overseas twice to places like Qatar, Kuwait and Iraq and
most recently returned to Great Bend in December 2019. 
“I appreciate life here in the United States,” said Jimenez. “It is not
perfect, but it is pretty close compared to other areas.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612230192412.jpeg" alt="Jimenez (right) took his oath of office to be on the Great Bend City Council Feb. 1, 2021." />
 <figcaption>Jimenez (right) took his oath of office to be on the Great Bend City Council Feb. 1, 2021.</figcaption>
 </figure>Outside of a few years living in California in his early teenager days, Jimenez
has spent his life in Great Bend. He was able to attend Barton Community
College and eventually started working with Aflac Insurance in 2018. 
“A lot of people do not understand insurance or do not want to talk about it,”
said Jimenez. “I like helping people by explaining it and finding their needs.” 
That desire to help people pushed Davis to seek a seat on the Great Bend City
Council this year. With no one filing for a Ward 3 seat in this past election, Jimenez
was appointed to the vacant seat and took his oath of office Feb. 1.
 
“Part of helping people is listening to them,” said Jimenez. “I want to hear
what people’s concerns are regarding issues.” 
Jimenez joked that he has probably asked City Administrator Kendal Francis too
many questions as he gets a feel for how things operate throughout the city.
The Army Reserve member stopped by the Fire Department and Police Department to
get a better understanding of what their processes are like. 
“I am still gathering information. I am not trying to start talking about
something, acting like I am an expert. I am still learning.” 
Jimenez takes on his new role on the city council while looking after his two
children and making time for his favorite pastime of hunting and target
shooting. His wife is currently active duty with the Army, stationed in Fort
Knox in Kentucky. The two met while deployed in Kuwait. 
“On deployment, my future wife and I did not talk,” said Jimenez. “It was not
until we got home that we talked while she was stationed at Fort Leavenworth.” 
Davis credits great communication his wife and him have to how they make
their relationship work while she’s stationed in Kentucky and he is working in
Great Bend. It is that type of communication that he hopes to carry over into
his role on the city council. 
“I really want to help everyone and I am always open to hear citizens’
concerns.”&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Appreciation Month: City Council – Davis Jimenez 

By COLE REIF&nbsp; Great Bend Post

Great Bend resident Junior Welsch acknowledges it is amazing how much youth
sports has grown over the years. Following his daughter’s sports career as a
child and collegiately, softball and basketball games took Welsch all over the
state and sometimes out of state. 
“We went down to Bartlesville, Oklahoma for one of our daughter’s games,” said
Welsch. “She also played basketball one year at Barton Community College and we
went to a tournament in Texas. Of course, competing for Great Bend High School,
you always looked at the trip to Liberal and said ‘here we go again.’” 
Growing up in Garfield, just over 30 miles southwest of Great Bend, Welsch
never needed to go far. Loving the outdoors, the river was close and Junior
enjoyed everything about the small, rural town life. 
“Everybody knew everybody. That will always be my home.” 
Residing in Great Bend the past 27 years, Welsch feels the city has to continue
to push to get younger adults to live in Great Bend. Seeing dozens of
ballfields while traveling to watch his daughter play, Junior wants to see
improvements to sporting facilities and parks in town. 
Welsch’s voice is now heard on the Great Bend City Council after being
appointed to a Ward 4 seat in February 2020. 
“If you are going to keep seeing things you want to change, but not willing to
step up and do it, then you should not have the right to complain when it does
not change,” said Welsch.

Knowing that the Great Bend community is based on agriculture and oil, Welsch felt
his job at the Great Bend Coop was a good way to hear what many citizens need. 
As a child, Welsch and his friends would help the coop in Garfield with
inventory in early January each year. He continued to help clean
around elevators and assist farmers as he could. Following high school, Welsch
began working at a feedyard. 
“I did some plumbing for about four years, but realized I was going to have to
be out of town for plumbing, so I went back to the feedyard,” said Welsch. “I
decided the benefits were not going to be as great and moved on from there to
work at the Great Bend Coop.” 
Working for Great Bend Coop for the past 15 years, Welsch is now learning his
newest role of being part of a governing body. 
“You never realize how much is going on behind the scenes with the city,” said
Welsch. “What all the city employees do, even fire and police, is amazing to
keep this place functioning.” 
Welsch wants all citizens to know the city is trying to constantly improve
their services and what they offer those that live here. 
“A lot of people feel that Great Bend is not trying to better themselves,” said
Welsch. “I know from sitting through this, the city is trying to bring in
new businesses and improve the community. I don’t think people see that.” 
While his traveling days to watch his children play sports have passed, Welsch
now spends his time traveling throughout Great Bend, looking for ways to advance
the community. 
“I’ll get the agenda and then drive around over the weekend so I know what they
are talking about. If there are certain businesses it pertains to, I’ll reach
out to them.”&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Each month, Eagle Radio in Great Bend will recognize groups or individuals that make a big impact on our community. This Appreciation Month is highlighting the Great Bend City Council.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614024835861.jpeg" alt="Great Bend City Councilmember Junior Welsch" />
 <figcaption>Great Bend City Councilmember Junior Welsch</figcaption>
 </figure>By COLE REIF&nbsp; Great Bend PostGreat Bend resident Junior Welsch acknowledges it is amazing how much youth
sports has grown over the years. Following his daughter’s sports career as a
child and collegiately, softball and basketball games took Welsch all over the
state and sometimes out of state. 
“We went down to Bartlesville, Oklahoma for one of our daughter’s games,” said
Welsch. “She also played basketball one year at Barton Community College and we
went to a tournament in Texas. Of course, competing for Great Bend High School,
you always looked at the trip to Liberal and said ‘here we go again.’” 
Growing up in Garfield, just over 30 miles southwest of Great Bend, Welsch
never needed to go far. Loving the outdoors, the river was close and Junior
enjoyed everything about the small, rural town life. 
“Everybody knew everybody. That will always be my home.” 
Residing in Great Bend the past 27 years, Welsch feels the city has to continue
to push to get younger adults to live in Great Bend. Seeing dozens of
ballfields while traveling to watch his daughter play, Junior wants to see
improvements to sporting facilities and parks in town. 
Welsch’s voice is now heard on the Great Bend City Council after being
appointed to a Ward 4 seat in February 2020. 
“If you are going to keep seeing things you want to change, but not willing to
step up and do it, then you should not have the right to complain when it does
not change,” said Welsch.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1580785647342.jpeg" alt="Junior Welsch took his oath of office to join the Great Bend City Council Feb. 3, 2020." />
 <figcaption>Junior Welsch took his oath of office to join the Great Bend City Council Feb. 3, 2020.</figcaption>
 </figure>Knowing that the Great Bend community is based on agriculture and oil, Welsch felt
his job at the Great Bend Coop was a good way to hear what many citizens need. 
As a child, Welsch and his friends would help the coop in Garfield with
inventory in early January each year. He continued to help clean
around elevators and assist farmers as he could. Following high school, Welsch
began working at a feedyard. 
“I did some plumbing for about four years, but realized I was going to have to
be out of town for plumbing, so I went back to the feedyard,” said Welsch. “I
decided the benefits were not going to be as great and moved on from there to
work at the Great Bend Coop.” 
Working for Great Bend Coop for the past 15 years, Welsch is now learning his
newest role of being part of a governing body. 
“You never realize how much is going on behind the scenes with the city,” said
Welsch. “What all the city employees do, even fire and police, is amazing to
keep this place functioning.” 
Welsch wants all citizens to know the city is trying to constantly improve
their services and what they offer those that live here. 
“A lot of people feel that Great Bend is not trying to better themselves,” said
Welsch. “I know from sitting through this, the city is trying to bring in
new businesses and improve the community. I don’t think people see that.” 
While his traveling days to watch his children play sports have passed, Welsch
now spends his time traveling throughout Great Bend, looking for ways to advance
the community. 
“I’ll get the agenda and then drive around over the weekend so I know what they
are talking about. If there are certain businesses it pertains to, I’ll reach
out to them.”&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Appreciation Month: City Council - Junior Welsch

Life-long Great Bend resident Cody Schmidt believes that in life, there
is always a plan. 
After graduating from Great Bend High School in 2004, Schmidt was planning to
attend Garden City Community College to play football. His grandfather, whom
Schmidt was going to live with while going to college in Garden City, passed
away. 
“Losing my grandpa, that kind of hit me wrong,” said Schmidt. “I decided not to go to Garden City. I’ve never been
away from Great Bend.” 
Now married with children, Schmidt’s wife had a chance to transfer jobs to
Wichita. 
“We went down there for a couple of weeks, looked around, and I realized the
big-city life was not for me,” Schmidt said. “Great Bend is all I know.” 
Growing up in a family with eight children, Schmidt acknowledges he had to grow
up quick as there was not a lot of money to go around. Part of growing up
quickly involved landing a full-time job directly out of high school. 
“When I decided to not go to Garden City, I started working for the Great Bend
school district as summer help,” Schmidt said. “That job turned into a
full-time position as the inner office mailman. As an 18-year-old kid, I thought
this was a good job with benefits and I liked where I was at.” 
Through the years, Schmidt has worked his way up at USD 428 from mailman, to
groundskeeper, to bus driver and now the Director of Grounds and
Transportation. 
“I have a great staff. They make me look good every day. Every day is something
new. It is great being involved with the coaches, kids and getting to know
everybody.” 
In 2019, Cody’s life plan took a turn when he won the November General Election
to become the next Great Bend Mayor as a write-in candidate. 
“I never thought I would go from a citizen to the mayor,” said Schmidt. “I
wanted to start with city council, but I always felt everyone that represented
my Ward 3 did a good job. When the mayor position presented itself. I thought I had
a fair chance.”

As the mayor for over a year now, Schmidt admits there are still parts of his
role that he is learning. With projects, jobs and ideas from the past, Schmidt
is learning how to follow former leaders’ ideas in order to make the community
grow. 
“There are things we talked about a year ago that we are just now starting to
bring to the table. There is so much time and effort put into plans and
sometimes that makes progress slow.” 
Being the mayor, Cody says you always have to be ready for change. You
may have the bull by the horns one day, but something can get thrown in front
of you that quickly changes that. 
“No day is ever perfect,” said Schmidt. “There is always going to be curveball.
Are you going to take it with a grain of salt? Are you going to fold? How are
you going to handle yourself? I always try to stay ready for anything.” 
While he does not wear a suit and tie for his job at the school district, Schmidt
says he has adjusted his attire to make sure he is always presentable in the
public or the media. 
Schmidt estimated the time commitment being the mayor is 20 hours a week. On
top of 50 hours a week with his full-time job and a family life with two kids,
Cody is one busy man. &nbsp; 
“There are days that I want to pull my hair out and my blood pressure is
probably three times higher than it should be,” Schmidt said. “I think it is
the drive that comes with that continues to push me.” 
Even with the stress that comes with the role, Schmidt states that he
thoroughly enjoys the mayor position. From his days as a child participating in
the youth academy and student council, Schmidt loves seeing projects get done to
improve his hometown. 
“My name will be back on the ballot for mayor,” Schmidt said. “I am
not going to spend 20 years at this job, but I definitely think two, three, or
four terms would be perfect. Sometimes it takes that long to get things moving
in the right direction.”&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Each month, Eagle Radio in Great Bend will recognize groups or individuals that make a big impact on our community. This Appreciation Month is highlighting the Great Bend City Council.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613934339781.jpeg" alt="Great Bend Mayor Cody Schmidt" />
 <figcaption>Great Bend Mayor Cody Schmidt</figcaption>
 </figure>By COLE REIF Great Bend PostLife-long Great Bend resident Cody Schmidt believes that in life, there
is always a plan. 
After graduating from Great Bend High School in 2004, Schmidt was planning to
attend Garden City Community College to play football. His grandfather, whom
Schmidt was going to live with while going to college in Garden City, passed
away. 
“Losing my grandpa, that kind of hit me wrong,” said Schmidt. “I decided not to go to Garden City. I’ve never been
away from Great Bend.” 
Now married with children, Schmidt’s wife had a chance to transfer jobs to
Wichita. 
“We went down there for a couple of weeks, looked around, and I realized the
big-city life was not for me,” Schmidt said. “Great Bend is all I know.” 
Growing up in a family with eight children, Schmidt acknowledges he had to grow
up quick as there was not a lot of money to go around. Part of growing up
quickly involved landing a full-time job directly out of high school. 
“When I decided to not go to Garden City, I started working for the Great Bend
school district as summer help,” Schmidt said. “That job turned into a
full-time position as the inner office mailman. As an 18-year-old kid, I thought
this was a good job with benefits and I liked where I was at.” 
Through the years, Schmidt has worked his way up at USD 428 from mailman, to
groundskeeper, to bus driver and now the Director of Grounds and
Transportation. 
“I have a great staff. They make me look good every day. Every day is something
new. It is great being involved with the coaches, kids and getting to know
everybody.” 
In 2019, Cody’s life plan took a turn when he won the November General Election
to become the next Great Bend Mayor as a write-in candidate. 
“I never thought I would go from a citizen to the mayor,” said Schmidt. “I
wanted to start with city council, but I always felt everyone that represented
my Ward 3 did a good job. When the mayor position presented itself. I thought I had
a fair chance.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579115618777.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>As the mayor for over a year now, Schmidt admits there are still parts of his
role that he is learning. With projects, jobs and ideas from the past, Schmidt
is learning how to follow former leaders’ ideas in order to make the community
grow. 
“There are things we talked about a year ago that we are just now starting to
bring to the table. There is so much time and effort put into plans and
sometimes that makes progress slow.” 
Being the mayor, Cody says you always have to be ready for change. You
may have the bull by the horns one day, but something can get thrown in front
of you that quickly changes that. 
“No day is ever perfect,” said Schmidt. “There is always going to be curveball.
Are you going to take it with a grain of salt? Are you going to fold? How are
you going to handle yourself? I always try to stay ready for anything.” 
While he does not wear a suit and tie for his job at the school district, Schmidt
says he has adjusted his attire to make sure he is always presentable in the
public or the media. 
Schmidt estimated the time commitment being the mayor is 20 hours a week. On
top of 50 hours a week with his full-time job and a family life with two kids,
Cody is one busy man. &nbsp; 
“There are days that I want to pull my hair out and my blood pressure is
probably three times higher than it should be,” Schmidt said. “I think it is
the drive that comes with that continues to push me.” 
Even with the stress that comes with the role, Schmidt states that he
thoroughly enjoys the mayor position. From his days as a child participating in
the youth academy and student council, Schmidt loves seeing projects get done to
improve his hometown. 
“My name will be back on the ballot for mayor,” Schmidt said. “I am
not going to spend 20 years at this job, but I definitely think two, three, or
four terms would be perfect. Sometimes it takes that long to get things moving
in the right direction.”&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Appreciation Month: City Council - Cody Schmidt

Driving from Elkhart to Lawrence is a more than 400-mile, six-hour haul.
Originally from the Southwest Kansas town and going to the University of Kansas
for his undergraduate degree, Kevyn Soupiset made this trip several times. The
City of Great Bend is just about the midway point during the long trip. 
“I drove through Great Bend dozens of times during my college career,” said
Soupiset. “I always took the Railroad Avenue route because I was in a hurry to
get through town.” 
Little did Soupiset know at the time, he would fall in love with the community
later in life once he actually went through and looked at the town. Before
Soupiset and his family settled into the Great Bend, the physical
therapist went to graduate school at the University of St. Augustine for Health
Sciences in Florida. He then moved to East Texas for his first job and spent
over a year in Wichita. 
“My wife is originally from Larned,” said Soupiset. “We decided we wanted to
get back to Central Kansas to be near some family.” 
While wanting to see as much of the country as possible at a younger age, Soupiset
says your hometown roots pull you back. 
“Rural communities are where my heart and soul are,” said Soupiset. “We wanted
to be in a rural setting that still provided enough amenities we desired.” 
Taking a curriculum test in junior high school that provides careers of
possible interest, Soupiset’s first results showed he should look into becoming
a postmaster. 
“I spent two weeks my freshman year of high school stuffing mailboxes in our
hometown post office,” said Soupiset. “I found out real quick that was not meant for
me.” 
Next on the list of the curriculum results was physical therapy. 
After completing his schooling and working in Texas and Wichita, Soupiset
started working for then Central Kansas Medical Center in Great Bend in 2003. 
Knowing he enjoyed making many of the business decisions, creativity and independence
of private practice, Soupiset had a chance to open branch clinics through
Advanced Therapy &amp; Sports Medicine in 2008. He now owns three clinics in
Great Bend, Larned and Hays. 
“I always told myself if an opportunity comes along that is driving you or
helps you get to the next step, do everything in your power to make it
happen,” Soupiset said. “I have been fortunate. There has been some luck along
the way and mentorship and good leaders I have called upon.” 
Once firmly settled into the area, Soupiset took an interest in local government. 
"My dad was on the city council in Elkhart, so I was able to get an inside
peek,” Soupiset said. “Last summer, I was approached by a few individuals
encouraging me to run for the Great Bend City Council. I chewed on the idea for
a few weeks before making the decision.” 
Soupiset won an uncontested race this past November for the Ward 2 seat on the
city council and took his oath of office in January. 
“My approach has been to figure out what I do not know. All the councilmembers
have been great getting me up to speed on past issues.” 
Soupiset plans stay on the board as long as he is effective and a positive
influence on the community. 
There are no more six-hour drives that skirt around Great Bend anymore to get
somewhere else for Soupiset. Central Kansas is now the ultimate destination. 
“I have fallen in love with this community. I have been living in the Great
Bend area for nearly 20 years and have never sniffed a doubt looking back on
it. I have no regrets.”

Each month, Eagle Radio in Great Bend will recognize groups or individuals that make a big impact on our community. This Appreciation Month is highlighting the Great Bend City Council.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609860677775.jpeg" alt="Great Bend City Councilmember Kevyn Soupiset" />
 <figcaption>Great Bend City Councilmember Kevyn Soupiset</figcaption>
 </figure>By COLE REIF Great Bend PostDriving from Elkhart to Lawrence is a more than 400-mile, six-hour haul.
Originally from the Southwest Kansas town and going to the University of Kansas
for his undergraduate degree, Kevyn Soupiset made this trip several times. The
City of Great Bend is just about the midway point during the long trip. 
“I drove through Great Bend dozens of times during my college career,” said
Soupiset. “I always took the Railroad Avenue route because I was in a hurry to
get through town.” 
Little did Soupiset know at the time, he would fall in love with the community
later in life once he actually went through and looked at the town. Before
Soupiset and his family settled into the Great Bend, the physical
therapist went to graduate school at the University of St. Augustine for Health
Sciences in Florida. He then moved to East Texas for his first job and spent
over a year in Wichita. 
“My wife is originally from Larned,” said Soupiset. “We decided we wanted to
get back to Central Kansas to be near some family.” 
While wanting to see as much of the country as possible at a younger age, Soupiset
says your hometown roots pull you back. 
“Rural communities are where my heart and soul are,” said Soupiset. “We wanted
to be in a rural setting that still provided enough amenities we desired.” 
Taking a curriculum test in junior high school that provides careers of
possible interest, Soupiset’s first results showed he should look into becoming
a postmaster. 
“I spent two weeks my freshman year of high school stuffing mailboxes in our
hometown post office,” said Soupiset. “I found out real quick that was not meant for
me.” 
Next on the list of the curriculum results was physical therapy. 
After completing his schooling and working in Texas and Wichita, Soupiset
started working for then Central Kansas Medical Center in Great Bend in 2003. 
Knowing he enjoyed making many of the business decisions, creativity and independence
of private practice, Soupiset had a chance to open branch clinics through
Advanced Therapy &amp; Sports Medicine in 2008. He now owns three clinics in
Great Bend, Larned and Hays. 
“I always told myself if an opportunity comes along that is driving you or
helps you get to the next step, do everything in your power to make it
happen,” Soupiset said. “I have been fortunate. There has been some luck along
the way and mentorship and good leaders I have called upon.” 
Once firmly settled into the area, Soupiset took an interest in local government. 
"My dad was on the city council in Elkhart, so I was able to get an inside
peek,” Soupiset said. “Last summer, I was approached by a few individuals
encouraging me to run for the Great Bend City Council. I chewed on the idea for
a few weeks before making the decision.” 
Soupiset won an uncontested race this past November for the Ward 2 seat on the
city council and took his oath of office in January. 
“My approach has been to figure out what I do not know. All the councilmembers
have been great getting me up to speed on past issues.” 
Soupiset plans stay on the board as long as he is effective and a positive
influence on the community. 
There are no more six-hour drives that skirt around Great Bend anymore to get
somewhere else for Soupiset. Central Kansas is now the ultimate destination. 
“I have fallen in love with this community. I have been living in the Great
Bend area for nearly 20 years and have never sniffed a doubt looking back on
it. I have no regrets.”

Appreciation Month: City Council – Kevyn Soupiset

Jolene Biggs’ attention to detail has served her well. 
Loving to read as a child, Biggs eventually started a career in insurance and now
serves on the Great Bend City Council. The focus on the finer points has
carried over from one aspect of life to the next. 
“One of things you have to do for insurance is learn all about a person’s
business in order to make sure you have the coverages in place that they need,"
said Biggs. “That has helped on the City Council because I am one of those
individuals that likes to learn and find out all the details before I come to a
conclusion on what is best for the city.” 
Her attention to detail started as a child growing up in Great Bend. One of 13
children in her family, Biggs often rode her bicycle to the library. She
eventually attended Barton Community College, but was not quite sure what she
wanted to do for her career after two years at the college. Biggs accepted a
position with an insurance agency with the idea of taking the job until she
figured out what she wanted to do. 
“It ended up being 43 years in the insurance field,” said Biggs. “It is very
detailed, you have contracts and you are always working with different people.” 
Biggs retired from Insurance Planning at the end of 2019, but worked part-time
through most of 2020. Prior to her retirement, several community members
approached her with the idea of running for a seat on the city council. 
“I am not on the council for the attention,” said Biggs. “I want to solve problems.
I thought my skillsets might be helpful in bringing a topic to fruition and working
out the best details.” 
Biggs was first appointed to the City Council in September 2017 to fill a
vacant seat. Since then, she has won two elections to represent Ward 2. 
“Once on the board, I found out how long it can take to get things moving,”
said Biggs. “The other thing you don’t realize is how the dollars have to
spread out to so many pieces of the pie. What you hope to accomplish, yet keep
taxes down, can be difficult sometimes.” 
As the City of Great Bend restructured their economic development in 2020,
Biggs was excited to be part of the board to attract and retain businesses. 
“People need to understand it is not that easy to recruit new businesses,” said
Biggs. “You want to make sure the businesses, and what they are offering to pay, benefits the city. We need jobs with better pay scales.”&nbsp; 
Biggs is a firm believer that it takes the whole community to grow Great Bend,
not just the economic development committee. 
“Keep your eyes and ears open,” Biggs mentioned. “If you hear something, pass
it on. Talk positively about Great Bend. It takes all of us.” 
Through a passion of reading, an insurance career and now a city council
position, Biggs continues to look at all the details to find the solutions for
Great Bend. 
&nbsp;“When I am trying to gather all the
information, I am persistent on trying to figure out the story,” said Biggs. “I
ask a lot of questions. A lot of people go with the flow and I am not very good
at that. I want the public to have all the details.”&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Each month, Eagle Radio in Great Bend will recognize groups or individuals that make a big impact on our community. This Appreciation Month is highlighting the Great Bend City Council.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609869822045.jpeg" alt="Great Bend City Councilmember Jolene Biggs" />
 <figcaption>Great Bend City Councilmember Jolene Biggs</figcaption>
 </figure>By COLE REIF Great Bend PostJolene Biggs’ attention to detail has served her well. 
Loving to read as a child, Biggs eventually started a career in insurance and now
serves on the Great Bend City Council. The focus on the finer points has
carried over from one aspect of life to the next. 
“One of things you have to do for insurance is learn all about a person’s
business in order to make sure you have the coverages in place that they need,"
said Biggs. “That has helped on the City Council because I am one of those
individuals that likes to learn and find out all the details before I come to a
conclusion on what is best for the city.” 
Her attention to detail started as a child growing up in Great Bend. One of 13
children in her family, Biggs often rode her bicycle to the library. She
eventually attended Barton Community College, but was not quite sure what she
wanted to do for her career after two years at the college. Biggs accepted a
position with an insurance agency with the idea of taking the job until she
figured out what she wanted to do. 
“It ended up being 43 years in the insurance field,” said Biggs. “It is very
detailed, you have contracts and you are always working with different people.” 
Biggs retired from Insurance Planning at the end of 2019, but worked part-time
through most of 2020. Prior to her retirement, several community members
approached her with the idea of running for a seat on the city council. 
“I am not on the council for the attention,” said Biggs. “I want to solve problems.
I thought my skillsets might be helpful in bringing a topic to fruition and working
out the best details.” 
Biggs was first appointed to the City Council in September 2017 to fill a
vacant seat. Since then, she has won two elections to represent Ward 2. 
“Once on the board, I found out how long it can take to get things moving,”
said Biggs. “The other thing you don’t realize is how the dollars have to
spread out to so many pieces of the pie. What you hope to accomplish, yet keep
taxes down, can be difficult sometimes.” 
As the City of Great Bend restructured their economic development in 2020,
Biggs was excited to be part of the board to attract and retain businesses. 
“People need to understand it is not that easy to recruit new businesses,” said
Biggs. “You want to make sure the businesses, and what they are offering to pay, benefits the city. We need jobs with better pay scales.”&nbsp; 
Biggs is a firm believer that it takes the whole community to grow Great Bend,
not just the economic development committee. 
“Keep your eyes and ears open,” Biggs mentioned. “If you hear something, pass
it on. Talk positively about Great Bend. It takes all of us.” 
Through a passion of reading, an insurance career and now a city council
position, Biggs continues to look at all the details to find the solutions for
Great Bend. 
&nbsp;“When I am trying to gather all the
information, I am persistent on trying to figure out the story,” said Biggs. “I
ask a lot of questions. A lot of people go with the flow and I am not very good
at that. I want the public to have all the details.”&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Appreciation Month: City Council – Jolene Biggs

Each month, Eagle Radio in Great Bend will recognize groups or individuals that make a big impact on our community. This Appreciation Month is highlighting the Great Bend City Council. All eight councilmembers and the mayor will be featured with stories throughout the month.

Alan Moeder has been operating as a professional plumber for nearly four
decades serving the Great Bend area, but if it wasn’t for a dishwashing job, "Moeder Carpentry" might have become the recognizable company name instead of
Moeder Plumbing Heating &amp; Air. 
In the early 1980s, Alan Moeder was working as a dishwasher at a local
restaurant his senior year of high school. 
“My summer job fell through,” said Moeder. “I was going to be a carpenter. A
waitress at the restaurant I worked for told me I should work for her husband
as a plumber.” 
Moeder currently has two employees along with himself carrying out a business
he learned without school training, strictly on-job education. 
“I like the concept that you’re constantly doing something different,” said
Moeder. “Some of it came natural to me. I always called plumbing like playing
with Tinkertoys. You try to make it look as neat as you can.” 
Because of his experience with finances through running his own business for 39
years, Moeder thought about getting involved with the local government to see
if he could do some good for the community. 
“I always pondered about going for a Barton County Commission seat when I
retired, but a chance on the Great Bend City Council became available,” noted
Moeder. “I determined I would go ahead with the city council to see if I liked
it.” 
Moeder campaigned in an uncontested race in November 2019 and garnered 405
votes for the Ward 1 seat. Being sworn into office Jan. 6,
2020, Moeder mentioned it took some time to figure out how everything works
within the city. 
“It is like anything government related, it moves slower than you want it to
work.”

With just over a year’s worth of experience sitting on the eight-member
council, Moeder is proud of what the governing body and administration has been
able to accomplish. The current 10th Street resurfacing project that
is 75% covered by federal money and the ongoing improvements to the city’s
ballfields stood out as a couple successes. 
“That is one thing I liked about Great Bend…in my younger days, I played a lot
of softball,” Moeder said. “There were always a lot of fields to play on and
plenty of leagues.” 
Moeder joked a bad shoulder has taken him out of the softball playing days, but
as he got older he switched to golf and bowling. 
A strong sense of improving his hometown sparked Moeder’s interest in joining
the city council, and now he hopes that community pride will spread as he views
each meeting’s property abatements. 
“I’m adamant about keeping property’s appearances looking good,” said Moeder. “I
love what is happening on East 10th Street right now with new
buildings and getting cleaned up. That is the appearance the city gives when
new people come to town.” 
Claiming that he wishes to serve additional terms on the city council if
elected, Moeder feels it is hard to beat the smaller community concept. 
“I don’t mind going to big cities, but I don’t mind leaving them either.”

Each month, Eagle Radio in Great Bend will recognize groups or individuals that make a big impact on our community. This Appreciation Month is highlighting the Great Bend City Council. All eight councilmembers and the mayor will be featured with stories throughout the month.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613079257797.jpeg" alt="Great Bend City Councilmember Alan Moeder" />
 <figcaption>Great Bend City Councilmember Alan Moeder</figcaption>
 </figure>By COLE REIF Great Bend PostAlan Moeder has been operating as a professional plumber for nearly four
decades serving the Great Bend area, but if it wasn’t for a dishwashing job, "Moeder Carpentry" might have become the recognizable company name instead of
Moeder Plumbing Heating &amp; Air. 
In the early 1980s, Alan Moeder was working as a dishwasher at a local
restaurant his senior year of high school. 
“My summer job fell through,” said Moeder. “I was going to be a carpenter. A
waitress at the restaurant I worked for told me I should work for her husband
as a plumber.” 
Moeder currently has two employees along with himself carrying out a business
he learned without school training, strictly on-job education. 
“I like the concept that you’re constantly doing something different,” said
Moeder. “Some of it came natural to me. I always called plumbing like playing
with Tinkertoys. You try to make it look as neat as you can.” 
Because of his experience with finances through running his own business for 39
years, Moeder thought about getting involved with the local government to see
if he could do some good for the community. 
“I always pondered about going for a Barton County Commission seat when I
retired, but a chance on the Great Bend City Council became available,” noted
Moeder. “I determined I would go ahead with the city council to see if I liked
it.” 
Moeder campaigned in an uncontested race in November 2019 and garnered 405
votes for the Ward 1 seat. Being sworn into office Jan. 6,
2020, Moeder mentioned it took some time to figure out how everything works
within the city. 
“It is like anything government related, it moves slower than you want it to
work.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1578362133151.jpeg" alt="Alan Moeder (second from the left) took his oath of office Jan. 6, 2020 to serve on the Great Bend City Council." />
 <figcaption>Alan Moeder (second from the left) took his oath of office Jan. 6, 2020 to serve on the Great Bend City Council.</figcaption>
 </figure>With just over a year’s worth of experience sitting on the eight-member
council, Moeder is proud of what the governing body and administration has been
able to accomplish. The current 10th Street resurfacing project that
is 75% covered by federal money and the ongoing improvements to the city’s
ballfields stood out as a couple successes. 
“That is one thing I liked about Great Bend…in my younger days, I played a lot
of softball,” Moeder said. “There were always a lot of fields to play on and
plenty of leagues.” 
Moeder joked a bad shoulder has taken him out of the softball playing days, but
as he got older he switched to golf and bowling. 
A strong sense of improving his hometown sparked Moeder’s interest in joining
the city council, and now he hopes that community pride will spread as he views
each meeting’s property abatements. 
“I’m adamant about keeping property’s appearances looking good,” said Moeder. “I
love what is happening on East 10th Street right now with new
buildings and getting cleaned up. That is the appearance the city gives when
new people come to town.” 
Claiming that he wishes to serve additional terms on the city council if
elected, Moeder feels it is hard to beat the smaller community concept. 
“I don’t mind going to big cities, but I don’t mind leaving them either.”

Appreciation Month: City Council – Alan Moeder

Each month, Eagle Radio in Great Bend will recognize groups or individuals that make a big impact on our community. This week's Appreciation Month is highlighting the Great Bend City Council. All eight councilmembers and the mayor will be featured with stories throughout the month.

For Lindsey Krom-Craven, born and raised in Great Bend,
there has never been a desire to move away from her hometown; instead, there
has been a goal to improve her community. That is part of the reason why Krom-Craven
showed interest in being part of the Great Bend City Council. 
 
“I want to see more for our community,” said Krom-Craven. “I want to take care
of the people that live here and make sure the young people want to stay here.” 
 
Being involved in city government always seemed like a natural fit for
Krom-Craven with her grandfather being a former county attorney and her grandmother
heavily involved in the League of Women Voters. 
 
“I remember going to my grandfather’s office and seeing how law affected lives
positively or negatively,” said Krom-Craven. “One case could change the way a
law or ordinance was enforced. That was always neat to me.” 
 
Krom-Craven started working at Westlink, then managed Bank of America before spending
the past 10 years at Nex-Tech. 
 
“Nex-Tech is local and always changing,” Krom-Craven said. “They put a bunch of
money back into the communities which I like a lot.” 
 
Investing in the community was a huge driving force when Lindsey submitted her
application to fill an open seat on the City Council last year. Krom-Craven was
appointed to fill the vacant Ward 1 seat last March and then was voted for her
first full, two-year term that started January 2021. 
 
“Once appointed, I had to understand the values that each part of town has. You
have to come together and determine what is best for the whole town and not
always just one area.”

Krom-Craven continues to push for ways to get younger citizens involved with
the city. She would love to see the Great Bend High School Student Council
(STUCO) participate with city processes and receive feedback from the youth. 
 
“I am very vested in making this work,” said Krom-Craven. “I’m not just going
to show up for the meetings and vote. I truly want to understand what I am voting
on.” 
 
Even when the water and sewer rates went up last October, Krom-Craven was
confident the change was going to do a lot of good for the city and its
residents. 
 
“This is going to fix some of the issues that citizens have been complaining
about for so long.” 
 
Lindsey joked she was never adventurous enough to leave Great Bend, but now her
adventure of being on the City Council is trying to make sure others have the
same passion for the town that she does. 
 
“I knew I would enjoy being on the council, but I did not know how much. I do
think it is making a difference and I like being part of that.”

Each month, Eagle Radio in Great Bend will recognize groups or individuals that make a big impact on our community. This week's Appreciation Month is highlighting the Great Bend City Council. All eight councilmembers and the mayor will be featured with stories throughout the month.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612887543400.jpeg" alt="Great Bend City Councilmember Lindsey Krom-Craven" />
 <figcaption>Great Bend City Councilmember Lindsey Krom-Craven</figcaption>
 </figure>By COLE REIF Great Bend PostFor Lindsey Krom-Craven, born and raised in Great Bend,
there has never been a desire to move away from her hometown; instead, there
has been a goal to improve her community. That is part of the reason why Krom-Craven
showed interest in being part of the Great Bend City Council. 
 
“I want to see more for our community,” said Krom-Craven. “I want to take care
of the people that live here and make sure the young people want to stay here.” 
 
Being involved in city government always seemed like a natural fit for
Krom-Craven with her grandfather being a former county attorney and her grandmother
heavily involved in the League of Women Voters. 
 
“I remember going to my grandfather’s office and seeing how law affected lives
positively or negatively,” said Krom-Craven. “One case could change the way a
law or ordinance was enforced. That was always neat to me.” 
 
Krom-Craven started working at Westlink, then managed Bank of America before spending
the past 10 years at Nex-Tech. 
 
“Nex-Tech is local and always changing,” Krom-Craven said. “They put a bunch of
money back into the communities which I like a lot.” 
 
Investing in the community was a huge driving force when Lindsey submitted her
application to fill an open seat on the City Council last year. Krom-Craven was
appointed to fill the vacant Ward 1 seat last March and then was voted for her
first full, two-year term that started January 2021. 
 
“Once appointed, I had to understand the values that each part of town has. You
have to come together and determine what is best for the whole town and not
always just one area.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584462687337.jpeg" alt="Krom-Craven (right) was appointed and sworn into office March 2020." />
 <figcaption>Krom-Craven (right) was appointed and sworn into office March 2020.</figcaption>
 </figure>Krom-Craven continues to push for ways to get younger citizens involved with
the city. She would love to see the Great Bend High School Student Council
(STUCO) participate with city processes and receive feedback from the youth. 
 
“I am very vested in making this work,” said Krom-Craven. “I’m not just going
to show up for the meetings and vote. I truly want to understand what I am voting
on.” 
 
Even when the water and sewer rates went up last October, Krom-Craven was
confident the change was going to do a lot of good for the city and its
residents. 
 
“This is going to fix some of the issues that citizens have been complaining
about for so long.” 
 
Lindsey joked she was never adventurous enough to leave Great Bend, but now her
adventure of being on the City Council is trying to make sure others have the
same passion for the town that she does. 
 
“I knew I would enjoy being on the council, but I did not know how much. I do
think it is making a difference and I like being part of that.”

Appreciation Month: City Council - Lindsey Krom-Craven

Cory Urban spent five years attending the University of Kansas and then
another five years living in the Kansas City area. With a young child at the
time, Urban and his wife decided to move to Great Bend where both of them grew
up. Coming back to rural Kansas as an adult was definitely a change of pace,
but the Urbans were looking forward to better job opportunities and the ability
to slow down. 
“We missed all the places to go, places to eat and things to do,” said Urban. “But
in a big city like that, you almost feel like cattle. You get an ear tag with a
number…you’re not really a person. Back here, you’re more personable and get to
know people.” 
Moving back to Great Bend also allowed Urban to get more involved. Along with
coaching his children’s sporting events, Urban knew he wanted to be part of the Great Bend City Council. 
“I always had an interest in municipal government,” explained Urban. “I studied
a lot of history in government classes and public administration. My mom has
also worked for the city for 25 years so I knew what I was getting into to an
extent.” 
Urban was elected to represent Ward 3 on the City Council and started his first
two-year term in January 2018. He was reelected to another term that began in
2020. 
Urban says it took nearly his entire first term before he felt completely comfortable
approaching issues and recognized the uncompensated position is one where the
more you put into it, the more you will get out. 
“The sheer amount of infrastructure we have for a town of our size is
surprising,” said Urban. “With wastewater, storm water and water delivery, you
realize how many moving pieces there are and how much money it costs to keep them
up.” 
Urban is familiar with one critical part of this area's economy serving as an
independent contractor in the oilfield. When Urban moved back to Great Bend, he
started working for his dad checking on leases to make sure all the equipment
was functioning. Eventually employed with companies to do the same work, Urban
decided to be an independent oilfield contractor. 
Balancing work, family and his responsibilities on the City Council can be a
challenge, but Urban still spends 5-10 hours a week preparing and doing the
proper research for a meeting. 
“We usually get the agendas the Wednesday before the Monday meeting,” explained
Urban. “If I have questions or concerns, I will touch base with people before
Friday so I can stew on it over the weekend. If it is a big item, sometimes
there is more work needed.” 
If there was one notion Urban wishes all citizens understood better when it
comes to government workings, it is the time that it takes for change to
happen. 
“There are projects that I was interested in before I even got on the council
that are still in the infancy stages,” Urban said. “You want to constantly be
moving forward but sometimes there are hiccups and things don’t turn out the way
you initially planned.” 
Urban mentions that he is still deciding if he will seek a third term on the City
Council, knowing he has to decide by June 1 if he wants to put his
name on the ballot. 
“I enjoy it,” added Urban. “It takes up a lot of time and I have two kids that
are both very active. It is a busy time, but at the end of the day I am trying
to do what I can to serve the public and do my part. I think everyone needs to.”&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Each month, Eagle Radio in Great Bend will recognize groups or individuals that make a big impact on our community. This week's Appreciation Month is highlighting the Great Bend City Council. All eight councilmembers and the mayor will be featured with stories throughout the month.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612468412291.jpeg" alt="Great Bend City Councilmember Cory Urban" />
 <figcaption>Great Bend City Councilmember Cory Urban</figcaption>
 </figure>By COLE REIF Great Bend PostCory Urban spent five years attending the University of Kansas and then
another five years living in the Kansas City area. With a young child at the
time, Urban and his wife decided to move to Great Bend where both of them grew
up. Coming back to rural Kansas as an adult was definitely a change of pace,
but the Urbans were looking forward to better job opportunities and the ability
to slow down. 
“We missed all the places to go, places to eat and things to do,” said Urban. “But
in a big city like that, you almost feel like cattle. You get an ear tag with a
number…you’re not really a person. Back here, you’re more personable and get to
know people.” 
Moving back to Great Bend also allowed Urban to get more involved. Along with
coaching his children’s sporting events, Urban knew he wanted to be part of the Great Bend City Council. 
“I always had an interest in municipal government,” explained Urban. “I studied
a lot of history in government classes and public administration. My mom has
also worked for the city for 25 years so I knew what I was getting into to an
extent.” 
Urban was elected to represent Ward 3 on the City Council and started his first
two-year term in January 2018. He was reelected to another term that began in
2020. 
Urban says it took nearly his entire first term before he felt completely comfortable
approaching issues and recognized the uncompensated position is one where the
more you put into it, the more you will get out. 
“The sheer amount of infrastructure we have for a town of our size is
surprising,” said Urban. “With wastewater, storm water and water delivery, you
realize how many moving pieces there are and how much money it costs to keep them
up.” 
Urban is familiar with one critical part of this area's economy serving as an
independent contractor in the oilfield. When Urban moved back to Great Bend, he
started working for his dad checking on leases to make sure all the equipment
was functioning. Eventually employed with companies to do the same work, Urban
decided to be an independent oilfield contractor. 
Balancing work, family and his responsibilities on the City Council can be a
challenge, but Urban still spends 5-10 hours a week preparing and doing the
proper research for a meeting. 
“We usually get the agendas the Wednesday before the Monday meeting,” explained
Urban. “If I have questions or concerns, I will touch base with people before
Friday so I can stew on it over the weekend. If it is a big item, sometimes
there is more work needed.” 
If there was one notion Urban wishes all citizens understood better when it
comes to government workings, it is the time that it takes for change to
happen. 
“There are projects that I was interested in before I even got on the council
that are still in the infancy stages,” Urban said. “You want to constantly be
moving forward but sometimes there are hiccups and things don’t turn out the way
you initially planned.” 
Urban mentions that he is still deciding if he will seek a third term on the City
Council, knowing he has to decide by June 1 if he wants to put his
name on the ballot. 
“I enjoy it,” added Urban. “It takes up a lot of time and I have two kids that
are both very active. It is a busy time, but at the end of the day I am trying
to do what I can to serve the public and do my part. I think everyone needs to.”&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;