Voters will have the chance to hear directly from Great Bend City Council candidates at a forum hosted Thursday, Oct. 15, from 7 to 8 p.m. in the Fort Zarah Room at the Events Center, 3111 10th Street, Great Bend. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for an informal meet-and-greet, and candidates will remain available for informal conversation from 8 to 8:30 p.m.
The forum is organized by the League of Women Voters of Great Bend–Barton County, with support from the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce, the City of Great Bend, the Great Bend Convention & Visitors Bureau, and media partner Eagle Media, which will livestream the event for those who cannot attend in person.
Candidates confirmed to participate include:
Ward 1: Deklyn Craven and Gary Parr
Ward 2: Kevyn Soupiset, Russel Snyder, and Judy Duryee
Ward 3: Cody Haris and Layne Leuenberger
Dr. Marcus Garstecki, President of Barton Community College, will moderate. Each candidate will introduce themselves, answer two questions, and deliver a closing statement.
City Council members oversee decisions that shape everyday life in Great Bend, including municipal budgets, infrastructure and public works, public safety, land use and zoning, and constituent services — serving as residents' most direct link to local government.
The nonpartisan forum is free and open to the public. Voters can find additional candidate information, including biographies and responses to voter questions, at www.vote411.org. The General Election is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
For more information, contact the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce at marketing@greatbend.org or the League of Women Voters at 620-617-4568.