By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Nearly 16 years ago, the Barton County Commission adopted Resolution 2008-19 for the creation of a 911/Communications Advisory Board. During Tuesday's commission meeting, Communications Director Dena Popp asked to rescind that 2008 resolution in favor of adopting a new resolution.
"In that resolution, membership was designated to be the Barton County Sheriff, the chief of police, and the fire chief or EMS director of the cities of Ellinwood, Claflin, Great Bend, and Hoisington," Popp said. "In addition, the lieutenant of the Kansas Highway Patrol and the Road and Bridge director."
Popp asked that the new resolution include the Barton County Emergency Manager and exclude the Road and Bridge director. Sean Kelly was named the county's emergency manager director in December 2023.
"Sean and I have been working together to establish an emergency communications center in the dispatch center," said Popp. "That would be a hybrid, temporary, kind of a 48-hour basis in an emergency. To have him there would be vital to getting additional resources from the state and serving our ESF functions we need to do for Homeland Security purposes."
Popp and the commission agreed dispatchers may still contact Road and Bridge anytime it is necessary for safety purposes in the county.