By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
Serving with the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department for 25 years
prior to becoming Great Bend Police Chief in January 2021, Steve Haulmark
witnessed a community service program that the Kansas City department assisted
with to clean up the area. Haulmark pitched the idea of “Project Clean Sweep”
to Great Bend Interim City Administrator Logan Burns.
In an effort to clean up abatements and areas with trash and refuse, Burns said
city members spent weekend time cleaning up areas of trash near the river.
"There were three spots that we identified near the river that needed cleaned," said Burns. "We had some of the community service members, along with Police Department and Public Works staff, that got this all cleaned up. This was very needed."
The first step in “Project Clean Sweep” is to contact the Code Enforcement Department to identify people in the community
that truly need help, citizens that
do not have the ability to take care of trash and refuse. The
Code Enforcement Department then communicates those citizens and properties to
the Police Department to be taken care of.
At the end of February, members of “Project Clean Sweep” received the abatement
list from the previous Great Bend City Council meeting and proceeded to handle
the complaints free of charge.
Burns added if there is anyone that is in need of community service hours or would
like to assist to call city hall.
