By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
If you improve its facade, they will come. Quite literally for an Airbnb rental property in downtown Great Bend. Owner Jared Chansler asked Barton County Commissioners at Wednesday's meeting for additional facade improvement funds for his property at 1604 Main Street. The commission agreed to give Jared and Adeline Chansler 75 percent of the construction overages, or $749.13.
"It's a good vision on your part," said Commissioner Jon Prescott. "It's a great location for an Airbnb. It's close to a lot of things, and all the activities that are starting to be created in downtown Great Bend. It's awesome. Great vision on your part."
Chansler struggled to find contractors to complete the work ahead of the deadline. A local brick mason recently completed work, and Chansler had few options on a painter that moved his bid from $2,300 eight months ago to $3,900 before completion.
"Out of the six people I had contacted, he was the only person that could even give me a bid," Chansler told the commission. "It took eight months to get him to the job site, so I was pretty well stuck with having to go with his bid."
Chansler cleared out bindweed from the back of the property and planted clover in the front yard. Already a woman has stopped to tell him his property looked fantastic. Commissioner Kirby Krier said he's seen similar results with Two Chicks and Some Old Bird in Ellinwood, and Cates Carquest in Hoisington. Commissioner Jennifer Schartz agreed.
"We've said this all along," she said. "Because this is our program we've built from the ground up, we are able to look at our taxpayers in the face and hear their dilemmas. We can have a heart with some of our decisions. We don't have to be just so black-and-white. I think that's a way county government is serving our taxpayers at a whole different level than might be expected."
Visit the Barton County KS Facebook page by CLICKING HERE to see more before and after photos from the facade improvement program.