By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
As the Great Bend City Council hashed out budget requests at Monday’s work session, a common feeling was the working relationship with the Golden Belt Humane Society needs to get better. Along with adoptions, the City of Great Bend relies on the Humane Society to handle animal control.
Police Chief Steve Haulmark told the council there have been more incidents lately of animal control not responding to calls.
"The young lady who's their handler right now that goes out was a kennel tech," said Haulmark. "I think they're having a hard time finding people to work there. That's part of the problem. Money is part of the problem, maybe, but like everybody else they're short-staffed. That might be part of the reason why services have been cut. I don't know."
New director at the Humane Society, Emil Halfhill, went before the City Council earlier this month asking for a $14,500 increase in the shelter’s 2026 budget after receiving $110,500 this year.
City Attorney Allen Glendenning told Mayor Cody Schmidt that the most recent contract he found read that after business hours, animal control will respond to “injured animals, detained strays, bite cases and dead animals as feasible and practical.”
"If you were in that position as a director, you're at the top and you're short-staffed and somebody calls...as a director you should go put on your pants and go answer the call," said Schmidt. "Everybody is short-staffed in today's world. That's not a good enough excuse for me to not do your job."
With the Humane Society asking for $125,000 in the 2026 budget, the city council suggested $117,000.