By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Anyone who traveled the streets of Great Bend following the July 16 storm can appreciate the amount of work involved in the cleanup. City of Great Bend crews began picking up limbs on July 24, and Public Works Director Jason Cauley said the work will continue for at least another week.
"Last week, we hauled 380 loads out to the compost site from our cleanup," he said. "We have three operators out there, two loaders and one skid steer, and they each have their own section of town."
The city was divided into thirds: one crew operating west of Washington Ave. and north of 10th Street, one east of Washington and north of 10th, and one south of 10th. The city of Ellinwood donated trucks and services last Monday and Tuesday, and the city of Hoisington followed suit on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Cauley said only Great Bend crews are out for week two of the cleanup.
"There's going to be a lot more fuel costs incurred," he said. "As far as overtime, the majority of overtime has been watching the fire. We're trying to keep the guys from being overworked."
The city originally estimated two weeks for the cleanup. Four burn piles are being utilized at the compost site south of Great Bend to speed up the process.