By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Early voting began around the state on Oct. 14, and many Barton County residents have already utilized the service on the second floor of the courthouse. Taxpayers in Great Bend are deciding whether or not to approve a three-quarter percent sales tax that would generate funds for improvements at the city’s wastewater treatment facility, help fund a $21.89 million STAR Bond project for development in the city, and provide property tax relief. The city held two town halls to help inform voters about the tax, and Utilities Director Darren Doonan recently appeared on 1590 KVGB/95.5 FM’s “City Edition” program to talk about the wastewater treatment project.
“The wastewater treatment plant has components that are at the end of their lifespan,” he said. “The project has to happen. It’s up to the community to decide, ultimately, how we want to pay for that.”
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The facility dates back to 1954 and has undergone two major upgrades in 1981 and 1997. A year-long engineering study was completed to determine which parts of the facility could be rehabilitated and which could be replaced. The total project is expected to cost $26.3 million, and the city was granted $1 million in loan forgiveness.
“We picked and choose which components were salvageable, and we went with a rehab decision on those,” Doonan said. “The ones that just needed replacement were replacement plans. There are a lot of moving parts and pieces to keep a treatment plant in operation like that, but we’re doing our best to make sure we can extend the life of that asset.”
The goal is to extend the life of the treatment facility an additional 25-30 years. If the proposed sales tax does not pass, the project will be funded primarily through utility rate increases beginning in 2027. The city estimates an increase of $240 to $300 per customer annually.