By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
Monday’s Great Bend City Council meeting lasted all of 24 minutes with very few heavy-hitting decisions or resolutions for the council to decide on, but the meeting still carried a visible significance. The evening included a new mayor and three councilmembers being sworn into office.
Joe Andrasek served as mayor the past two years and was commended for the job he did by City Administrator Kendal Francis.
"I truly believe that you were the perfect person to lead the city through the transition period where we were in upheaval," said Francis. "A lot of things were changing and you had the perfect temperament and drive to see that Great Bend got on good footing."
Andrasek, along with outgoing councilmembers Andrew Erb and Dan Heath, were given plaques for their two years of service on the council.
Shortly after the recognition of the outgoing members, City Clerk Shawna Schafer administered the oath of office to the newly-elected officials.
Cody Schmidt took over the gavel as Great Bend’s next mayor. Schmidt received 1,107 votes this past November as a write-in candidate to win the race. Councilmembers Jolene Biggs and Cory Urban were reelected to another term, and Alan Moeder was sworn in for his first term.
"I understand I have big shoes to fill, and it is my job to prove to this community that I am here to work," said Schmidt.
The City of Great Bend is still looking for a representative from Ward 4 and is
accepting applications until Jan. 17. No one filed for the Ward
4 position this past election, and the leading write-in candidate was Brock
McPherson. McPherson, already serving as the other representative from Ward 4,
declined the new term.
Urban was voted as the President of the Council to serve in the temporary absence of the mayor.