By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Three commissioners present made for a light agenda at Wednesday's Barton County Commission meeting. Ellinwood City Administrator Chris Komarek attended to speak of upcoming improvements to his city.
Commissioners met with the Ellinwood City Council on June 1 to discuss some of those improvements, including the addition of a new hospital, as well as infrastructure and housing issues.
"I thought it was a great meeting," Commissioner Jon Prescott said. "There was some wonderful conversation. I love the vision of the city of Ellinwood and what they want to do to grow that community, but also it affects the growth in a positive way of the entire county. It was pretty exciting. There was a lot of open discussion, very candid discussion."
Commissioner Shawn Hutchinson expressed an interest in assisting with the shovel-ready projects in a timely manner.
"I like the project because it's moving several facets forward," he said, "whether you talk about the hospital, talk about housing, talk about Main Street. Those are all very important things in a community that size. To be able to budget for the costs needed to do this infrastructure project we're talking about doing. I tell you what, it's only going to get more expensive the longer we wait."
Komarek then outlined the projects, starting with the addition of the new hospital at the intersection of U.S. Highway 56 and Park Avenue in the southwest corner of the city.
"Probably the number one project we have coming down the pipe here real fast is the new hospital addition," Komarek said. "That's still not all exactly finalized yet, but it's all but that. We're kind of just waiting on one final signature, I believe. We should probably know sometime in late July, or maybe even August before that's all final.
"With the addition of the hospital to the west side of the city, obviously we have a lot of utility infrastructure we need to add there - water, sewer, and electric. I know they're working with the gas company to get that in there, too. That's going to be our first big project we have going on."
Komarek also discussed the addition of a new housing development in the northwest corner of Ellinwood. That addition would have the potential for 15 large lots for new housing. The city has also applied for a grant for downtown improvements that could exceed $1 million.
"Either way, the water pipe downtown is a 1908 water pipe," said Komarek. "It's not causing the same problems really, it's hanging right in there, but after 100 and some years, it's probably time to update that pipe. Whether that project goes or not, we're hoping it does. If we don't get the award this year we'll refile for it next year and hopefully get it the second time around."
In other action, the commission voted to update the county's Kansas Department of Revenue contact. County Director of Operations Matt Patzner was voted to replace Kevin Wondra as that contact.