By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Jon Prescott may have lost the recent primary election bid to retain his spot as the District 4 Barton County Commissioner, but his work is not quite done. Revitalizing Pawnee Rock is a project Prescott adopted. He said Tricia Schlessiger, who won the primary race earlier this month, is ready to carry on with that work.
"We're going to make this transition as smooth as possible," he said. "There are some projects I've been working on I want to bring her up to speed on. When she hits the ground Jan. 1, she hits the ground running on behalf of the taxpayers."
Growing up in Barton County, Prescott remembers a much stronger Pawnee Rock. He has been working with a committee of six to begin brainstorming ways to improve the town.
"I grew up in this county," he said. "In grade school, and even in middle school, we had numerous field trips to Pawnee Rock to see that historic community. It has deteriorated, and they know it."
Prescott said Great Bend Economic Development Director Sara Hayden helped get him in touch with the Kansas Department of Historic Preservation. Grants may be available to help restore some of the historic homes around Pawnee Rock, and the park next to city hall.
"That's one of the first things we all want to do because you still get a flow of tourists coming off the highway there and going up and seeing the rock," he said. "That drives right by that park. The park has full restrooms that are ADA-type restrooms.
"They want to build a pavilion, which I think is perfect. That way tourists have a place to stop, get some rest, get out of the sun, have their kids play on the playground. Or the community kids have a place to play, too. If you accommodate the children, the parents will stay, and also the parents will come if they see there's a community that's accommodating their kids."
Building up the community could benefit several area towns and businesses as a home base to break up larger commutes between Great Bend and Larned.
"This could be a win-win where a family can say, you know what, my spouse can work at the state hospital," Prescott said. "We live in Pawnee Rock, I work in Great Bend. It's not a bad commute when you're going the two different directions."
Schlessiger will be on the ballot as the Republican candidate in the District 4 commission race in November.