By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Call Monday’s Great Bend City Council meeting a night of contention. Following a heated debate and vote on whether or not to use unallocated salary funds for a one-time city employee bonus, the board also heard from Great Bend Economic Development Jason Kuilan. He closed his prepared statement by explaining the purpose of the new multi-million-dollar Innovation Center currently under construction on 10th Street.
“The Innovation Center will serve many purposes,” Kuilan said. “Primarily, it will address the region’s most pressing workforce, education, and community challenges. We will accomplish this by strengthening entrepreneurship resources, expanding education opportunities, improving healthcare access, and increasing after-school programming and childcare availability. This comes directly from the requirements of our primary funding source, the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund.”
Kuilan also explained that the new goal is to have the building fully constructed and functional by Sept. 30, 2026. Councilman Gary Parr asked how construction of the Innovation Center was started if complete funding had not been secured.
“Part of what I have learned in my short time is that, when you get grants at the federal level or state level, they have certain requirements, and you have to use the money by a certain amount of time,” said Kuilan. “It was a risk that might not have paid off. We’ll see if we can finish it in time and how we want to do it. But we got a lot of money that otherwise we wouldn’t have gotten for a project that is so unique that nowhere else in the country, I think, has a project like this for a city of our size.
“If we wanted to use that money, we had to start and finish it by a certain date. The risk was, if in that time, we would be able to raise enough money to finish that. There were several grants that fell through, and there were several donations from individuals that have not come to fruition when there was a gap in leadership through Economic Development. My goal is to close that gap.”
Parr also said Economic Development has received approximately $2 million in city and county tax dollars over the last five years. He asked Kuilan how Eco Devo can build the economy of an entire city if it cannot sustain itself financially.
“I do know, as a business owner myself, that I look at economic development and I think we should be financially stable," Kuilan said. "So I look at different projects we have in the works, and I look at different things we can do to make that happen. I would say I enjoy getting the money from the city so I can pay my own salary so I can go out and do those things, but I don’t think we should be dependent on any one funding source.”
Parr also commended Kuilan for attending Monday’s meeting and answering questions, despite being new to the position.
Monday’s meeting, like all city council meetings, opened with a public comment portion. The Great Bend Tribune’s Andrew Murphy told the council he had sent members an email in an effort to get information on the city’s role with Economic Development. Mayor Cody Schmidt informed Murphy that, because Eco Devo was an agenda item for Monday’s meeting, he would not be able to speak.
“He’s wanting to address Economic Development and Economic Development is on tonight’s agenda,” Schmidt explained. “So, therefore, it is not to be addressed the night of the action. So you can come back to the next meeting and address us then.”
“That doesn’t seem right,” Parr said.
“It’s right there in front of you, Gary,” Schmidt answered. “It’s been that way the entire time you’ve been here. It states right there, under recognizing of visitors and announcements, you can read it yourself.”
Murphy asked if he would have time to talk during the Economic Development discussion. Schmidt said he would not be giving him 40 minutes. Murphy answered that he was only planning on three minutes. Schmidt told Murphy he could come back to the next meeting and have his three minutes, and that would be allowed to speak during Kuilan’s Monday presentation if Schmidt granted the wish. Murphy was later denied the opportunity to speak.
“I’m not saying he cannot have the floor,” Schmidt said. “Economic Development is on tonight’s agenda. When something is on tonight’s agenda, it is not open to the recognizing of visitors and announcements. So he is more than welcome to come back in two weeks and say exactly what he wanted to say tonight in two weeks.”
Parr then asked the council what city funds given to Economic Development have been used for if the city has no ownership of Eco Devo.
“Do you not recall when they present a budget request every year like everybody else we fund?” Schmidt asked. “If I’m not mistaken, if you want to go back and look at videos, you two (Parr and Councilman Davis Jimenez) voted in favor of accepting that money. So don’t point fingers at just me because you guys have a final say when it goes to a vote. So, therefore, I’m closing the Economic Development, and I’m moving on. Andrew, you’re more than welcome to come back in two weeks and stay on the floor for three minutes.”
“Will you be here?” Murphy asked Schmidt.
“Absolutely,” Schmidt said.