By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
The City of Great Bend received written requests from seven outside agencies. These agencies either have a tie to city operations or provide a service that benefits the city. RSVP Medical Transportation, Barton County Fair, Barton County Historical Society, Golden Belt Humane Society, Great Bend Commission on Aging, Great Bend Economic Development and Great Bend Public Library all made requests for the upcoming 2024 fiscal year.
The Commission on
Aging, which operates the Senior Center among other services, requested a
$63,723 increase from this year’s budget. Mayor Cody Schmidt and the rest of
the council were against the $279,082 requested amount.
"I though the initial asking price of $280,000 was too high," said Schmidt. "In their notes, they didn't sell me on a reason why they were asking for that much. I think they were asking for the Taj Mahal to see what they ended up with."
The council was in favor of increasing the Commission on Aging $10,217 for a
10% match for a new minibus.
The largest request each year comes from the library, an entity that the board
agreed to keep their disbursement unchanged at $650,000. City Clerk Shawna
Schafer said the library will still receive $11,500 more in taxes which allows
them to qualify for a state library grant.
"There's two tests for the library to qualify for the state grant," said Schafer. "They're silly tests if you ask me. You either have to levy the same amount or more in taxes. The other is to keep the mill levy rate the same. We disqualified with the mill levy rate because valuations increased which decreased their rate. They are receiving more in taxes, so they do qualify."
RSVP Medical Transportation
Request: $3,000
Council's recommendation: $1,950
Barton County Fair
Request: $10,000
Council's recommendation: $5,000
Barton County Historical Society
Request: $20,000
Council's recommendation: $10,000
Golden Belt Humane Society
Request: $110,250
Council's recommendation: $107,500
Commission on Aging
Request: $279,082
Council's recommendation: $225,795
Great Bend Economic Development
Request: $250,000
Council's recommendation: $250,000
Great Bend Public Library
Request: $651,000
Council's recommendation: $650,000