By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
Last spring, the City of Great Bend was moving forward with a “quality of life” project of installing lights around the walking trail at Veterans Memorial Park.
The .15% quality of life sales tax allotted $75,000 for the project. At the time, Assistant City Administrator Logan Burns anticipated coming in under budget. Price fluctuation has caused a delay in the project, but Burns expected to bring a revised plan to the council soon.
"We have such a tight budget on that," said Burns. "It was $75,000 and we were coming over. We had to get a little creative. We're probably going to have to purchase most of that material. I have some concrete quotes back, and we're trying to find an electrician. We're going to be coming right up on that $75,000. We had to adjust some of the layout as well."
The initial quote to purchase 20 light poles, each 20-feet tall, was $23,000. Funds would also be needed for the installation. The Vets Park trail is 9/10 of a mile, or 4,752 feet. The lights would be on a timer for certain evening hours.
RELATED STORY: 20 lights for Great Bend's walking path at Vets Park