The City of Great Bend has been participating in a nationwide class action lawsuit against manufacturers of PFAS chemicals. Some of those claims have been settled and Great Bend’s share of that settlement is a little over $1.3 million to be paid out over time.
A topic for Monday’s Great Bend City Council meeting is the possibility of accepting accelerated payment for a transaction fee.
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are described as “forever chemicals” because the compounds break down very slowly over time. These man-made chemicals have been used in industrial and consumer products since the 1950s. Environmental Protection Agency researchers are studying how much people are exposed to PFAS, how harmful they are to people and the environment, and how to remove PFAS from drinking water. (Learn more online at https://www.epa.gov/pfas/pfas-explained.)
According to the meeting agenda, one lawsuit payment has already been paid and another – for about $475,000 – is expected in September. Great Bend has an opportunity to accelerate those payments and receive the total amount left this year, discounted to present value and minus a 3.5% transaction fee. This would be accomplished by selling the income stream to an investment banking firm. The discount rate is being negotiated and is currently between 8.5% and 11% but attorneys advise they expect to negotiate a better rate.
City Attorney Allen Glendenning is expected to report Monday on the pros and cons and the council will have three options:
• Authorize the acceptance of accelerated payments if the final number is deemed acceptable by the mayor, city administrators, finance director and city attorney.
• Authorize the acceptance of accelerated payments if the final number is at or better than the estimate set forth in Glendenning’s presentation or some other number set by the council.
• Require that the final number be brought back to the council for a final decision, by special meeting if the turnaround time does not allow that to be done at a regular meeting.
Splitting Public Works director roles
Another item on Monday’s agenda concerns the role of the Public Works Department director. With the recent retirement of Director Jason Cauley, the City is now faced with the task of filling that position. Following a recent city council work session, staff explored the possibility of restructuring the department by dividing it into two separate entities: the Public Works Department and the Utilities Department. Splitting the department could allow for more focused leadership in each area, with directors possessing specialized knowledge in their respective fields. On the other hand, creating a second department would require an additional $60,000 to be budgeted. The recommendation from City Administrator Logan Burns is to approve an ordinance establishing a utilities department and the position of director of utilities.
Other agenda items/street parties
Other items on the agenda for Monday include the annual resolution approving a waiver from the Generally Accepted Accounting Practices, as well as several items related to Party in the Park on Aug. 9 and a car show on Aug. 29.
• Closing Lakin Ave. from Kansas to Main Street for the Kans for Kids Car Show on Aug. 29, from noon to 8 p.m.
• Closing McKinley St. and 17th St. Terrace for the Party in the Park Wet/Dry Parade on Aug. 9 at 9:50 a.m., and closing 17th St. Terrace west of McKinley to White Sands Drive after the parade to midnight for extra parking and allowing one-way traffic to be directed to the west.
• Allowing cars that are not street legal that are car-club affiliated to be able to preregister and travel no more than 12 blocks to get to the Party in the Park Car show.
• Allowing Cereal Malt Beverage beer (no glass or bottles) at Al Burns Field for the Party in the Park concert with the help of the Legion Riders and GBPD as additional security.
• Authorizing people to be in Vets Park past midnight that night for cleanup of the event.
Great Bend City Council meetings start at 6:30 p.m. on Mondays at City Hall and are livestreamed on the City Council Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/gbcitycouncil/.
