By Regina Goff
Pratt City Manager
Special to the Tribune
*Editor’s Note: In an effort to provide better communication with constituents, the Tribune will publish a monthly message from Pratt City Manager Regina Goff with updates, plans and timely information. These updates, along with other division leader’s reports may always be found on the City of Pratt website, https://www.cityofprattks.com/249/Managers-Corner.
Water – A Commission Workshop occurred on Monday, February 3, 2025. At that meeting the commissioners, public works director, water supervisor, wastewater supervisor, city manager, and members of EBH Engineering discussed timelines and plans for a future water mixing and treatment plant. Since the City of Pratt asked EBH to revise a previous proposal to reduce the quoted $65 million price tag, the most recent proposals were closer to $43 million. Some of the items removed from the old plans, in order to shrink the cost, were the replacement of older water lines and creating the proposed plant with a smaller footprint and a technology that removes the need for brine ponds. The high expense of this project will require financing, which may include bonds. The City of Pratt has been advised by the State of Kansas that since our water rates have historically been significantly below the State average, those rates need to be adjusted to qualify for certain types of bonds and alternative financing. We are attempting to adjust our water rates in a reasonable and measured time frame.
This week the Water Department has been flushing hydrants starting at the southeast side of town which will help bring in fresh needed chlorine to that area. Also, the Water Department will be reaching out the Electric Department this week to prepare for a test on the Electric Department’s portable generator for well 16. This is necessary to see how the two departments and their backup systems will perform in an emergency.
The Well 17 reimbursements for the preliminary engineering planning and test wells have been received from the forgivable SRF Loan. This funding will pay up to $3 million for the new well, well house, generator, and water line. Recently EBH has staked out and preformed survey work around the Well 17 site.
The city is also drilling several test wells in Sandy Creek to hopefully construct a future Well 18.
Streets – The City of Pratt Street Department put in numerous around the clock hours clearing snow and treating ice due to heavy fog and snowfall in the last month.
Russ and his team at the Street Department are working to officially update the City’s snow routes to ensure that all areas around Southwest Elementary School are covered during inclement weather. Cars along snow routes should take measures to avoid on street parking during storms.
The South Main project is half finished. The completion goal date set for the end of March 2025. Russ has been assured that the contractor and State of Kansas are monitoring the temperature of the concrete to ensure the snow and cold weather will not affect the quality of the finished road.
Parks – The Parks Department has been focusing on projects that can be done indoors during the cold days when they are not clearing snow from the sidewalks in Lemon Park. They are refinishing two benches that sit alongside the walking path at Lemon. Also, the Parks Department is working toward replacing the Pilot Train dock at Sixth Street Park.
Recreation – Security cameras have been installed and are in operation at all the Green Sports Complex areas and the Municipal Building.
Basketball season is in full swing.
Applications are available for lifeguards and concession workers for the 2025 pool season.
The 2025 Baseball and Softball tournament schedules are up on the Pratt Recreation Department website. Larry, Ariel and Tiffany are meeting and discussing strategies to encourage more out of town teams to participate in Pratt tournaments.
Tourism – Tiffany has scheduled a Christian band to play in Pratt at the end of March. We will be excited to announce it in the next day or two. Pratt citizens have responded positively to our live performance events, so we plan to keep them coming. In fact, we are having Paramount 80s back for another concert in August 2025.
At the request of the Chamber Director, Tiffany has agreed to take over all of the administrative duties and be the point of contact for Pratt’s Travel and Tourism program. All applications, calls and questions should be directed to Tiffany. Her office is in Pratt’s City Hall.
Tiffany, is continuing to work on the social media footprint for the City to announce our activities and promote tourism. She is using the new Facebook page called Visit Pratt. We continue to discuss potential activities daily which could bring visitors to our community, and certainly welcome ideas and suggestions.
Municipal Building – The Municipal Building has hosted a number of recent events, to include the Asian Cultural Festival and the Paramount 80s concert. We are looking forward to more concerts and events at this venue. Larry and Eric have been working with a local contractor to provide a light dimming function to assist with stage performances – this was suggested by the Paramount 80s band. Also, Eric, Tiffany and I met with a Theater contractor to discuss replacing the torn curtains in the gallery area above the gym.
Electric – The Electric Department opened bids and awarded the contract of the substation redundancy project. This $3 million project is to be funded by the Department of Energy, with the matching fund requirement to by paid for by an additional grant from the State of Kansas. However, the monies are currently on hold due to a presidential executive order.
The dual fuel units at Power Plant 2 have been periodically running and providing power to the City during times of high prices on the electric grid, and for maintenance purposes
The line crew has been replacing electric and lighting poles throughout the City of Pratt in the last several weeks.
The Electric Department and Parks Departments have been working together to provide power to the Hot and Cold Water Towers area for lighting so that an American flag is able to be displayed at all hours.
City Clerk – One of our great front office staff employees will be retiring in April, therefore the City Clerk has posted the job of Utility Clerk. The City has received a great deal of interest in this position. First interviews are expected to take place later this month.
The new utility bill payment processing software is being used more by the public. There are a few administrative kinks that need to be worked out, but the software is much less expensive than the previous system and will save taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars each year.
Police Department – The Pratt Police Department will be sending out RFPs soon for the updates needed to the Community Center in preparation for their move from the County’s Law Enforcement Center to the Community Center.
A huge thank you to the Pratt PD for helping all the cars stuck in the snow over the last several weeks as well as for working all the weather-related automobile accidents.
The Pratt Police Department helped to recover a horse trailer that was stolen from Pratt Community College last year. This was a multi-state operation. Arrests have been made, and prosecutions are pending.
Dispatch – A member of the dispatch team will be transitioning and training to become a law enforcement officer. Therefore, interviews are ongoing to hire a person to fill the vacancy.
Fire Department – Fire Engine #2’s pump malfunctioned during recent fire call, and is now in need of repairs. Although the repairs are costly, the lifesaving function of the truck is essential to public safety. The funding for the needed repairs was approved by the City Commissioners at the February 3, 2025 Commission meeting.
Yearly maintenance was performed on the cascade system used to fill SCBA bottles and hydrostatic tests were also performed.
Cameras will be installed soon at the City of Pratt Fire Department to provide surveillance and deter vandalism.
Upgrades are being made to the Fire Department’s Training Center. These upgrades include stairs and egress on the 2nd floor. The Pratt County Sheriff’s Department has requested permission to also utilize this facility for training purposes.
Code Enforcement – The City of Pratt is happy to announce that Robert Walker has been hired as the new Code Inspector. His first day will be Tuesday, February 18, 2025. Robert will shadow Brad until April 1, 2025, when Brad will retire from his faithful service with the City of Pratt. Brad will be missed.
Snow and ice slowed down the progress of many construction projects throughout the City of Pratt in the last several weeks. However, a final inspection was done on a newly constructed home in the Sandy Creek Addition. Other inspections have occurred at the Bus Barn and Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
A drainage study needs to be conducted at the site of the proposed new child care facility near Green Sports Complex.
The Planning and Zoning Commission are scheduled to hear the recessed meeting on Full Cycle Waste Solution’ application for a special use permit for the solid waste portion of their business on Thursday, February 20, 2025.
Joint City / County Commission Meeting – The joint city / county commission meeting took place on Monday, January 27, 2025 at the Pratt County Public Safety Building. There was good and beneficial discussion between the governing bodies regarding the upcoming move of the Pratt Police Department to the Community Center. Bids will be sought in the next few weeks, and we hope to move forward with construction this year.
Cost Savings / Stewardship of Tax Payer Funds – As always, the department heads and I are working to be good stewards of tax payer funds. I have listed some of the areas we focused on to reduce costs during the last month below.
a) Uniforms: For decades the City of Pratt has had a leased uniform service that picked up uniforms which had been worn, washed, and ironed them, and then delivered those uniforms back to the departments. We were then charged exurbanite amounts if employees left city employment without turning in their uniforms. The City of Pratt recently made a shift to purchasing uniforms from local vendors and providing laundry facilities for employees to wash their contaminated uniforms on site. Although there is an upfront cost to this, it pales in comparison to what has historically been paid on an annual basis.
b) Travel and Tourism Funds – Historically the City of Pratt has paid the Chamber of Commerce to facilitate the City of Pratt’s Travel and Tourism applications and handle related phone calls. The Chamber of Commerce Director asked for those duties to be shifted to the City’s new Tourism Ambassador, Tiffany Riley. The funding follows the administrative responsibilities, which will now be handled by City staff, thus saving the City’s tax payers $18,000.00 each year.
c) Paya Utility Payment Software – as stated above, the shift to the new utility bill payment system will save City of Pratt taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars each year.
Grant Activity – The City of Pratt is in the application process of, or has recently received the following grants:
a) In the IT Department, has received the SLCGP FY22 2022-008 and 2022-009 grants. These were for the new computers at the critical city departments (City Hall/Water/Waste Water/Electric).
b) The Police Department has been awarded the 25-JAG-17 with the Governors Grants. They were just awarded $10,000 for surveillance equipment.
c) The Recreation Department has applied for 20-00838, which is the Point Visitor and Outdoor Recreation Center grant application. If awarded, this grant will pay a significant portion of a new Visitor Center, locker rooms, recreation office and outdoor activities near the Bill Keller Family Sports Complex. This grant has been submitted and is pending.
d) Last week the City submitted the ADOPT grant application. This grant, if awarded, will provide funds for dark fiber to Lemon Park and public Wi-Fi access equipment for Green Sports Complex.
e) We are also currently receiving funds, which will amount to $3 million for the Well 17 project. Also, a $3 million grant for substation redundancy has been approved by the Department of Energy, but those funds are on hold due to a presidential executive order.
Young Professionals – I accompanied the YPP group on a tour of City Hall, the City of Pratt Power Plant, and all three floors of the Municipal Building on January 16, 2025. Many thanks to Evan Hance for sharing the history of the Power Plant and Eric Welsh for leading us through the rarely seen spaces of the Municipal Building.
The City of Pratt is happy to facilitate tours. Please call City Hall if your group would like to get one scheduled.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns regarding any of the information presented, please do not hesitate to contact me.
