By Lisa Perez-Miller
Rotary Prattler Newsletter
Special to the Tribune
On November 14, President Jack Galle congratulated Rotary Club of Pratt scholarship recipient Paisley Smyth and welcomed her as a special guest. Smyth, from Turon, is a Pratt Community College student. November program chair Regina Goff invited City of Pratt Mayor Zack Deeds to present the program this week. He provided updates on the following areas:
• Aging infrastructure
• Streets
• Water and wastewater issue
• Housing
• Annual budget
He also reflected on the great work being done and noted:
• Taxing entities get along well, with good synergy in the community
• Communication with the County is good and he is very grateful for the opportunity to meet across the table with County officials
• Long tenured department heads, they work hard, the City staff is amazing and they go above and beyond
• Very intentional budget process to build on for the deficiencies the City encounters
• The City has kept the mill levy rate at the same rate over the past three years
• The City is exercising more efficiency in managing budget funds
• On good trajectory with the City
• Commissions are engaging and they represent a good cross section
• A 2024 Economic Impact Report through 6/30/24 (regarding the economic impact of the activities held at the PCC track and the City ball fields) was
• $2,250,000+
• Hired a Tourism Ambassador to address tourism opportunities and activities
• City is positively working and improving transparency and communication with the public, including more intentionality with social media media and the website
• Hosting town hall meetings and accommodating guests at regular commission meetings
• Ongoing challenge of keeping community people engaged and informed and also interested in running for public office
When asked what his greatest joy was during his tenure, he said it was the new pool and the track complex. He went on the tell about the young kids playing flag football on the field and how great it is to have these facilities to support activities for the community. Thank you for your service, Zack and for sharing this update with the Club. For more information visit http://www.cityofprattks.com
On November 21, the club met and highlighted November as Rotary Foundation month and Rotary Foundation Chair Donna Meier Pfeifer provided a Rotary Foundation overview and update, including these highlights:
• The Rotary Foundation began in 1917 with $26.60.
• When you give to the Foundation, 50% of the proceeds go back to the District for local grants.
• Pratt received their first grant in 2004 for $1,000 for medical vouchers.
• The club has contributed $28,578 in matching funds and the club has received a total of $65,000 in District grant funds, which have been used for community projects.
• Currently, the club has 27 sustaining members.
President Jack Galle introduced November program chair Regina Goff. Regina, who serves as City Manager and City Water Superintendent Kevin Clay presented the program. Kevin has been employed with the City of Pratt for 38 years. They spoke about the following:
• Appropriated or vested water well rights.
• Seeking treatment methods to control nitrates and get chlorine through all four corners of town.
• Pratt currently has 11 wells, six vested and five appropriated wells inside the city limits.
• 20-year history of wells, and no well has come down from high nitrates.
• It is a top priority for the city to provide safe water.
• Noted we need a system that collects all water in one place to send it then out, which would make all wells below nitrate levels.
• RO does a great job getting out contamination but comes with 20% water waste.
• High nitrates are a state-wide issue.
• Usage: 540 million gallons per year.
The Pratt Rotary’s October Fundraiser – Pennies for Polio resulted in $722.01 total donations for PolioPlus. This, along with the Gates Foundation match, will result in Polio research funding of $2,133.03.
Dental Products for District Conference
Dental products were collected in October for the Rotary #5680 District Conference, benefiting a dental clinic sponsored by Rotary International in the Philippines. Thank you to the club members who provided donations, which Jack Galle delivered when he attended the District Conference.
