The date of this year’s Home for the Holidays Festival and Parade will be decided by this week’s Great Bend High School football game.
If the Panthers defeat Hays, there’s a chance they’ll go on to play for the state championship on Nov. 30, the same day the festival is scheduled. If that happens, the City Council has approved moving the parade to Friday, Nov. 29.
Community Coordinator Christina Hayes addressed the City Council on Monday and presented what she called “Plan B,” which will go into effect if GBHS wins this Friday’s game.
The City previously approved street closures and permissions for a Nov. 30 event. If Home for the Holidays moves to Nov. 29, those actions will move with it.
“It would still be the same holiday fun,” Hayes said. “It would just be happening on Friday, and we would add a big pep rally element to it. It would be the send off for the football team.”
If Home for the Holidays does move to Friday, the parade time will also be adjusted. A Saturday parade is set for 5:30 p.m. and kicks off other festivities.
“We would try to at least move the parade and everything back by at least 15 minutes,” Hayes said. “We would try to go for 5:45, maybe even 6 ... so people could get off work, if they work on Black Friday, and they could make it there.”
The GBHS Athletic Director has agreed, as have others who have been contacted, including the Kansas Department of Transportation. “I’ve asked all the other elements, the people involved, and they’re pretty much on board,” Hayes said.
Most agreed they can make it work, but the change won’t work for everyone, she admitted.
Hayes said she sent an email Monday to food vendors so she hasn’t heard from everyone yet.
Some events will still take place on Nov. 30, which is Small Business Saturday.
“The Cookie Contest brings in 200 people – there are people from Colorado that come in on that Saturday and they do the Cookie Contest. So I would assume that (sponsor) Rosewood is still going to want to do the Cookie Contest on Saturday in the stores as well. There will be some stuff that still happens during the day. It will just be a little bit of a shift.”
Mayor Cody Schmidt said he and Hayes discussed Plan B with City Administrator Logan Burns.
“I have to give Christina kudos. She kind of came up with this,” Schmidt said. “I just think it’s good planning on our part, because we have had festivities this year where the numbers haven’t been great and we probably don’t need another event that brings the numbers down.”
City approval
The City Council approved this possible adjustment unanimously as part of its consent agenda. Also approved at that time:
• Claims warrant register 11-4-24, covering 2024 bills to date.
• Payroll register 11-1-24, covering payroll ending Oct. 26, for $428,328.54.
• A Cereal Malt Beverage license for Kris Johnson with Jump Start Stores at 1000 Main Street, formerly Cervs.
• Also on the regular agenda: Two properties marked for abatement due to trash were cleaned up before the meeting and no council action was needed.
Three vehicles purchased for Public Works
In new business, the council approved the purchase of a 2025 Equinox for $36,942, the purchase of a 2025 F150 4x4 Supercab for $42,977 and the purchase of a 2024 Chevy Silverado for $45,500, all from Marmies. The vehicles are all for the Public Works department. Director Jason Cauley explained how insurance money from the 2023 hail storm and money from Purple Wave auction sales will pay some of the costs, along with money previously budgeted. The Utilities Department tried to replace two vehicles last year with Chevy Colorados and the order was canceled twice and never filled.
The Equinox is on the lot and can be picked up this week. This is the vehicle Cauley drives and replaces his vehicle that was totaled in the hail storm.
The Street Department gets the 2025 F150 Supercab, replacing a 2003 Dodge Ram short bed that will be moved to use on the levee or as a crew vehicle. Streets will sell a 1994 Chevy 1500 with transmission issues and 145,416 miles and a 1992 GMC Sonoma with 122,149 miles. That department will get a 2010 Ford F150 from Utilities to use for mosquito fogging.
As for the Utilities Department’s 2024 Chevy Silverado, it is also on the lot and ready to be picked up.
Innovative Technologies Grant
Public Works Director Jason Cauley reported on an Innovative Technologies Grant the City was awarded earlier this year through the Kansas Department of Transportation for traffic signal needs. The grant was for $78,402 with the City’s share being $19,600. Cauley said the City reached out for quotes but only received two for parts and two for labor. The council voted 7-1 to approve his recommendation to approve the bids for Gades Sales Company for the parts for $54,835 and Hammeke Electric for the labor at $22,550 for a total project cost of $77,385. Councilman Cory Urban voted against the recommendation without commenting.
