It was 9 a.m. on a grey, rainy, chilly Friday morning as the Great Bend Police Department’s first sift gathered for roll call before heading out on patrol. This was nothing new for the officers and Police Chief Steve Haulmark, something they do every morning.
But, there was one notable difference Friday.
It marked the first morning of the first full day for the department to work out of the city’s gleaming new Justice Center at 12th and Baker. The new structure houses the new Police Station and Municipal Court Office.
“We’re still trying to find a home for everything,” Haulmark said. But, even with boxes piled about and personnel unpacking their offices, “it is starting to feel homy.”
After years of planning, “It’s great to finally be here,” he said.
In the large squad room that can double as a site for training, Sgt. Bill Paden had just concluded the briefing.
“It’s kind of nice having the bigger space. We’ll have more room to move around,” he said. “But, we’re still trying to figure out where everything is.”
After spending the bulk of his 18-year law enforcement career in the cramped, dank, outdated old station on Williams, he is ready for the change.
“I think it is going to be good,” he said.
This may have been the first full work day in the center, but Haulmark, Paden and company, along with other city employees, spent all of Thursday moving into the new location. “That was a full day,” Paden said, noting they all had sore muscles to show for it.
For now, there is still that new building smell.
Municipal Court
A winding stroll down maze-like hallways leads to the Municipal Court Office. This also marked their first day, said Court Administrator Cindy Esfeld.
“It’s all wonderful,” she said. “It’s exciting.”
Sure, there were boxes stacked and “it is kind of a mess,” she said. However, “I want to thank the taxpayers of Great Bend for supporting this.”
The first day of municipal court proceedings had been set for Monday. That has been postponed until Thursday due to final technology issues that needed to be resolved.
Background
Ground was broken for the for the 20,000-square-foot, nearly $9 million project during a ceremony at the site in September 2021.
Great Bend voters in November 2021 approved a .10% sales tax to help fund a new facility through a bond issue that sunsets in 20 years. In addition, the city tapped about $1.5 million set aside for the project.
The cost came to $8,883,273 which exceeded the available revenues by $902,667. To cover that, the city also used COVID-19 relief Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) funds, insurance proceeds, and interest from federal COVID relief American Rescue Plan Act payments.
Wichita construction firm McCown-Gordan was the project manager. GLMV Architecture of Wichita was selected as the architect in August 2021.
The project was first addressed in 2016 when an engineering study for current police station on Williams Street was approved by the council. Championed by then-Police Chief Cliff Couch, there was discussion then that it would be preferable to start from scratch at a new location.
The idea was dusted off again in September 2020 when then City Administrator Kendal Francis brought up resuscitating the effort to replace the current building.
The old station was built in 1938, and originally housed the Fire Department as well. The firefighters moved, but the needs of the Police Department grew.
Space grew tight, maintenance problems grew and a mysterious sewer smell would waft through the building.
None of those issues are a concern now, relieved officers said.
