Billie Blair
Pratt Tribune
Information shared at Pratt County Commission meetings during the month of April included several presentations by Pratt County Economic Director Heather Morgan. Over the coures of the past several weeks, she shared that the state had lifted the mask mandate and that it is now up to separate entities to decide whether to continue the mandate.
Morgan said that SB 40, a major law overhauling how governments can respond to the COVID- 19 pandemic, was signed by Governor Kelly. She also reported that money has been set aside for Pratt county businesses with large gas bills.
Morgan said as per the American Rescue Plan, that the county will need to set up a new account to receive the COVID-19 Funds which can be used for sewer, water and broadband services with more guidelines being sent out. Commissioners ap- proved her request to contact smaller towns in the county to assist them in receiving these funds.
Billie Blair
Pratt Tribune
Ongoing conversations about the construction of the Pratt Safety Building throughout the month March for Pratt County Commissioners included a change in the footings, some concerns about the gas line, and setting up a meeting with the architect and construction company.
Kelly McMurphy, Landmark Architect, did report a savings of $346,599 due to changes made in the HVAC system. He also reported that there would be progress meetings with email reports to commissioners Tom Jones, Rick Shriver and Dwight Adams every two weeks.
Actions taken by the commission during the March meetings include:
· On March 1, Mike Tibbetts, Communications, reported that the repeater had been moved from the DR Tower to the Pratt Well Tower. He reported about other possible available towers. He was instructed to get bids from tower owners and report back.
Leaders break ground for new Pratt County Public Safety Center
Fran Brownell
Pratt Tribune
After months of debate, discussion and deliberation, ground was broken Monday, December 7, for the new $6.3 million Pratt County Public Safety Center at NE 20th Avenue and U.S. Route 54.
Principal funding for the new facility is wind-farm revenue, $1.5 million annually.
Pratt County Commissioner Glenna Borho, who was appointed project liaison for the project for the county, opened the groundbreaking ceremony with a moment of silence to honor U.S. Troops stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii who perished or were injured in the 1941 early morning surprise attack by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service forces, as well as in memory of all those who have lost their lives to the coronavirus in 2020.