ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
The City of Liberal has been able to complete many projects this year, and there are also multiple projects currently in the pipeline.
However, according to city staff, the work is still nowhere near done.
“One of our big undertakings right now is the 2025 budget planning, we’re continuing to work through all of that,” Communications Director Keeley Moree said. “You might have seen in the Leader & Times how we did file an intent to exceed the Revenue Neutral Rate (RNR), but our goal is actually to NOT exceed the RNR. We do file that intent because it gives our staff more time to be able to compile everything and work through our budget and have those budget sessions with the Liberal City Commission. I know there’s a little confusion around that process because it has been new for the past few years, but I want to emphasize how our goal is to maximize what we’re delivering with the funds we do have available. We want to be sure we’re being conscientious with our budget and stretching our dollars as far as we can.”
“With the notice of intent to exceed ... I’ve often said it’s not our job to save tax dollars, it’s to spend those dollars better,” Liberal City Manager Rusty Varnado said. “And having that additional time to refine everything before we send our budget to the state gives us more flexibility and more time to be careful about how we employ the resources that have been entrusted to us. It is still the goal to lower the mill levy from what it is this year. Some of the other governing entities will have to raise theirs because of whatever circumstances they’re working with, and we’re doing to do our part in being good stewards to Liberal as a whole and lower that impact.”
Moree then talked about some of the projects that will be coming up, with some coming in the nearer future and others further off.
“With the Recreation Center, the roof is going to be replaced, and that will actually be happening possibly within a few weeks,” Moree said. “We did time things out so that project could be done during a part of the year when there wouldn’t be as big of an impact from closing that gym. This is a project that was already very much needed, and after that is completed, we’ll be able to install the solar panels on the roof and get that done. With the chip seal project on Western Avenue, we did not initially plan to do that project this year, but in looking at the conditions of the road and the overall needs, we felt it was important to get that added to this year’s to-do list, and that will be getting started Aug. 12. We have been spreading the word about that, and we expect that to go smoothly, and we want to make that investment into that infrastructure.”
Other renovations throughout the community are also expected.
“We will be installing pickleball courts in September, pickleball is a really big deal in the community and we have had a lot of requests for those facilities,” Moree said. “Those will be installed at Blue Bonnet Park and as we complete some of our other projects, we’ll be able to have our staff work on those courts, which will help with cost savings. We’re also looking to be able to do some renovations and make some additions to the clubhouse at Willow Tree Golf Course, and we’re looking to get that budgeted for 2025. An additional gym facility at the Recreation Center has also been on the list for a while, we’ve gone out to bid for some estimates and it’s part of a larger community conversation that’s needed with other entities. As we’ve continued to build our sports tourism programs, we’ve been able to attract a lot of people to Liberal, and that requires facilities and space to continue doing so.”
A community dog park is also set to become available to the community, Moree said.
“As we’ve been working on the pickleball courts and splash pads and everything else, we will be looking to wrap those up and then when we do that, we’ll be able to continue moving forward on plans for a community dog park,” Moree said. “We’re set to put the park near the Recreation Center where Pershing Avenue meets Pine Street, and we’re looking to design it in such a way that there’s an area for larger dogs and an area for smaller dogs just so there’s not as much risk for conflict. We want that area to be a fun, safe area for the pets and their humans.”
Another need set to be filled is a bus transit facility.
“This is another need that’s been around for a long time, we currently house our CityBus buses in the City Hall parking lot, and we have them lining up and doing their interchange along the street between the different routes as you move from one bus to another,” Moree said. “We really wanted a better way to do that and have somewhere where people could go in and sit on either hot days like what we’ve been dealing with recently or cold days in the winter and wait for their bus. The funding for this project is from a couple different sources, and the building itself will be at 4th Street and New York Avenue, so not too far away from City Hall. We do serve a lot of riders, so it’ll be great for all of our passengers to have that facility, and we’re really excited.”
