Progress Commerce & Finance 2021 - Stronger Together

Special to the Great Bend Tribune Sunday, February 28, 2021

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• GREAT BEND (KAN.) TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021

Hemp venture sprouts from passion for farming Barton County hemp business seeing growth, planning for future

BY DALE HOGG dhogg@gbtribune.com

Richard, Aaron and Melissa Baldwin established South Bend Industrial Hemp in 2019 by combining their diverse agriculture-related backgrounds and passion for farming. Things are going gang busters.

Aaron and Richard are brothers and co-owners of Circle K Farming Partnership south of Great Bend, are native to the community and are active in the farming community.

“It was truly a team effort,” Melissa said, who is married to Aaron.

Circle K is a fourthgeneration farm and they have raised corn, wheat, soybeans and milo for nearly 50 years.

When Kansas opened the opportunity for farmers to grow industrial hemp in 2019, they jumped.

“Similar to our desire to be on the innovating edge of traditional farming technology, we also wanted to be on the pioneering front for this new crop opportunity,” Melissa said.

“The story about us begins and ends on our family farm,” Melissa said. “The reason why we started our hemp journey is that we love farming and working the Kansas land. We love being a part of a community bigger than us. At the end of the day, if we can positively impact our local economy and boost Kansas agriculture, we’ve succeeded in this new voyage.”

COURTESY PHOTO

South Bend Industrial Hemp’s Aaron Baldwin is interviewed in a field of fiber hemp. The Barton County company has garnered much attention and is expanding.

Making strides Now, they are seeing the fruits of this passion.

They are only weeks away from opening

their hemp processing facility, set for March 1.

It is located at the former Coca Cola facility near the Great Bend Municipal

Airport.

“We are really trying to utilize buildings that are in Great Bend, and it was just sitting there rotting,”

she said. “It’s perfect for expansion. We’re right next to rail and the airport. This is going be big. This is going to be

very, very big for this industry.”

They are waiting on their decordicator. This is the machine used to rend the green exterior fiber (known as bast) from the hurd, or the woody plant core that makes up most of the stalk.

“We’re contracting with local farmers around Kansas and really throughout the Midwest,” she said. “We’ve got farmers all the way from South Dakota down to Texas to supply the fiber needs that we have for the processing facility.”

Their need is beyond what SBHI currently produces. “We need several 1,000 acres.”

They could handle the need on their own if they increased production.

“But we don’t want to. Our goal is to help farmers get in at a level that they feel comfortable, whether that’s five acres or 50 acres, and learn how to grow the crop. This is so when this explodes in a year, and I need 10,000 acres, I can ask them for circles of hemp and give them premium pricing to do it.”

That is their vision.

“We very much want to give back to our farmers.

We understand the importance of farming because that’s what we do.

And it’s so integral to the success of this industry is having on Americansourced fiber and hurd.”

While this is the biggest thing they’ve got going, their CBD line is continuing to expand, Melissa said.

See HEMP, 3

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HEMP, from page 2

Raising hemp a diverse agricultural pursuit A grand vision “We’re really enjoying the educational piece of this,” she said. Their annual open house is set for the second week of July, and they have also spoken to crop consultants in the United Kingdom who are looking to get into growing hemp.

“We’ve just gotten to really share our story and connect with some really great organizations,” she said.

Down the road, “our dream is to have a fiber processing facility every 50 to 100 miles, because the closer it is to the farmer, the more economical it is in terms of profit margins for him and for us,” she said. “We would love to see this expand and create a network of processing facilities to meet the demands of our suppliers.”

They are seeing the industry take off, especially from a manufacturing standpoint. “There’s a variety of uses” from insulation to dog bed stuffing.

“There’s a lot of those bigger companies that are in textiles and they’re wanting Americansourced hurd.” she said.

“Right now, 80% of our herd has been sourced from the Netherlands, France, Canada” and is costly because of shipping and inconsistent in quality.

So, these companies are starting to look local now that the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration are working together to open up regulations for farmers.

In January, the Kansas Department of Agriculture started offering hemp-growing licenses. But, Kansas is more expensive than the surrounding states, $1,500 per year.

But if one is looking at large scale agriculture, it becomes cost effective, she said. “If you look at the numbers, it pencils out.”

And, there’s always the chance the state could reduce this cost, she said.

“We would like it treated as more of a commodity crop because that’s what it is.”

A learning curve She was referring to the fiber as a commodity, not so much the CBD products.

And, at this point, there needs to be some clarification, she said. The hemp plants that produce CBD and those that produce fiber are related,

COURTESY PHOTO

Shown is a crop of hemp being raised by South Bend Industrial Hemp south of Great Bend.

but are different varieties.

The CBD plants are very close with marijuana.

“It’s your bushy type plants, you’re focused on the flowers and the buds and that’s really where your CBD content is,” she said.

They make oil, salve and nutrition products for consumer use. They personally formulate each of their products.

The use of CBD has shown positive benefits in pets as well.

On the other hand, for industrial fiber and grain,”you’re looking for heights and tonnage,” she said. “It’s a whole different growing process.”

Industrial hemp is grown for manufacturing applications and is used in a variety of industries, such as textiles, construction, paper and bio-plastics.

Industrial hemp can replace almost anything that is manufactured from cotton, corn, soy or flax.

It is treated just like any other crop. “You don’t need anything special, you don’t need custom harvesters, you just need things you’re already utilizing in your operation,” from combines to balers.

“We want to show you that this can be used as a rotational crop, and this can be successful with what we’re already doing here in Kansas,” she said.

Hemp is also flexible.

“This is a crop that doesn’t

COURTESY PHOTO

Pictured are South Bend Industrial Hemp partners, left to right, Melissa Baldwin, Aaron Baldwin and Richard Baldwin.

need a lot of water,” she said.

They’ve had success with a modicum of irrigation and are experimenting with dryland hemp. “As water becomes scarce, that’s going to be important,” she said.

Why hemp?

“You know, it’s not very often that you find something that just really lights your soul on fire,” she said. “We are extremely passionate about what we do we are extremely passionate about farming and the potential of this crop.”

Because. “at the end of the day, we are farmers. We are for farmers. We want

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to help them succeed,” she said. “Bottom line, the farming economy is tough. And anything we can do to help keep our family farms open is what we want.”

That is why they’re asking other farmers to help them grow. “We want everyone to have success in this. And the people that we’re aligning ourselves with in the industry, throughout the Midwest, understand the importance of farmers.”

They want to assure premium pricing so ag producers can succeed, she said. “Otherwise it’s just a race to the bottom, and we don’t want that because then we’re in the same spot we were

before.”

They’re desire is to do more than sell seed to the farmers. “We want to help them be successful.

Mother Nature and farming have enough hiccups as it is. So there’s no reason you should experience the same hiccups we did.”

While pursuing this dream, they will continue farming, their true passion.

“Above all, we love farming. We love our history. We love our ties within this community.

We just love agriculture and advocating for agriculture. So if we can do that as a grower and as a processor, that’s where we want to be.”

She’s s been amazed to see the growth of the community support.

“When we first started growing, people kind of laughed at us, like what are you guys doing.” But, they watched as SBIH explained what they were up to. “So it’s been neat to see that reaction of people genuinely caring about what we’re doing and seeing the potential of what we’re doing.”

Yet, confusion lingers.

“I think education is key, educating people and helping them understand that this is not medical marijuana, and even CBD should be treated differently than an industrial hemp crop,” Melissa said. This applies to lawmakers and the general public.

“I understand and I respect regulations and they have a place, I would just like to see the industrial side, the CBD side and the medical marijuana treated differently,” she said.

Melissa’s background is in crop research. “And so if we can continue working on genetics and bringing the best varieties to Kansas, that’s definitely an area of focus for me.”

They are also working to get hemp grain approved for commercial livestock feed. “One very cool property of hemp grain is it’s 25% protein, 32% crude fat, and then it has a lot of those minerals that people pay a lot of money for. And so, there’s a lot of potential nutritionally for the seed as well.”

About the team Richard is married to Candie Baldwin and has two kids – Derion and Dakota, and they said their hemp business fuels their passion to continue their family farm legacy to the next generation.

Melissa is an independent crop research scientist and operates her own company, Performance Crop Research.

She has been working in the research industry for the past eight years.

She has a background in cattle and was active in FFA and 4-H growing up, and currently serves on the county board for Barton County Farm Bureau.

Aaron and Melissa have two children, Brantley and Annah.

Their greenhouse and our offices are at 95 Southwest 20th Road. The farm is on SW 50 Avenue.

For more information, visit www. southbendindustrialhemp. com.

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COURTESY PHOTO

Patrick Jacobs, service technician, accommodates Office Products Inc. customers in the growing computer department at the family-owned business.

Office Products Inc. continues decadeslong legacy of growth Kenny and Terry Vink understand that if a business doesn’t grow, it can stagnate. And if 2020 is any indication, stagnation is not a problem at Office Products Inc. (OPI), a 62-year-old, family-owned business.

For example, last year OPI’s computer department continued its growth in terms of security, training and management.

“OPI’s enhanced services allow our clients the ability to concentrate on their business and customers, instead of dealing with the everyday grind of managing their information technology (IT) structure,” said Patrick Jacobs, service technician.

These IT services include remote management and monitoring of all devices in the client’s network, including servers, workstations, firewalls, network switches and printers.

“We can be proactive with these devices, which can prevent unnecessary downtime for the customer,” Jacobs explained. “Since email is the number one attack vector for malicious activity, managed security training gives us the ability to provide simulated phishing attacks to our clientele, as well as monthly security training.

“This educates end users and inevitably changes their behavior so they think before they click.”

In addition, OPI recently began its managed print service that electronically keeps track of printer and copier functions. Users are alerted to the need for a toner refill and upcoming maintenance issues.

These advancements are made possible because “OPI invests in its employees,” Jacobs noted. “We are given many opportunities to expand our knowledge on current and upcoming technologies.”

Additional progress Early in 2020, OPI formed a new partnership with another long-time local business when it became an Authorized Distributor for Fuller Industries commercial cleaning products. Some of these products are displayed at OPI. “Our Fuller products include a variety of hand sanitizers and a fogger that thoroughly cleans our four locations,” said Kenny Vink, OPI co-owner. “Our customers have easy access to these products in the stores and on our comprehensive website.”

Late in 2019, OPI opened its fourth store, which moved to another location in Hays earlier this year. The new address is 2001 Vine.

“We were sharing space with another business at 1307 Vine, which limited our options,” Kenny explained.

“Now our merchandise is displayed in a more convenient way for our

customers.”

Each of these forward steps “strengthens our base and purchasing power,” Kenny said. “The marketplace is definitely changing and we are adapting to it every step of the way.”

Terry Vink, Kenny’s brother and OPI co-owner, said during 2021 and beyond “we will offer as many products and services as we can to make life easier for our valued customers who are responsible for OPI’s success.

“We appreciate everyone who visits our stores and website, as well as those who call to place an order and those who welcome us in their businesses and homes to deliver an order or maintain their office equipment.”

The other big reason for the company’s success is its employees, Terry emphasized. “We couldn’t do any of this without them. We are grateful to our many long-time employees and always welcome newcomers. We appreciate their loyalty and hard work.”

The Vink brothers consistently encourage their neighbors in central Kansas to buy locally. “If you can say anything good about COVID, it is that people are more aware of the importance of local support,” Terry said. “It has become even more evident that if we don’t take care of our community, we won’t have a community to take care of.”

The co-owners also encourage individuals and businesses to not assume that out-of-town products are cheaper.

“Sometimes people don’t even ask for a local bid from their neighbors,” Terry commented. “All local businesses at least deserve a chance.

When dollars are spent here they circulate here and the tax base grows.

Everybody wins.

“Also, we hope shoppers consider the amount of money and volunteer hours local businesses donate to local non-profit agencies, schools and many other entities. We should ask ourselves if out-of-town and out-of-state companies do this.”

Golden Belt Printing II The Vink brothers also co-own Golden Belt Printing II, 1125 U.S. 281 Bypass, which recently updated its large-format printing capabilities. The new 64-inch printer can accommodate a wide variety of printing projects.

“This is just another example of how we always find ways to grow and enhance our products and services,” Terry commented. “Golden Belt Printing II and OPI are committed to Great Bend and all the communities in central and northwest Kansas.”

OPI is located at 1204 Main in Great Bend; 516 Broadway in Larned; 724 N. Main in Russell; and 2001 Vine in Hays.

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GB Chamber: Small businesses in GB band together to meet COVID challenges

BY DANIEL KIEWEL dkiewel@gbtribune.com

As businesses across the country shut their doors for good, many small businesses in the Golden Belt found creative ways to survive – and thrive – amidst the restrictions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

And to Great Bend Chamber of Commerce Director Megan Barfield, this resiliency demonstrates a determined, cooperative spirit within Great Bend’s business community.

“We’re going to survive doing whatever it takes,” she said.

From a retail perspective, Barfield said instead of losing members, the Great Bend Chamber has actually gained members each month throughout the pandemic, and said she could not recall a business in Great Bend having to shut its doors for good as a direct result of the pandemic.

One of the reasons so many businesses in Great Bend have been able to make it is a strong sense of camaraderie within the Great Bend business community.

Retailers have not seen each other as competitors, but as fellow team members working toward a common goal to get through an adverse period.

“I think a lot of the business owners know, if the waters rise, we all rise,” Barfield said. “That’s one thing I’ve always appreciated about our business owners.”

Many business owners, she said, have been quick to share information on what has made them successful with each other, so that as local businesses

DANIEL KIEWEL Great Bend Tribune

Walnut Bowl was one of several small businesses in Great Bend that took the challenges presented by COVID-19 to find ways to adapt and stay open. The business renovated and expanded its kitchen, walk-in and food service areas during the shutdown, and was able to still provide food service to customers while the facility was closed to bowlers. The exterior of the walk-in (pictured) was added as part of the renovation, as well a new tap system and new kitchen equipment and new seating.

succeed, the community succeeds together.

And through this process, Barfield said she’s seen a lot of ingenuity from many Great Bend businesses, in a community that she says has always had a strong entrepreneurial spirit.

“I think we’ve shown (through the pandemic) that this is a good place for small business,” she said. “I Feel like were primed - and we’re moving in that direction - to helping others see that Great Bend is a great place to start a business.”

Part of the success, though, she noted, is in acknowledging that there are always ways to get better, and working together as community to grow in those areas.

As part of that effort, the City of Great Bend and Great Bend Economic Development have undertaken a Downtown Development study to find out from the community what gaps exist in what local businesses are offered, and

where they are located.

The successes, though, would not be possible without a community which has stepped up in support of its smaller retailers.

Thinking outside ‘the big box’ Barfield said one way many businesses in Great Bend adapted to keep the doors open is through increased e-commerce and social media sales, primarily through Facebook.

For some that ventured into it, having an online retail presence was new territory, but a crucial step the Chamber encouraged businesses to take during lockdowns.

“If people can’t come in to your store, then let’s show them what’s inside,” she said.

Mind Sculpt Games, who recently took home the Chamber’s Business of the Year honors excelled at creating an innovative online presence even as chunks of their in-person

business were lost due to the pandemic, building a following that extended well beyond the city limits.

Other businesses found creative and innovative ways to continue offering services in new ways.

Barfield cited Beauty Bar, a local salon, as one example of this.

With many salons not able to offer services for several months, Beauty Bar began selling premixed root touch up kits with instructions on how to do it yourself at home, offering porch delivery or pickup by appointment for the kits.

Delivery and curbside pickup services also became far more common as many local businesses adapted to keep their doors open.

Other businesses took the opportunity to improve on services they already offered.

For example, Walnut Bowl, she noted, took the shutdowns as an opportunity to renovate and expand their food

service kitchen to be able to continue offering food service while the facility was closed to bowlers.

Renovations included adding on a new walkin freezer, the addition of several pieces of new kitchen equipment, updating the beer tap system, plus additional seating in the dining area.

A lot of others have thrived through the pandemic through home-based business, making and selling goods or services from home. Some who have started as home-based businesses have begun to “take the leap” and open brick-and-mortar stores.

Barfield said its more evidence of the strength of Great Bend’s business community.

“I think that says something, too (about the community), where they feel empowered enough to make that leap because that’s an investment,” she said.

For many businesses, Barfield sees a lot of COVID-19 induced

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changes staying in place, even as the recovery process begins.

“A lot of the ideas and things (businesses) have been doing are good jumping points to keep building on some of those things,” she said.

Still, what will keep people coming into Great Bend businesses, and what can separate them from the chain stores, is the ability to provide a memorable and unique shopping or dining experience that people are willing to travel for.

This is a strength of several of Great Bend’s new and emerging businesses, she said.

With the indomitable spirit shown by the perseverance and cooperation of local businesses, she feels like the best is yet to come for Great Bend.

“Because of that ingenuity and resilience, I think we are poised for the next (wave) of entrepreneurs and business owners,” she said.

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• GREAT BEND (KAN.) TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021

Food for thought

County grocers respond to extreme cold, COVID-19

BY TRAVIS HENDRYX thendryx@gbtribune.com

Most grocery stores across the state felt the brunt of the recent deep freeze that left Kansas in an Arctic wonderland. From avoiding power outages and working through delays in weekly truck deliveries to navigating through the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, grocers in Barton County have adapted to the changes that have also impacted other businesses both from an economic and logistical standpoint.

While most Kansas grocers and other retailers have successfully met the challenges of the severe cold weather and the continuing pandemic, business owners are hoping for a better year in 2021. For grocers Randy Deutsch and Lisa Koetter, the extreme cold and COVID-19 have brought both short-term and long-term challenges and opportunities to their operations.

A warm response to nature’s cold shoulder While this month’s polar vortex presented numerous challenges to retailers, fallout for area grocers was minimal to none. “We owe a lot to our city because we have our own power plant,” said Deutsch, who owns Town and Country

TRAVIS HENDRYX Great Bend Tribune

Pictured are the storefronts for Town & Country Supermarket in Hoisington and Ellinwood Family Foods in Ellinwood.

Supermarket in Hoisington.

“The power plant was in full operation during the entire cold spell. A lot of folks complain about the expense of having our own power but in an event like what we just experienced, I’m just grateful we have it ready and available.” Deutsch said the biggest concern for grocery store operations is the condition of condensers located on the roof of the store that provide Freon to the building’s refrigeration and freezer units. “I was really scared that the Freon would be plugged up in that extreme cold but the good Lord was really looking out for us and we avoided a catastrophe.” According to Deutsch Central Kansas has not experienced this sort of weather phenomena in nearly 40 years. “Not where it has been that cold for that length of time,” he said.

“This is pretty historic.”

On the COVID-19 front, Town and Country reported increased sales when the pandemic started nearly a

year ago. “Obviously, we saw growth in business,” said Deutsch. “But whoever would have thought that toilet paper would become such a commodity?” He added that most customers who pass through his store don’t buy in mass. “But a lot of people panicked when COVID showed up and so they overstocked and we had a very difficult time trying to keep up with demand on certain items,” he said. “When this pandemic began, though, a lot of folks started cooking from home so that really helped business.”

Deutsch said getting food and other supplies from the warehouse to the store during a crisis is key to successful business. “We owe a lot of credit to our supplier at AWG in Kansas City,” said Deutsch. “Normally a warehouse like that will take care of their larger customers and shove the smaller, rural outfits to the side.

But AWG allocated very well. Unfortunately there

were a lot of products they didn’t have and we didn’t get which leads to empty shelves.” Deutsch added that AWG boasts a 95 to 98% load completion. “When COVID hit, that brought it down to the lower 70% range early but after talking to other warehouses, I think we were and are in pretty good shape.”

Back it up!

The issue of locally supplied power spelled the difference between continuing business and potential disaster for Ellinwood Family Foods said store owner Lisa Koetter. “Like Randy in Hoisington, we were able to evade blackouts,” Koetter said. “Our community is furnished with a strong backup generator that operated for about two or three days and kept everything running.”

One of the services the store provided during the deep freeze was home delivery. “Here is Ellinwood, we have a large senior popula-

tion,” said Koetter. “We did a lot more deliveries during the weather because a lot of older folks didn’t want to risk getting outside to make a run to the store.”

Along with Town and Country Supermarket, AWG also supplies Ellinwood Family Foods. According to Koetter, the store did experience some expected delays with the warehouse during the elongated cold front. “The delays with our trucks were minimal but just about everything else ran smoothly,” she said.

“Since they’re pulling out of Kansas City, we want them to be just as cautious as we do with our own staff.”

On the subject of the pandemic, Koetter explained that with fewer people travelling out of town, dollars are kept local which benefits everyone. “More folks are shopping locally and are trying to avoid the larger urban areas,” she said. “COVID has brought a lot of damage to several businesses but we are very fortunate that we

have been able to keep the store in consistent operation during this entire time.” She added that like many other stores, Ellinwood Family Foods experienced shoppers buying larger than average quantities of products. “We saw some empty shelves so we had to start putting buying limits on some items just to make it fair for other shoppers to be able to purchase what they need.”

Like all grocery stores, some of the changes in protocol Ellinwood Family Foods has undergone will remain routine for the foreseeable future. “We just don’t know how long COVID is going to stick around so we’re just going to continue our front end operations like we have when this pandemic erupted,” said Koetter. “We want to insure that our customers and staff are safe so we continue to have hand sanitizer stations available at the front of the store and we also encourage folks to wear their mask and practice social distancing.”

Sunflower Diversified makes big strides in recycling, manufacturing When Shawn Bates crunched the numbers and realized how much the Sunflower Recycling operation grew last year, the first word that came to his mind was “wow.”

This reaction from the Sunflower Diversified Services director of production seems justified because the amount of material processed for recycling more than doubled from the 2019 figure of 1.8 million pounds.

“Last year, we processed 4 million pounds of materials,” Bates reported. “This is remarkable growth. We have our clients and the community to thank for this success.

“Clients who work in the recycling operation take pride in their jobs,” Bates continued. “All individuals deserve the rewards that come with employment – independence, confidence and the knowledge that they are productive members of the community.”

Central Kansans who recycle also deserve credit for Sunflower Recycling’s success “because they are helping the environment, saving space in the landfill and providing jobs for their neighbors with disabilities and delays,” Bates noted.

The recycling center is currently located at 5523 10th. It will move a short distance to 5605 10th, a building that used to house Pro-Tint. The drop-off site will be located at the south bay door in the new facility; hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays.

“We hope to move in this spring,” Bates said. “We have outgrown our current building and we don’t see business slowing down anytime soon. Clients and

staff are very excited about this move.”

In addition to the drop-off site, the new location will be home to a paper shredder and cardboard baler.

Materials will continue to be processed at Sunflower’s 8823 4th Street location, near Great Bend Airport.

Sunflower individuals also serve more than 350 businesses on the recycling pick-up route in the fivecounty area and staff is looking for another drop-off trailer to supplement the one at 18th and Williams, which is emptied three times a week.

Manufacturing Plant Additional job opportunities also opened up for clients last year as a result of a contract with Ferguson Production of McPherson, which makes dog treats.

“We teamed up with Ferguson to package its products,” Bates explained.

“This new production line

at Sunflower offers more employment options for people with special needs.

“Again,” he continued, “a job provides a sense of purpose and self-worth. It allows clients to earn their own paychecks and enjoy social interaction. These jobs have a profound impact on people’s lives as they become more independent and confident in their abilities.”

Sunflower also continues its 13-year partnership with Flame Engineering of La Crosse. Workers wrap and package hoses for the Red Dragon torch kit.

“We truly appreciate the companies that rely on Sunflower,” Bates commented. “We are grateful to them for placing their trust in us.”

Any business owner interested in a partnership with Sunflower is encouraged to contact Bates by calling 620-792-1321.

“Sunflower’s pricing structures are among the

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most competitive in any industry,” Bates noted. “Since we are a non-profit entity, we answer only to our personal commitment to our client labor force. Clients with jobs have a positive influence on co-workers, customers, the community and a company’s bottom line.

“We are a diverse agency that excels at manufacturing and packaging, Bates added.

“Sunflower holds high stands in innovation, quality control and customer service. We welcome the opportunity to talk with local and area businesses about job opportunities at our plant.”

Sunflower serves infants, toddlers and adults in Barton, Pawnee, Rice, Rush and Stafford counties. It is in its 55th year.

COURTESY PHOTO

Leon Ostrander fills capsules for Flame Engineering.

Ostrander is a client at Sunflower Diversified Services, which offers many job opportunities at its manufacturing plant.

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GREAT BEND (KAN.) TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021 •

7

Businesses stepped up during pandemic

BY SUSAN THACKER sthacker@gbtribune.com

Area businesses quickly responded to the COVID-19 pandemic, finding ways to support their communities as well as ways to keep working even when they couldn’t conduct “business as usual.”

For example, Wheatland Electric Company responded to the pandemic by launching the #PowerOn campaign.

During the spring of 2020, Wheatland distributed 700 bottles of hand cleanser to all first responders across its service territory, according to spokesperson Nolan Numrich. Wheatland also provided treats for hospital workers. Local businesses – such as Great Bend Coffee and Perkins – were used to prepare the treats, and hospital employees also received Chamber Bucks to facilitate shopping local and further help small businesses.

Finally, Wheatland donated $500 to each of its food bank partners.

Other businesses found themselves meeting new niches or finding new ways to stay open during the pandemic. In March of 2020, LaResa and Eugene Likes, owners of Great Bend Coffee, and Dennis Crouse, owner of Re-Perks coffee shop, joined forces and offered a free, delivered meal to any senior 60+ years old, who for whatever reason had decided to self quarantine, or had decided to not go out so that they could avoid crowds and possible contact.

The businesses prepared and delivered lunches directly to homes in Great Bend, Monday through Friday.

When schools closed in March, Re-Perks coffee shop also announced that free sack lunches for children would be available at the business.

“With Kansas closing

Bottles of hand cleaners went out to first responders throughout Wheatland’s service area.

TRIBUNE FILE PHOTOS

Great Bend customer service reps from Wheatland Electric prepared treats for hospital workers, making the purchases from local businesess as part of the #PowerOn Campaign.

schools temporarily we understand that this may cause difficulties for some of the families in our community and those surrounding us,” Crouse said. “If you’re worried about your children

being able to have a decent lunch, please stop by Re-Perks in Great Bend for a free, to go, sack lunch containing a sandwich, chips, fruit and a cookie. We are dedicated to the community and will do

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everything possible to help get through this, together, as a community.”

Shortly after that, Great Bend USD 428 was able to offer free meals to children under 18 years old.

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GREAT BEND (KAN.) TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021 •

9

TRIBUNE FILE PHOTO

Great Bend officials attribute support of local businesses as the reason the city’s sales tax numbers have remained strong, despite COVID-19.

Shopping locally paying off City’s sales tax numbers up, despite COVID

BY DALE HOGG dhogg@gbtribune.com

The City of Great Bend’s sales tax collections for 2020 were the highest they’ve been since 2015, despite the eco-

nomic downturn brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, City Administrator Kendal Francis said when addressing the City Council in January.

“So after our initial projections of doom and gloom, we responded favorably. So thank you to everyone who’s continuing to shop local.”

This money not only bolsters the general fund, but also street projects,

economic development, and other capital improvement efforts, he said.

“So that’s a great thing.”

According to the Kansas Department of Revenue, Great Bend netted $2,598,079.93 is sales tax revenue last year, which was up 1.7% from 2019’s $2,555,669.32. The total was $2,710,794.87 in the referenced 2015.

“I know not every city is able to say this,” Francis

said. He has not heard a lot from fellow city managers and hasn’t had time to delve into totals from other communities.

However, “your larger cities like Lawrence, Wichita and Kansas City, they’re getting hit hard,” said City Clerk Shawna Schafer, who tracks the city’s sales tax figures. “I contribute that to us not going there to go shopping over the holidays.

But those larger cities or college towns like Manhattan are getting hit hard.”

“So we’re fortunate,” Francis said.

This total includes both the city’s half- and quarter-cent sales taxes, Schafer said.

However, not factored in is city’s portion of the Barton County-wide sales tax. This tax is divvied up among the county and the

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Barton County took in $4,717,663.88 in 2020, $4,696,758.81 in 2019 and $4,997,211.53 in 2015.

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• GREAT BEND (KAN.) TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021

Local accountant helps lead Adams Brown as one of America’s Best Tax and Accounting Firms Brian Staats (CPA, CGMA) of Great Bend came to Adams Brown Strategic Allies and CPAs in 1988 and since then has been a driving force highlighting the firm as one of the top CPA firms in the nation.

Recently Adams Brown was recognized as one of America’s Best Tax and Accounting Firms by Forbes Magazine. This is the second consecutive year of recognition and the second year Forbes has produced this study.

Staats, who currently serves as a managing partner with Adams Brown, said, “We’re honored to be selected as one of America’s Best Tax and Accounting Firms

by Forbes again this year.

Each and every member of our team made this recognition possible by going above+beyond for our clients.”

A native of Garden City, Staats received his Bachelor of Arts degree at Fort Hays State University in 1987 and earned an Associate of Science from Garden City Community College in 1983. As managing partner, he oversees all aspects of firm management and maintains a role as a trusted advisor to staff members and clients.

Brian Staats

His areas of focus are in the agricultural industry, small business taxes and accounting and estate planning.

Memberships include: • American Institute of Certified Public Accountants • Kansas Society of Certified Public Accountants • Rotary Club of Great Bend (Past President) • Great Bend Chamber of Commerce (Past President) “I ascribe my love for accounting as the greatest factor for my success,” Staats said. “I work hard

TRAVIS HENDRYX Great Bend Tribune

Pictured is the Adams Brown building and sign located at 2006 Broadway Ave.

at helping my clients succeed. My longstanding commitment to the Adams Brown team proves that I am dedicated to the firm’s

mission of enhancing the success of our clients by offering a broad range of services.”

Of the nearly 300 firms identified, Adams Brown

is one of 172 firms that were recognized for both tax and accounting and is one of only four firms recognized in Kansas.

Founded in 1945,

today the firm maintains numerous office locations throughout the central United States including their Great Bend location at 2006 Broadway.

SHOPPING, from page 9

Great Bend sees benefit on a new shopping local trend Not a new trend for 2020 The holidays for local retailers equates to the harvest for local farmers, and with the COVID19-induced business closings and economic slowdown, this has been a challenging growing season.

“It’s been a different kind of year,” said Mark Mingenback, a Convention and Visitors Bureau board member and veteran of the retail scene. But, despite the obstacles, things were looking up headed into Christmas.

“It’s been a banner year,” he said of the businesses his wife Leslie works with in downtown Great Bend. Sales were up over last year in the third and fourth quarter.

“I think there is a trend in people buying local,” he said. Because of the pandemic, “people aren’t traveling as much and the local stores are the

beneficiaries of this.”

Safety is another factor, Mingenback said.

Shop owners are going out of their way to sanitize their stores and provide protective measures because of the coronavirus. Also, smaller businesses are less crowded.

Precautions like mask wearing are also welcomed, he said.

Another business shutdown like the one that occurred during the spring would be devastating, and these can help prevent that.

By the numbers “Historically, November and December are the highest volume months of the year,” Mingenback said. “If businesses are going to show a profit, it will be in the fourth quarter.”

“The Christmas season is extremely important for local stores,” said Great Bend CVB

Director Chrsitina Hayes.

“Sometimes it either makes or breaks a year, or until Christmas, a store cannot break even on the books.”

With retail sales rebounding strongly due to continued consumer resilience, the National Retail Federation forecast that holiday sales during November and December would increase between 3.6% and 5.2% over 2019 to a total between $755.3 billion and $766.7 billion.

“We know this holiday season will be unlike any other,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said.

“Consumers have shown they are excited about the holidays and are willing to spend on gifts that lift the spirits of family and friends after such a challenging year. We expect a strong finish to the holiday season.”

Looking at sales tax disbursements to Great Bend for November 2018 - September 2019,

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compared to November 2019 - September 2020, the numbers went up from $2,348,385.61 to $2,385,224.20, an increase of 1.6%, the Kansas Department of Revenue reported. For Barton County, the total increased from $4,303,693.44 to $4,336,387.87, up 0.8%.

There is a two-month lag between when the taxes are collected and when they are distributed to the local governments.

In this case, retailers reported their September sales taxes to the state in October, and they are disbursed in November.

These increases may not seem big, but they factor in 10 months worth of data. There were months when Great Bend was up over 10% and the county up 8%.

Elsewhere in the county: Claflin fell from $25,395.05 to $22,362.15, down 11.9%; Ellinwood fell from $73,087.92 to $68,883.01, down

5.8%; and Hoisington fell from $174,417.73 to $167,941.16, down 3.7%.

These communities have experienced continued declines.

The forecast came as NRF’s latest research showed 42% of consumers started their holiday shopping earlier than usual this past year.

The numbers, which exclude automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants, compare with a 4% increase to $729.1 billion last year and an average holiday sales increase of 3.5% over the past five years.

NRF expected that online and other non-store sales, which are included in the total, would increase between 20% and 30% to between $202.5 billion and $218.4 billion, up from $168.7 billion last year.

As a result of store shutdowns and stay-athome orders last spring, not all retailers and categories have rebounded

as quickly, including small and mid-sized retailers.

However, in the aggregate retail sales have seen a V-shaped recovery, growing both month-overmonth and year-over-year each month since June. As calculated by NRF, sales were up 10.6% in October 2020 versus October 2019, likely driven in part by early holiday shopping.

For the first 10 months of 2020, retail sales were up 6.4% versus the first 10 months of 2019.

With ecommerce sales up 36.7% year-over-year during the third quarter, many households were expected to depend on digital shopping to make many of their holiday purchases, just as they did for much of their everyday spending last year. The online spending includes websites operated by bricks-and-mortar retailers, which have become major players in the online market as retail channels have merged.

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12

• GREAT BEND (KAN.) TRIBUNE • SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021

TRIBUNE FILE PHOTO

This artist’s rendering shows what the new Wheatland Electric facility at 200 10th St. in Great Bend will look like. The facility, scheduled to be completed this summer, will centralize district operations and provide green space for public use.

Wheatland Electric facility was biggest construction project of 2020

BY SUSAN THACKER sthacker@gbtribune.com

Commercial building permits issued by the City of Great Bend for 2020 included the Wheatland Electric Cooperative Inc. permit for a new $5,209,000 building (estimated cost) at 200 10th St. By September, the member-owned electric cooperative had broken ground on the 30,000-square-foot facility in Great Bend that will centralize operations in its south-central district.

The new facility will consolidate Wheatland’s administrative and warehouse operations, now housed separately within the city limits. It will feature a customerservice area with the drive-up window. The new facility will also boast an outdoor green space with working fossilfree energy sources – a wind generator, a solar generator and battery storage – and it will be irrigated with a water recovery system. The green park will also feature a pergola and tables and chairs for members to enjoy, and it will have an electric vehicle charging station.

Construction is expected to be complete

by July 2021.

The new facility will also house a mobile substation, designed for emergency and severe weather outages caused by tornadoes, ice events, and other natural disasters within Wheatland’s eastern operations. This includes District 6 (Great Bend) and District 7 (Harper, Caldwell, Norwich, Argonia, Conway Springs, South Haven, and other communities within Kingman, Harper and Sumner counties).

Wheatland Electric is working with Wichitabased GLMV Architecture

SUSAN THACKER Great Bend Tribune

(Top) Dry Lake Brewing, 1305 Main St., will be located in the building that once housed Brown Shoe Fit. Work on the interior of the future microbrewery was one of the major commercial projects for which building permits were issued in Great Bend in 2020. (Bottom) Ice and water are now sold from this new structure at 2100 Main, one of 2020’s commercial building projects.

during the design and development phase and Eby Construction, also from Wichita, during the construction phase. Local subcontractors include Hammeke Electric, Stone Sand Co., Comfort Pro, Inc., Golden Belt Roofing & Exteriors Inc., Jimlo Glass Center Inc., all from Great Bend, and Joiner Construction Inc. from Ellinwood.

Other building permits Wheatland’s project was the biggest construction project of 2020. The Great Bend Tribune requested a list of 2020 commercial permits that met or exceeded the estimated cost of $10,000. The list of 17 permits does not include roof repairs.

In 2019, the city listed 27 such permits, up from 11 in 2018.

Other new building permits for 2020 included: • 1425 Patton Road, a storage building owned

by LDK Partnership, estimated cost $180,000

• 2511 7th St., a new building on property owned by Darin M. Johnson, estimated cost $38,740 • 108 10th St., a new

office and warehouse owned by MPIRE State Building LLC, estimated cost $275,000, with a second permit at that address for a

new building, and an additional estimate of $59,300 • 106 10th St., a new building owned by L&M Investments LLC, estimated cost $66,748 •There was also a permit for a building addition at Animal Medical Center, 622 McKinley St., owned by the Karen Elon Lindberg Trust, estimated cost $390,000.

Permits for interior remodeling projects included: • 514 Cleveland, University of Kansas Heath System, two permits with estimated costs of $101,242 and $95,000 • 3111 10th St., City of Great Bend office remodel at the Great Bend Events Center, $510,000 • 1305 Main St., location of Dry Lake Brewing Property Max LLC, interior remodel, $350,000. Kevin Burkey and Ryan Fairchild have remodeled the former Brown Shoe Fit building for a microbrewery scheduled to open this year.

• 3413 10th St. MDC Coast 12 LLC, interior remodel at the Arby’s restaurant, $180,000 • 3414 Broadway, location of Golden Belt Roofing & Exteriors Inc., owners Alan T. and Gail D. Moeder, estimated cost $15,000 • 1200 10th St., location of Harper Camperland, owner F&L Rentals LLC, estimated cost $60,000 Other permits: • 5205 10th St., Barnes Family Trust, wall and roof repair; install overhead doors, $30,000 • 705 Harrison St., E&D Custom Silage LLC, demolish interior offices, $15,000 • 2100 Main St., Russell D. & Debra Snyder, ice machine in the parking lot of Windshields for Less, $100,000

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How to find the right candidate when recruiting in a pandemic Recruiting is an inexact science in the best of times. A host of variables must come together for businesses to connect with the perfect candidate, and recruiting professionals spend their entire careers facilitating such connections, even during a time when connecting with others has been more difficult than ever.

Businesses have faced many challenges over the last year-plus. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating effect on various industries. As businesses look to rebound from such effects, finding the right candidates for new openings may present some unique challenges.

Though some businesses may be back in their offices, many continue to operate remotely, while others may have decided it benefits them to con-

tinue working remotely even after the pandemic has ended. The effects of remote working are farreaching and even extend to recruiting. Though it may be challenging to fill positions during the pandemic, firms can implement various strategies to find the best candidates possible for each opening.

• Reexamine hiring protocols. Hiring protocols are implemented for a reason, not the least of which is ensuring hiring managers and department heads get as strong a feel for a candidate as possible. But companies may need to revisit such protocols as they try to fill openings during the pandemic. For example, if company policy mandates that each candidate is interviewed in person by two managers before they can be offered a job, tweaking that rule to two virtual interviews may be

necessary.

• Be flexible with your offer. The challenges of the pandemic are not exclusive to businesses.

Professionals are facing their own challenges, including how to juggle their responsibilities at work with their obligations at home. That balancing act has always been difficult, but it’s become even more challenging as parents must arrange for child care during a time when many schools are only offering in person lessons parttime, if at all. Though some businesses may want new hires to work full-time in the office, to find the right candidates they might need to relax those restrictions until life returns to some semblance of normalcy. Being flexible with new hires in regard to remote working might attract more qualified candidates.

• Consider contracting new hires. It’s understandable if hiring managers are nervous about offering full-time work to candidates they have never met in person. If that hesitation is proving too much to overcome,

companies can offer positions on a contractor basis with the opportunity to become full-fledged employees in a few months or when the pandemic ends, whichever comes first.

Recruiting during the

pandemic has posed some unique challenges.

A few simple strategic shifts can help recruiters overcome such challenges en route to connecting with the right person for the job.

What to look for in a new career Many people begin a new year determined to make positive changes in their lives. Some may aspire to read more books in the year ahead, while others may aim to master a new hobby. Professional goals also factor heavily into many people’s New Year’s resolutions.

In a 2019 survey of baby boomers, who are generally defined as people born between 1946 and 1964, the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that the average person has 12 jobs in his or her lifetime. That means that the average professional is likely to change jobs at various points during his or her career.

Working professionals who have resolved to make a career change but don’t know where to begin can facilitate the process by determining what they want out of their next career.

Knowing what to look for in a career can help people land a job they will enjoy, and might even prevent them from changing jobs as many as a dozen times before retirement.

• Salary: Few people would scoff at being offered higher salaries, but it’s important that professionals looking to change careers don’t place too great an emphasis on a high salary. A recent survey from the online career resource Indeed found that 58 percent of

workers would accept a pay cut to change industries. That suggests that salary isn’t everything.

However, established professionals no doubt also have an established quality of life, and some may not be comfortable if a lesser salary means they have to give up some of the luxuries they’ve grown accustomed to.

Take some time to determine how much money you need to maintain your current quality of life and if giving up certain things, like the ability to travel or dine out whenever you’d like, is a

price you’re willing to pay for a new career.

• Opportunity for advancement: A 2015 survey from the employment-oriented social media service LinkedIn found that the number one reason people switched jobs was related to opportunities for career advancement. The survey asked 10,000 people who recently left their jobs why they did so and 45 percent indicated they were concerned about the lack of opportunities for advancement at their old jobs. Switching careers is a significant decision that

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affects all aspects of professionals’ lives, including their families. When looking for a new career, look for one that provides opportunities for advancement after you get your foot in the door.

If no such opportunities are available, you may soon find yourself switching jobs once again.

• Positive environment: It can be hard to gauge if a company you don’t work for fosters a positive

or negative work environment, but exercising due diligence to determine this can have profound benefits. A 2008 study published in the International Journal on Disability and Human Development found that negative work environments contribute to insomnia, anxiety and depression. In addition, 36 percent of respondents to the LinkedIn survey indicated they left their

old job due to dissatisfaction with the work environment. When looking for a new career, it’s important that professionals don’t overlook the value of a positive work environment.

Professionals who have resolved to change careers in the year ahead can make their transition more successful by recognizing certain variables that can make work more enjoyable.

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