The City Commission on July 28 approved a contract not to exceed $452,351 to remove a large accumulation of trees and flood debris from the Smoky Hill River at Bill Burke Park. Martha Tasker, the city’s director of utilities, told commissioners staff deemed the log jam an emergency threat to public safety and sought expedited removal rather than a months‑long formal bid process. She said the city solicited quotes and received four; Deal Enterprises submitted the low responsive quote and staff recommended awarding the work to that firm.

Tasker told the commission that emergency responders and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had been contacted about possible disaster relief but that, to date, no federal funds were available. “Emergency management and the United States Army Corps of Engineers have been contacted to see if there’s any disaster relief funding available,” she said during her presentation. Staff said the work was not budgeted in 2025 and that general‑fund reserves would cover the contract, with a potential budget amendment later in the year.

Deal Enterprises’ quote was the low responsive bid; staff said time to complete removal would range from about three to six weeks once permits and bonding were in place. Contractors and several members of the public urged caution about logistics and scope: bids varied on the estimated quantity of material, whether silt would be removed, the number of truckloads required, and whether burning or chipping would be used for disposition. Jason, a representative of a competing bidder, said his bid included roughly double the cubic yards accounted for in Deal’s estimate and suggested that additional debris from later rain events could increase the work scope.

Commissioners asked detailed questions about permitting, insurance and start dates. Tasker said staff had submitted required documents to the U.S. Army Corps and the Division of Water Resources and expected approval within a week or two, and that the earliest notice to proceed would likely be about two weeks after contract execution. The contract allows the city to track truck counts, rock and other materials as the work progresses. The commission voted to authorize the interim city manager to execute the agreement with Deal Enterprises, with the motion passing 5–0.

Public commenters raised a wide range of concerns, including erosion, wildlife habitat, possible reuse of timber, and air quality risks from burning. Staff said burning would be permitted only under controlled conditions and that ash or smoke issues had been a previous community concern. Tasker and the contractors said removing the debris quickly while river flows were low is a priority; uncertainty about additional rainfall or flood events was the primary scheduling risk.