When you work with the Grounds Department for USD 428 in Great Bend you cover a lot of…well, ground.
The school district has five elementary schools, middle school, high school, a soccer complex, and a cross country course to maintain. USD 428 Grounds and Transportation Director Cody Schmidt says the district has over one million square feet of grass that his department takes care of from mowing, trimming, spraying weeds, tree service, edging, irrigation, and fence repair.
Schmidt says the cross country course at Lake Barton north of Great Bend is not easy to take care after a storm.
Cody Schmidt Audio
Schmidt’s staff of nine full-time and four part-time employees help remove snow from the off-streets and parking lots around school buildings. The Maintenance Department is in charge of removing snow from the sidewalks. Schmidt says the majority of the grounds department’s equipment is stored at the shop at the 12th and Williams Street intersection.