Bourbon County Commission Meeting Agenda: January 26, 2026

Date: January 26, 2026 Time: 5:30 PM Location: Bourbon County Commission

Meeting Agenda Outline

01.26.26 Agenda

1. Call Meeting to Order

2. Roll Call

3. Pledge of Allegiance

4. Prayer

5. Introductions

6. Approval of Agenda

7. Public Hearing (5:35 PM) – Vacation of Road

   • Resolution 08-26

8. Minutes

   • Commission Minutes 01.12.26

   • Commission Minutes 01.15.26

9. Approval of Consent Agenda

   • Accounts Payable 1.23.26 ($1,123,999.50) & 1.22.26 ($98,394.22)

   • Tax Corrections

10. Citizen Comments

11. Executive Session

    • K.S.A. 75-4319 (b)(1) – Motley

12. Department Updates

    • Payroll update – Milburn-Kee

    • Courthouse Space – Lora Holdridge

    • Inventory – County Clerk

    • Commission Minutes – County Clerk

    • County Clerk Procedures

    • 2025 End of Year Financials – County Clerk

13. Old Business

    • Sewer update – Milburn-Kee

    • Handbook Follow-ups

14. New Business

    • Strategic Planning – Motley

    • Commission Calendar – Motley

15. Create Agenda for Next Meeting

16. Commission Comments

17. Adjournment

(Agenda source: Page 1)

Detailed Information Packet Summary

Resolution 08-26: Road Vacation (Page 3)

The commission is considering the vacation of a 62′ wide by 125′ section of 267th Street located in Woodard’s addition to Garland, Kansas. This resolution follows K.S.A. 68-102, which allows for the vacation of roads consisting of less than two consecutive miles. If approved, the County Clerk is instructed to publish the resolution for two consecutive weeks in the Fort Scott Tribune.

Meeting Minutes Summary: January 12, 2026 (Pages 4–8)

• Reorganization: The board appointed Samuel Tran as Chairman and David Beerbower as Vice Chairman.

• Board & Liaison Assignments: Commissioners finalized their roles on various boards (e.g., Fair Board, SEK Mental Health) and department liaison duties. Greg Motley was assigned Finance, while Samuel Tran took Public Works.

• Public Safety: Mark McCoy discussed the critical need for a trained Emergency Manager and the current status of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT).

• Software Upgrade: The commission approved the purchase of “Hey Gov” software for approximately $1,100 to manage meeting agendas and minutes more efficiently.

• Contract Approval: A contract with Schwab Eaton for annual bridge inspections was approved for a total of $43,910.

Special Meeting Minutes Summary: January 15, 2026 (Pages 9–16)

This meeting focused almost exclusively on a methodical review of the 65-page County Employee Handbook. Key updates included:

• Elected Officials: Added language clarifying that while the handbook establishes general policies, independent elected officials maintain statutory discretion over certain operational matters in their offices.

• Probationary Period: After debate, the commission settled on a 90-day probationary period for new employees.

• Sick Leave Payout: A new policy was established allowing a 25% payout of sick leave for employees with at least 10 years of service.

• Inclement Weather: Essential personnel will now receive time-and-a-half pay during courthouse closures, while non-essential staff receive regular pay.

• Law Enforcement: Specific biweekly work schedules (86 hours) and overtime triggers were added to accommodate the Sheriff’s department.

Financials and Accounts Payable (Pages 17–81)

The packet includes extensive line-item documentation for accounts payable.

• January 23rd Totals: $1,123,999.50. This includes significant payroll clearing accounts for various departments including the Appraiser’s office and Ambulance services.

• January 22nd Totals: $98,394.22. Notable expenses include $19,589.36 for District Court (including courtroom hearing devices and software) and $10,443.72 for the County Treasurer’s department.

County Commission Calendar (Page 82)

The packet concludes with a 2026 statutory calendar outlining critical deadlines for tax foreclosures, budget certifications (due to the State by September 20th), and strategic planning sessions scheduled for February and March.

Healthy Bourbon County Action Team Announces Continued Pathways to a Healthy Kansas Investment and $75,000 in Implementation Awards

FORT SCOTT, KS, January 22, 2026 — In January 2025, the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team (HBCAT) was awarded continued investment through Phase 3 of the Pathways to a Healthy Kansas initiative, funded by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas®. HBCAT received a two-year, $100,000 Pathways Coordination Grant to support coalition leadership, planning, and implementation across multiple community health strategies in Bourbon County.

As part of the Phase 3 coordination process, HBCAT worked closely with its Local Health Equity Action Teams (LHEATs) to identify priority needs and recommend Pathways packages grounded in local data, lived experience, and community input. Through this community-driven process, five Pathways packages were selected for development.

Two of those packages advanced through required policy development and were subsequently awarded noncompetitive Pathways implementation grants totaling $75,000.

The Incubator Kitchen Package, awarded $50,000, is being implemented in partnership with The Kitchen Collective + Collaborative. Funding supports expanded access to licensed commercial kitchen space for food entrepreneurs, including a fee waiver program for income-eligible participants, equipment upgrades, outreach, and nutrition-focused programming. This work helps remove financial and structural barriers for individuals launching or growing food-based businesses while increasing access to healthy, locally produced foods in Bourbon County.

“This work is about building systems that work for real people,” said Rachel French, Co-Owner and Operating Partner of The Kitchen Collective + Collaborative. “Through our partnership with HBCAT and Pathways, we’re creating an ecosystem where food entrepreneurs can thrive, barriers are reduced, and community health and economic stability grow together.”

The Social Entrepreneurship Supports Package, awarded $25,000 and led by HBCAT, supports the expansion and formalization of HBCAT’s regional mentorship and Catalyst entrepreneurship programs. Funding is being used for paid local mentor stipends, participant incentives, program coordination, outreach, and technical assistance. These supports are designed to strengthen businesses whose work directly contributes to community health, including food access, behavioral health, social connectedness, and economic stability. This work is also supported through HBCAT’s Kansas Food Action Network efforts, funded by the Kansas Health Foundation, and implemented in partnership with the University of Kansas School of Business.

“For ten years, our work has focused on policy, systems, and environmental change because that is how you create lasting impact,” said Jody Love, President and CEO of HBCAT. “When communities design systems that make the healthy choice the default, individual behavior change becomes easier, more equitable, and more sustainable. These Pathways investments reflect that philosophy and the trust built through a decade of community-led work.”

In addition to these awarded packages, HBCAT continues active Pathways coordination and development on three additional initiatives. The Mapleton Multi-Modal Package focuses on improving walkability, safety, and access to physical activity in partnership with the City of Mapleton and Friends of Mapleton. The Health-Related Social Needs Package is being developed with Freeman Health System to address non-medical drivers of health such as transportation, food access, and care coordination. The Farm to School Package, in collaboration with USD 234, focuses on strengthening local food systems, agricultural education, and student access to fresh, locally grown foods.

Community members, small business owners, entrepreneurs, and local organizations interested in technical assistance, mentorship, and community support can learn more and sign up for services through HBCAT’s regional partner, Rural Community Partners, at ruralcommunitypartners.org.

Funding for these initiatives is being provided by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas® as part of Bourbon County’s Pathways to a Healthy Kansas grant.

About Pathways to a Healthy Kansas

Pathways to a Healthy Kansas is the largest community grant program ever funded by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas. The Pathways program provides community coalitions with the tools and resources needed to remove barriers and engage their communities in ways that improve active living, healthy eating, behavioral health, and commercial tobacco prevention. The grant funding for each community includes a coordination grant along with the opportunity to apply for noncompetitive implementation and achievement grants. For more information, visit bcbsks.com/pathways.

About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas

For more than 80 years, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas has built a reputation of trust with its members and contracting providers by providing outstanding customer service while quickly and accurately processing claims, fairly administering benefit plans and contracts, offering programs, services, and tools to help members improve or maintain their health, and operating under the highest ethical standards while being good stewards of premium dollars. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and is the state’s largest insurer, serving all Kansas counties except Johnson and Wyandotte. For more information, visit bcbsks.com.

Licensee Disclosure

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. BLUE CROSS®, BLUE SHIELD®, and the Cross and Shield Symbols are registered service marks of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, an association of independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans. The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team is leading the Pathways initiative in Bourbon County and is not affiliated with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas.