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Monthly Archives: March 2019
Minutes From the Feb. 19 Fort Scott City Commission Meeting
CITY OF FORT SCOTT
CITY COMMISSION MEETING
Minutes of February 19, 2019 Regular Meeting #3
The regular meeting of the Fort Scott City Commission was held February 19th, 2019 at 6:00 p.m. in the City Commission Room, 123 S. Main, Fort Scott, Kansas.
ROLL CALL:
Commissioners Adamson, Bartelsmeyer, Mitchell and Nichols were present with Mayor Parker presiding.
INVOCATION: Pastor Paul Rooks, Grace Baptist Tabernacle, said a prayer asking God for guidance for the City, our Government and City officials.
AUDIENCE IN ATTENDANCE: Jason Pickert, Rhonda Dunn, Darrell Parker, Michael Mix, Paul Ballou, Deb Needleman, Robert Uhler, Michelle Wooldridge, Jara Martin, Nick Ruhl, Josh Jones, Darren Crays, Bobby Duncan, Alex Swank, Chalia Swank, Deb McCoy, Jeff Fischer, Larry Gazaway, Dave Bruner, Brian Allen, Paul Rooks, Rod Hughes, Michael Miles, Shawn Goans, Max Fanning, Kevin Allen, Jason Gorman, Patrick J. Wood, Stuart Gulager, Rachel Pruitt, Clayton Miller, and representing the press, Jason Silvers with the Fort Scott Tribune and Sarah Jane Tribble representing Kaiser Health News.
PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS: None
APPROVAL OF MINUTES AND APPROPRIATIONS/CONSENT AGENDA:
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Approval of minutes of the regular meeting of February 5th, 2019.
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Approval of Appropriation Ordinance 1232-A totaling $505,644.58.
Bartelsmeyer moved the Consent Agenda. Adamson seconded. All voted aye.
APPROVED CONSENT AGENDA.
APPEARANCE/COMMENTS/PUBLIC HEARING:
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APPEARANCE:
B. CITIZEN COMMENTS (Concerning Items Not on Agenda – 3 minute
limit per citizen) –
Michelle Wooldridge – She stated that she lives in the 400 block of Crawford and there is a water drain issue there. She said she had called City Hall and reported it. She walked the street and it is coming from an organization’s yard from a drain that is a block and a half away.
City Manager asked her for her phone number and he will get her an answer tomorrow on this.
Bobby Duncan – He stated that in May of 2017 the City updated to the 2012 IBC Code. He said that Dave Bruner, Deputy Fire Chief, recommended the update of the code and to stay current with the Kansas State Fire Marshal’s Office. He said that the Kansas State Fire Marshal’s Office still has the 2006 IBC Code. He said Mr. Bruner’s statement is incorrect. He also stated that he believes the purchase of the fire trucks should go to the voters in November. He stated figures given by the former Director of Finance, Jon Garrison, regarding expenditures and carryover of funds for 2019. He stated that we will be spending more money than bringing in. He said that the current commissioners have proved that they do not possess the kind of integrity that is derived from good judgement.
Mayor Parker thanked them for their comments.
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PUBLIC HEARINGS:
Mitchell moved to open the Public Hearing at 6:07 p.m. Bartelsmeyer seconded. All voted aye.
OPENED PUBLIC HEARING AT 6:07 P.M.
6:00 p.m. Final Closeout Public Hearing – 124 E Wall – CDBG Grant – Approval for Mayor to sign closing documents – Rhonda Dunn, Director of Finance, informed the Commission that this public hearing is being held to close out the CDBG grant for 124 E. Wall. Susan Galemore, with Southeast Kansas Regional Planning Commission, was unable to attend due to the weather conditions. She asked if there were any comments from the public regarding this project. Seeing none, she asked the Commission to approve for the Mayor to sign the final closing documents on this project.
Bartlesmeyer moved to approve for the Mayor to sign the final closing documents on the CDBG grant for 124 E. Wall. Nichols seconded. All voted aye.
APPROVED FOR THE MAYOR TO SIGN THE FINAL CLOSING DOCUMENTS ON THE CDBG GRANT FOR 124 E. WALL STREET.
Nichols moved to close the Public Hearing at 6:09 p.m. Adamson seconded. All voted aye.
CLOSED PUBLIC HEARING AT 6:09 P.M.
CONSIDERATION:
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Discussion on Fire Trucks – Paul Ballou, Fire Chief, appeared to give the Commission and the public further information on the Fire Department’s need for two new fire trucks. He said that the department currently has five trucks in its fleet. Two of the trucks have reached the 25 year mark in their service. According to the National Fire Protection Agency standards, when vehicles reach that age they should be replaced. He said that there is an option to refurbish, but it is not recommended by the NFPA. He said that due to the age of the trucks, it is difficult to find parts when repairs are needed. One of the trucks is a 1992 pumper truck and the other is the 1993 ladder truck. The pumper truck has nearly 40,000 miles on it. If the purchase of the trucks goes through, he would like to find another fire department for the pumper truck, but it would depend on liability.
City Attorney said that given the liability issue, he didn’t recommend doing that.
Chief Ballou said that the ladder truck has been a great truck and seen a lot of use. The truck is showing its age and wear. In 2012, the department did apply for a grant to refurbish the ladder truck and discovered the cost would be about $370,000 plus an additional $100,000 to rehabilitate the engine. He said that the fire trucks would be purchased from Conrad Fire Equipment from Olathe, Kansas. He recommended upgrading to the ladder truck with the 100’ ladder. Their current ladder has a 75’ ladder.
Mayor Parker expressed that this is much needed equipment even though it has caused some tension. This is very critical and we also need to think about the fire fighters, putting their lives in danger for us, and the equipment that they need.
City Manager stated that the City is not increasing taxes to fund the fire trucks.
Rhonda Dunn, Director of Finance, shared a calendar regarding the steps to issue General Obligation Temporary Notes. On February 5th, 2019, the City Commission approved the Resolution authorizing the Notice of Intent to purchase two fire trucks. It was published in the local newspaper on February 9th and February 16th. On February 17th, the 60 day protest period began. On April 5th, the protest period will end. No action can take place until that protest period ends. The total costs of General Obligation Temporary Notes will not exceed $1,915,000. Proceeds from the bonds would be used to fund the purchase and money from sales tax for utility debt would be used to pay down the purchase over time. It will be funded out of our existing budget.
Commissioners thanked all of them for the additional information.
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Consideration to solicit RFP’s for new life insurance benefit offering – Deb Needleman, Human Resource Director, asked the Commission for approval to send out a Request for Proposal (RFP) for life insurance benefit offering. This life insurance product would be available for the employee to take with them when they leave City employment without conversion to a higher premium rate. It would be no cost to the City and include a guarantee issue for the employee, their spouse, children, and grandchildren. She would send out the RFP and come back to them for final approval.
Adamson moved to approve to solicit RFP’s for new life insurance benefit offering. Bartelsmeyer seconded. All voted aye.
APPROVED TO SOLICIT RFP’S FOR NEW LIFE INSURANCE OFFERING.
COMMISSION/STAFF:
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Director Updates:
Ambulance Update: Dave Bruner – Mr. Bruner introduced Sarah Jane Tribble with Kaiser Health News. She is working on the closure of Mercy and how the City is dealing with the future.
In February, there were 96 calls with 56 transfers. This was during the 18 day closure with no emergency room. Those transfers went to Pittsburg, Nevada, Girard, and Iola. He said that they anticipated the worse but didn’t have the worse time. They did add a fourth ambulance but are now back to three crews. Last week two new transfer vehicles were donated to the Bourbon County EMS with one donation from Timken and the other from Mercy Health Foundation. These will be utilized for long distance transfers but can also be utilized on calls.
Consideration of Bids – 16 Self Contained Breathing Apparatus – Dave said that bids were taken for 16 SCBA’s. A grant was received for this purchase in the amount of $99,524. Four bids were received with one company submitting a no bid. Casco Industries, Inc. of Oklahoma City submitted a bid in the amount of $94,185; Weis Fire & Safety Equipment of Salina, Kansas submitted a bid in the amount of $100,102.26; and Conrad Fire Equipment of Olathe, Kansas in the amount of $104,112.23. He asked for approval for the low bid from Casco Industries of Oklahoma City in the amount of $94,185.00.
Parker moved to approve the low bid from Casco Industries, Inc. of Oklahoma City in the amount of $94,185.00. Bartelsmeyer seconded. All voted aye.
approved the low bid from Casco Industries, Inc. of Oklahoma City in the amount of $94,185.00 for purchase of 16 self contained breathing apparatuses.
Health Care Update: Dave Martin – Dave stated that Sarah Jane Tribble is doing a great job chronicalizing all the steps the City has taken since the announcement of the closure of Mercy.
Dave stated that this started with the announcement of the closure of Mercy on October 1st. They formed a task force and have met with a lot of people. They relied on Via Christi and CHC to assist us. He met with Randy Casen of Ascension Via Christi last week. He is convinced that Via Christi has very high hopes to provide health care in our community and partnering with CHC will be a part of that. The task force is still in place and we have to make sure that what happens in 2021 is what Fort Scott needs. He invited Dave, Rachel and Robert to a Chamber coffee that was held at Via Christi last week. They have a vision for rural health care. Senator Moran was in Fort Scott today. His office helped assist Via Christi meet guidelines to get the emergency room operating quickly here. Dave said that we would not be here if the doctors hadn’t signed contracts with CHC.
Rachel thanked the medical community for staying here in this community to work.
Finance Update: Rhonda Dunn – Rhonda passed out the quarterly report that will be published in tomorrow’s paper. The quarter ending in September will also be published. She said that the books are balanced every day by Marlene Braker to Landmark Bank. Sales tax is looking very favorable right now.
Legislative Update: Robert Uhler – Robert gave the Commission a quick update on the legislative issues going on in Topeka. In Kansas, so far, there are 585 bills filed. The City is tracking about 120 of those bills. The total for the year there will be over 1,000 bills that are filed. In the end, there will be only about 80 or 90 bills that are passed. There have been lots of meetings with the new Governor and new Secretary’s and bringing them up to date on happenings in Fort Scott. He has also been in contact with Senator Moran’s office in keeping the federal level updated also.
Commissioner Nichols asked if there were any major bills he was tracking.
Robert said the 911 bill, utility issues, and some public service wire issues are major bills he has been tracking. He testified on the ROZ which is the Rural Opportunity Zone in support for Senator Hildabrand and is also working with KDOT on Highway 69 to get the rest of the four lane constructed.
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City Commission:
Bartelsmeyer – Thanked all the people who reported tonight. It was good information to have.
Adamson – Said she has heard really great things about our ER and that people are really happy it is open again. She said if anyone in the community has questions about the fire trucks to seek them out and they will try to answer them the best they can.
Nichols – He echoed Commissioner Adamson’s comments.
Mitchell – Nothing to report.
Parker – Nothing to report.
C. City Attorney: Nothing to report.
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City Manager: Nothing to report.
ADJOURNMENT:
Mitchell moved to adjourn the meeting at 6:59 p.m. Bartelsmeyer seconded. All voted aye.
ADJOURNED MEETING AT 6:59 P.M.
The next regularly scheduled meeting is to be held on March 5th, 2019 at 6:00 p.m.
RECORDED BY:
DIANE K. CLAY
Fort Scott City Agenda March 5
The Fort Scott City Commission will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday March 5 at city hall, 123 S. Main.
I. ROLL CALL:
ADAMSON BARTELSMEYER MITCHELL NICHOLS PARKER
II. FLAG SALUTE
III. INVOCATION: Pastor Paul Martin, Community Christian Church
IV. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS:
V. CONSENT AGENDA:
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Approval of minutes of the regular meeting of February 19th, 2019.
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Approval of Appropriation Ordinance 1233-A totaling $286,874.02.
VI. APPEARANCE/COMMENTS/PUBLIC HEARING:
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APPEARANCE: None
B. CITIZEN COMMENTS (Concerning Items Not on Agenda – 3 minute limit per citizen)
C. PUBLIC HEARINGS/COMMENTS:
6:15 p.m. Resolution 5-2019 directing the repair or removal of an alleged unsafe and dangerous structure located at 1612 E. Oak Street
VII. CONSIDERATION:
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Consideration of Resolution No. 6-2019 of the governing body of the City of Fort Scott determining the advisability of issuing Taxable Industrial Revenue Bonds for the purpose of financing the acquisition, reconstruction, remodeling, furnishing and equipment of a commercial facility located in said city and authorizing execution of related documents.
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Consideration of Ground Lease Bids for land at Wastewater Treatment Plant
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Consideration of quote for raw water testing for cryptosporidium
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Consideration of Bids for Leak Noise Correlator
VIII. COMMENTS:
- Director Updates:
Health Care Update – Dave Martin
EMS Update – Dave Bruner
Waggoner Engineering – Robert Uhler
Fire Truck Purchase – Rhonda Dunn
- Commission:
- City Attorney:
- City Manager:
EXECUTIVE SESSION:
I MOVE THAT THE CITY COMMISSION RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE
SESSION FOR ________________________________ IN ORDER TO
(see below justification)
DISCUSS ______________________________________. THE
EXECUTIVE SESSION WILL BE ___________ MINUTES AND THE OPEN
MEETING TO RESUME AT ________________.
Justifications for Executive Sessions:
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Personnel matters of non-elected personnel
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Consultation with an attorney for the body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship
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Matters relating to employer-employee negotiations whether or not in consultation with the representative or representatives of the body or agency
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Confidential data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations, partnerships, trusts and individual proprietorships
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Preliminary discussions relating to the acquisition of real property
IX. MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT: ROLL CALL
Land Bank Meeting March 5
There will be a meeting of the Fort Scott Land Bank held on Tuesday, March 5th, 2019 at 5:00 p.m. in the City Commission meeting room at 123 S. Main Street. This meeting will be held to continue the discussion on the policies of the Land Bank. There will be a majority of the City Commissioners present, but no City Commission business will be conducted.
What’s Happening by the Chamber of Commerce
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Thursday, March 7, 2019
8:00 am
This week’s Chamber Coffee will be hosted by
Bourbon County Arts Council, Annual Exhibit
Location: FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center,
2018 S. Horton St.
Upcoming Coffees:
March 14th – Tri-Valley Development Services
March 21 – Briggs Auto of Fort Scott
March 28 – Bourbon County
April 4 – KOMB FM – Home Show
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Pick of the Week
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Country Place Offers Special Deal
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Ascension Via Christi/Fort Scott Celebrates Opening of Emergency Department
A ceremony of speeches, prayers, cookies and punch, and tours of the new Ascension Via Christi Emergency Department took place in the former cafeteria of Mercy Hospital on Feb. 28.
Ascension Via Christi assumed operations of the closed Mercy Hospital Emergency Department on Feb. 1, 2019.
On Feb. 18, the new department began operations in Fort Scott.
The grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony was the celebration of the emergency department opening.
Randy Cason, president of Ascension Via Christi in Pittsburg said it “was no small feat to open up an emergency department and lab services” and acknowledged the help of the Mercy Hospital administration team and others (a city/county collaboration) who “worked hard to make sure health care will move forward in our community. We understand the need.”
“We opened on the 18th at 7 a.m. and we had our first patient at 7:15 a.m.,” Cason said. “It’s been 24/7 service since then.”
“It’s the most mission based thing we have done,” he said. “I am proud of our team pulling it together.”
In addition to the move to Fort Scott, Via Christi had a name change, “a unified brand move” Cason said. “On Feb. 14, we officially became Ascension Via Christi.”
There are 40 employees at Fort Scott, including emergency, radiology and laboratory services, said Michelle Kennedy, Ascension Via Christi Senior Marketing Specialist.
“We worked hard to see the former employees staying on,” Kennedy said.
The operation of the emergency department will be like any other, she said. “We’ll put patients in categories and the level of care they need.”
“Depending on the urgency, they would be stabilized and transported to another facility for advanced care.”
The facility chosen would depend on hospital availability and the condition of the patient, Kennedy said.
Grief Support Luncheon March 6
The next Cheney-Witt Funeral Home grief support luncheon will be Wednesday, March 6, at noon.
Anyone dealing with a loss is encouraged to come and bring a friend.
Cheney Witt Chapel will provide lunch at the Carriage House, 301 S. Main.
Call us at 223-1186 if you have any questions.
eSports Is Coming to FSCC
FSCC gears up for Gaming Greyhounds
Fort Scott Community College is bringing competitive online gaming to campus with ‘eSports’. What is eSports? “eSports describes the world of competitive, organized video gaming. Competitors from different leagues or teams face off in the same games that are popular with at-home gamers: Fortnight, League of Legends, Counter-Strike, Call of Duty, Overwatch and Madden NFL, to name a few. These gamers are watched and followed by millions of fans all over the world, who attend live events or tune in on TV or online. Streaming services like Twitch allow viewers to watch as their favorite gamers play in real time, and this is typically where popular gamers build up their fandoms” (Willingham, A. 2018).
FSCC will be offering the following to students who are interested in becoming a Gaming Greyhound:
- Books and Tuition scholarship for 15 credit hours
- Private gaming area for practicing and competing
- Travel for competitions
- Networking with other gamers, spectators, and possible sponsors
- A coach to lead them to victory
FSCC will be competing in the games League of Legends and Overwatch, with the possibility for more games in the near future.
“We are thrilled to add eSports to our varsity sports programs. This is a multi-billions dollar industry that is growing every single year, and we are very excited to lead the way for two-year colleges in the region. Esports has been one of our most requested activities from prospective students in recent years. We believe this will open the doors to some exciting new partnerships with area sponsors, and we are looking forward to our gaming future” says Tom Havron, V.P. of Students and Athletic Director.
To find out more information or to become a Gaming Greyhound, contact Tom Havron at [email protected] or call 620.223.2700.
For information regarding scholarships, please contact Admissions at [email protected] or call 620.223.2700 ext. 3510.
Reference:
Willingham, A. (2018) “What is eSports? A look at an explosive billion-dollar industry”. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/27/us/esports-what-is-video-game-professional-league-madden-trnd/index.html.
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports March 1
The Fort Scott Police Department Daily Reports Feb. 28
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Sarcasm By Patty LaRoche
All of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. (1 Peter 3:8)
She passed me in Walmart, but not before I had time to read the logo on her t-shirt: “Member of the National Sarcasm Club.” Directly under that title were these words: “And what makes you think I need your support?”
As pithy as it was, I couldn’t help but think…Not something I would care to flaunt.
Not that I don’t sometimes find humor in sarcasm.
Especially when God uses it. Remember Job? The one who started out wealthy and healthy and surrounded by a huge family? When all of that was taken from him AND his friends and wife suggested God didn’t have his best interests in mind, Job began questioning. Now it’s God’s turn to respond. In Job 38: 20-21, He asks Job if he knows where light and darkness reside and then adds, “Surely you know, for you were already born! You have lived so many years!” The chapter is loaded with God’s crafty comments to Job, basically meaning, “I’m sorry. I seem to have forgotten which one of us created the world.”
Most sarcasm, however, isn’t God-clever, like the time Henry Ward Beecher, in the middle of an impassioned sermon, was interrupted by a drunk man in the balcony who began crowing like a rooster. Instantly Beecher stopped, took out his watch, and remarked: “What? Morning already? I wouldn’t have believed it, but the instincts of the lower animal are infallible.”
See the difference? God loved Job and was reminding him that He had everything under control, so Job need not worry. Beecher was using mockery to degrade his parishioner. James Denney, a Scottish theologian, once said that it is very hard to show that Christ is magnificent and that I am clever at the same time, a test, in my opinion, Beecher failed.
Sometimes sarcasm lightens a tense moment, but we must always use discretion and ask how it might feel to be the recipient of such cynicism. “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves” (Phil. 2:3). As we all know, there are cruel people waiting for a chance to verbally pounce. Their goal is not love but one-upmanship. . One person wrote, “I love sarcasm. It’s like punching people in the face but with words.” Do you find humor in that? I don’t, even though I am the first one to laugh at skillful sarcasm (always intended to make the other person smile, not wince). For example, if you watched the pre-show for the Super Bowl, you heard Larry Fitzgerald comment about ex-quarterback Kurt Warner’s role as radio commentator for the game. “Everyone always said he has a face for radio.” Warner, sitting beside his old teammate and best friend, loved it. The aim was humor, not hurt. The take away from this is that the line between “real” and “joking” isn’t all that thick, and making someone feel less than God desired, as we all know, is never, ever funny.