Monthly Archives: May 2019

Government, Kansas

New State Hospital Commission Leadership Appointed

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Secretary Howard Appoints Leadership Team for Newly Established State Hospital Commission;
Larned State Hospital Acting Superintendent Takes on Permanent Role

TOPEKA – Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) Secretary Laura Howard announced today she has appointed several leadership positions to serve on the agency’s newly established State Hospital Commission.

Kimberly Lynch, currently Chief Counsel for KDADS, has been named State Hospital Commissioner. Lynch began her more than 10 years of state service in 2009 with the Kansas Attorney General’s Civil Litigation Division. She joined KDADS in 2012 and was promoted to Chief Litigation Attorney, then Senior Counsel, before being named Chief Counsel in 2017. Lynch holds a Juris Doctorate from Washburn University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Washburn University, where she majored in Psychology. She recently earned a certification in Health Care Compliance from the Health Care Compliance Association. Throughout her tenure at KDADS, Lynch has represented the state hospitals and provided guidance and counsel to the superintendents and staff.

Dr. Mike Dixon has been named Deputy Commissioner of the new commission. Dr. Dixon, who was named Superintendent at Parsons State Hospital and Training Center (PSHTC) in 2017, will continue to serve as Superintendent while taking on the additional role of State Hospital Deputy Commissioner. In addition, he has served as Chief Forensic Psychologist and Program/Clinical Director for the Sexual Predator Treatment Program at Larned State Hospital (LSH). Dr. Dixon holds a Ph.D. in Community Clinical Psychology from Wichita State University and is a licensed psychologist.

KDADS’ current budget director Georgianna Correll, has also been named State Hospital Commission Deputy Commissioner. Correll joined KDADS in 2016 as the Facilities Reimbursement Manager and was promoted to Budget Director in 2017, where she has worked closely with hospital superintendents and provided guidance to the hospitals’ chief financial officers. Correll has held a variety of positions within the public sector as well, such as Director of Business Development and Client Relations, Business Analytics Manager and Sales Manager. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Friends University.

Secretary Howard announced the creation of a new state hospital commission in February this year as part of a strategic plan to develop a cohesive approach to supporting and empowering the Kansans it serves. The new commission also affords the agency the opportunity to improve communication and collaboration between state hospitals, commissions and stakeholders.

Additionally, Secretary Howard announced Acting Superintendent of LSH Lesia Dipman has accepted the permanent superintendent position and will continue to serve and bring continuity to the hospital staff and the Larned community. Dipman has served the State of Kansas for 34 years, starting her career at LSH in 1984 where she has worked in various positions, including Administrative Program Director of the State Security Program. Dipman attended Fort Hays State and Kansas State University (KSU) and earned a bachelor’s degree in social work from KSU in 1994. In 2005, she was promoted to Director of Social earned a master’s degree in social work from Newman University in Wichita.

###

Cara Sloan

Public Information Officer / Website Administrator
Office of the Secretary

Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services

503 S. Kansas Ave

Topeka, KS 66603

Office: (785) 296-0807

Cell: (785) 249-6234

[email protected]

 

Visit our website at: www.kdads.ks.gov

Bourbon County, Fort Scott, Government

Fort Scott City Commission and Bourbon County Commission Meet Together May 28

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There will be a Special Meeting of the Fort Scott City Commission held together with the Bourbon County Commission on Tuesday, May 28th, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. This meeting will be held in the Bourbon County Commission Meeting Room at 210 S. National. It is anticipated that they will adjourn into an executive session to discuss personal matters of non-elected personnel.

Government, Kansas

Senator Tyson’s Legislative Update

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Caryn Tyson

Legislative Update By State Senator Caryn Tyson

May 17, 2019

2019 Session End is May 29th, known as sine-die.  Every session is unique and seems to take on a personality of its own.  This year was no different.  The unique people involved and the different issues being worked, combine to create the ‘personality’ of the session.  It can be a difficult environment and a messy process.  However, during debate on a judicial appointment, we were reminded of how blessed we are to have our government process and a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people.”

Judicial Appointment: A few years ago the legislature changed the appointment process for Appellate Court Judges by adding Senate approval.  Recently, the Governor submitted a nomination for Senate approval.  That nominee was voted down on a vote of 0 Yes to 38 No.  Some people cried foul when the appointment process was changed.  However, if it would not have changed, the nominee who did not receive one Yes vote would have become an Appellate Court Judge.  This scenario is an example of why the process for appointing Kansas Supreme Court Justices needs to be changed.  Senate approval would be one way of giving the people a voice in naming justices.

Taxes and Expenditures: For years, there has been misinformation about the 2012 tax cuts, referred to as the “failed tax experiment”.  For the record, after the 2012 tax cuts there were more cuts.  In 2013 sales tax was cut from 6.3% to 6.15% and the bottom bracket of the state income tax was cut from 3.5% to 3.0% and the top bracket was cut from 6.25% to 4.9%.  In 2014 the bottom bracket was cut from 3% to 2.7% and the top bracket was cut  from 4.9% to 4.8%.  In 2015 the top bracket was cut to 4.6%.  In 2016 the bottom bracket was cut to 2.4% and the top bracket was cut to 4.6%.  Tax cuts are usually good for stimulating the economy and that grows businesses and provides jobs.  A good example is the unintended revenue increase the State is receiving from the Federal tax cuts.  These cuts should be good for Kansas taxpayers but for this to happen the government has to be well disciplined on regulating spending.  Unlike the Federal government, our State government is not supposed to go into debt.  That’s in our State Constitution.  But unfortunately, we are finding ways to circumvent our State’s fundamental principles.

So, when you hear about failed 2012 tax cuts, remember we also cut income taxes in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016, and then President Trump cut Federal taxes in 2017.  The tax cuts now are not the problem, runaway spending is the problem.  Kansas tax laws were in tandem with federal tax laws before the 2017 Federal tax cuts.  In an attempt to re-align Federal and State tax law, the legislature passed Senate Bill (SB) 22 and then House Bill (HB) 2033.  Both were vetoed by the Governor.  The argument was used that it would, “decimate the state’s ability to pay our bills and invest in our people.”  That is absurd.  The out-of-control spending is going to “decimate the state’s ability to pay bills”.  How about this, the Governor submitted her increased budget to the legislature and the legislature decided She was not spending enough so they appropriated millions more money in the budget then what was requested.  I was one of the few who didn’t vote for the Budget.

In summary, according to Kansas Legislative Research, the State will be in-the-red in two years with current law.  And after all the increases this budget puts the State on a path to be approximately $1.4 billion in-the-red in four years.  That doesn’t take into account any increased spending in those four years.  So then what?  Once again, the Governor will probably pull money from KDOT and delay payments to KPERS or even raise taxes.

We need to change our laws to address the budget process and create a fair and level tax code for Kansans.  I am hopeful that with due-diligence, we can still achieve this end.

It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your 12th District State Senator.

Caryn

Obituary

Obituary of Patricia Pool

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Patricia Alaine "Patty" Pool

Patricia Alaine “Patty” Pool, age 68, a resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away Tuesday, May 21, 2019, at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, Kansas.

 

She was born March 31, 1951, in Ft. Scott, the daughter of Henry Eugene “Gene” Floyd and Maxine Monroe Floyd. Patty graduated from the Ft. Scott High School with the Class of 1969. She married Michael L. Pool on November 11, 1970, at Nevada, Missouri.

In earlier years, Patty worked at several area banks. She later worked in the Bourbon County Vehicle Registration Office for over twenty-years. Patty enjoyed playing the violin and spending time with her grandchildren.

Survivors include her husband, Mike, of the home; and two sons, Brian Pool (Jana) and Brent Pool (Tawny), all of Ft. Scott and five grandchildren; Laura, Ashleigh, Nash, Kellen and Evan. Also surviving are two brothers, Earl Floyd, of Overland Park, Kansas and Steve Floyd of Ft. Scott and two sisters, Lynette Jackson, of Ft. Scott and Bonnie George of Concordia, Kansas.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

Rev. Chuck Russell will conduct funeral services at 10:00 A.M. Wednesday, May 29th at the Cheney Witt Chapel.

Burial will follow in the Bronson Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 P.M. Tuesday evening at the Cheney Witt Chapel.

Memorials are suggested to the National Kidney Foundation and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

Bourbon County, Schools

New Uniontown Math Teacher: Mike Durnell

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Mike Durnell. Submitted photo.
 Mike Durnell, 51, will be teaching mathematics at Uniontown Middle School (grades 7-9) for the next school year.
In the vacancy that 50-year math teacher Alan Shinn left, the subjects are being reassigned to two current math teachers and then Durnell was hired as a new math teacher to take the junior high classes, USD 235 Superintendent Bret Howard said.
“I have been a Missouri educator for 28 years,” Durnell said.  “In my career, I have taught math at the middle school  and high school level.”
He and his wife, Suzan have been married 28 years.
“We have been at El Dorado Springs (Missouri) for the last 19 years,” he said. ” I taught 8th-grade math for 14 years before becoming the activities director for the last five.”

” I retired after 28 years but really wanted to get back into the classroom,” Durnell said. “If I stay in Missouri, I am limited to part-time ( 550 hours) or going to a private school. Teaching in Kansas allows me to teach full time. It is a financial decision.”

 

“Suzan has another two or three years before she can retire,” he said. “I plan on commuting until she retires. It will be a longer drive than my current 10-minute commute, but that has spoiled me.”

 

Suzan is the elementary librarian for El Dorado Springs.

 

Durnell earned his bachelors degree from College of the Ozarks, his masters in educational administration from Missouri State University, and his specialist in educational administration from William Woods University.
His hometown is Moundville, Missouri and he attended Bronaugh schools. 
 
In his spare time, he enjoys hunting and fishing, he said.
How did you become an educator?
“I was fortunate enough to have some great teachers and had a positive experience with school. I decided I wanted to be a part of that. I found that I love working with students and helping them understand difficult concepts.”
Is there someone who inspired you to teach?
“Coach Randy Roberston, my high school coach, and teacher under whom I student taught.”
What is the best part of teaching for you?
“I like interacting with the students and realizing that I have the ability to make a difference in their lives just like Coach Robertson did in mine.”
What are the greatest challenges in teaching for you?
“It can be frustrating when you have students who are not working up to their potential abilities. However, I love a good challenge in teaching.”

The Durnells have two daughters:

Jenna Vickers and her husband, Quade, live in Springfield, Missouri. Jenna is an accountant and Quade is an emergency room nurse, he said.

Tessa is finishing her Junior year at Ft. Hays State University and is a speech pathology major. “She runs track and cross country for the FHSU Tigers,” Durnell said.

Bourbon County

Flood Warning In Effect For Bourbon County

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Arial photo of Gunn Park in Fort Scott on May 22 by Yue Han. Taken from the City of Fort Scott Facebook page.
National Weather Service detailed forecast  through the Memorial Day weekend. From the National Weather Service website.
There is a flood warning in effect.

Bourbon County

Today
Mostly cloudy. Numerous showers and scattered thunderstorms in the morning then scattered showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Some thunderstorms may produce heavy rainfall in the morning. Highs around 80. East winds around 10 mph in the morning shifting to the southeast in the afternoon. Chance of rain 60 percent.
Tonight
Mostly cloudy with isolated showers and thunderstorms in the evening, then partly cloudy after midnight. Lows in the upper 60s. South winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.
Friday
Breezy. Mostly cloudy with scattered showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the lower 80s. South winds 10 to 20 mph with gusts to around 30 mph. Chance of rain 30 percent.
Friday Night
Partly cloudy in the evening then becoming mostly cloudy. Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the upper 60s. South winds 10 to 15 mph. Gusts up to 25 mph in the evening. Chance of rain 30 percent.
Saturday
Breezy. Mostly cloudy. Chance of showers and thunderstorms in the morning, then chance of showers in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 80s. Southwest winds 10 to 20 mph with gusts to around 30 mph. Chance of rain 30 percent.
Saturday Night And Sunday
Showers likely and a chance of thunderstorms. Lows in the mid-60s. Highs in the lower 80s. Chance of rain 70 percent.
Sunday Night
Partly cloudy with a chance of showers and slight chance of thunderstorms. Lows in the upper 60s. Chance of rain 30 percent.
Memorial Day And Monday Night
Windy. Partly cloudy. Highs in the mid-80s. Lows in the upper 60s.
Bourbon County, Fort Scott

American Legion Post 25 Update

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Post 25 Update

May 23. Thursday. 6:00 pm. Legion Women’s Auxiliary meet and greet in Memorial Hall. Open to female family members of Veterans. This meet and greet will continue the process of reestablishing the Fort Scott Auxiliary Unit 25.

May 25. Saturday. 4:00 pm. Enjoy patriotic music at The Fort National Historic Site.

May 26. Sunday. 2:30 pm. Dedication of the U.S. Navy Memorial at Fort Scott National Cemetery.

May 27. Monday. 9:30 am. Prayer at the Courthouse steps in Honor of all American War Veterans.

May 27. Monday. 10:30 am. Memorial Day services at the Fort Scott National Cemetery. This event will be moved to Memorial Hall in the event of inclement weather.

May 27. Monday. 3:00 pm. A “moment of silence” at The Fort National Historic Site.

May 31. Friday. 6 pm. Good Old Days Parade. All Post members and their families are invited to walk or ride as part of the Legion family.

June 3. Monday. 6:30 pm. Post 25 meet and greet at 6:30 pm in Memorial Hall. Come and enjoy the fellowship of other Veterans. Bring an eligible Veteran to visit our Post.

June 3. Monday. 7:00 pm.  Post 25 general membership meeting at 7 pm in Memorial Hall. Our membership meetings are open to all. SAL members are strongly encouraged to attend. Bring an eligible Veteran to visit or join our Post.

June 6. Thursday. Skipper Higgins, the oldest living grandson of Andrew Jackson Higgins, will be at the Milken Center throughout the day and available for visiting.  At 3:00 pm will be a special Q and A time with him and Jerry Meyer. All veterans in attendance will receive a very special gift from the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes. See attached flyer.

June 9. Sunday. Aspen Dental is offering free dental services to veterans from fillings, extractions, to even denture repair. Veterans can call 844-277-3646 now to locate the nearest Aspen Dental office and make an appointment for free dental services.

June 14. Friday  7:00 pm.  Flag retirement ceremony at The Fort National Historic Site. This event is open to the public and anyone with torn, tattered or unserviceable flags can bring them to The Fort for a dignified retirement.

 

VA Shuttle Service

 

The shuttle service is free to any Veteran who needs transportation to the VA for their medical appointments.

Mondays: Fort Scott to Topeka VA Medical Center. Stops in Pleasanton, Louisburg and Ottawa.

Tuesdays: Fort Scott to Topeka VA Medical Center. Stops in Pleasanton, Louisburg and Ottawa.

Wednesdays: Fort Scott to Kansas City VA Medical Center. Stops in Pleasanton and Louisburg.

Veterans must have an appointment scheduled between 9 am and 1 pm on the day they ride the shuttle.

The shuttle will depart from the Fort Scott’s Pete’s 66 service station on Main Street and will return to Fort Scott after the last Veteran has completed their appointment. The departure time is based upon the time of the first appointment of the day at the VA Medical Center day. Riders will be notified of the shuttle departure time the evening before their ride.

Veterans living along Highway 69 or near Louisburg and Ottawa can also schedule a ride to the VA by following the below process. Veterans scheduling rides must be at one of our predetermined stops to ride the shuttle. This is a shuttle service, not a taxi service.

The VA shuttle holds five passengers and riders must preregister for a seat. Seats on the shuttle are open to any area Veteran on a first come, first served basis.

The shuttle does not accommodate wheelchairs or pets. Only certified service dogs are permitted on the shuttle. Oxygen tanks are not permitted on the shuttle. Oxygen concentrators are allowed.

Family members may not ride with the Veteran on the shuttle. However, those Veterans who need a caregiver to accompany them must have a signed note from their doctor attesting that the Veteran requires a caregiver to accompany them to and from their appointment.

To register for a shuttle seat, the Veteran must

·         Have an appointment at a VA Medical Center between 9 am and 1 pm for the day they schedule their shuttle seat.

·         Call 785-925-0261 or email [email protected] to schedule their seat. All seat reservations must be scheduled by 5 pm, the day prior to their appointment.

Please don’t hesitate to call or email me with any questions you might have.

 

Carl Jowers. Commander

Fort Scott American Legion Thompson-Harkey Post 25

Kansas

American Legion Member Verification Needed

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Up-to-date member information is critical in helping to serve veterans, their families and their communities. That’s why it’s so important to call.

Please call 1-855-912-8518 (toll-free) to take care of this important matter today.

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Entertainment, Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

Free Friday Evening Concert: David Prickett

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Ralph Carlson introduces the Friday Night Concert musicians May 18. This evening it was the St. Martin’s Academy Boys Choir.
The Chamber of Commerce sponsored program at The Heritage Park Pavilion, First and Main Streets will feature David Prickett on guitar and vocals.
“David performs gospel, classic country and traditional music,” Ralph Carlson, event coordinator. “He is a regular contributor to our Pavilion music.  I am quite pleased to get him back. Also performing will be Marilyn Adcock and other musicians.”
 The concert starts at 7 p.m. In the event of foul weather, the concert will move indoors at the Common Grounds Coffee Shop.
Come early and bring your lawn chairs as seating is limited.
Bourbon County, Business, Fort Scott, Government, Schools

Bourbon County Leadership Class Graduates

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Chamber Celebrates LEAD Bourbon County Class with Graduation

The 2018-2019 LEAD Bourbon County group wrapped up their training with a graduation ceremony at Liberty Theatre Thursday, May 9 at 5:30 p.m. The group consisted of individuals nominated by their employers to participate in the leadership training program called “LEAD Bourbon County.” They have been meeting every month, starting back in September of 2018.

Trainers/Facilitators for the Lead Bourbon County Training were:

Lindsay Madison, Executive Director, Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce

Deb Needleman, SPHR, IPMA-SCP, Director of Human Resources, City of Fort Scott
Robert Uhler, IOM, CAE, Community Development Director, City of Fort Scott

Participants in the LEAD Bourbon County Program included –

  • Zach Adams, Marketing and Customer Service Manager, Craw-Kan Telephone
  • Kellye Barrows, Culture and Customer Experience Officer, AVP, Marketing, Landmark Bank
  • Thomas Cook, Production Scheduler, Timken
  • Lewis Dunkeson, Site Coordinator, Fort Scott High School (Communities in Schools)
  • Scott Flater, Superintendent, Water Production, City of Fort Scott
  • Daniel Koppa, USD 234 Facilities Director
  • Dustin McClure, Vice President of IT, Union State Bank
  • Virgil Peck, Pastor, Fort Scott Nazarene
  • Allyson Turvey CVB, Group & Convention Sales, City of Fort Scott
  • Hope Workman, SAP Data Clerk, Timken
  • Russ Souza, Director of Advising and Retention, Fort Scott Community College

During each monthly session the LEAD Bourbon County group learned new techniques and models of leadership, that leadership is not a position but an attitude, and that everyone can lead. The purpose of the curriculum was to stretch the boundaries of thought regarding leadership and to help each individual learn how to get the most out of meetings, individuals, resources, and circumstances.

The past few months the group has also been working on a community project collecting donations towards purchasing park benches for key locations in the area. The group collected a total of $2,687.50, which was enough to purchase 5 park benches for the following locations: three benches in Fort Scott at Riverfront Park and two benches in Uniontown at the Walking Trail.

The LEAD Bourbon County group would like to thank the following businesses and organizations for their most generous donations towards the purchase of these benches –

  • City of Fort Scott
  • Cheney Witt Funeral Home
  • CrawKan
  • Kiwanis
  • Modern Woodmen Fraternal Financial Chapter 514
  • Timken

The plan is to have the installation of the new benches completed by the end of June.