Monthly Archives: February 2020

Bourbon County, Government

Bo Co Commissioners Will Attend Smart Growth America Workshop Feb. 26

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Agenda

Bourbon County Commission Room

1st Floor, County Courthouse

210 S. National Avenue

Fort Scott, KS 66701

Tuesdays starting at 9:00

Date: February 26, 2020

1st District-Lynne Oharah Minutes: Approved: _______________

2nd District-Jeff Fischer Corrected: _______________

3rd District-Nick Ruhl Adjourned at: _______________

County Clerk-Kendell Mason

8:30 – 3:30: Smart Growth America Workshop @ The River Room (Commissioners to attend)

Fort Scott

Kiwanis Pancake Feed Until 7 p.m. This Evening

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Community members enjoy visiting at the Fort Scot Kiwanis Pancake Feed at Buck Run Community Center on Tuesday.

 

Members of the community came to Buck Run Community Center for the annual Fort Scott Kiwanis Club Pancake Feed, starting at 11 a.m. today.

 

For a $5 donation, attendees are served pancakes, sausage and a drink.

 

The event is open until 7 p.m. this evening, Feb. 25.

 

The Kiwanis Club provides support for many local charities and awards scholarships to local students.

 

Below are photos from the lunch session of the pancake feed:

 

Buck Run is located at 735 Scott Avenue.

 

Some of the projects of the Fort Scott Kiwanis Club were showcased on a poster of the gym at Buck Run Community Center.
Glenn Newcomer, left, and Dale Johnson, sell the tickets to the pancake feed on Feb. 25.
A banner at the pancake feed in Buck Run Community Center.
Addisyn Fowler, Fort Scott High School Key Club member, left, along with Fort Scott Kiwanis Club members Bob Eckles and Clyde Stepps serve pancakes on Feb. 25.
Sponsors of the pancake feed are featured on a poster during the meal.
On the stage in the gym are Ralph Carlson and Wib Mowen on guitars and Carolyn Tucker, keyboard, who entertain the attendees during lunch session at the pancake feed. Helping with the sound system is Dave Oas.
Obituary

Obituary of Trena Kilpatrick Cooper

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obituary image
Trena Gayle Kilpatrick Cooper, age 69, a resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away Saturday, February 22, 2020, at the Kansas City Hospice House in Kanas City, Missouri.
  She was born August 8, 1950, in Memphis, Tennessee, the daughter of Charles Kilpatrick and Frances Roe Kilpatrick.
Trena had devoted her life to full-time Christian service.  She started New Hope Ministries in Ft. Scott several years ago where she served as pastor.  Trena loved music and enjoyed playing the piano, guitar and accordion.  She used her musical talents in her ministry.

 

Survivors include her four children, Charles Andrew Haddan (Juanita), of Nevada, Missouri; Teresa Gayle Jameson, of Pittsburg, Kansas; William Thomas Hadden (Brandy), of Arma, Kansas and Audrey Kilpatrick-Doherty (Stephen), of Ft. Scott; seventeen grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.  Also surviving are a brother, Jimmy and two sisters, Mary and Cindy, all of Arkansas.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

 

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Friday, February 28 at the Evergreen Cemetery.  Family and friends may meet at the Cheney Witt Chapel on Friday prior to leaving for the cemetery at 10:45 A.M.

Memorials are suggested to the Trena Cooper Memorial Fund 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.

Obituary

Obituary of MARTHA ANN CLARK

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Martha Ann Clark, 86, of Fort Scott, passed away, Sunday, February 23, 2020 at the Medicalodge of Fort Scott.

She was born May 11, 1933 in Springfield, Missouri the daughter of John Paul and Cora Shaup Jones.

She married Kenneth E. Clark on October 3, 1954 in Stark, Kansas, he preceded her in death, March 9, 1999

. She had been a member of the First Baptist Church of Fort Scott.

She is survived by two sons, Kenneth Clark, Jr. and wife, Debbie of Garland, Kansas and Kevin Clark of Chanute, Kansas; three grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.

In addition to her husband, Kenneth, she was preceded in death by her parents, a son, Keith Clark, two brothers and four sisters.

Pastor James Collins will officiate graveside services for Martha at 12:30 p.m. Friday, February 28, 2020 at he Fort Scott National Cemetery.

The Family suggests memorials to the American Heart Association, contributions may be sent to, or left in the care of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home, 15 W. Wall St., P.O. Box 309, Fort Scott, Kansas 66701. Condolences may be emailed to the online guestbook at konantz-cheney.com.

Bourbon County, Exercise, Fort Scott

Downtown Walking Trail In The Works

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Rita Schroeder and J.T. Heckman make a presentation to the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team of Feb. 6 of the proposed downtown walking trail. Submitted photo.
A local leadership class has taken on a project of creating a walking trail downtown with funding from Healthy Bourbon County Action Team.
Bourbon County Lead Class 2020 heard of the funding opportunity from Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lindsay Madison.
 
“Lindsay brought the opportunity up to the class of extra funds from Healthy Bourbon County Action Team that we could use for our class project and we came up with a healthy walk downtown with educational fun facts about downtown Fort Scott,” Rita Schoeder, LEAD Class member said. ” What it was and what it is now!”
Rita Schroeder and J.T. Heckman present to the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team on Feb. 6. Submitted photo.
“Our presentation proposed to Healthy Bourbon County Board for approval was held at the Empress Event Center, Thursday, February 6th,” Schoeder said.  “I and one other class member, J.T. (Heckman), presented to the board for approval of the design of the signs.”
Also included in the presentation was an example of a fun facts sign with QR code for younger audiences to use cell phones while approaching the sign, then scanning on the phone. It will then show images, reading material and recorded audio of the fun fact, Schroeder said.
“Some signs will show how many feet you have walked as well.,” she said. “At the Feb. 6 meeting, the budget and project were approved.”
 
The definitive location of the downtown trail is not final but the starting place will be at the Fort Scott Chamber, 231 E.Wall Street, Schroeder said.
There the walkers will receive a brochure of the walking trail, and the statistics of how many feet the walking trail is from start to finish.
The brochure will show the fun fact markers and highlights of the downtown walking trail.
What is the benefit of having a walking trail downtown?
According to Schroeder:
  • It’s a walk of downtown historic Fort Scott for people who work and live downtown, residents, and visitors of all ages.
  • The walk promotes retailers, restaurants, and points of interest.
  • Walkers will learn fun facts about Fort Scott’s history.
  • The hope is to challenge the next generation of opportunities to continue  Fort Scott’s growth. 
  • Small town hospitality will welcome visitors and share what Fort Scott represents and has to offer.

By mid-March/April, the project will be presented to the Fort Scott Design and Review Board and if approved will then go to the Fort Scott City Commission for final approval.

 The completion date for the project is in June, Schroeder said.
“Before Good Ol’ Days, fingers crossed,” Schroeder said.
Members of the LEAD Bourbon County 2020 group have been divided into subgroups with the following tasks:
Naming the trail and gathering historical facts
based on the number of mile marker signs along the trail:
Matthew Chaplin, Devin Tally, Tony Tirri, JT Heckman.
Marketing and design of brochures, flyers, and printed maps to be picked up at the Chamber and/or trailhead, designing a welcome sign and mile marker signs,  and getting quotes on pricing and installation:
Rita Schroeder, Ashley Keylon, Katie Allison.
Mapping the route, identifying sign placement and number of mile marker signs needed:
Traci Reed, Amy Budy, Kyla Probasco
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Government, Kansas

Sen. Hilderbrand’s Weekly Newsletter

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February 14, 2020 ∙ Week Five
HARD FACTS
KDOT’s FORWARD
KDOT estimates the following cost breakdown during the lifetime of the FORWARD plan from 2021 through 2030 fiscal years. Total cost: $9.9 billion
·      Preservation $5.0 billion
·      Preservation Plus $300.0 million
·      Modernization and Expansion $2.3 billion (not including delayed T-WORKS projects)
·      Economic Growth Projects $200.0 million
·      Modal Programs $200.0 million
·      Cost Share/Strategic Safety/Local Bridge Programs $300.0 million
·      Special City County and Highway Fund Distributions $1.6 billion
*KDOT’s estimates assume that the transfers to the State General Fund are phased out by FY 2023 and that the State Highway Fund issues approximately $1.2 billion in bonds.
I prefiled SCR 1601 prior to the 2019 Legislative Session. This is a Constitutional Amendment that would permanently close the “Bank of KDOT”. It was scheduled to have a hearing in the Senate Ways and Means Committee earlier this year, but the chair of that committee cancelled that hearing. The bill was recently moved to the Senate Transportation Committee, the chair of that committee has said that he plans on having a hearing and working the bill.
Find reliable and age appropriate information online with Britannica – Public Library https://kslib.info/ebpublic from the State Library of Kansas. Three levels of learning (Children, Young Adult, and Reference Center) offer continually updated entries, multimedia, primary –source material, maps, and links to expert websites. Double–click any word in the article for the definition to pop up with audio pronunciation. Also available, Britannica – Academic https://kslib.info/ebacademic, includes content that is more scholarly. Another link https://kslib.info/kids takes you to Britannica – School, a PreK-12 resource with multi-media content for all grades and reading abilities.
Every school and home in Kansas has access to Britannica, but if the webpages above ask for a Kansas Library eCard number, you may get one at any library in Kansas. Questions: [email protected] or 785-296-3296.
FLOOR ACTION – February 12, 2020
February 17
The following bills all received unanimous support and were passed Yea: 38 Nay: 0
SB 277 Clarifying the authority of healing arts school clinics to provide healing arts services.
SB 302 Granting the secretary of revenue the authority to set letters and numerals for license plates and removing the requirement that plates be shipped to the county treasurer.
SB 304 Establishing a process by which a reciprocal may convert to into a mutual insurance company.
SB 326 Increasing the age for eligibility to renew drivers’ licenses online to 65.
SB 288 Designating a portion of United States highway 77 as the Cpl. Allen E. Oatney and SP4 Gene A. Myers memorial highway.
SB 315 Providing for the love, Chloe foundation license plate.
February 20
The following bills all received unanimous support and were passed Yea: 39 Nay: 0
SB 285 Extending the existence of the UST redevelopment fund and compensation advisory board to 2032.
SB 306 This bill would exempt motor vehicle odometer reading recording requirements when such recording requirements are exempted by federal law. This would replace an exemption from acknowledgement of mileage for vehicles ten model years and older and for trucks with a gross vehicle weight of more than 16,000 pounds. SB 306 was introduced by the Kansas Department of Revenue at the request of the Director of Vehicles.
SB 270 This bill would expand the opportunity for the establishment of multi-year flex accounts (MYFAs) for groundwater water right to water right users who do not have historical water use before 2009. The Kansas Department of Agriculture and the Chief Engineer testified as proponents of the bill in committee. There were no opponents.
SB 342 This bill would allow drivers’ license renewal notices to be sent electronically should the Department of Revenue get authorization from the license holder to do so. This bill was amended in committee to allow the license holder to opt-out at any time and have any subsequent notices sent by mail.
The following bill received unanimous support and was passed Yea: 37 Nay: 0
SB 305 This bill would increase the bond required for licensure as a dealer of used or new vehicles from $30,000 to $50,000. The bill would take effect January 1, 2021. Senate Bill 305 was introduced by the Kansas Department of Revenue at the request of the Director of Vehicles.
The following bills were passed Yea: 38 Nay: 1 ( I voted in favor of these bills)
SB 287 This bill would amend the Kansas Storage Tank Act by extending the time for certain petroleum storage tank owners and operators to apply for reimbursement for the replacement of single-wall underground storage tanks from June 1, 2020 to June 30, 2030. It would also extend from June 1, 2020 to June 30, 2030 the time for owners and operators to apply for reimbursement for the replacement of underground singe-wall storage tank systems with a secondary containment system. Finally, Senate Bill 287 would increase the reimbursement limit to an amount no more than $100,000 per facility per replacement work completed on and after July 1, 2020 and before July 1, 2030 and clarifies the $50,000 limit in current law would apply to replacement work completed on or after August 8, 2005 and before July 1, 2020.
SB 286 This bill would amend the Kansas Storage Tank Act by increasing limitations on the liability from $1,000,000 to $2,000,000 for the Underground Petroleum Storage Tank Release Trust Fund and by the same amount for the Above ground Petroleum Storage Tank Release Trust Fund. Senate Bill 286 also extends the sunset on both funds from July 1, 2024 to July 1, 2034.
The following bill was passed Yea: 28 Nay: 11(I voted in favor of this bill)
SB 58 This bill would amend law related to grand jury proceedings summoned by petition to refer to such proceedings as “citizen-initiated,” and would specify such petitions are citizen-initiated throughout the section. Senate Bill 58 would state the person who filed a citizen-initiated petition, and whose name, address, and phone number appear on the petition, is immune from civil liability for any good faith conduct under the section and would clarify that such person would be the first witness called to give testimony should a citizen-initiated grand jury be impaneled. Written-only opponent testimony was provided by the League of Kansas Municipalities, stating concerns over the potential increase of false or insufficient allegations in citizen-initiated petitions.
SPORTS WAGERING
The sports wagering bill, SB 283, left the Senate Committee on Federal and State Affairs with uncertain odds and a lot of interest still on the table. The bill essentially amends the Kansas Expanded Lottery Act to allow sports wagering to be conducted through existing gaming facilities. The bill does not extend to Kansas Lottery ticket merchants and other retailers and contains several amendments since its introduction.  It could be debated on the floor this coming week.
The state would apply a tax rate of 10% on revenue from online sports wagering and 7.5% on revenue made from each of the state’s four licensed casinos. Each casino will be allowed to contract with two betting platforms. The Kansas Lottery would continue to have oversight, which is consistent with current legislation. A bill in the House extends sports wagering far beyond the Senate bill by allowing as many as 1,200 licensed retailers to participate.
 FIREWORKS SALES YEAR-ROUND IN KANSAS
On Monday, SB 362, the bill to allow year-round sale of fireworks, was worked in the Committee on Federal and State Affairs. The bill only had two changes made before it passed through committee. The first change stripped out the language regarding bottle rockets, keeping them as an illegal firework. The second amendment aims to extend the selling period for seasonal retailers from June 15th to July 6th to be similar with Missouri statute. The original language had the selling period from June 20th to July 5th. The bill still leaves power to the counties and cities to regulate fireworks and firework sales as each municipality sees fit.
Monday, February 24
Ø Final action: SB 449 — Removing cannabis products that contain up to 0.3% THC from the list of controlled substances listed in schedule I of the uniform controlled substances act. (8:30, Agriculture and Natural Resources, 159-S)
Ø Hearing: SB 398 — Providing a refundable food sales tax credit and discontinuing the nonrefundable food sales tax credit. (9:30, Assessment and Taxation, 548-S)
Ø Hearing: SB 399 — Requiring marketplace facilitators to collect and remit sales and compensating use tax. (9:30, Assessment and Taxation, 548-S)
Ø Hearing: SB 364 — Expanding newborn screening services and increasing transfers from the medical assistance fee fund to the Kansas newborn screening fund. (9:30, Public Health and Welfare, 118-N)
Ø Hearing: SB 379 — Authorizing the secretary for children and families to request a waiver from certain limitations under the food assistance program. (9:30, Public Health and Welfare, 118-N)
Ø Hearing: SB 440 — Providing an additional option to fulfill work participation requirements under the cash assistance program. (9:30, Public Health and Welfare, 118-N)
Ø Hearing: SB 420 — Requiring registration as a sex offender for certain violations of the crime of breach of privacy. (10:30, Judiciary, 346-S)
Ø Hearing: SB 409 — Making permanent the quality care assessment imposed on skilled nursing care facilities. (10:30, Ways and Means, 548-S)
Ø Final action: SB 255 — Appropriations to the University of Kansas Medical Center; creating the Cancer Research and Public Information Trust Fund. (10:30, Ways and Means, 548-S)
Ø Discussion and action: SB 271 — Repealing the sunset provision for the high-density at-risk weighting. (1:30, Education, 144-S)
Ø Discussion and action: SB 353— Requiring the allocation of sufficient school district moneys to improve academic performance of underachieving students. (1:30, Education, 144-S)
Tuesday, February 25
Ø 10 a.m. session, on floor all day.
Wednesday, February 26
Ø 10 a.m. session, on floor all day.
Thursday, February 27
Ø Turnaround Day! All bills from non-exempt committees must be heard by their house of origin or are considered dead for the session.
Ø 10 a.m. session, on floor all day.
Friday, February 28
Ø No session! Enjoy the first break of the 2020 Legislative Session. We will see you on March 4!
Thank You for Engaging
Thank you for all your calls, emails, and letters regarding your thoughts and concerns about happenings in Kansas. Constituent correspondence helps inform my decision-making process and is taken into great consideration when I cast my vote in the Kansas Senate. I hope you’ll continue to engage with me on the issues that matter most to you, your family, and our community. If you are on Twitter or Facebook, I encourage you to follow along with the #ksleg hashtag for real-time updates on legislative happenings in Topeka.
Please know that I am fully committed to addressing the current issues in our state, and I am proud to be your voice in the Kansas Senate.
Richard Hilderbrand Kansas State Senator District 13

 

Government, Kansas

Legislative Update Coffee Feb. 29

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Community members are invited to a Legislative Update Coffee hosted by the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce. The event will take place on Saturday, February 29, 2020 from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the Empress Event Center in Downtown Fort Scott.

Kansas Sentators Caryn Tyson and Richard Hilderbrand and Representatives Trevor Jacobs and Ken Collins will give an update on the current session as well as address any issues or questions presented from the audience.

If you have a particular item you would like to have addressed and plan to attend, you may email the Chamber at [email protected] by 5:00 p.m. Thursday, February 27th.

The general public is invited and encouraged to attend this Legislative Update on Saturday, February 29th. Coffee, juice and light breakfast refreshments will be served.

The event is being sponsored by the Fort Scott Professional Building and Empress Event Center.

For more information please contact the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce at (620) 223-3566 or visit fortscott.com.