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Monthly Archives: March 2020
Applications now open for the Community Service Tax Credit Program
Topeka, Kan. – The Kansas Department of Commerce announced today that applications are now being accepted for the Community Service Tax Credit Program (CSP).
CSP assists private nonprofit organizations and public health care entities in undertaking major capital campaigns for projects involving:
- Children and family services
- Non-governmental crime prevention
- Youth apprenticeship
- Youth technical training
- Health care
Under this program, the state authorizes specially selected nonprofit organizations to offer tax credits to donors making contributions toward approved projects.
This year, CSP has earmarked $1 million for childcare and early childhood development projects for services to those under the age of five. The program will award $4.1 million in total tax credits.
“Community service tax credits are a powerful tool to support the quality of life in communities large and small,” Secretary of Commerce Toland said. “We are particularly pleased that by aligning CSP with Governor Kelly’s early childhood agenda, we can support Kansas non-profits who provide services to kids whose parents are needed in the workforce.”
The proposed projects should be unique or one-time in nature and create a lasting value for charitable organizations (e.g., capital campaign, major equipment purchase, major renovation, capacity building, etc.). Eligible projects must also result in the organization becoming more self-sufficient.
Applicants may request up to $250,000 in tax credits. Applicant organizations in rural areas (less than 15,000 population) are eligible for a 70 percent credit. Applicant organizations in non-rural areas are eligible for a 50 percent credit.
Applications for the Community Service Tax Credit Program will be accepted through May 31, 2020. Awards will be announced July 15.
More information on the program and application process may be found online at www.kansascommerce.gov/csp.
Unemployment/Disaster Allowances Signed By Governor
Governor signs bipartisan bills to help Kansans during COVID-19 Pandemic
Extends unemployment eligibility, education disaster allowances, judicial disaster allowances
Governor Laura Kelly signed three bipartisan bills into law today in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I want to thank the Legislature for working together to fast track this critical legislation,” Kelly said. “As COVID-19 continues to spread, our response is constantly evolving. We must have a plan for Kansans who are facing so much uncertainty. The bills will help our state navigate these difficult circumstances. We will get through this together.”
Senate Bill 27:
House Substitute for Senate Bill 27 extends unemployment eligibility for workers who started to file unemployment insurance claims on or after January 1, 2020. These workers would be eligible for a maximum of 26 weeks of benefits, instead of the current effective maximum of 16 weeks.
“The fallout of the aviation industry has been felt all across Kansas, long before the COVID-19 epidemic,” Kelly said. “Now, more than ever, hardworking Kansans need the support necessary to provide for their families.”
Senate Bill 142:
House Substitute for Senate Bill 142 expands education waiver authority during disaster emergencies. Under current law, students are required by statute to attend at least 1,116 school hours per school year. This bill allows local school boards to receive waivers for this requirement under a state of disaster declaration, with the understanding that they will utilize continuous learning for their students during this time. Additionally, the bill codifies legislative intent that school districts continue to pay all hourly employees during a disaster shutdown.
“In a time of crisis and uncertainty, our schools need flexibility and support to maximize learning opportunities for students while making sure children, their families and school district employees are safe,” Kelly said.
Senate Bill 102:
House Substitute for Senate Bill 102 expands authority of the judicial branch in time of disaster, permitting the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to issue an order extending statutory deadlines or time limitations on court proceedings and authorizes video conferencing.
“This will allow our court system to continue to function during the crisis while ensuring our court employees and the public are safe and healthy,” Kelly said.
These bills become effective upon publication in the Kansas Register. A special edition has been expedited for publication and printing today by the Legislature and the Secretary of State.
KS Treasurer Operation Plans
State Treasurer Jake LaTurner announces operation plans for Kansas State Treasurer’s Office during government shutdown
Topeka— In response to the Governor’s order that state agencies shut down nonessential operations beginning March 23th and continuing through April 3rd, The Kansas State Treasurer’s Office (STO) will continue to serve in its capacity as the state bank.
“The STO will continue to operate in partnership with the Department of Administration to support other State agencies with mission essential functions,” stated Treasurer LaTurner. “As we learn which essential functions agencies plan to carry out we are responding accordingly.”
At this time, STO has enabled services with its banking partner to allow state agencies to make deposits directly to bank branches via drive-through services and will continue servicing ACH payments and wire transfers.
The STO will also continue to service bonds, making payments to bondholders for any bond payments that occur provided that funds have been remitted to the office from the issuer and, in the event of principal payments, the bond or temporary note certificate has been submitted to the office in accordance with the bond or note documentation.
For municipalities in the State of Kansas, the STO will be sending the regular monthly distribution for sales and compensating use tax, community development, and transportation development district tax early. The payment was previously scheduled to settle on March 30th and will now settle in the accounts on March 25th. Municipalities who receive this distribution will receive email notification of these payments on Friday, March 20th.
The Unclaimed Property division of the STO will offer limited services for the next two weeks. Kansans can search online for claims via the STO website www.kansascash.ks.gov where many claim requests can be submitted online. Claim packets can also be requested via email or postal mail. However, claim processing and payments will be delayed.
The STO will utilize this time to further enhance its teleworking plans so that services may return in full without sacrificing the health and safety of its employees or customers.
VA Clinic Closed For Eight Weeks
Submitted by Carl Jowers
The Veteran’s Administration Clinic here in Fort Scott has closed for eight weeks.
People who have already scheduled labs and/or appointments will be notified by the VA.
Fort Scott Budget Work Session/Commission Meeting/Advisory Boards Postponed
The City of Fort Scott will be postponing the scheduled budget work session that was to be held on Monday, March 23rd, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. and the regularly scheduled City Commission meeting, which was to be held on Tuesday, March 24th, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. All other City of Fort Scott Advisory Board meetings are postponed until further notice.
This is due to the CoronaVirus pandemic and the declaration from the Governor of the State of Kansas. City officials are working diligently to provide meetings open to the public using an online platform.
March 19, 2020 Public Update COVID-19
Situation Overview
For more information: www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus
2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Kansas Test Results
Updated 3/19/20 at 10 a.m.
Total Positive Cases
34
Private Labs
12
Kansas Health and Environmental Lab
22
Deaths (included in above numbers)
1
Out-of-State Resident Positive Cases
(not counted in Kansas numbers)
2
Positive Case Information
County
Number
Butler County
1
Cherokee County
1
Douglas County
1
Franklin County
1
Jackson County
1
Johnson County
16
Leavenworth County
2
Linn County
1
Morris County
2
Wyandotte County
8
* Ford and Miami Counties reported positive cases in out-of-state residents. Numbers included in cases home states.
2
Obituary of Esther Anne Sewell
On Saturday, March 14, 2020, Esther Anne Sewell passed from this earth at age 97. She was known as Annie to her friends, Grannie Annie to her grandchildren and, of course, Mom to her children.
Annie is survived by three children: Larry Sewell and wife Patricia of St. Louis, Steve Sewell and wife Victoria of Fort Scott, and Barbara McCord and husband David, also of Fort Scott. She is also survived by six grandchildren: Stephanie King, Ashley Ryan, Meredith Tucker, Victoria (Tori) Sewell, Forrest Sewell and Lee Painter, and their spouses. Annie leaves behind nine great-grandchildren, with one more due in May.
She is preceded in death by her first husband, Larry Woods, who gave his life at the Battle of the Bulge in January of 1945 during World War II, and her second husband, Glen Sewell, who also fought in Europe and received the Purple Heart, passed in 2016.
Annie was born October 31, 1922, to Mark and Esther Weeks in Fort Scott, Kansas. She graduated from Fort Scott High School in 1939 and Fort Scott Community College in 1941. She received her degree from Kansas State University in 1944, where she was a member of Alpha Delta Pi. She married Larry Woods in the summer of 1944 in Fort Scott and moved to Camp Maxey near Paris, Texas. Annie moved back to Fort Scott in August of that year.
In August of 1948, she married Glen Sewell, Jr. in Lawrence, Kansas. Annie, after teaching art at Fort Scott High School for one year, she left to share in the responsibilities of the Fort Scott Greenhouse with her parents. Glen came to Fort Scott to be the office manager for Key Work Clothes and later joined the family business with Annie.
A faithful Christian, she was active in the First Presbyterian Church. Annie was also a charter member of the Old Fort Genealogy Society and the PEO Chapter FU. She was a volunteer for the Old Fort before it became a National Historic Site. Her hobbies included golf, gardening, needlepoint, floral design, antique collecting and enjoying life.
Having lived through both the Depression and the Dust Bowl, Annie was always grateful for everything and appreciated the little things. She was proud of her family and was a good friend to many. She was hard-working from a very young age, making regular trips with her parents to the rail station to gather fresh-cut flowers shipped from the cities. As a young woman, Annie helped nurture the Fort Scott Greenhouse into a familiar establishment that flourished for many years in Fort Scott. Her hard work and creative mind impacted many who experienced her beautiful window displays, bouquets and more. Her flowers comforted the sick and mourning, celebrated births and weddings, and brought joy to many life events.
An excerpt from the book The Greenhouse by her granddaughter Lee Painter sums up Annie’s life nicely:
“This story is told through the eyes of the Fort Scott Greenhouse, which was nurtured and loved by the Weeks family and their descendants from 1921 until 2004. It is a story of love, family and friends. It is a story of hard work, dedication, passion and compassion. It is a story of enchanting times.”
It is a story of Annie Sewell. We will miss her.
A graveside service will be held at the National Cemetery for family members only. A celebration of Annie’s life will include her friends in the community and family at a later date. She would want everyone to stay healthy and safe.
Memorials for the Good Samaritan Program/Presbyterian Village can be left with Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home, 15 Wall Street, Fort Scott, KS. Memorial contributions may be sent to, or left in the care of, the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home, P.O. Box 309, 15 W. Wall St., Fort Scott, KS 66701. Condolences may be emailed to the online guestbook at konantz-cheney.com. The funeral home will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for folks to drop by and sign the guestbook.
Apex Energy/Bourbon County Commission Agreements Signed
The controversial wind energy business is coming to Bourbon County.
Following a request to Apex Clean Energy, the wind energy company from Charlottesville, Virginia for specifics on the project, the following statement was provided.
Apex Clean Energy entered into five agreements with the Bourbon County Commission last Friday, March 13, according to Helen Humphreys, public engagement manager for Apex.
“In addition to setting out how Jayhawk Wind (Jayhawk) will operate in the community, the agreements also empower the county to enforce the provisions and ensure residents’ concerns are addressed both during the construction process and once the project is operational,” according to the press release provided FortScott.Biz.
Julianna Pianelli, Apex Project Development Manager, said, “We appreciate the Bourbon County commissioners for their careful, objective review of the Jayhawk Wind agreements. We know that economic opportunity has been a priority for the county, and we are proud that Jayhawk will provide a new source of revenue, new jobs, and new customers for local businesses.”
The agreements with Bourbon County Commissioners are unique No other entity or individuals are similarly restricted in the use of county roads and given that Bourbon County does not have zoning restrictions, several of these agreements are entirely voluntary and reflect Apex’s commitment to community engagement, according to information provided by Humpherys.
The following was sent from Humphreys regarding the agreements with the Bourbon County Commission.
“Decommissioning Agreement
Decommissioning agreements are common in the wind industry and ensure that financial resources are available to remove the turbines and related facilities at the end of a project’s lifespan. The Jayhawk Decommissioning Agreement:
- Specifies that the turbines, and related equipment, will be removed by the project owner when the project is complete; and
- Requires that, on the 10th anniversary of the completion of construction, Jayhawk Wind will place a performance bond, letter of credit, or other security acceptable to the county to cover the net removal cost in an amount determined by an engineer selected by the county.
- To view the document:
- doc10726320200313102218-c-c-c
Contribution Agreement
The Contribution Agreement details the financial donation Jayhawk will make to Bourbon County if the project enters construction. Kansas law exempts renewable energy projects like Jayhawk from property taxes for the first ten years of operation, just as it does with a property such as farm equipment and other sources of energy production. In place of these taxes, wind developers often propose to donate funds to a county through a voluntary contribution agreement because we believe it is important that a project directly benefits its community.
In the Bourbon agreements, Jayhawk committed to making an initial payment of $407,812.50 to Bourbon County upon receiving notice to proceed with construction. This payment will be followed by nine annual payments of $365,625, and a final annual payment of $182,813.
After 10 years of operation, the tax exemption will expire, and Jayhawk will pay property taxes to the municipalities and school districts in which the project is located. According to the Jayhawk Wind Economic Impact Analysis:
- Bourbon County will receive annual revenues of $586,380 and a total of $11.4 million over the projected 25-year life of the project;
- Uniontown Unified School District will receive $387,000 annually beginning in year 11 and a total of $5.8 million;
- Girard Unified School District will receive $203,000 annually beginning in year 11 and a total of $3 million; and
- Erie Unified School District will receive $38,00 annually beginning in year 11 and a total of $572,000.
- To view the document:
- doc10726020200313102002-c-c-c
Road Use Agreement
The Road Use Agreement (RUA) clearly outlines Jayhawk’s obligation to maintain or improve the county roadways it will use. According to the agreement, the county will prepare a pre-construction road survey and establish an inventory of the roads before construction. These tools will be used to both mitigate project impacts on local traffic during construction and to determine what repairs and improvements will be needed to return the roads to pre-construction condition.
Also, vehicles with a combined weight of 80,000 pounds or more will be required to stay on approved transportation routes.
Jayhawk Wind agrees to return the roads it uses during construction to a condition that is “as good or better” to that existing before construction. Also, Jayhawk will be obligated to make repairs to any roads damaged during construction that create a hazard to the traveling public.
The RUA ensures Bourbon County has the resources needed to oversee the project and details how Jayhawk Wind will coordinate with county officials, by providing:
- $50,000 for the County to hire outside engineering or added employee costs;
- $250,000 security provided by Jayhawk before construction begins to guarantee its obligations under the RUA;
- Proof that Jayhawk shall maintain $3,000,000 in insurance; and
- That even after Jayhawk becomes operational, larger projects for which Jayhawk must use county roads will require Jayhawk to purchase a bond and ensure damage resulting from its road use is repaired.
- To view the document:
- doc10725620200313101557-c-c-c
Development Agreement
While Bourbon County is not a zoned county, Jayhawk voluntarily agreed to a few project design restrictions including:
- Sound from each turbine shall be less than 50 dBA at any non-participating home;
- Turbines shall be set no less than 1,400 feet from any non-participating home;
- Turbines shall be set back no less than 1.1 times the height of the turbine from any non-participating property line;
- Turbines shall be set back no less than 1.1 times the height of the turbine from any county road; and
- Turbines shall be tubular towers and lighting shall be by the FAA.
- To view the document:
- doc10725720200313101736-c (Signature Edit)-c-c
Complaint Resolution Agreement
Jayhawk agreed to a complaint resolution process that ensures members of the public who make a complaint can have confidence that their concerns will be addressed. Moreover, it empowers the county to order a review of unresolved complaints by an independent engineer. The Development Agreement requires Jayhawk to:
- Establish a “24/7” single point of contact to take claims or issues and respond to complaints within five business days;
- Maintain a record of complaints received and resolve any deemed to violate the Development Agreement; and
- Be bound by the decision of a third-party engineer during dispute resolution between the county and the project.”
- To view the document:
- doc10725920200313101859-c-c-c
“Cumulatively, these agreements enable the continued development of Jayhawk while providing certainty for Bourbon County that all residents will benefit either directly or indirectly from the project,” according to the information provided by Humphreys.
The Jayhawk Wind project is expected to be operational in 2021.according to the information from Humphreys. It will produce enough power to supply 70,000 average U.S. homes and will also provide significant economic benefits for the local economy, according to the information. This includes the creation of more than 115 construction jobs and seven long-term operations positions.
FSCC COVID 19 Update
Date: March 19, 2020
Time: 11:00 A.M.
RE: FSCC novel coronavirus, COVID-19 update
All Courses Online
ALL FSCC courses will be online for the remainder of the semester. This includes all technical courses/programs taught at CTEC, Construction Trades at La Harpe, Fort Scott John Deere/Welding, Harley-Davidson in Frontenac, Allied Health/Nursing at Burke Street, and Welding, Construction Trades, Criminal Justice, and Allied Health/Nursing in Miami County. All courses (including general education) will resume in the online format beginning March 30th.
Internet
For students without readily available internet access, please contact your local area internet service and cellular service providers. Many companies are working with students during this time to ensure access to internet services. If this is unsuccessful, please contact Janet Fancher ([email protected]) or Adam Borth ([email protected]).
Campus Access
FSCC dorms: Closed for the remainder of the spring semester.
Bookstore, Library, Computer Labs and Student Success Center: Resume normal hours of operation on March 30. A maximum limit of ten individuals are allowed in those locations, this includes visitors and employees.
Campus tours: The admissions office is open and accepting applications, answering questions, and providing information to potential students. Physical campus tours are currently suspended, however, please reach out to the office if you have any questions or inquiries ([email protected] or 620.223.2700, ext. 3510). For more information, please visit the admissions webpage: http://www.fortscott.edu/admissions.
Advising and Enrollment: Fall enrollment will open March 30, and advising will be assisting students via phone appointments and email. To schedule an appointment please contact Russ Souza ([email protected]), Ashley Keylon ([email protected]), Quentin Choice ([email protected]), or call 620.223.2700, ext. 3610. When calling, please leave a detailed message, including name, student ID (if applicable), and contact information.
Spring Play
The spring play, Space Girl, is officially cancelled.
Working Remotely
Some FSCC employees/departments are working remotely and outside of the traditional hours of operation. FSCC recommends email as the primary method of communication.
The situation remains very fluid and evolving, please check the FSCC website regularly. Stay safe.
Alysia Johnston
KDHE:new mandates for quarantine and isolation of travelers, close contacts and those being tested
CLARIFICATION: Please note that these mandates do not apply to critical infrastructures needed to continue operations during this pandemic.
Public health, including hospitals, clinics, etc. need to have the staffing resources to continue serving Kansans.
While KDHE strongly recommends these quarantine restrictions for everyone, we do recognize that medical care needs to continue and no healthcare facility should ever be to a point where it would need to close due to staff being quarantined.
We ask facilities to ensure they have updated their Emergency Preparedness Plans and implement protocols to ensure that no employee comes to work symptomatic.
Other examples of critical infrastructures include pharmaceutical and food supply, along with others defined by the Department of Homeland Security.