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Monthly Archives: June 2020
The Fort Scott Police Department Daily Reports June 29
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Kansas Adjustments to 2021 Budget
Governor Kelly Announces FY 2021 Allotment Plan
Governor Laura Kelly announced today her final plan for adjustments to the FY 2021 budget, which begins on July 1, 2020.
“COVID-19 has created new economic challenges for our state,” said Governor Kelly. “However, the hard work that was done last year to restore fiscal stability prevented this unprecedented situation from being much worse. While we had to make hard choices, I’m pleased that this plan will preserve critical funding for Kansas schools, our infrastructure, and business recruitment tools. Kansas will undoubtedly feel the economic effects of COVID-19, but by preserving our core services, we will be better positioned for economic recovery and to continue growing when this virus is behind us.”
Kelly’s allotment plan totals a little more than $704 million and includes items that will require approval from the Legislature when they return in January. The largest portion of the plan proposes to delay the $132 million payment to the Pooled Money Investment Board for FY 2021 and requests an additional loan of $132 million, for a total of $264 million.
“I want to thank Larry Campbell and his team for their work identifying items that minimize the direct impact on Kansans, and I look forward to working with the 2021 Legislature to put together a bipartisan budget, said Governor Kelly.”
Allotment plans are provided for under K.S.A. 75-3722 when deemed necessary and beneficial to the state by the Director of the Budget.
The view the FY 2021 Governor’s State General Fund Allotment Plan, click here.
Food safety takes spotlight for outdoor picnics, grilling
For many, the Fourth of July holiday may be a day off from work, but Karen Blakeslee says it’s not a day off from food safety.
“Handling food safely is important every day, not just at holidays,” said Blakeslee, a food safety specialist with K-State Research and Extension. “During the summer, it is more important to follow the four core principals of cook, chill, clean and separate.”
She notes that foodborne illness often peaks in the summer for a couple important reasons: Bacteria multiply faster in warmer temperatures, and preparing food outdoors makes safe food handling more difficult. “Temperature abused food can allow bacteria to grow and multiply every 20 minutes,” Blakeslee said.
For picnics and barbecues, Blakeslee provides some timely tips:
- Cook food to the recommended internal temperature. If bacteria are present on food, they can be killed by cooking meat properly. There is no need to wash meat or poultry. Marinate meat in the refrigerator and discard unused marinade. For popular picnic foods, the suggested internal temperatures are 165 degrees Fahrenheit for poultry; 160 F for ground meat and hamburgers; and 145 F for beef, pork, lamb and veal steaks or chops.
- Chill foods that won’t be in a refrigerator. Use several ice chests to store cold food below 40 F and keep it cold until meal time. Don’t leave picnic food out for more than two hours or one hour if outdoor temperatures are above 90 F. Once the meal is finished, put leftovers on ice or in the refrigerator promptly.
- Clean produce, surfaces and hands regularly. Wash produce with plain water before prepping or cooking. Rub or scrub when possible to remove dirt. Clean surfaces often. When washing hands, any soap that produces bubbles — which break up bacteria and germs – will work. Rub between fingers, back of hands and up your arms, too. If you don’t have running water, moist disposable towelettes are a good choice.
- Separate foods. Keep raw foods away from ready-to-eat foods. Use separate plates and utensils for raw meat and cooked meat. Or, wash plates and utensils before using them for cooked meat.
“It is easy to get distracted with summer activities and forget about food,” said Blakeslee, who suggests keeping the meal simple.
“Plan ahead to reduce mishaps since cooking and eating outdoors is out of your normal routine. Keep food safe for everyone at your party to enjoy.”
For more outdoor food safety tips, contact Kathy in the Southwind Extension office at 620-365-2242 or [email protected].
Masks Must Be Worn In Public Places In Kansas
Governor Laura Kelly Announces Masks Must be Worn Statewide
TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly today announced that she will sign an Executive Order requiring that most Kansans in a public space must wear a mask, beginning 12:01 a.m. Friday, July 3.
“This is a simple, proactive step we can take to keep Kansans at work, get our kids back to school, and keep ourselves and our neighbors healthy,” Governor Kelly said. “Wearing a mask is not only safe – but it is necessary to avoid another shut down.
“Remember – my mask protects you, and your mask protects me,” Governor Kelly said. “We’re all in this together.”
Under the order, most Kansans must wear masks in stores and shops, restaurants, and in any situation in which social distancing of 6 feet cannot be maintained, including outside. The EO will be released on Thursday, and will provide specific guidance regarding under what circumstances masks must be worn.
“I know Kansans will have many questions about this order – and we will answer them when it is released later this week,” Governor Kelly said. “But by announcing the requirement today, people in our state will have the appropriate time to acquire the masks.”
The Kansas Attorney General’s Office will work closely with officials in Governor Kelly’s administration to ensure that the order complies with Kansas law.
For more information on COVID-19 health guidance, please visit www.covid.ks.gov.
Bourbon County Commission Minutes of June 16
June 16, 2020 Tuesday 9:00 am
The Bourbon County Commission met in open session with all three Commissioners and the County Clerk present.
Also present for the meeting (some were present for only a portion, others were present for all of the meeting) were Tammy Helm with the Fort Scott Tribune, Stephen Plaster, Anne Dare, Clint and Rachel Walker, Michael Hoyt, Mark McCoy and Jody Hoener.
Stephen Plaster requested road work to be done between 412-422 127th St Terrace in Hiattville; Lynne gave the request to Jim Harris. Lynne said the County is responsible for road work in unincorporated towns.
Jeff Fischer questioned signs posted east of Arrowhead Road stating that Bourbon County maintenance ends here; Jim Harris said Crawford County maintains the road to the South of this area. Jeff said he noticed near Hepler where some signs had been removed and others put up; Jim said the signs could have been stolen or this could be located in another County.
Jim Harris reported they are patching on 215th south of Indian Road. Jim recommended 2” of asphalt on the Lake road. Jeff complimented the patching work done on the Jefferson Highway; Jim said there may be some areas there that could be a good candidate for chip and seal. Jim said with the cost of oil it might be more feasible to do overlaying verses patching. Lynne said they need to be cautious with the Road & Bridge budget, he said $220,000 (to cover the cost of a reporting error in 2019) will come out of their budget before they start; Jim said his focus will be the Lake road and the Landfill road. Jim said they are replacing driveway culverts on the Lake road, he said the base of the road looks good, he said they will have to remove the broken asphalt, patch and put 2” on top of that. He said they are working on the west ditch on the Landfill road. Today they are priming the north lane of Native road (near KOA) with MC30 oil; Nick said KOA has been notified that they will be putting oil down on the road. Jim said that the sales tax revenue wasn’t down as much as he had expected it to be.
They are getting ready to blast at the Blake Quarry; Jim suggested that in the future someone should blast the layer of shale there since there was 35’ of good rock below the shale.
Jeff questioned where the windfarm was getting its aggregates at; Jim said he didn’t know, but said someone could ask them. Jeff said in the past KDOT was supposed to pay a percentage to Bourbon County for using County roads; Jim said he had asked about this, but hadn’t gotten an answer. Jim recommended that they have the County Counselor write a letter to KDOT concerning this.
Nick reported that the “no shooting” signs placed on Slick Rock road were gone, Nick told Jim to put more back up. Nick said the County could put up a fence with a locked gate on the County right-of-way there. Nick said he would talk to the County Counselor regarding writing a letter to the landowners there.
Jeff asked Jim if he had the biannual bridge report from Schwab Eaton; Jim said he didn’t have the report yet.
Kendell Mason provided the Commissioners with the estimated assessed valuation information as of July 1, 2020; the total estimated for the County is 110,452,005 compared to the final assessed valuation from November 1, 2019 of 107,698,260. This total will be used when calculating the County’s 2021 budget.
Economic Development Director Jody Hoener met with the Commissioners; she said she had met with Susan Bancroft with the City of Fort Scott and offered her assistance to them regarding the CDBG Grant, she said in different counties the cities and counties work together on the grant. She said the City suggested they include that their taxes are current in the point system used in awarding of the grant money to the various recipients’. Jody said the County and the City of Fort Scott were awarded $132,000 of CDBG grant funds each. Jody said there were over 100 applications for the CDBG Grant and 66 of them received a grant. The Commissioners appreciated Jody applying for the grant money. Jody said she would meet with the Commissioners on June 23rd so they could do a formal vote to approve the process. Jody said the application will be online for businesses to apply for a portion of the grant money, she said they couldn’t use the grant funds for something they had already received grant funds for. Lynne said the CDBG Grant would be administered through the SEKRPC.
Lora Holdridge met to present the Register of Deeds 2021 budget. She requested a total of $80,723. She was awarded $77,747 for her 2020 budget and said the difference in the amount she requested was for a raise for her office deputy.
The tax sale was briefly discussed; Jeff said it was agreed upon to delay having a tax sale due to COVID-19 and the uncertainty of the pandemic.
Susan Bancroft, the finance director with the City of Fort Scott met with the Commissioners regarding the airport expansion; she said the FAA had requested that the language be changed regarding the closure of Indian Road for the airport expansion, she said adopting the resolution she presented would not hold the County to anything, but rather would show that the City and the County were working together. Jeff said the condition of closing the road is that there is the existence of a hard surface road prior to the closure; Jeff said this wasn’t in the resolution presented, but wanted it in the resolution. Susan said that the FAA wanted the wording of the existence of a hard surface road removed from the original resolution. Lynne said there is s procedure that would have to be followed to consider closing the road; he said there is a “claim period” for people affected by the road closure. Nick made a motion to approve resolution 19-20, Lynne seconded and all approved. The resolution is as follows: A RESOLUTION REGARDING INDIAN ROAD IN THE VICINITY OF THE FORT SCOTT MUNICIPAL AIRPORT:
WHEREAS, the Fort Scott Municipal Airport is essential to the economic development of the county, providing the gateway to the nation’s air transportation system; and
WHEREAS, many local businesses rely on the airport to increase their productivity and provide deliveries of goods and personnel in a more timely manner; and
WHEREAS, a runway extension is planned that will increase aircraft capacity by allowing heavier loads on each aircraft and could increase aircraft traffic by 40 percent and fuel sales by 500 percent; and
WHEREAS, a longer runway will provide economic benefits to the region and reduce the potential tax burden on the citizens; and
WHEREAS, it will be necessary to close a portion of Indian Road when the time comes for the construction of the runway extension; and
WHEREAS, the road will not be vacated prior to the letting of the airport expansion construction contract.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the County Commission of Bourbon County, Kansas that the portion of Indian Road needed for the runway extension will be closed and the County will go through the procedures to close the road when the time comes for the work to actually be done on the runway and the runway construction project has received grant funds necessary for the design of this construction.
Michael Hoyt questioned the length of the expansion; Lynne said the preliminary plans show 1,000’ added to the current runway expansion. Lynne said they looked at three different plans for re-routing traffic and the one they have discussed goes north to south to Hackberry then west on Hackberry.
Appraiser Clint Anderson met with the Commissioners; he said he had two bids for a new vehicle from Briggs Automotive; Briggs bid $24,349 for a 2020 Jeep Compass and $28,103 for a 2020 Toyota RAV 4. Clint said the Jeep didn’t handle well on the gravel and said it didn’t have enough power for what they needed it for. He said the RAV 4 had enough power and handled well. He said they didn’t have a RAV 4 in stock with what they needed on the vehicle, but are looking for one with what they need. Clint has $42,000 saved in his equipment reserve account; this will cover the cost of the vehicle without having to finance the vehicle. Clint said he could use the current truck they have for his in-town work and the current Jeep they have will be used for the environmental jobs. Jeff made a motion to authorize spending up to $30,000 for a 2020 RAV 4, Nick seconded and all approved.
Emergency Manager William Wallis presented his 2021 budgets; for his Emergency Management Performance Grant he requested $17,000 (this money is from a grant and is not from a levied amount), he uses this money for training exercises and also used it for the upgrades done to the building that houses his office. He said the County’s portion of Code Red will be paid out of this account in 2021. For his 2021 Emergency Preparedness budget he requested $57,739, his 2020 approved budget for this is $60,039.
William Wallis briefly discussed COVID-19; he said the County would be reimbursed for a lot of expenses related to the pandemic. He said Bill Martin had applied for a $100,000 grant for the reimbursement of the PPE needed due to COVID-19. Will said people shouldn’t let their guard down with COVID-19, he said he was concerned that there would be another outbreak that will be worse than the first outbreak.
Jeff made a motion to go into a 10 minute executive session for confidential data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations, partnerships, trusts and individual proprietorships, Nick seconded and all approved, (the session included the Commissioners and Mark McCoy). No action was taken.
Lynne made a motion to go into a 10 minute executive session for confidential data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations, partnerships, trusts and individual proprietorships, Nick seconded and all approved, (the session included the Commissioners and Mark McCoy). No action was taken.
Nick made a motion for the County to donate $500 to the Elks for their fireworks display, Jeff seconded and all approved.
Lynne read the overtime hours to be paid out on June 19, 2020; the Sheriff’s office had 78 hours, the Jail had 105 hours, Road & Bridge had 4 hours, the Treasurer’s office had 9.75 hours, the Attorney’s office had 17 hours and the General department had 6.25 hours.
Lynne made a motion to keep the Commissioners budget the same in 2021 as was awarded in 2020, Jeff seconded and all approved. Lynne said this Commission didn’t charge mileage and is cautious when it comes to spending money.
Michael Hoyt questioned who was getting the better deal regarding the Interlocal agreement between the City and the County; the City is supplying the staff for the EMS and the County is supplying aggregate to the city. Lynne said the agreement is dollar for dollar. Currently the County receives reimbursement for EMS services and the County writes checks to the City for EMS services. Jeff said Linn County contracts out their ambulance service without any reimbursement; Bourbon County chose to model Allen County regarding the ambulance service. Clint Walker said the 911 call center in Allen County was funded by grant money.
Lynne made a motion to go into a 7 minute executive session for confidential data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations, partnerships, trusts and individual proprietorships, Nick seconded and all approved, (the session included the Commissioners and Mark McCoy). No action was taken.
The meeting adjourned at 11:42.
THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
OF BOURBON COUNTY, KANSAS
(ss) Lynne Oharah, Chairman
(ss) Jeff Fischer, Commissioner
(ss) Nick Ruhl, Commissioner
ATTEST:
Kendell Mason, Bourbon County Clerk
June 23, 2020, Approved Date
Bourbon County Commission Agenda For June 30
Agenda
Bourbon County Commission Room
1st Floor, County Courthouse
210 S. National Avenue
Fort Scott, KS 66701
Tuesdays starting at 9:00
Date: June 30, 2020
1st District-Lynne Oharah Minutes: Approved: _______________
2nd District-Jeff Fischer Corrected: _______________
3rd District-Nick Ruhl Adjourned at: _______________
County Clerk-Kendell Mason
MEETING WILL BE HELD IN THE COMMISSION ROOM. ANYONE ATTENDING THE MEETING WILL BE REQUIRED TO WEAR A MASK PROVIDED BY THE COUNTY. MUST MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING.
9:00 – 9:05 Fireworks Stand Review
9:05 – 9:30 JT Heckman
9:30 – 9:45 Cops Grant
9:45 – 10:00 East Porch Steps
10:00 – 10:15 Jody Hoener, CDBG-CV Grants
10:15 – 10:30 Judge Ward, Rhonda Cole, 2021 Budget Review
10:30 – 10:45 Justin Meeks, Executive Session, Consultation with an attorney for the body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship
KDHE adds states to travel quarantine list, removes others
South Carolina and Florida added, Maryland removed
TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has added two states to the quarantine list: South Carolina and Florida and removed Maryland. This is in effect for persons arriving in or returning to Kansas today, June 29, and moving forward. The state will review/update this list every two weeks.
A comprehensive list of those individuals needing to quarantine for 14 days includes visitors and Kansans who have:
Traveled to:
- South Carolina and Florida on or after June 29.
- Alabama, Arizona and Arkansas on or after June 17.
- Been on a cruise ship or river cruise on or after March 15.
- International travel on or after March 15.
Others who need to continue quarantining:
- Received notification from public health officials (state or local) that you are a close contact of a laboratory-confirmed case of COVID-19.
States added to this list are determined by evaluating new cases in states over a two-week period, then adjusting for population size, giving a case per 100,000 population, which can then be compared to the rate in Kansas. States with significantly higher rates (approximately three times higher) are added to the list.
Travel quarantines do not prohibit travel through Kansas. People from these locations may still travel through Kansas. If this is done, KDHE recommends limited stops, wearing a mask at rest stops or when getting gas and being six feet from others when doing so. If the destination is Kansas, they would be required to quarantine upon arrival to their destination.
Critical infrastructure sector employees who have traveled to these destinations should contact their employers regarding instructions for application of these quarantine orders. Critical infrastructure employees, such as public health, law enforcement, food supply, etc., need to have the staffing resources to continue serving Kansans. While KDHE strongly recommends these quarantine restrictions for everyone, we do recognize that services need to continue.
For more information on COVID-19, please visit the KDHE website at www.kdhe.ks.gov/coronavirus.
Travel-Related Quarantine Guidelines | COVID-19
Updated June 29, 2020 In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) will issue regular mandates on travel-related quarantines for international, domestic, and cruise-related travel.
People in Kansas are asked to quarantine for a period of 14 days starting from the day they arrive in Kansas. Regularly check this list to stay up-to-date on travel-related guidance.
Please refer to the KDHE Isolation and Quarantine FAQ for additional information. (Note: these mandates do not apply to critical infrastructures, as defined by the Department of Homeland Security, including healthcare and public health, needed to continue operations during this pandemic.)
KDHE is mandating a 14-day home quarantine for anyone in Kansas if you have:
1. Traveled within the United States to any of the following states with known widespread community transmission
On or after June 17
Alabama Arizona Arkansas
On or after June 29
South Carolina Florida
2. Traveled internationally on or after March 15.
3. Traveled on a cruise ship or river cruise on or after March 1
Uniontown City Lists Services During Pandemic
All Uniontown city facilities are OPEN.
DUE TO RECENT SPIKE IN BOURBON COUNTY POSITIVE COVID-19 CASES, WE ASK THAT ALL VISITORS TO CITY HALL WEAR A MASK. We ask that you continue to practice physical distancing when visiting City Hall, the Library, the Park, and when renting the Community Center.
You can access Ad Astra-A Plan to Reopen Kansas at https://covid.ks.gov/ad-astra-a-plan-to-reopen-kansas/.
The Library is open Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, 2-5PM.
DUE TO THE RECENT SPIKE IN BOURBON COUNTY POSITIVE COVID-19 CASES, WE HAVE CLOSED THE LIBRARY TO THE PUBLIC.
WE WILL PROVIDE CURBSIDE OR DELIVERY SERVICE. TO CHECK OUT A BOOK(S), PLEASE CALL CITY HALL, GIVE THE TITLE AND AUTHOR OF THE BOOK(S), YOUR NAME, AND PHONE NUMBER.
WE WILL SEE IF THE BOOK(S) IS IN OUR LIBRARY, IF NOT WE WILL ORDER FOR YOU. WE WILL THEN CALL YOU AND LET YOU KNOW WHEN YOU CAN PICK UP YOUR BOOK(S) OR HAVE DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR.
We are in the process of reorganizing the Library, we apologize for the clutter.
The Community Center is open and available for reservations. We ask that you practice social distancing as much as possible, limit your guests to 45 at this time, wipe the tables AND CHAIRS with provided disinfectant wipes before putting away.
Submitted by Sally Johnson, Clerk for the City Of Uniontown
620-756-4742
Governor Seeks to Improve Response Time For Unemployment Services
Governor Laura Kelly Announces Update on KDOL Operations
TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly announced today that Accenture, will work with the Kansas Department of Labor to provide operational and technological assessments and improvements to support the delivery of unemployment services.
“I am pleased to announce that Accenture will be assisting the Kansas Department of Labor to improve response times for Kansans who need help and to revamp our systems, so we can mitigate the technical issues we have been experiencing the past several months due the unprecedented high volume of claims,” Governor Laura Kelly said.
Accenture will be working on a fast timetable to improve the unemployment system and services through evaluating and providing recommendations for claims processing optimization, call center operations, and a comprehensive technology review.
Accenture has deep experience in this type of work, including rapidly assisting more than half a dozen other states with COVID-related programs during the pandemic and economic downturn. Accenture will immediately begin a first phase of the review and initial options for actionable steps, followed by additional data gathering, analysis and ongoing recommendations for the duration of their work.
Gordon Parks Museum Closed Until July 20
The Gordon Parks Museum, located on the campus of Fort Scott Community College, 2108 S. Horton, will remain closed until July 20th.
Please contact Kirk Sharp at [email protected] with any follow-up questions.