Monthly Archives: July 2020

Fort Scott, Schools

U234 Board of Education Minutes of July 13

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Members of the USD 234 Board of Education met virtually on Monday, July 13, for their regular monthly meeting.

President David Stewart opened the meeting.  The board approved the official agenda.  The board adjourned Sine Die with reorganization of the new board.  David Stewart was elected President of the board, and James Wood was elected Vice-President of the board for the 2020-21 school year.  The board also approved the consent agenda as follows:

 

A.    Minutes

B.    Bills and Claims

C.    Payroll – June 19, 2020 – $1,703,740.89

D.    Financial Report

E.     Activity Fund Accounts

F.     Designation of banks for deposit of school funds

G.    Designation of newspaper for official school publications – The Fort Scott Tribune

H.    Officers for the 2020-21 school year

I.      Recreation Commission board member terms

J.      Resolution for waiver of generally accepted accounting principles

K.    Resolution for rescinding policy statements found in board minutes

L.     Resolution to set dates and times for board meetings

M.   Resolution to establish home rule by Board of Education

N.    Resolution for destruction of records

O.    Resolution for bank account signers

P.     Organizational chart

Q.    Set fees for copying of records

R.    Current state mileage reimbursement rate

 

Board members heard a report from Brenda Hill, KNEA President.

Superintendent Ted Hessong reported on SPARK funding, Extended School Year and Jumpstart, the newly-installed high school gym bleachers, bus inspections, administrator book study, count day, graduation, and return to school information.

Gina Shelton, Business Manager, discussed closing down the fiscal year, staff/student vehicle travel, roof work, CARES money, budget software, food service, and new employee signup.

The board selected James Wood as a hearing officer for suspensions and expulsions for the 2020-21 school year.

Board members approved the following items:

·       1,116-hour calendar for the 2020-21 school year

·       Memorandum of Understanding with CHC for an additional nurse

·       Device replacement purchase

·       RTS Microsystems purchase using E-Rate funds

·       Roof change order

·       Purchase of intervention materials using Title IVA funds

 

The board will hold a budget workshop on July 27 at 5:30 p.m.

Board members shared comments and then went into executive session to discuss personnel matters for nonelected personnel and returned to open meeting.  The board then went into executive session to discuss matters relating to employer-employee negotiations and returned to open meeting.  The board then went into executive session to discuss matters relating to security measures and returned to open meeting.

The board approved the following employment matters:

 

A.    Resignation of Kirstie Cox, Winfield Scott second grade teacher, effective at the end of the 2019-20 school year

B.    Resignation of Abigail Helt, high school/middle school chorus teacher, effective immediately

C.    Resignation of Jeanise Malone, central office accounts payable secretary, effective July 3, 2020

D.    Resignation of Michelle Johnson, Eugene Ware paraprofessional, effective at the end of the 2019-20 school year

E.     Resignation of Angela Christy, Winfield Scott paraprofessional, effective at the end of the 2019-20 school year

F.     Resignation of Stacey Gingrich, gifted paraprofessional, effective at the end of the 2019-20 school year

G.    Resignation of Bud Hall, bus driver, effective at the end of the 2019-20 school year

H.    Transfer of Linda Minor, Winfield Scott first grade teacher, to Winfield Scott second grade teacher for the 2020-21 school year

I.      Contract adjustment for Krista Gorman, high school/middle school instructional coach, from 90% to 100% for the 2020-21 school year

J.      Leave of absence request from Breann Eden, Winfield Scott art teacher

K.    Employment of Alexandra VanSickle as a Winfield Scott first grade teacher for the 2020-21 school year

L.     Employment of Harleigh Lowry as a Winfield Scott 6.5-hour cook for the 2020-21 school year

M.   Reemployment of Beth Alexander as a Winfield Scott Focus Room teacher for the 2020-21 school year

N.    Reemployment of Jered McKay as a Eugene Ware Behavior Specialist for the 2020-21 school year

O.    Reemployment of Daniel Long, high school paraprofessional, for the 2020-21 school year.

 

The board adjourned.

 

Bourbon County, Bourbon County Sheriff's Office, Elections, Government

Bill Martin: Candidate For Bourbon County Sheriff

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Bourbon County Sheriff Bill Martin. Submitted photo.

This is part of a series of features on the candidates running for offices in Bourbon County.  The Bourbon County Primary Election will be held, Tuesday, August 4, 2020.

Monday, July 20, is the candidate forum at Ellis Fine Arts Center, on the campus of Fort Scott Community College, 2108 S. Horton.  Doors open at 5:30  p.m. for a meet and greet with candidates. The forum starts at 6 p.m. in the order of federal, state, then local  candidates.

 

Bill Martin, 54, is the current Sheriff of Bourbon County and is running for re-election.

 

His education includes Uniontown High School, an associate’s degree from Fort Scott Community College, a bachelor’s degree from Pittsburg State University, and he attended graduate school at Missouri Southern State University.

 

Martin’s experience includes National Sheriff’s Institute, Aurora, CO;  Executive Level Management Education and Training Rural Executive Management Institute; a management education and training program designed to prepare rural law enforcement executives for the unique challenges, Session XLIV, St. Louis, MO; Kansas City Missouri Police Dept. Regional Training Center, over 3,000 hours of in-service training in the criminal justice and administration fields; Kansas Sheriff’s Academy 2020 Professional Development and Leadership Academy and FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association.

 

Martin, in addition to being the current Bourbon County Sheriff, has served on the Kansas City, MO Police Department, the Pittsburg, KS Police Department, and the Fort Scott Police Department.

 

Martin served in the military in the following capacities: U.S. Army (Active Service), Kansas National Guard (Military Police), Primary Leadership Development Course,  and Basic Non-Commissioned Leadership Course.

 

What skills do you bring to the position if re-elected:

“I have maintained the same skill set, demeanor and decorum for the past eight years as the current sheriff, and even prior to my current position as the undersheriff for six years.”

 

What is your priority on day one?

“To continue to oversee and direct county law enforcement to the citizens of this jurisdiction, in the same effective matter has I have exhibited during my tenure.”

The following is information provided on the Bourbon County Kansas website.

Not sure if you’re registered to vote or where to vote?

You may register to vote online, through the Kansas Secretary of State’s website.

Check your voter registration status, the location of your polling place and view a sample ballot at VoterView by the Secretary of State.

Advance Voting is available prior to each election.  You may advance vote in one of two ways:  By mail, by filing an application for a ballot to be mailed to you   OR   in-person, beginning at least one week prior to any election.

Bourbon County, Entertainment

History of Bourbon County Car Tours Offered

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The Old Fort Genealogical Society, along with help from the Historic Preservation Association of Bourbon County and the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce are presenting a social distancing history event for Bourbon County residents, on August 1.

It is a guided carpool tour around the county with local history lovers leading and speaking at designated spots. It is the first of many by the group of local history enthusiasts.

The title of the inaugural car tour is Ghost Towns and Early Legends of Northern Bourbon County.

Stops will be the Barnesville Cemetery, Fort Lincoln and Freedom Colony, Wagon Road Bridge,  Guthrie’s Mound, U.S. National Cemetery No. 1, and Eugene Ware Elementary School.

The tour will begin at 8:50 a.m. at Old Fort Genealogical Society located in Memorial Hall, Third Street and  National Avenue, and end at approximately 11:50 a.m. at the National Cemetery.

Park vehicles on National Avenue in front of the Bourbon County Courthouse or across the street in front of Memorial Hall. The Old Fort Genealogical Library is located in the basement of Memorial Hall on East National Avenue.

National Cemetery, Fort Scott.

The event costs $5 and registration is at fortscott.com. There is a limit of 45 participants.

For more information: 620-223-3300 or [email protected].

It was happenstance that the tours are beginning.

“Pete Allen comes to visit the Old Fort Genealogical Library and we talked,” Ann Rawlings, the librarian said. “He said I should contact Fred Campbell…..The next thing I know we had a meeting to set up a tour again.”

Historial Preservation of Bourbon County did bus tours years ago, she said.

“Bourbon County is fortunate to have local men and women presenters whose love of history and the preservation of that history for future generations drives them to work endless hours to fulfill their mission of historic preservation,” Pete Allen said.  “Fred Campbell and Don Miller started the tour years ago. They are being joined now by Reed Hartford, Brian Allen and Ralph Carlson. Ann Rawlins, whose enthusiasm sparked the revival and Lindsay Madison has offered invaluable help in getting the tour organized.”

The following is from an email  interview with Ann Rawlings:

What is the plan for future tours?

“The tours will change each month covering the whole of Bourbon County,” Rawlings said. “There are many places to show and tell the stories all over the county and this is the way to get first-hand information from well-seasoned historians.”

“Some of the areas we plan on visiting are Bronson and the aluminum statue; Hell’s Bend Railroad, engine and cemetery; Garland and the coal mines on the Old Hwy; Cato, the town that moved; the west side of Bourbon County where ‘Africa Colony’ once thrived; cemeteries – those that are active and those forgotten; travel the path of the Military Highway, and more to be defined,” she said.

 

Who is invited to attend?

“Anyone who has an interest in history. Most sites will be handicapped accessible as long as they can get in and out of vehicles,” Rawlings said.

 

Why a car tour offering?

“The plans in the future will be bus tours, but due to the six-foot distancing of the COVID guidelines, we felt the attendees would be willing to go via carpool,” she said. ” Families can still attend and not be concerned about contamination.”

“We will require all to have a mask when out of their vehicles, observe the six-foot distancing protocol and make sure all are healthy before coming on the tour.”

 

What is the history of the genealogical society?

“Old Fort Genealogical Society (OFGS) started in 1984 and has expanded over the years until it is a large Library packed with original documents, newspaper microfilm, hundreds of researched history notebooks and self-published works, old and new printed works, several filing cabinets full of family histories and topic histories as well as computer access to newspapers.com and ancestry.com and many other sites,” she said.

“We have researchers working on several projects at this time. Some are working on genealogy, others on local history. We have so many projects we need help. Anyone who would be willing to research at the Library or at home is welcome to contact us”

“We can be reached at [email protected] or 620-223-3300.”

 

What is the history of the HPA?

“This from their website,” Rawlings said.

“The purpose of the Historic Preservation Association of Bourbon County, Inc. is to preserve historic sites.

“We promote public interest in matters of historical importance to Bourbon County and each year, we match several $500 City of fort Scott grants to downtown Fort Scott business owners for the purpose of restoring their historic building facades. In addition, we sponsor and sometimes co-sponsor history-related events and invite an entertaining and information speaker to each of our annual meetings.”

“We can be found on facebook by typing in HPABC or online at hpaofbourboncounty.weebly.com.”

 

Give a brief history of the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce

“The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce is a membership organization serving Fort Scott and Bourbon County with a focus on being a support to our members including businesses, agri-businesses, non-profit organizations, and individuals who belong to and support the work of the Chamber and are engaged in the community.”

“The Chamber strives to be a valuable resource in many ways including referrals of members, supplying relocation packets, housing options, event information and promotion of job opportunities.”

“We can be contacted via our website fortscott.com, call 620-223-3566 or come by and visit at 231 E Wall St just west of the Hwy 69/Hwy 54 interchange.”

Government, Jobs, Kansas

Kansas Unemployment Services “Resets”

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Governor Laura Kelly Shares Update from Kansas Department of Labor

Call center representatives added, virtual assistant launched

 

TOPEKA—The Kansas Department of Labor (KDOL) has been working with a team of specialists from Accenture for just over two weeks as they provide operational and technological assessments to improve the delivery of unemployment services.

 

“We know there have been major issues and missteps, we’ve hit the reset button and are focusing on the future,” Governor Kelly said. “Accenture is reviewing and providing recommendations to improve the stability of our systems to make sure they are readily available to support Kansans.”

 

While the assessment is still underway, improvements are already being implemented. Since the pandemic began, KDOL has delivered $1.2 billion in unemployment claims to nearly 200,000 Kansans.

 

One of the primary difficulties the agency has had is the high volume of calls coming in that require highly-trained customer service representatives to address. At the direction of Governor Kelly, KDOL has worked with Accenture to add call center representatives who are trained in unemployment surge response and will be able to provide progressively higher levels of service to callers. The first group of new representatives started taking calls on Monday and more will start next week after completing training.

 

In addition to hiring more call center representatives, KDOL has hired seven additional IT employees to speed up implementation of the various federal unemployment programs. Those hires include professionals with specific experience in the programming language that KDOL’s outdated system was built in.

 

KDOL has also launched a new online virtual agent named Amelia who can answer the agency’s most frequently asked questions regarding unemployment benefits. Amelia can be found in the bottom right hand corner of www.getkansasbenefits.gov and as of Monday afternoon has had nearly 7,000 conversations, exchanging more than 23,000 messages with users.

 

Accenture has previously worked with more than half a dozen other states in addressing COVID-related programs. Like Kansas, many states have struggled due to the sheer number of unemployment claims and their antiquated computer systems. Accenture has stated that the system in Kansas is one of the most severe cases of outdated technology they have encountered.

 

As it develops its recommendations, the Accenture team is applying lessons learned from their work in other states, including how to use federal stimulus funds to rebuild antiquated systems and adding automated features to the website to help answer questions and get Kansans paid quicker.

 

“The response model being implemented will be able to be scaled up as needed and there will be more trained agents and technology workarounds for the current computer system,” KDOL Acting Secretary Ryan Wright said. “Our top priority is to get Kansans paid as quickly as possible and with good customer service.”

 

Currently, nearly everything in the KDOL system must be done manually with minimal automation, which means processes take longer and fewer Kansans can be served. The data and metrics are not stored in a central location, which makes it cumbersome to verify and difficult to provide consistent system reporting. 

 

“Once the surge response is stabilized, we’ll be able to turn attention to the badly needed system rebuild, so we never face this situation again,” Wright said.

Fort Scott, Government

FS City Commission Meets July 17

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The Fort Scott City Commission will meet on Friday, July 17th, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. at the City Hall Commission Meeting Room at 123 S. Main Street, Fort Scott, Kansas to hold a work session to discuss the City’s 5 year capital plan.

The meetings are still limited in number due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however the room will only hold 14 due to the 6’ social distancing rules. Patrons will be let in until the room is full to ensure the public health orders are followed.

The meeting will be available on the City’s YouTube channel.

Bourbon County, Government

Bourbon County Commission Agenda for July 14

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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: July 14, 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 – 9:30 JT Heckman

9:30 – 9:45 Tri-Valley Board

9:45 – 10:00 Jody Hoener, BCBS Pathways Grant

10:00 – 10:15 Jody Hoener, CDBG-CV Grants & Spark

10:15 – 10:30 BBCO Soil Conservation District, 2021 Budget Review

10:30 – 10:45 David Neville, Second Floor Air Conditioner

10:45 – 11:00 Susan Bancroft, Requesting a variance from Sewer District Agreement

11:00 – 11:15 Larry Sharp, KCAMP Insurance Annual Review

11:15 – 11:30 Bill Martin/Bobby Reed, 2021 Budget Review

11:30 – 11:35 Michael Hoyt, Spark Program

11:45 – 12:00 Jacqie Spradling, Attorney 2021 Budget Review

12:00 – 12:15 Justin Meeks, CIC Contract

12:15 – 1:30 Lunch

1:30 – 4:30 Commissioners to have a budget work session

Fort Scott, Government

FS Lake Advisory Board Meets July 18

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The Lake Fort Scott Advisory Board will meet on Saturday, July 18th, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. at the City Hall Commission Meeting Room at 123 S. Main Street, Fort Scott, Kansas.

The meetings are still limited in number due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however the room will only hold 14 due to the 6’ social distancing rules. Patrons will be let in until the room is full to ensure the public health orders are followed.

The meeting will still be available on the City’s YouTube channel.

Obituary

Obituary of David C. Middleton

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David Charles Middleton, age 70, a resident of rural Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away Sunday, July 12, 2020, at his home.

He was born August 1, 1949, in Ft. Scott, the son of Lee Charles Middleton and Allie Ethyl Peterson Middleton.

David graduated from the Ft. Scott High School with the Class of 1967.

He married Sharon Simpson on November 18, 1966, at Nevada, Missouri.

In earlier years, David worked at Mid-America Business forms and then for the Co-Op in Uniontown and Beulah.  He later returned to the printing industry and was employed by Apico Printing in Girard and later Ward-Kraft in Ft. Scott.  In addition, he operated his own farm and dairy.  He retired in 2011.

He was a member of the Cherry Grove Baptist Church, the Xenia Masonic Lodge and the Mirza Shrine of Pittsburg.

He enjoyed fishing and hunting as well as spending time with his grandchildren.

 

Survivors include his wife, Sharon, of the home; his son, Chris Middleton (Amy Larson), of Pittsburg; seven grandchildren, Brittany Horn (John), of Lawrence, Kansas, Matthew Prettyman (Alexis) and Shelby Garcia (Steven), all of Williston, Florida and Jazzmin Middleton, Dylan Middleton, Kaydence Clark and Kamdin Clark, all of Pittsburg, Kansas and seven great-grandchildren, Cameron, Kaden, Izzy, Addison, Elle, Amora and Aurelia. Also surviving are a brother, Kenneth Middleton (Lavon), of Uniontown, Kansas and three sisters, Carrie Elbrader, Ark City, Kansas, Lois Cooney, Frontenac, Kansas and Donna Davidson Williams, Uniontown, Kansas.

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Beverly Ann Horn, a sister, Carolyn Rourk, and his parents.

 

Rev. Marty DeWitt will conduct graveside services at 2:00 P.M. Sunday, July 19th at the Pleasant Valley Cemetery.

Masonic rites will also be conducted.

The family will receive friends on Sunday at the Cheney Witt Chapel from Noon until leaving for the cemetery at 1:30 P.M.

Memorials are suggested to the Mirza Shrine General 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.

Bourbon County, Elections, Government

Nick Graham: Candidate For Bourbon County Clerk

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Nick Graham. Submitted photo.

This is part of a series of features on the candidates running for offices in Bourbon County.  The Bourbon County Primary Election will be held, Tuesday, August 4, 2020.

Monday, July 20, is the candidate forum at Ellis Fine Arts Center, on the campus of Fort Scott Community College, 2108 S. Horton.  Doors open at 5:30  p.m. for a meet and greet with candidates. The forum starts at 6 p.m. in the order of the federal, state, then local candidates.

 

Nick Graham, 40, is a candidate for Bourbon County Clerk.

 

Graham has an associate’s degree in network administration from Labette Community College.

 

He has 20 years in information technology experience for local small businesses and education providers. He is a former Fort Scott City Commissioner.

 

What skills do you bring to the position if elected?
“I love helping and interacting with people, which is not particularly common among IT guys, and the clerk’s office provides a ton of opportunities to help improve and streamline county services and communication that we can implement quickly and at little or no cost.”

“I also think I’m a strong coalition builder – there is a lot of silo mentality going on inside (and outside) the county government right now, and when that happens, the biggest loser is the taxpayer, as they get fragmented service and fragmented communication.  I’ve sat down with several elected and non-elected officials on the county level (and the city level) sharing my ideas and plans on ways we can make everyone’s job a little easier and provide a much smoother experience for our customers, the taxpayers.”
“Lastly, having worked in the technology side of public education and for small businesses with very limited budgets, I’ve learned how to improvise and innovate without spending a lot of money.  In a rural county like ours, that’s going to be more and more critical as time goes on, especially in economic times like these.”

What is your priority on day one?

“I have two main priorities for when I am sworn in as clerk:

1) Build a useful online presence for the county – provide quality online broadcasts of the meetings, start building an easily accessible and easy to use system so people can pull up public records online, and making it as easy as possible for people to do their business with the county without having to take a trip to the courthouse if they don’t want to.

2) Education.  The county clerk’s office is incredibly multifaceted, from taking minutes at commission meetings, to handling accounts payable, to overseeing all local elections, to being co-guardian of the budget with the treasurer.  And that’s just four of the fourteen core responsibilities.  It’s a critical position, and I intend to immerse myself in all the training and resources available to the clerk.  I’ve also established good working relationships with both current and former county clerks in the southeast Kansas area, so I feel like I’ve got a great support team in place.”

 

The following is from the Bourbon County website:

 

Not sure if you’re registered to vote or where to vote?

You may register to vote online, through the Kansas Secretary of State’s website.

Check your voter registration status, the location of your polling place and view a sample ballot at VoterView by the Secretary of State.

The County Clerk is elected in November of Presidential Election years to a term of four years.  There are no term limits to this elected office.

The Bourbon County Clerk/Election Officer is responsible for a wide range of things under Kansas Law.  Some of those are listed here.

Advance Voting is available prior to each election.  You may advance vote in one of two ways:  By mail, by filing an application for a ballot to be mailed to you   OR   in-person, beginning at least one week prior to any election.

 

Health Care, Mercy Hospital, Opinion

Bill Brittain Thanks Congressman Watkins For Help On Former Mercy Building

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Submitted by Bill Brittain.

Bill Brittain, left, shakes hands with U.S. House of Representative from Kansas, Steve Watkins. Submitted photo.

 

“On July 10, I was able to publicly thank Congressman Steve Watkins for his help on the Mercy facility.

The Congressman was in town Friday at the Nu-Grille (restaurant) for a small group discussion passing through for other stops for the day.

Several months ago I reached out to him and his office with an idea to save the  (former)Mercy Hospital facility.

After I reached out to them he sent one of his staff to meet with me.
His staff came to some of the meetings we set up with other people of interest such as the city, CHC, Via Christi and others. His office made contact with the person with Mercy headquarters and arranged a phone meeting between that person and myself along with the Congressman’s staff member.
They have searched for Government grants that might be of assistance for Bourbon County to use.
They opened doors that we could not get open and that is what allowed the process to move forward!

He and his staff have been instrumental with helping us get to where
we are today!

I would also like to thank the Bourbon County Commissioners for taking bold action by accepting the donation of the facility!

By doing so I believe we will ensure our community will have good healthcare options available in a nice facility for many years to come.

Our hope is to fill this facility with several healthcare options and I am in hopes that we will have hospital services at some point down
the road.

Jody Hoener, the Bourbon County Economic Director has also worked very hard in spearheading meetings, making contacts, and looking for grants.

It definitely, like many things, takes action from many but
without Congressman Watkins Office I don’t think we could have got the ball rolling!