The Bourbon County Commission met in open session with all three Commissioners, the County Counselor the County Clerk and the Economic Development Director present.
The Commissioners continued the discussion from July 14th regarding hiring an administrator for the Spark grant funds.
Greenbush, the Southeast Kansas Education Center gave a proposal to the Commissioners to be a grant administrator for the Spark grant. The Commissioners all liked the Greenbush proposal, they felt they could offer more feet on the ground, the business would be local; they felt there would be easier communication and coordination and this would align with the regional development goal.
Jody Hoener said she would put together a steering committee for the Spark grant; all of the Commissioners preferred that Jody be a representative from Bourbon County on the steering committee. Jody and the Commissioners reviewed the names on individuals that they felt should serve on the steering committee.
Nick made a motion to approve the Greenbush proposal for the Spark grant and to allow Lynne to sign the Greenbush contract and to allow Jody Hoener to be the representative from Bourbon County on the steering committee, Jeff seconded and all approved.
Jeff made a motion to allow all of the Commissioners to attend a virtual award ceremony for the Pathways grant, Nick seconded and all approved.
At 1:51, Lynne made a motion to adjourn, Nick seconded and all approved.
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
July 20, 2020, Approved Date
The Bourbon County Commission received $2.9M in CARES Act funds through the State of Kansas SPARK funding. This funding is designed to help the county with the health and economic emergency of the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information about the funding, visit https://www.bourboncountyks.org/spark/.
The County Commission has created the following categories of funding requests:
Reimbursement-for COVID related expenditures from March 1-July 30.
Direct Aid-for COVID related expenditures from August-December.
Small Business/Nonprofit Grant Program-a formula grant program designed to support these two groups with less than 50 employees.
Applications for funding requests from Bourbon County businesses, government entities, schools, and nonprofits can be found here. APPLICATIONS ARE DUE Saturday AUGUST 8 AT NOON.
There will be Zoom information meetings on Wednesday, July 29. Register here to watch live or visit this link after Wednesday afternoon for a recording of the meetings. Instructional slide decks will also be posted.
Kansas Department of Transportation Proposes Safety Rule Regulating Minimum Railroad Crew Size
TOPEKA—The Department of Transportation today proposed a new regulation requiring railroads operating within Kansas to maintain a minimum of two crew members in the control compartment of the lead locomotive unit of a train.
“Kansas has faced issues ranging from crew member fatigue to derailments which pose a threat to our safety and security – but by maintaining the current practice of requiring a two-person crew we can ensure the health and safety of Kansas workers,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “This proposed regulation is a commonsense, necessary measure to protect our state’s railroad crew members and keep every community along the tracks safe.”
The regulation reads as follows:
K.A.R. [36-43-1]. Crew Requirements.
Railroads operating within Kansas shall maintain a minimum of two crew members in the control compartment of the lead locomotive unit of a train.
Compliance with subsection (a) of this Section shall not be required during switching operations, brake testing, safety inspections, or while performing setouts in conjunction with road service.
The benefits of the proposed rule and regulation is railroad and community safety, including the role two-person crews can play in helping to prevent potential accidents or derailments and in emergency situations.
Other states that have enacted legislation on minimum railroad crew requirements are Wisconsin, Arizona, Oregon, California, West Virginia, Colorado, Nevada, and Illinois.
Nearly all railroads in Kansas are currently operating two-person crews and will have no increased labor costs from the implementation of this regulation.
The Fort Scott City Commission will meet on Tuesday, July 28th, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. in the City Hall Commission Meeting Room at 123 S. Main Street, Fort Scott, Kansas to hold a work session to discuss the City’s 2021 budget.
The work session will also be available on the City’s YouTube channel.
MEETING WILL BE HELD ON THE FIRST FLOOR LOBBY. ANYONE ATTENDING THE MEETING WILL BE REQUIRED TO WEAR A MASK PROVIDED BY THE COUNTY. MUST MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING.
Addie Mae Ralph, age 94, a resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away Saturday, July 25, 2020, at the Medicalodge of Ft. Scott.
She was born September 26, 1925, in Pleasanton, Kansas, the daughter of Charles J. Vest and Francena Holmes Vest. She married Henry Delbert Ralph on October 8, 1947, at Salinas, California.
Addie was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother.
She was a member of the Prescott Baptist Church.
Survivors include her daughter, Debra Taylor, of Ft. Scott; a grandson, Jeremy Taylor and wife, Teresa, of Springfield, Missouri and two grandchildren, Kailey and Caden.
Addie’s husband, Delbert, preceded her in death on January 28, 2017. She was also preceded in death by a brother, Charles “Buddy” Vest and a sister, Evelyn Ham.
A private funeral service will take place on Tuesday, July 28th at the Cheney Witt Chapel.
Addie will be laid to rest beside her husband, Delbert, at the Holmes Cemetery northeast of Prescott, Kansas.
Memorials are suggested to the Medicalodge Activity 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.
Missy Miller, 49, is the new USD 234 Instructional Coach for kindergarten through fifth-grade.
She received her bachelor of science degree at Emporia State University and her masters in leadership from Baker University.
Miller has 18 years of teaching experience.
Her hometown is Tonganoxie, KS and she just moved to Louisburg, KS.
Miller and her husband, Keith, have a daughter Courtney, 20, and son, Jake,19.
Her hobbies and interests include: being a Pampered Chef Consultant, reading historical Christian fiction, especially Francine Rivers and swimming.
How did you become an educator?
“I knew early that I was called to be an educator. I would set all my dolls and stuffed animals up and teach them when I was little.”
Is there someone who inspired you to teach?
“Tim Brady, my 8th-grade history teacher was my inspiration. He believed in me, pushed me to be more than I believed I could be, and encouraged me in all I did!”
What is the best part of teaching for you?
“The best part about teaching is the kids, helping them succeed, providing safety, and loving each of them for who they are no matter their circumstances.”
What are the greatest challenges?
“Balancing the newness of teaching in a pandemic, how do we best reach those who need us most, how do we navigate providing for the whole child while not getting to see them face to face on a consistent basis.”
Kansas State University nutrition specialist Sandy Procter says recent changes to nutrition labels on most foods should be viewed as a great ally for consumers and their good health.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration initially published rules on changing nutrition information on food labels in 2016, citing the need for those labels to reflect updated scientific information, including the link between diet and such chronic diseases as obesity and heart disease.
Since that time, American food companies have gradually come into compliance. Manufacturers with $10 million or more in annual sales were required to switch to the new label by January 1 of this year; those with less than $10 million in annual sales must meet the labeling requirements by January 1, 2021.
“The consumer is the winner here,” Procter said. “It allows each of us to control what we are putting into our bodies.”
The new label not only reflects more of what we know about foods, but also is based on current nutrition and public health research, and the updated dietary guidelines for Americans. Public input was also considered, Procter said.
In addition to larger print, the new label is more clear on the number of calories per serving of any given food, and lists information on nutrients considered more vital for overall health.
For example, Procter said, “vitamin D and potassium were never on the label until now. Before, the nutrients highlighted were vitamin A and vitamin C, which are nutrients of concern in other countries, but not in the United States.
Procter said the new labels reflect the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, identifying vitamin D and the mineral potassium as nutrients where most U.S. consumers fall short.
“Vitamin D is activated in the liver and is made by our bodies when we spend a little time out in the sun each day,” Procter said. “But vitamin D is limited in food sources.”
“Vitamin D is important to boost our auto-immune systems. And it works with calcium to support bone health and bone strength. So, it makes sense for us to look at a food label and determine that a food is a great source of vitamin D.”
Potassium, she adds, forms a pump with sodium to keep fluids in balance in and around cells. Eating foods high in potassium helps to offset high levels of sodium, which can contribute to high blood pressure and other disease.
“So, while we are carefully watching our salt intake, we might want to be more interested in sources that are high in potassium,” Procter said. “Fruits, vegetables, milk and other dairy products are good sources of potassium.”
The new food labels not only include the quantity of sodium, potassium and other nutrients in a single serving, but also the percentage one serving contributes to the daily dietary guidelines of a given nutrient – called the Percent Daily Value.
“That information was there before, but you had to invest time and some thought process to find it,” Procter said. “Most of us really don’t want to do that when it comes to limiting or determining our food intake.”
“The new label is user-friendly and contains as much information as most of us would really need when choosing foods,” Procter said. “If you are watching your weight or concerned about pre-diabetes, then it’s much easier to look at calories and added sugars. Or maybe you’ve been told to watch your fat and sodium intake because you have high blood pressure; in that case, you may read the label to quickly know how many calories, grams of fat or sodium is in a food.”
“We can pick and choose the parts of the label that mean the most to each of us. It’s great if you want to read the whole label, but certain parts may be more important and allow us to focus on our personal nutrition needs.”
For more information about making wise food choices, contact Kathy McEwan at [email protected] or by phone at 620-365-2242.
