The County Commission Meeting for tomorrow is CANCELLED due to two commissioners not available.
Monthly Archives: July 2021
Beech Street Eats: A Full Restaurant on Wheels
A new restaurant on wheels started on Memorial Day 2021 by Wesley and Kenna Smith, called Beech Street Eats.
“My parents, Kenneth and Calen Alley, owned the Riverside Cafe in Belltown for 15 years,” Kenna Smith said. “We kids worked there.”
“I managed the Best Western OFF Club and restaurant from 1986 to ’89,” Smith said.
Her brother John Alley works as the cook in the new food trailer venture.
“John was grill cook at Mercy Hospital for 20 years,” she said. “My dad was a cook in the navy. We’ve always done food. We are a family of cooks.”
“We decided on a 30-foot food trailer, so we can travel,” she said.
When they first started at the end of May, they were asked to do weddings and graduation parties, and even the Good ‘Ol Days Festival, but wanted to get a little experience in the food trailer business first, she said
They park their food trailer on the east side of Lockwoods Motor Supply, located at 1523 S. National Avenue, Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
“But we might switch that up in the future,” Smith said.
The employees are herself, her brother, John, her daughter Chasi Pickert and Cristy Montogo.
Mark Brillhart, a Bourbon County Fair Board member, asked the Smiths to provide food during the fair last week.
They had a steady stream of customers.
On the horizon for the business is providing food for special events and festivals, she said.
Some of their crowd favorite offerings are street burritos, Philly sandwiches, and quesadillas, she said.
“The street burrito is a 14-inch shell filled with steak, chicken, cheese, guac, homemade pico, salsa with steak fries,” Smith said. “It’s one of our best sellers.”
“For the quesadilla, we make our own pico, fresh every day,” she said. “We try to get our tomatoes and onions from the Fort Scott Farmer’s Market.”
For those craving a sweet dessert, they include homemade cherry cheesecake and homemade peanut butter pie to finish out a meal.
For more information or to phone an order: 620-224-8005.
Supports and Training For Employing People with Disabilities Announced
Supports and Training for Employing People Successfully
Introducing a new program from KDHE & Working Healthy
TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) announces the launch of a new employment program for individuals with disabilities. Supports and Training for Employing People Successfully (STEPS) provides employment and independent living supports, enabling them to increase their income while gradually decreasing their reliance on Social Security and other public benefits.
STEPS is a pilot program that launched July 1 and is facilitated by a Community Services Coordinator who helps participants prepare for employment, increase independence, receive/maintain health care coverage, and provide on-going supports to help maintain employment. STEPS services are provided by community agencies with the experience to successfully support people with disabilities to reach and maintain their employment goals. The program is scheduled to run through 2023 and if successful, it may be extended.
The eligibility requirements for STEPS are as follows:
- Must be a KanCare beneficiary aged 16 to 65, and
- Must qualify under one of the following criteria:
- Individuals who receive SSI or SSDI and have one or more qualifying behavioral health diagnoses;
- Individuals who receive SSI and are waitlisted for the Physical Disability (PD) or Intellectual or Developmental Disability (I/DD) home and community-based services waiver; or
- Individuals who are current on the Brain Injury (BI), Physical Disability (PD), or Intellectual or Developmental Disability (I/DD) home and community-based services waiver who wish to leave their waiver to participate in STEPS.
To enroll or if you have questions, please contact the STEPS Program Manager. Those community providers who may also be interested in participating or learning more are also asked to contact the STEPS Program Manager.
More information about STEPS can be found on kancare.ks.gov/consumers/working-healthy/steps.
Friday Night Free Concert: Faith Church Worship
This week’s Friday Night Concert will be presented by Faith Church Worship, Garland. The four-piece band and vocalists will feature songs of today’s worship.
“These folks have a united desire to honor God with their musical talent,” concert series organizer Ralph Carlson said. “Come out and join us for a special opportunity to see friends and enjoy some inspirational music. We are pleased to welcome Faith Church to the park pavilion.“
The concert begins at 7 p.m. at the Heritage Park Pavilion at First and Main streets. The shows, sponsored by the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce, are free and open to the public. We are grateful to have Dave Oas, Parsons, serve as sound technician each week. Due to limited seating, attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.
In the event of inclement weather, the concert will be moved to the Common Ground Coffee Co., 12 E. Wall Street.
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports July 19
Be Aware of Child Tax Credit Scams
Family and Consumer Science Extension Agent
Adult Development and Aging
Family Resource Management
K-State Research and Extension
Southwind Extension District
210 S. National
Fort Scott, KS 66701
Office: 620-223-3720
Fax: 620-223-0332
[email protected]
Advance Child Tax Credit & Scams
To help parents during the pandemic, the Child Tax Credit has been expanded under the American Rescue Plan Act. This means that many families will receive advance payments starting July 15, this opportunity is confusing and scammers are already are jumping into the game with attempts to capture personal information from you.
What is the Child Tax Credit (CTC)? The CTC is available if you claim any children younger than 17. The CTC has been $2,000 per qualifying child. For 2021, the amount will increase to $3,600 for children ages 5 and under and $3,000 for children ages 6 through 17. Note, the CTC amount is based on income.
The American Rescue Act included an Advance Child Tax Credit Payments program. These early payments from the IRS are half of the estimated CTC that you may properly claim on your 2021 tax return during the 2022 filing season. If the IRS has processed your 2020 or 2019 tax return, these monthly payments will be made starting in July and through December.
In general, you do not need to do anything to receive these advance payments. You may opt out of the monthly payments and get your money in one lump sum when you file during 2022.
Families should be on the alert for scammers using phone calls, emails, texts and social media to trick them into providing information needed to get the new 2021 advance Child Tax Credit. The IRS emphasizes that the only way to get the Advance Child Tax Credit is by either filing a tax return with the IRS or registering online through the Non-filer Sign-up tool , exclusively on IRS.gov. Any other option is a scam.
There are many details regarding the Advance Child Tax Credit. To learn more and find answers to your questions, I recommend 3 resources. First is the IRS Advance Child Tax Credit Payments in 2021 (www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021). Here you can learn the details of program, unenroll from advance payments, and non-filers can submit information. The second is The White House (www.whitehouse.gov/child-tax-credit). Here they will cover the same topics as the IRS, but also provide some examples of how the Child Tax Credit works for families that may be similar to yours. The third source is the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (www.consumerfinance.gov/coronavirus/managing-your-finances/).
For more information, contact Joy Miller at [email protected] or by calling 620.223.3720
Smooth or Chunky by Carolyn Tucker
Keys to the Kingdom by Carolyn Tucker
My family loves to tell a good story which usually erupts in rip-roaring laughter, rufous faces, and tears. I recall a humorous incident my brother Randy told on his mother-in-law (whom he loved dearly). When Randy and Corda were first married, they would come back home on weekends and alternate staying with their parents. On this particular visit, they were at the Rosenbaum farm. Preparing to eat breakfast, my brother was sitting at the kitchen table as his mother-in-law began to pour him a glass of milk. She couldn’t actually see the pour spout as the milk came tumbling out in chunks. As she continued to pour, she sweetly asked, “Is this milk OK?“ I believe his answer was in the negative.
Has it ever occurred to you that there’s no expiration date on your prayers? The other night I was asleep when I distinctly heard, “Mommy!“ I awoke abruptly with a pounding heart as I listened and thought about what had just happened. I was prompted to pray for the protection of my two children, and then I drifted back to sleep. “I have courage in God’s presence, because I am sure that He hears me if I ask Him for anything that is according to His will” (1 John 5:14 GNT). In the morning, I sent both of them brief texts about what I’d experienced and both confirmed that they were just fine.
Exactly two weeks later while my son was driving to work in the early morning, a deer ran out in front of him which caused serious damage to the vehicle, but no harm to Aaron. I believe God prevented him from choosing to ride his motorcycle that day, as the outcome would have been quite different. Exactly six weeks following my prayer, my daughter Mariam and two of her girls were innocently involved in a three-vehicle accident (all were totaled), but no one was injured. No, not one!
“The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them” (Psalm 34:7 NKJV). Fear of the Lord is simply a proper awe of His greatness and holiness. Believers can trust and depend on God’s faithfulness. I’m thankful my prayer for protection had not expired but was still in effect.
When my kids were little, I taught them a song entitled, “I Thank My God I’m in His Care.“ The lyrics, written by Ry Cooder, depict a simple faith in a loving heavenly Father: “Oh Daniel he was a good man; he prayed night and day. The angels opened up the windows just to hear what Daniel had to say. He prayed, ‘I thank my God I’m in His care.’ I am in His care, in my Savior’s care. I am in His care, in my Savior’s care. King Jesus got His arms wrapped all around me; no evil thought can ever harm me ‘cause I thank my God I’m in His care.“ The scriptural truth of this song still remains in my children’s hearts today.
A song is more than just a happy tune when it’s backed by God’s Word: “Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully” (1 Peter 5:7 AMP). If you can truly cast all your care in prayer, you can experience resting in God. I’m glad I heard God’s voice, thankful I prayed, and so grateful my prayer was answered.
The Key: I thank my God there’s no expiration date on my prayers.
The Fort Scott Police Department Daily Reports July 16-17
North Section of National Closed: City Discusses July 19
The Fort Scott City Commission will have a Special Meeting on Monday, July 19, 2021 at 5:30 p.m. at the City Hall Commission Room, 123 S. Main St. The Commission will be discussing next steps for the Eagle Block Building located at 10 N. National Ave.
National Ave. from Wall St. to Oak St. will remain closed until further notice. The buildings on the west side of this block of National, including the Hammons building, CDL, and Sharky’s will also remain vacated.
Small Business in SEK
It is difficult to run a small business in southeast Kansas, and for that matter, anywhere in rural America and be successful long term. The idea of a business is to create value; a net worth that can be handed down to the next generation or sold at a tidy profit. If your goal is earnings, get a job and work for a business owner, as it is not worth risking the capital and the long hours just to make a wage.
Additionally, it becomes increasingly difficult to create value whenever a population base around a small business is shrinking. I have seen Bourbon County business owners who have been successful over a long period of time try to sell their profitable business, only to learn it has little worth other than the liquidation value of the assets accumulated. Heartbreaking!
Consider these numbers from 2018 of small business loans outstanding (listed by original amount of loan) in some selected SEK counties:
County # of Loans Total $ Ave. Size
Allen 122 $6,571k $53,861
Bourbon 125 $4,193k $33,544
Cherokee 144 $8,887k $61,715
Linn 82 $2,847k $34,720
Neosho 125 $3,090k $26,870
We rank in the middle of the pack, holding our own. Obviously, there are successful small businesses in SEK that do not have loans outstanding, but typically financing goes hand in hand with investment to help an entrepreneur leverage their efforts. $4.2 million is not very much in total loans to small businesses in the county. If small farm loans were added in, the amount would grow exponentially.
A huge problem for rural small businesses, including SEK, is that government lending programs, such as the Small Business Administration (SBA), are harder to access for us. Upfront costs and fees, and cumbersome regulations and requirements make smaller SBA applications cost prohibitive. For example, there are almost no SBA 504 loans (a popular real estate construction financing program) outstanding in SEK, because of the increased cost of professional oversight required, and the fact that contractors must pay Davis-Bacon wages (union scale), which is vastly more than the market currently commands. All these requirements leave this valuable tool, and others, out of reach for us.
The solution? Besides lobbying Congress for lending support programs geared toward rural America, look to start businesses that sell products to growing markets. For example, the traffic count on Highway 69 continues to rise, bringing more consumers through our county every day. Several new businesses have opened up on South Main in recent years to take advantage of this.
Support youth mentoring programs that develop entrepreneurial thinking. The e-Community Program, run by the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce, holds a Youth Entrepreneurship contest every year which encourages our students to think through business concepts and come up with a business idea for our communities. The prize money is big, and the participation is good.
Bourbon County REDI is ready (pun intended) to support your business idea and give assistance with business planning. Call Rob Harrington at 620-215-0144 with questions.
Gov. Kelly’s Weekly Newsletter
WEEK OF July 12, 2021
|
|
“The Community Service Tax Credit program is an excellent tool we can use to support our state’s nonprofits and strengthen the essential services they provide to their communities. My administration will continue pursuing innovative initiatives like CSP to improve Kansans’ access to quality education, healthcare, childcare, and housing to make Kansas the best state in the nation for families and businesses to call home.”
Press:
- Nearly 30 Kansas nonprofits awarded Community Service Tax Credits
WIBW - Kelly announces $4 million to benefit 26 Kansas nonprofits
KFDI
Governor Laura Kelly Creates Bipartisan Cybersecurity Task Force to Protect Kansas’ Digital Infrastructure
 |
“As cyber-attacks become more sophisticated, it’s critical that we prevent disruptions in essential public services, and protect Kansans’ privacy, economic activity, and public safety. Through this bipartisan, collaborative effort, with partners from both the private and public sectors, we will develop a plan to protect our digital infrastructure and improve cybersecurity statewide.”
Press:
Governor Laura Kelly Signs Bipartisan Bill to Protect Public Safety and Reform Kansas’ Criminal Justice System
 |
“Senate Bill 60 will improve public safety for all Kansans and protect our law enforcement officers from dangerous car chases. I was proud to stand with advocates today and sign this commonsense legislation.”
Press:
- From sex crimes to traffic violations; What to know about Kansas’ sweeping crime law
FOX 4 - Kelly signs SB 60
KSNF
Governor Laura Kelly’s Commission on Racial Equity and Justice Releases Second Round of Recommendations
|
|
|
|
|
FS Commission Agenda For July 20
NOTICE OF AND AGENDA FOR
MEETING OF
FORT SCOTT CITY COMMISSION
CITY HALL
CITY COMMISSION MEETING ROOM
123 SOUTH MAIN STREET
JULY 20, 2021
6:00 P.M.
I. K. Allen P. Allen R. Nichols L. Watts J. Jones
II. Flag Salute:
III. Invocation: Led by: (To be Announced)
IV. Approval of Agenda:
V. Proclamations/Recognitions:
VI. Consent Agenda:
A. Approval of Appropriation Ordinance 1292-A totaling $538,748.47
B. Request to Pay – HDR Engineering Inc. – River Intake Improvement – $ 54,902.50
C. Request to Pay #3 – Triangle Builders, LLC – Mayco Ace Project – $59,993
D. Resolution 8-2021 – Notice of Hearing with Reference to Alleged Unsafe and Dangerous
Structure located at – 14 S. Margrave St. – Public Hearing Date – 9/7/2021 at 6:15 p.m.
E. Resolution 9-2021 – Notice of Hearing with Reference to Alleged Unsafe and Dangerous
Structure located at 114 S. Barbee St. – Public Hearing Date – 9/7/2021 at 6:15 p.m.
F. Resolution 10-2021 – Notice of Hearing with Reference to Alleged Unsafe and Dangerous
Structure located at 323 S. Hill St. – Public Hearing Date – 9/7/2021 at 6:15 p.m.
G. Resolution 11-2021 – Notice of Hearing with Reference to Alleged Unsafe and Dangerous
Structure located at 510 S. Heylman St. – Public Hearing Date – 9/7/2021 at 6:15 p.m.
H. Resolution 12-2021 – Notice of Hearing with Reference to Alleged Unsafe and Dangerous
Structure located at 619 S. Ransom – Public Hearing Date – 9/7/2021 at 6:15 p.m.
I. Resolution 13-2021 – Notice of Hearing with Reference to Alleged Unsafe and Dangerous
Structure and Accessory Structure located at 611 S. Ransom St.– Public Hearing Date –
9/7/2021 at 6:15 p.m.
J. Resolution 14-2021 – Notice of Hearing with Reference to Alleged Unsafe and Dangerous
Structure and Accessory Structure located at 316 S. Main St.– Public Hearing Date –
9/7/2021 at 6:15 p.m.
K. Resolution 15-2021 – Notice of Hearing with Reference to Alleged Unsafe and Dangerous
Structure and Accessory Structure located at 1517 S. Main St. – Public Hearing Date –
9/7/2021 at 6:15 p.m.
L. June financials
VII. Public Comment:
(Sign up required. Comments on any topic not on agenda and limited to five (5) minutes per
person, at Commission discretion)
VIII. City Manager Reports and Comments
IX. Engineering Firm Update
X. Old Business:
A. Discussion of Lake Fort Scott repairs/upkeep
XI. Appearances:
XII. New Business:
A. Approval and adoption of USDA Loan Resolution for River Intake/Dam Repair Project
B. Approval of Resolution 16-2021 regarding governing body’s intent to levy a property tax
exceeding the revenue neutral rate
XIII. Reports and Comments:
B. Commissioners Report and Comments:
C. City Attorney Reports and Comments:
XIV. Executive Session – If requested, (please follow script in all motions for Executive Sessions)
XV. Adjournment:
To view the 71 page packet with the agenda: