Nancy DeWitt, age 81, a resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away Monday, January 9, 2023, at the Medicalodge in Ft. Scott. She was born January 31, 1941, in Los Angeles, California. Prior to moving to Ft. Scott, Nancy had made her home in Iola, Kansas. She loved dogs especially chihuahuas and meticulously kept a photo album of all the pets she had over the years.
She is survived by several nieces and nephews. Nancy was preceded in death by a brother, Robert and a sister, Lorraine.
Rev. Chuck Russell will conduct funeral services at 1:30 P.M. Monday, January 16th at the Cheney Witt Chapel.
Following services there will be cremation.
Burial will take place at the Greensburg Cemetery in Greensburg, Kansas at a later date.
Services are under the direction of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, Ft. Scott, Kansas. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online g
NOTICE OF AND AGENDA FOR MEETING OF FORT SCOTT CITY COMMISSION CITY HALL COMMISSION MEETING ROOM 123 SOUTH MAIN STREET JANUARY 10, 2023 6:00 P.M. I.Roll Call: J. JonesT. Van HoeckeM. WellsE. WoellhofK. Harrington II.Flag Salute: III.Invocation:Led by:M. Wells IV.Approval of Agenda: Amended from original release on 1/6/2023 V.Consent Agenda: A.Approval of minutes of the regular meeting of December 20th, 2022. B.Approval of Appropriation Ordinance 1327-A totaling$519,425.14 C.Request to Pay – BakerTilly –$9,775.78– Jeff Hancock Services and Expenses for November 2022, Expenses for October 2022. D.Request to Pay – BakerTilly –$5,104.04– Interim Financial Management for November 2022. E.Request to Pay – EPEC –$459,666.73 1.Cell 1 Aeration Upgrade – $424,088.60 – 65% of Total 2.Baffle Curtain – $35,578.13 – Installation has been completed F.Request to Pay – Foley Equipment –$180,000.00– Caterpillar 936K Track Loader Model 963K. G.Approval of CMB License For Consumption on the Premises – Debra Cagle DBA Fifthwheel Tavern – 206 N. Humbolt H.Resolution No. 1-2023 – DESIGNATING THE OFFICIAL CITY NEWSPAPER FOR THE ENSUING TERM OF THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF FORT SCOTT, KANSAS. I.Resolution No. 2-2023 – DESIGNATING THE OFFICIAL DEPOSITORIES FOR THE PUBLIC FUNDS OF THE CITY OF FORT SCOTT, KANSAS – (Possibly hold) J.Resolution No. 3-2023 – EXEMPTION FROM GENERALLY ACCEPTED ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES UNDER K.S.A. 1120
VI.Reorganization of City Commission •Election of Mayor •Commission President •Bourbon County REDI Representative •Land Bank Representative •Fort Scott Housing Authority Delegate •Lake Advisory Board •Library Board (Mayor) 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.Old Business: A.December financials by Ben Hart B.Update of progress with Code compliance at 102 S. Horton C.Lake Dock Locations – Doug Guns IX.Appearances: A.Renodry USA – Michael Clancy will address the Commission regarding their services X.Public Hearing: None XI.New Business: A.Approval of Bid for Demolition of 523 S. Heylman, Bid #48-2022 – Dave’s Demolition at $1,800.00 or Skitch’s Hauling and Excavation at $3,425.00 B.Approval of 2023 Holiday Schedule C.Consideration of Jeff Hancock’s Amended Contract – BakerTilly D.Permission to go out for picnic table grant – Dave Bruner E.Consideration of Brick Street Policy – M. Wells F.Consideration to Go Out for Banking Bids – J. Jones XII.Reports and Comments: A.Interim City Manager Comments: B.Engineering Comments: C.Commissioners Comments: J. Jones – National Street School Sign
T. VanHoecke – M. Wells – E. Woellhof – K. Harrington – D.City Attorney Comments: XIII.ExecutiveSession–Ifrequested,(pleasefollowscriptinallmotionsfor Executive Sessions) XIV.Adjournment:
Lindsay Madison leads discussions at the Quarterly Downtown Meet and Greet this morning.
The Quarterly Fort Scott Downtown Meet and Greet met this morning to have conversations about the happenings in the historic downtown district.
Lindsay Madison, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce CEO, led the discussions.
Those that made comments included:
Rob Harrington, CEO of Bourbon County Regional Economic Development Inc. on the former Mercy Hospital building.
The Legacy Group Health Foundation will have a new cardiologist and urologist coming to Fort Scott and are looking for a few doctors for a clinic, he said.
Brad Matkin, Interim Fort Scott City Manager, said he is part of a group that is looking to have a Christmas event downtown, instead of a Christmas in the Park and is seeking public input.
Matkin said he is having plans drawn up for parking improvements in the downtown area and is also working on plans for improving Memorial Hall downtown.
Kathy Dancer, owner of the former Scottish Rite Temple, said a cafe in the building is planned for a spring opening, along with a small retail space.
Bailey Lyons, who is renovating a downtown building on Main Street, said she is anticipating a completion by fall. She is part of a group that will open a fully licensed kitchen in the building.
Angie Simon, Bids and Dibs Consignment Store, said she is doing some remodeling since a carpenter became available and is planning on opening Jan. 16.
Joe’ Fritteris opening a new business at First and Wall Street, called Open Mortgage, on Feb. 1.
Megan Vyhlidal is opening a new chiropractic business in Fort Scott around Feb. 1.
Sandra Davis, Davis Accounting, said their business is remodeling both the Bartlesmeyer business building on South National Avenue and their store front downtown on North Main Street.
Lindsay Madison said there is online voting going on from Healthy Bourbon County Action Team for an archway design for the historic downtown area. She also said the grant received from T-Mobile will possibly be used for a canopy over a parking lot area in Skubitz Plaza, and used for farmer’s market events and other events.
Baily Lyons, Lyons Realty Group, said the splash pad project is coming to fruition with the ordering of elements for the splash pad, which will also be located on Skubitz Plaza, at the north end of Main Street.
Jill Jaworski, Superintendent of Fort Scott National Historic Site, said there will be new events this year, such as dark sky events and climate change events.
Additional info from the meeting:
Friday, April 21 is the downtown clean-up day.
There is an open Chamber Coffee time slot available for Jan. 19.
Dare to Dream Women’s Entrepreneur Event will be Feb. 8 from 5-7 p.m. at the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team office. RSVP on Eventbrite.
The Small Business Development Center is open at the HBCAT office.
Two grants are available for downtown businesses, please contact the Chamber for more details.
Reflections of the City/County The Past Five Years
In reflection of the last five years, the revolving doors and actions of the City/County Officials have been concerning. There continues to be no clear plan for the future of our community.
Have decisions been made with consideration of the impact those decisions will have on the community or merely to satisfy personal agendas?
Are committees created without a Master Plan? When was the last time we saw an actual blueprint of a 1 year, 2 year, 5 year, or 10 year Master Plan that clearly laid out a vision for this community?
In order to experience growth, we have to create a master plan that will improve our infrastructure, create jobs to support the economy, and provide housing to the families we hope will locate here.
We also need a solid health care system, a strong school system, and amenities that provide entertainment and recreation.
The projects should be prioritized and completed in an orderly manner before moving into the next phase. Community planning must be accomplished while remaining fluid enough to account for changing needs. We can use any past mistakes to make present decisions better and future decisions the best possible.
Protocols, Procedures, Ordinance and State Statutes are a part of governing. Attention to those guidelines are key to the formulation of a plan that will benefit all.
Contracts are a vital process within any organization and are vital to the success of any public endeavor. Contracts of employment, contracts that involve major projects, or any other business transaction that is entered into should have clear precise wording that is in accordance with the Rule of Law.
Over the past years has there been any accountability?
– One local business closed after several years of operation and full approval by city officials. Who was responsible for the closure of a business that had been successfully operating for several years, when suddenly the tables turned and they failed to meet expectations regarding building issues? – Who was directing the completion of a million dollar taxpayer expense to provide a parking lot for tenants or a newly renovated building? Why was the parking issue not addressed as plans for this project unfolded? – Who was accountable for the approval of a second renovation by the same company without a contract for an eight million dollar project between the City and the Company? This led to additional costs to the taxpayers as well as legal issues. Again there was no planning for parking! This created problems for viable downtown businesses.
Again the taxpayers are burdened with costs to rectify the situation that could have been avoided with proper planning.
– Who was accountable when 525 people signed a petition that was certified and approved to go to vote and yet ignored? The people spoke and their civil rights were denied. – Whose activities brought the city into an investigation by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation? – Who was accountable when downtown buildings were allowed to deteriorate long after they were condemned? This led to huge expenses for demolition and repairs to surrounding structures. Failures of city officials not only caused undue expenses borne by taxpayers, but also cost owners of adjacent buildings. – Who is accountable when we have had personnel contracts drawn up and approved by our officials that extend not for one year, but up to five years. What foolish organization would lock themselves into a contract of this type? Government entities are in charge of evaluating their personnel on an annual basis. By entering into multi-year contracts, no allowance is made for the ways in which this becomes a very bad idea! It places the taxpayers into an unnecessary financial expenditure. We have experienced this already, too many times.
– Who was accountable for overseeing the contract with the ADM Company and the transporting of wastewater? The taxpayers were cheated of millions of dollars in revenue, only to be burdened with the results of negligence in maintenance of our lagoons. – Who was accountable for reviewing the history of the two companies involved in the hospital contracts. There were red flags and warnings regarding the motives of the companies involved and yet officials gave up millions of our tax dollars on a deal that will be of no benefit to our community! – Who is accountable for overseeing the meetings of the City and County Commissioners to make sure that Kansas Open Act Meeting regulations are followed? – Who is accountable for their actions as an appointed or elected official? – Who is accountable for voting these elected officials into office? We are!
We as citizens need to be held accountable and diligent in educating ourselves regarding the candidates, their visions, their ability to communicate, their strategies and critical thinking abilities, their open mindedness, their creativity and flexibility, their authenticity, and their ability to have the tenacity to do what is right in order to bring about necessary improvements for our community. We not only need to hold them accountable, but we need to hold ourselves accountable to also do what is expected of us as citizens.
Swearing-In Ceremony This week, I was joined by my family as I was sworn in to serve Kansans for a third term in the United States Senate. Representing Kansas in the U.S. Senate is one of the greatest privileges of my life and a solemn responsibility I do not take lightly.
As the 118th Congress begins, I took the time to reflect on those who have served before me and on the significance of the duty Kansans have placed with me. I am humbled by this responsibility and look forward to continuing to advocate for Kansas values in Washington, D.C.
2022 in Review
Throughout the past year, I visited with thousands of Kansans across the state. I am grateful to each of you for these conversations and for the insight you offer into the many issues we are facing as a country.
I am also reminded of one of the most important tasks for my office: helping Kansans navigate and resolve issues with federal agencies through casework. Please do not hesitate to reach out to my office if we can be of any assistance regarding Social Security, Medicare or veterans’ affairs, or if you have other concerns regarding federal issues. You can learn more about how to do this here.
Caleb Scott Warner, age 30, resident of Erie, KS, died Wednesday, January 4, 2023, at Freeman Hospital, Joplin, MO. He was born January 13, 1992, in Lee’s Summit, MO, the son of Michael Dale Warner and Tammy Sue Hockett Warner. Caleb graduated from Girard, KS High School with the class of 2010.
He served in the National Guard and was deployed to Germany as a heavy equipment operator. He was greatly loved and will be missed.
Survivors include his mother, Tammy Sue Hambric and husband Rob, Hepler, KS; grandmother Evelyn Hockett, Chanute, KS; daughter Ember Rose Warner, Erie, KS; sister Ashley Villela, Kyle, TX; and brothers Justin Messershmidt, Hepler, KS, and Joshua Warner, Fort Scott, KS.
He was preceded in death by a sister, Amanda Warner, grandmother Alta Faye Warner, grandfather Noble Warner, grandmother Evelyn Hendricks, and grandfather Larry Hockett.
There was cremation. Memorial services will be held at 11:00 Saturday, January 14th, at the First Baptist Church, Fort Scott.
Memorials are suggested to the Ember Rose Fund and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main St., Fort Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.
The City Commission meetings are Tuesday, January 10th, 2023, and Tuesday, January 24th, 2023. There is still a Work Session on Tuesday, January 10th at 4:30 PM. It is the City Clerk’s error found and confirmed by the minutes by Commissioner VanHoecke.
William Allen Taylor, age 52, a resident of rural Nevada, Missouri, passed away Sunday, January 8, 2023, at his home with his loved ones by his side. He was born May 14, 1970, in Ft. Scott, Kansas, the son of Richard Taylor and Lucy Garrison Taylor. Bill went to school and grew up in Ft. Scott and later moved to Missouri. He did masonry work all his life. On February 15, 2019, he married the love of his life. Bill never knew a stranger and lived life to the fullest. He enjoyed spending time with his grandkids and teaching them the ways of the world.
Bill is survived by his wife, Kim, of the home; a daughter, Latasha Baldwin of Nevada, Missouri; sons, Brett and Blake Taylor of Ft. Scott, Kansas, and David Baldwin, Jr. of Derby, Iowa and grandchildren, Aiden, Aubree, and Kenley. Also surviving are a brother, Rick Taylor of Wheatland, Missouri, brother-in-law, Bill Hobbs (Carrie) of Butler, Missouri, nephews, Quentin, Dillion and Kelby Taylor and his best friend, Shannon Worthington aka “Nash” of Moran, Kansas.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Richard and Lucy Taylor, a brother, Jeff Taylor and his grandparents.
Rev. Chuck Russell will conduct funeral services at 2:00 P.M. Thursday, January 12th at the Cheney Witt Chapel.
Following services, there will be cremation.
Private burial in the Pryor Cemetery at Metz, Missouri will take place at a later date.
Services are under the direction of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, Ft. Scott, Kansas. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.
~~In Inaugural Address, Gov. Kelly Calls for Civility and Unity in Politics and Shares Vision for Next Four Years~~
TOPEKA – Today, Governor Laura Kelly and Lieutenant Governor David Toland were sworn into office in a ceremony outside the Kansas State Capitol. The Kelly Administration now begins its second term in office.
Governor Kelly first became the 48th governor of Kansas on January 14, 2019, pledging to rebuild Kansas by reaching across the aisle. Since then, she has worked with a bipartisan group of legislators to fully fund schools, axe the sales tax on food, close the Bank of KDOT, and recruit the largest economic development project in state history.
Governor Kelly began her second term by celebrating the Kansas spirit of “neighbor-helping-neighbor” and calling on the state’s elected leaders to embody the same civility and unity.
“We’re often told that there’s ‘a fork in the road’ and you have to make a choice – you can either go right or you can go left. I believe that’s a false choice. I believe the best choice is right down the middle of that road,” Governor Laura Kelly said.
“Because the middle of the road is where left and right come together; where well-intentioned people who hold different positions find common ground. Nobody gets everything they want, everyone gets something they want, and progress is made. That’s how life works. It’s how government should work too.”
Governor Kelly also shared her vision for her second term.
“Our North Star is this: To make Kansas the best place in America to raise a family,” Governor Kelly said. “Where you can see opportunity for yourself, for your children, and for your grandchildren.”
Read a full copy of Governor Kelly’s remarks as prepared for delivery here.
