Monthly Archives: July 2023

Fort Scott Community College, Government

FSCC Trustees Meeting Agenda for July 17

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To  view the entire packet:

7.17.23 Consent Agenda

July 17, 2023
Board of Trustees
Fort Scott Community College
2108 S. Horton
Fort Scott, KS 66701
The Board of Trustees of Fort Scott Community College will meet in regular session on Monday, July
17, 2023. The meeting will be held in the meeting rooms of Ellis Family Fine Arts Center at Fort
Scott Community College.
5:00 p.m. Dinner in Cleaver-Burris-Boileau Hall, followed by regular board meeting at
approximately 5:30 p.m.
THE AGENDA
5:00 DINNER
5:30 ROLL CALL, 3
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
CALL TO ORDER, 4
A. Comments from the Chair, 4
B. Comments from the Public, 4
CONSENT AGENDA, 5
A. Approval of Agenda, 5
B. Approval of Minutes of previous Regular Board Meeting conducted on June 19, 2023,
and Special Board Meetings conducted on June 28, 2023, July 5, 2023, July 6,
2023, and July 10, 2023, 6
C. Approval of Treasurer’s Report, Bills, and Claims, 14
D. Approval of Personnel Actions, 5
ACTION/DISCUSSION ITEMS, 54
A. Consideration of 2023 – 24 Athletic Insurance and Catastrophic Injury Insurance, 54
B. Consideration of Fort Scott Community College President Employment Contract, 65
REPORTS, 66
A. Administrative Updates, 66
EXECUTIVE SESSION, 71
ADJOURNMENT, 721
UPCOMING CALENDAR DATES:
• June 19, 2023 Board Meeting
• July 17, 2023 Board Meeting
• August 28, 2023 (to facilitate budget process) Board Meeting
• September 25, 2023 (to facilitate budget process) Board Meeting
• October 16, 2023 Board Meeting
• November 20, 2023 Board Meeting
• December 11, 2023 (Changed due to winter break) Board Meeting
• January 22, 2024 (Changed due to MLK, Jr. Day) Board Meeting
• February 19, 2024 Board Meeting
• March 18, 2024 Board Meeting
• April 15, 2024 Board Meeting
• May 20, 2024 Board Meeting
• June 17, 2024 Board Meeting
Sincerely,
John Bartelsmeyer, Chair
Alysia Johnston, President
FSCC’s vision for the future is to support “Students First, Community Always” through a
central focus on teaching and learning; advancing strong, innovative programs and
departments; maximizing and leveraging opportunities; initiating efficient and effective
processes; and developing the region’s workforce.2
ROLL CALL
_____ John Bartelsmeyer
_____ Jim Fewins
_____ Dave Elliott
_____ Kirk Hart
_____ Bryan Holt
_____ Robert Nelson3
CALL TO ORDER
A. COMMENTS FROM THE CHAIR
B. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC4
CONSENT AGENDA
A. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
B. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS

 

 

Continue reading FSCC Trustees Meeting Agenda for July 17 →

Fort Scott Community College, Government

FSCC Trustees Minutes of June 19

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FORT SCOTT COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Minutes of the Board of Trustees Meeting
June 19, 2023
PRESENT: John Bartelsmeyer, Dave Elliott, Jim Fewins, Kirk Hart, Bryan Holt, and Robert Nelson
ALSO PRESENT: Alysia Johnston, President, Juley McDaniel, Board Clerk, faculty, staff

Chairman Bartelsmeyer called the meeting to order at 5:30 pm in the meeting rooms of Ellis Fine Arts Center. The
meeting was opened with the Pledge of Allegiance.
COMMENTS FROM THE CHAIR: None.
COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC: None.
CONSENT AGENDA: A motion was made by Elliott, seconded by Fewins, and carried by unanimous vote to
approve the consent agenda as amended.
ACTION/DISCUSSION ITEMS:
A. A motion was made by Nelson, seconded by Hart, and carried by unanimous vote to upgrade the Student
Information System to the J1 system and use Deferral Option 1 timeline for the purchase of the upgrade.
B. A motion was made by Fewins, seconded by Elliott, and carried by unanimous vote to approve the quote
for property and liability insurance through KERMP for an annual premium of $288,193.92.
C. A motion was made by Fewins, seconded by Nelson, and carried by unanimous vote to approve the purchase of a new softball scoreboard from Varsity Scoreboard for $12,603.
D. A motion was made by Hart, seconded by Holt, and carried by unanimous vote to approve the annual service contract with Design Mechanical for $19,432.
E. A motion was made by Holt, seconded by Fewins, and carried by unanimous vote to approve the bid from Jarred, Gilmore & Phillips, CPA from Chanute for a total of $28,500 for the College and $8,700 for the Foundation.
F. A motion was made by Nelson, seconded by Elliott, and carried by unanimous vote to approve the 2023-24 meeting dates as presented.
G. A motion was made by Holt, seconded by Elliott, and carried by unanimous vote of 5-0 to approve the
KASB Worker’s Compensation Member Participation Premium Agreement for $41,910. Bartelsmeyer stepped out momentarily and was unavailable for vote.
H. A motion was made by Fewins, seconded by Holt, and carried by unanimous vote to approve the 2023-24 memberships and dues as shown. Julie Eichenberger will provide additional detail about what each item is for and if each membership is required in the future, as well as notify the Board if any of the memberships
from the list are not pursued this year.
I. A motion was made by Elliott, seconded by Holt, and carried by unanimous vote to approve a maximum limit of $20,000 for the purchase of a fleet vehicle with mileage of 60,000 or less.6

J. A motion was made by Fewins, seconded by Elliott, and carried by 5 – 1 vote to approve exceeding revenue
neutral rate if necessary for the 2023-24 budget. Holt voted in opposition.
K. A motion was made by Fewins, seconded by Holt, and carried by unanimous vote to approve the proposal submitted by Limelight for refreshing the main website for $74,950.
L. A motion was made by Elliott, seconded by Fewins, and carried by unanimous vote to approve the quote from CONVERGEONE for the purchase of additional and replacement battery modules for the data center for $14,312.50. Elliott’s motion was with the understanding that the possibility of a generator would be
investigated and pursued if it is a more cost-effective option.
M. A motion was made by Elliott, seconded by Holt, and carried by unanimous vote to approve the annual purchase of CAMP laptops from Lenovo Direct for $25,798.20.
N. A motion was made by Elliott, seconded by Nelson, and carried by unanimous vote to approve the tentative agreement with FSCAPE for 2023-24.
ITEMS FOR REVIEW: The board reviewed items of correspondence.
ADMINISTRATIVE UPDATES: The Board reviewed and heard updates from Student Services, Finance and Operations, IT, Maintenance, Miami County Campus, Athletics, and the President.
EXECUTIVE SESSION – A motion was made by Hart, seconded by Fewins, and carried by unanimous vote to
adjourn to executive session for twenty minutes beginning at 8:05 pm for the purpose of discussing non-elected
personnel as it relates to presidential candidates, with no action expected to follow. At 8:25 pm the Board extended
executive session by 10 minutes and asked Alysia Johnston and Juley McDaniel to join. At 8:35 pm, the Board
extended executive session by 10 minutes.
OPEN SESSION: At 8:46 pm a motion was made by Elliott, seconded by Fewins, and carried by unanimous vote
to return to open session.
ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business to come before the Trustees, a motion to adjourn was made at
8:47 pm by Elliott, seconded by Holt, and carried by unanimous vote.
Chairman Clerk7

Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, Health Care

CHC/SEK mammography screening event set for Aug. 2 

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Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas at Fort Scott, June 2023
FORT SCOTT — Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas is hosting a mammography screening event on Aug. 2 at its new clinic located 2322 S. Main St, Fort Scott.
For women aged 40 to 74 years of age, it is recommended to have a screening mammogram every one to two years. Stop by the clinic any time between 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. to get screened. No referral or order required. Most insurances are accepted, no one is denied care at CHC/SEK.
Government

Kansas Conservation Series: Swarm Technology in Kansas

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submitted.

Moundridge, KS – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. is continuing his conservation series highlighting Kansans’ voluntary efforts to take better care of the environment. Stories will be released throughout the 2023 Farm Bill legislative process.

“While we hold hearings for the 2023 Farm Bill, I want to highlight how hard Kansans work every day to protect our environment and conserve precious resources that our Ag economy needs to thrive. Kansas farmers, ranchers, growers, and producers are finding unique and practical ways to preserve our land and protect our water and air. Their efforts are worthy of everyone’s praise,” said Senator Marshall.

Both precision agriculture and access to rural broadband are pivotal to the future of farming. This week we’re highlighting MKC and GreenField Robotics, who use swarm technology to weed between rows of crops. The field and the rows will first be mapped using a drone flying over the field. The individual robots are then tasked with traversing between the rows cutting weeds. At this site, the robots were connected to Starlink to perform their duties. The future of this type of tech is unlimited. It could range from plant crops to providing crops with the individual input needs of the plant itself. Technology like this will be able to reduce the use of pesticides, fertilizers, and manpower needed to farm, thereby reducing costs for the farmer while feeding the world.

 

 

Fort Scott, Jobs, Schools

Connie Billionis Retires From U234

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Connie Billionis. Submitted photo.
Connie Billionis is retiring from USD 234 School District after 42 years.
USD 234 Board of Education Building, 424 S. Main
“I worked as a secretary at Fort Scott Middle School for 13 years,” Billionis said. “I then transferred to the USD 234 Board of Education (office) as Deputy Clerk and Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent for the remainder of my career for a total of 42 years.”
There have been many changes since she started over four decades ago.
“Changes in technology made a huge difference in how I performed my job,” she said.  “I started out typing student schedules on an electric typewriter. Attendance was recorded by collecting absentee slips every hour at the middle school and recording the information by marking boxes by hand in large leather books.  And now, everything is completed on laptops, using two or more screens.  All state reports, documents, board policy, board of education agendas, etc. are accomplished using the internet through multiple programs.”
The best aspect of her job has been co-workers, teachers, and students.
“I have made life-long friendships and memories with lots of laughter and a few tears along the way,” she said.  “I loved seeing students grow and change before they moved on to the high school. It was great when teachers would come into the office to share a student’s essay or a student’s success.  At the board office, I truly enjoyed keeping track of calendar events, preparing board agendas for monthly and special meetings, and assisting teachers with their professional learning opportunities.  It has been an honor to serve the students, faculty, and staff at USD 234.”
As with all of life, there have been challenges.
“One of the biggest challenges has been the changes with each administration,” Billionis said.  “I was fortunate to work with eight different superintendents, and each one made a change in the working environment.”
She does have plans for retirement.
“I’m looking forward to spending more time with my husband, Gary.  I love to be with my grandkids, and I have a great time outside in the garden,” she said.  “Just having an opportunity to relax and enjoy God’s beautiful world will be a blessing.  The hardest part of retirement will be missing the day-to-day interaction with my office friends.”
The retirement reception for Billionis is on Monday, July 17, at 4:30 p.m. at the Board of Education office.
Opinion

Business Casual by Patty LaRoche

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Patty LaRoche. 2023

Ages ago, before computers/Google, Dave and I were invited to a party, and “business casual” was the expected attire.  We disagreed on what that looked like.  Hubby leaned more toward the “casual” side.  You know, shorts suitable for a beach party and a tee-shirt with three dolphins in a mid-air leap on the front pocket.  I leaned toward the “business” side: an ankle-length skirt with a really cool jacket atop a lovely V-necked, linen shirt.  We looked like a blind date gone wrong.

“Dave, this isn’t a barbecue at someone’s pool.  We are going to a party in a hotel.”

“Well, Patty, the Marriott is not the Taj Mahal.  You look like you are heading to a wedding.  Or maybe a funeral.”

We both changed clothes.  This time, Dave apparently was going to a job interview for a Fortune 500 company. He could have doubled as a plastic groom on a wedding cake. He told me that I was confusing a rodeo with a classy affair.  (Hubby had no idea how chic cowgirl boots could be.)  Clearly, neither of us had any idea what “business casual” meant.

And neither did anyone at the party.  Men’s attire ranged from suits and ties to—you guessed it—a shirt with dolphins adorning the breast pocket, while women’s clothing ran the gamut from a glittered, semi-formal dress to short-shorts and a lacy tank top.  There were no two people on the same apparel page.

Blame the host and hostess for using words that remain undefined.       Or blame all of us guests for failing to ask what, exactly, “business casual” meant.  But that’s human nature, isn’t it?  We don’t want to appear ignorant, so we fail to ask…which, of course, magnifies our ignorance.

How many times have I done that?  Too many to count.  Especially when it comes to asking God for advice.  After all, I can do it myself…figure it out…solve the problem.  Why bother Him with my piddly little issues?  Why?  Because He tells me to. In the New Testament, we read that Paul spent the years after his conversion to Christianity, relying on God for help.

We are to continually pray in all kinds of situations (Eph 6:18).  From healing our diseases to being given opportunities to disciple someone, to finding a parking spot, to having the willpower to say no to that chocolate-glazed donut, God wants us to bring our needs and desires to Him.  All of them.

Recently, I read about a little girl named Riley whose dad worked for the Christian organization Focus.  Sometimes he would share his youngster’s creative prayers…like this one: “Dear God.  I am amazed at something.  You are truly God.  Heaven is so big, which means it must be heavy—and yet it can hang so high up in the sky above the clouds.  How do you do that?  OK.  I was just wondering.  Amen.”

I have to think that God loved such a heart-felt prayer and the young girl’s desire to take all of her questions to Him. In Luke 18:17, we read that Jesus wants us to learn from children like Riley: Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.                                                                                                                                                     

Our problem isn’t that we can’t get an answer; our problem is that we don’t ask.

Bourbon County, Fort Scott, History

OFGS BROWN BAG TECH TALK

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MARSHA’S DELI SANDWICHES AND COLD DRINKS PROVIDED, OR BRING YOUR OWN!

Everyone is invited to the Old Fort Genealogy Society office to discuss recent upgrades to our computers and learn about volunteer tech support now available for our researchers, visitors and volunteers.

DATE: [Thursday, July 27th, 2023] TIME: [12:00 PM-12:30 PM]

LOCATION: Old Fort Genealogical Society Office, 221 S. National Avenue, Fort Scott, KS.  In the basement of Memorial Hall.

[WEST ENTRANCE OF MEMORIAL HALL, LOOK FOR BLACK AND WHITE SIGN ON DOOR FACING NATIONAL AVENUE]

[PLEASE NOTE: WEST ENTRANCE IS NOT HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBLE]

Questions, concerns? E-mail Sarah Klassen, OFGS Tech Admin, at [email protected]

Bourbon County, Entertainment, Fort Scott, Fort Scott Community College

Tickets Still Available for the Fort Scott Performances of Wahzhazhe

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Fort Scott, KS — Time is running out to get your tickets for Wahzhazhe: An Osage Ballet being held at the Ellis Family Fine Arts Center on the campus of Fort Scott Community College. This memorable stage performance is being offered at 7:30 pm on Friday, July 21 and Saturday, July 22 with a matinee performance at 3:00 pm on Saturday.

The Friends of Fort Scott National Historic Site in partnership with the National Park Service is bringing Wahzhazhe to Fort Scott. “This is the story of the Osage people, told by the Osage Nation. It is our responsibility to provide a platform for these stories to be told.”  stated park Program Manager, Carl Brenner.  Ballet Director and Osage tribal member, Randy Tinker Smith developed the performance with the help of tribal elders and a primarily Indigenous team of professionals. Wahzhazhe has been performed at the Smithsonian’s Museum of the American Indian and for the Pope in Philadelphia, PA among other places throughout the region.

“This riveting stage performance has something for everyone. If you enjoy history, this is for you, if you are curious about Native American culture, this is for you, if you love the arts and dance, this is for you.”  stated Kelley Collins, a member of the Friends ballet committee. “This is an especially effective way to introduce children to the arts and history. In additional to 12 professional dancers, there are dozens of children participating in the show.  Questions and answers will be fielded by the dancers following each performance making this an tremendous educational opportunity for young and old alike.”

Tickets are $35 for adults and $15 for children (age 15 and below). They can be purchased online from the Friends of Fort Scott National Historic Site’s Facebook page or at www.osageballet.com/events.  Any remaining tickets will be sold in person starting an hour before the performance. Cash purchases at the door are available.  Seating will begin one half hour before the show. For additional information e-mail [email protected].

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Fort Scott, Jobs, Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes

LMC Launches Professional Development Program

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The Lowell Milken Center is located at the corner of First and Wall Streets.

The Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes is excited to announce the launch of a professional development program for educators working directly with K-12 students to foster the visual arts.
As a member of the LMC community, you may have heard some of the inspiring stories of the Unsung Heroes—diverse individuals from history and across varied disciplines who are largely unrecognized for their extraordinary contributions to society. The new ARTEFFECT Ambassadors program provides a framework for educators to learn from and alongside other high-level practitioners and be inspired and inspire others specifically through art-focused, project-based learning about the LMC Unsung Heroes.

We invite you to review the program offerings and apply if this opportunity seems right for you. The program runs online from October 18, 2023 to June 3, 2024. Ambassadors commit to participating in a series of online modules and completing a capstone project to make an impact on their schools and communities.

  What are the benefits of being an ARTEFFECT Ambassador? 

  • Participation in live online modules taught by seasoned art educators.
  • Strategies to develop instructional practice and learner-centered curriculum.
  • Peer-to-peer learning and meaningful dialogue on diverse issues in the field.
  • Advocate for art education and inspire leadership in the classroom and community.
  • Recognition in an official press release.
  • An unrestricted stipend of $1,250 and a Certificate of Participation.

  Interested in learning more? 

  1. Review the ARTEFFECT Ambassadors Info Sheet for all the details.
  2. Register to join the Open House webinar on Wed., August 16 @ 4:00-5:00 PM (PT) for a program overview and to ask any questions.
  3. Submit your online application by Mon., September 18, 2023.

On behalf of the entire ARTEFFECT team, thank you for all the work you do as an educator! Feel free to email Toni Guglielmo, Director, ARTEFFECT, with any thoughts or questions at [email protected]. You are welcome to forward this email to a colleague who may be interested.
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Copyright © 2023 Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you either subscribed on our website or expressed interest in receiving updates while visiting us.

Our mailing address is:

Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes

1 South Main St

Fort Scott, KS 66701

Business, Fort Scott, Schools

Donation to U234 of Science Cabinets from Robert and Kim Coon

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Robert and Kim Coon own A1 Towing. Submitted photo.
Robert and Kim Coon are the owners of A1 Towing Service and often that business leads to buying salvage lots and liquidations.
“Any time there is a semi (tractor/trailer) accident that one of our three locations work, we will bid on the cargo,” Coon said. “Often the cargo is undamaged and we can sell the items at a discount price in our community.”
He gave an example.
“In 2022 we sold 25 new  residential heat and air-conditioning  systems and insulation for a 30% of the value, to locals,” Coon said.
At the beginning of this year, Coon, worked a wreck that had some science lab cabinets that were unharmed.

“Opportunity came for us to acquire these bio cabinets, Kimberly (his wife) called and spoke with Gina Shelton (USD234 Board Clerk and Finance Director) about donating them if the school district could use them. Gina was instrumental in the process. I believe they are going to be used in two different science classes.”

“These bio cabinets couldn’t have a better home than USD 234 science labs,” Coon said. “Kim and I have six proud  Fort Scott Tigers.”

Coon initially contacted the school district at the end of January, Destry Brown, USD 234 Superintendent said.
Destry Brown. Submitted photo.
“We then polled both principals and they felt they could use the cabinets in classrooms,” Brown said. ” In March, connections were made between Mr. Coon and the district to coordinate delivery.  The cabinets were delivered on April 6, but the spaces they are to go in are either under construction with the heating, ventilation , air-conditioning energy projects, being used for summer programming, or being deep cleaned as we do in the summer months.”
Photo of the science cabinet. Submitted photo.
They intend to place them in the appropriate classrooms as soon as those spaces are ready, Brown said.
“We did not want to unpackage them before moving them to avoid damage,” Brown said. “Right now they are being stored at the district offices to protect them.”
The estimated value of the two science lab cabinets is $34,280 ($17,140 each) based upon estimates of comparable property, Brown said.
Usage will be to secure storage materials in classrooms.
“The middle school is adding programming related to a paint booth and this would allow for secured storage of that,” Brown said.

“They will be placed at the middle school and/or high school,” Brown said.  “This will be determined after the principals return to contract for the 2023-24 school year.”

Bourbon County, Church news, Fort Scott

A Local Church’s Mission Continues Years After Closing

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First Christian Church, 102 Judson. Taken from Google.

The First Christian Church of Fort Scott closed its doors in January 2016 after 145 years of supporting and ministering to families in the Bourbon County area.  The church was located most of those years at the corner of 1st and Judson.

Founded in 1871 and once one of the largest congregations in the area, First Christian Church faced an aging, declining membership with waning attendance and finally the retirement of the minister.

The Board of Trustees decided the best action would be to preserve the resources that remained and discontinue worship services.  The group recognized the money was provided from Bourbon County citizens and should remain in Bourbon County to provide good works for its citizens.

After selling the church building as well as the parsonage and liquidating assets, the Board of Trustees was determined to locate the best use of their church’s remaining $250,000.

Following serious investigation and much discussion, the Trustees voted to establish an endowed fund with the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation (FSACF).

The earnings of this fund, managed by FSACF, are used annually through grants for worthy projects and efforts to organizations in the Bourbon County area.  The principal amount of approximately $250,000 is left untouched and will continue to generate financial grants into perpetuity.

In 2022, grants through this Endowed Fund were made to a Riverfront Authority Labyrinth in honor of Allen Warren; Methodist Church Feeding Families Program; Fort Scott Compassionate Ministries; USD 234 Preschool Center Community Involvement; USD 234 Healthy Snacks Program and (along with other area Churches) the purchase of a used vehicle to support Afghan families who had moved to our community.

This First Christian Church Endowed Fund should generate $12,000 to $20,000 each year to be used to support worthwhile endeavors in Fort Scott and Bourbon County for many, many years to come.

If you would like to contribute to the First Christian Church of Fort Scott Charitable Endowment Fund or would like information about how an organization, individuals or families can establish their own endowed fund through the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation, go to www.fsacf.com for more information.