Monthly Archives: November 2023

Fort Scott, Government

FS City Commission Agenda for November 7

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NOTICE OF AND AGENDA FOR REGULAR        

MEETING OF FORT SCOTT CITY COMMISSION

CITY HALL COMMISSION ROOM – 123 SOUTH MAIN ST.

November 7, 2023 – 6:00 P.M.

 

 

  1.   Roll Call:
  2.     VanHoecke       K. Harrington      E. Woellhof        M. Guns         M. Wells

 

  1.   Pledge of Allegiance & Invocation:  M. Wells

 

III.    Approval of Agenda:

 

  1. Consent Agenda:
  2. Approval of Minutes of the Regular Meeting of October 17, 2023
  3. Approval of Appropriation Ordinance 1347-A – $736,392.66
  4. Request to Pay – Sprouls Construction – 22-031B – Fort Scott Pavilion Project – Change Order No. 1 – Increased cost of foundation piers – $16,600.00
  5. Request to Pay – Sprouls Construction, Inc. – 22-031B – Fort Scott Pavilion        Project – Payment Application No. 2 – $48,978.00
  6. Request to Pay – Bennet, Inc. – 23-005B – Infantry Substation Sanitary Sewer Relation Project – Change Order No. 1 – Soil management support from PPB Enviro-Solutions ($22,000.00) and additional requested work for Splash         Pad future restroom infrastructure ($40,000.00) – $62,000.00
  7. Request to Pay – Bennett, Inc. – 22-306 – CDBG Sanitary Sewer Project – Pay Application No. 5 – $105,259.50

 

  1. Public Comment:   Sign up required.  Comments on any topic not on agenda

and limited to five (5) minutes per person, at the Commission’s discretion.

 

 

  1. Old Business:

 

  1. Consideration of Demolition Bids (Bid No. 2-2023) – 4 S. National and 10 S. National – J. Dickman

 

  1. Consideration of Housing Development – Patrick Wood

 

VII.    Appearances:

  1. Kylie Paulsen and Lindsey McNeil – LHEAT – Homeless Presentation

 

  1. Rachel French and Bailey Lyons – McDonald Hall (10 and 12 S. Main – The Kitchen Collective and Collaborative

 

  1. Splash Pad Committee – Restroom Project

 

  1. Kendall Schoenrock – Certificate of Appropriateness – DCF building plans – to come if recommended by DRB on 11/6/2023

 

  1. Rachel French and Bailey Lyons – Certificate of Appropriateness – 6 S. Main and 8 S. Main storefronts – to come if recommended by DRB on 11/6/2023

 

VIII.   Public Hearing:  None

 

  1.  New Business: 
  2. Consideration of Interview Room recording system and case management software – J. Pickert – $11,467.00

 

  1. Consideration of reappointment of Frank Halsey to Parks Advisory Board – recommended by Park Advisory Board – B. Matkin

 

  1. Consideration of Gunn Park shower house contract with Hofer & Hofer – Recommended by Parks Advisory Board

 

  1. Consideration of Lake Fort Scott Boat Ramp bids – B. Matkin
  2. Consideration of City Employee Holiday Bonus – B. Matkin
  3. Consideration of 2024 City Holiday Schedule – B. Matkin
  4. Consideration of Reinvestment Housing Incentive District (RHID) proposal      with Gilmore & Bell – M. Wells
  5. Consideration of South Industrial Park Waterline Inspection Proposal – Earles Engineering – $76,383.00 – J. Dickman
  6. Consideration to accept resignation of Brad Matkin, City Manager
  7. Tourism Rubric – B. Matkin

 

 

 

  1. Reports and Comments:

 

  1. City Manager Comments:
  2. Engineering Comments:
  3. Commissioners Comments:
  4. VanHoecke –
  5. Harrington –
  6. Woellhof –
  7. Guns –
  8. Wells –

 

 

  1. City Attorney Comments:

 

  1.  Executive Session:

 

XII.     Adjournment:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next regular meeting scheduled:  Tuesday, November 21, 2023, at 6:00PM

History, Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes, Youth

Award-Winning Teacher and Students Visit the Lowell Milken Center

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Paige Franzen, Kadence Huck, and Callahan Levi, winners of the $2,500 First Prize in the Lowell Milken Center’s 2023 International Discovery Award competition, will be guests at the LMC on Thursday, November 2nd.

These 11th-grade students from Nashua-Plainfield High School in Nashua, Iowa, along with their award-winning social studies teacher, Suzy Turner, a 2022 LMC Fellow, are in Fort Scott to collaborate with the LMC staff on the production of a new exhibit panel for the Center’s Hall of Heroes.

The new exhibit will feature Unsung Hero Christine Grant, the subject of the students’ award-winning project. Their documentary, Why Not Us? Dr. Christine Grant’s Pursuit of Gender Equality, shares the story of Dr. Grant’s significant contributions to furthering gender equality in collegiate sports. As the decades-long athletic director at the University of Iowa, Grant embraced the historic passing of Title IX, building a highly recognized and unprecedented women’s athletic program.

Through their interviews with Grant’s previous students, mentees, and colleagues, the Nashua students were able to provide firsthand insight into the legacy she left behind. This information will be a valuable resource as the Lowell Milken Center staff works with Suzy Turner and her students to create a powerful new exhibit.

About the Lowell Milken Center: The Lowell Milken Center is a non-profit 501 © (3) that works with students and educators within diverse academic disciplines to develop projects focused on unsung heroes. Once their projects are finished, we advocate for the student’s unsung heroes by sharing them in our Hall of Unsung Heroes or our website so people all over the world discover their individual influence and obligation to take actions that improve the lives of others. The Hall of Unsung Heroes is proudly located in Southeast Kansas and showcases some of the top projects developed in collaboration with the Center.

 

 

 

 

Ascension Via Christi, Bourbon County, Fort Scott, Health Care

Behind the Scenes Work Is Happening to Bring Health Care to Bourbon County: More Is Needed

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Ascension Via Christi currently operates the emergency department at the former Mercy Hospital building in Fort Scott but is closing operations on Dec. 20.
Ascension Via Christi of Pittsburg has been providing emergency services in Fort Scott since February 2019, following the closure of Mercy Hospital in 2018.

Yesterday it was announced they will be closing operations at the site, 401 Woodland Hills Blvd., Fort Scott, on Dec. 20.

“This department has seen a steady decline in visits and its overall average daily census,” according to the AVC press release: Ascension Via Christi to close Emergency Department in Fort Scott on Dec. 20. “These factors, coupled with other economic challenges, have limited the emergency department’s ability to continue operations.”

Drew Talbott. Submitted photo.

“There are other providers in the region positioned to serve the residents of Fort Scott and neighboring communities,” Drew Talbot, president of Ascension Via Christi, Pittsburg, said in the press release. “These providers will help us ensure continuity of care for our patients as we approach closure.”

Fort Scott Mayor Matthew Wells is thankful to Ascension Via Christi (AVC) for providing an emergency department in Bourbon County, he said.

Matthew Wells. Submitted photo.
“It is very unfortunate that Ascension is departing Fort Scott, and even more so that an emergency room operator loses over $1.5M annually to remain in a rural community,” Wells said.
“While it might seem that all hope is lost…the City (0f Fort Scott) and (the Bourbon) County (Commission) have identified a capable operator and have also agreed to provide financial support to ensure the delivery of quality healthcare in Fort Scott,” Wells said.
“The parties involved have been working tirelessly to affect a smooth transition to the new operations,” Wells said. “However, there are some regulatory challenges at the state and federal level which we are actively working to navigate. These regulations have made it exceedingly difficult for rural communities to access quality healthcare, and this is a problem that extends beyond just Fort Scott.”
Amberwell Health is ready to begin providing an emergency department in Bourbon County, once the regulatory hurdles are accomplished, Wells said.
“It is a national issue that requires urgent attention and immediate action from our legislators,” Wells said.  “Over 13 million children under 18 reside in rural areas throughout the United States, and they, along with our seniors and all members of society, require access to emergency services. We need the legislatures to do what is necessary to change these regulations, this issue is a matter of life and death to my community.”
“With the cooperation of all parties, there is a clear path to not only maintaining an emergency room in Fort Scott but also expanding primary care services to benefit this growing community and its future aspirations, with not only an ER but a Rural Emergency Hospital,” Wells said.
For more info on Rural Emergency Hospitals:
Wells encourages the community to take an active role in supporting the endeavor.
“I encourage the community to take an active role by contacting their local government officials for support,” Wells said. “There are those who are actively moving this forward, but we can help push the state and federal legislature to make this happen faster.”
Your Elected Representatives
Following is a list of the elected representatives for Bourbon County at both the state and federal levels, according to the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce website:
Matthew Wells can be reached at [email protected]
Governor Kelly Comments
In a press release yesterday, Kansas Governor Kelly stated:

“I am incredibly saddened by the news that Ascension Via Christi’s Emergency Department in Fort Scott is closing. Bourbon County residents have already had to drive 30 miles to Pittsburg – or, in some cases, 90 miles to Kansas City – for most care since Mercy Hospital closed five years ago. Now, even in emergencies, they’ll have one less place to turn, threatening their health and safety.

“I’ve been touring the state rallying for Medicaid Expansion for six weeks, and in that time, we’ve seen a rural hospital and now an emergency room close. How much more evidence do we need that rural communities need our support to keep health care affordable and accessible? Enough is enough. It’s time to act.”

The Kansas Department of Commerce Rapid Response Team is reaching out to Ascension Via Christi leadership and will be sharing resources with employees who are now looking for work, according to the press release.

According to the Governor’s press release:

  • Rural hospitals in states that have not adopted Medicaid expansion are six times more likely to close than rural hospitals in states with expansion.
  • Researchers have found that hospitals in expansion states, particularly those in rural areas, are better off financially and are less likely to close.
  • 58% of rural Kansas hospitals are at risk of closing, and 28% are at immediate risk of closing.
Art, Entertainment, Fort Scott, Schools, Youth

Fort Scott High School Performs Guys and Dolls on Nov. 7,9, 11

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The Fort Scott High School Performing Arts Department presents the musical Guys and Dolls at 7 p.m. on Nov. 7 and 9 and at 2 and 7 p.m. on Nov. 11 at the FSHS Auditorium.

 

Guys and Dolls is a musical fable of Broadway based on a story and characters of Damon Runyon with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows. It is considered by many to be the perfect musical comedy.

 

The musical follows the tale of gambler Nathan Detroit as he attempts to find a spot for his underground craps game and his girlfriend Adelaide as she laments about their very long engagement. We also watch as the smooth high roller Sky Masterson courts Missionary Sarah Brown as the result of a bet. According to Music Theatre International, “Guys and Dolls takes us from the heart of Times Square to the cafes of Havana, Cuba, and even into the sewers of New York City, but eventually everyone ends up right where they belong.”

 

Detroit is played by senior Jericho Jones, Adelaide is portrayed by junior Emma Guns, sophomore Levi Fairchild plays Masterson, and sophomore Junie Fisher stars as Brown. Over twenty other FSHS students serve as craps shooters, Hot Box dancers, and missionaries.

 

Audiences will also enjoy a live orchestra made up of 16 professional musicians from the surrounding communities for this year’s show.

 

The musical is led by Theatre Director Angie Bin, Music Director Whitley Chesney, Technical Director Christina King, and Choreographer Mesa Jones.

 

Tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for students and children. All tickets are reserved seating at fortscotthighschool.ludus.com or at the door. Advance purchase is encouraged as seating is limited. Doors open 30 minutes prior to showtime.

 

Guys and Dolls is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI, www.mtishows.com.

 

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Ascension Via Christi, Health Care

Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg adds urologist

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Mark Frogge. Submitted photo.

 

Urologist Mark Frogge, MD, FACS, has joined Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg.

Dr. Frogge will see patients at Ascension Via Christi’s new Urology Clinic in Pittsburg, located at 2701 S. Rouse St., starting Nov. 1.

As an Oklahoma City native, Dr. Frogge knows the importance of close-to-home, community-based care and is excited to care for the Pittsburg community.

Dr. Frogge earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Kansas and then did his residency through the Naval Medical Center in San Diego, CA. In addition to being a urologist, he is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons.

Prior to joining Ascension Via Christi Hospital, Dr. Frogge spent over two decades caring for patients in California to Missouri and Kansas. He has been board-certified since 2000.

“We are excited to have Dr. Frogge at our new Urology Clinic to further improve access to care for our community,” says Drew Talbott, hospital president. “Dr. Frogge’s values, passion and patient-first mindset will make him a great fit for our Ascension Via Christi team.”

Patients can schedule an appointment with Dr. Frogge by calling 620-235-7529. For more information, visit ascension.org/pittsburgKS.

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About Ascension Via Christi

 

In Kansas, Ascension Via Christi operates seven hospitals and nearly 80 other sites of care and employs approximately 6,200 associates. In FY2023, Ascension Via Christi provided more than $65 million in community benefit programs. Serving Kansas for more than 135 years, Ascension is a faith-based healthcare organization committed to delivering compassionate, personalized care to all, with special attention to persons living in poverty and those most vulnerable. Ascension is the leading non-profit and Catholic health system in the U.S., operating more than 2,600 sites of care – including 145 hospitals and more than 40 senior living facilities – in 19 states and the District of Columbia. Visit www.ascension.org.

Government, Kansas

KDOT Staffing Shortages Could Impact Highway Snow and Ice Removal

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KDOT continues to contend with staffing shortages;

highway snow, ice removal could be impacted

The Kansas Department of Transportation is committed to keeping the highways clear whenever inclement weather impacts the state.

However, KDOT staffing shortages create the potential for highways to not be cleared of snow and ice in a timely manner. The agency is in need of equipment operators – the agency’s primary snowplow operators.

The agency has dealt with reduced staffing in the past, but the shortages have been greater in recent years. Across the state, KDOT is about 25% short of its preferred number of snowplow operators needed to be fully staffed.

“KDOT field crews always do their best, but with less staff, it could cause delays to clear snow and ice from the highways,” said KDOT Director of Field Operations Clay Adams. “We are able to pull in crews from across the state to affected areas, but that’s not always possible depending on the scope and severity of winter storms.”

KDOT snowplow operators work 12-hour shifts. Highways and bridges will be pretreated in advance of approaching storms when possible.

The agency also will deploy employees – including supervisors and managers – with a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) to plow snow and will hire seasonal employees. KDOT assists selected applicants in obtaining a CDL, including providing training. Persons interested in working at KDOT can apply at https://kdotapp.ksdot.gov/KDOTJobs/Default.

KDOT field offices made preparations in September and October to be ready for snow and ice season, or SNICE. Salt, sand and other materials are fully stocked and pre-maintenance work on snowplows and other equipment is complete.

“Motorists can do their part to be prepared by checking on road conditions and weather forecasts before heading out and possibly altering or delaying travel plans,” said Secretary Calvin Reed. “Plan ahead and stay informed – these are key to helping you stay safe.”

Check the www.KanDrive.gov website or use the KanDrive App before traveling. KanDrive provides KDOT’s road condition information. KanDrive is updated 24/7 for highway conditions, short-term closures and general traffic alerts, and provides camera views of current road conditions in that area. The Kansas 511 phone system gives reports on a specific route, in a city or between two cities.