Monthly Archives: March 2024
Bourbon County Commission Minutes of March 4
March 4, 2024 Monday, 5:30 p.m.
The Bourbon County Commission met in open session with all three Commissioners and the County Clerk present.
Bonnie Smith, Steve Fortenberry, Michael Hoyt, Patty Ropp. Clint Walker, Rachel Walker Jason Silvers, Debra Martin, and Brent M. Smith were present for some or all of the meeting.
Jim opened the meeting with the flag salute.
Chairman Harris read a statement outlining protocols of meetings going forward. Jim stated they want audience participation; however it needs to be polite and professional and the interruptions must be stopped. Jim said if an individual is interrupting, they will receive one warning then a motion will be made to ask the individual to leave.
Nelson made a motion to approve the consent agenda which includes approval of minutes from 2-26-24. Clifton seconded the motion and all approved.
Clint Walker said he read an article about the Pittsburg State University skills program who did tuck pointing and masonry work on shelter houses and suggested someone contact them to see if they would be interested in having their students work on the shelters at Elm Creek. Clint also said the road and bridge crews have been hauling gravel and doing a good job.
Thomas Russell stated he is here representing the Bourbon County Republican party and said they looked over resolution 04-24 that was presented by Nelson last month and they agreed to take the phrases “churches and religious organizations” out of the resolution. Thomas presented a revised copy of resolution 04-24 for the Commissioners to review. Jim stated that what he asked Trevor Jacobs to remove has been removed. Jim made a motion to approve resolution 04-24 a declaratory resolution opposing the entry, transportation, employment, and settlement of illegal immigrants in Bourbon County, Kansas. Nelson seconded the motion and Clifton opposed. The motion passed 2-1.
Nelson made a motion to remove healthcare sales tax ballot language from the agenda. Jim seconded the motion and all approved.
While waiting on the 6:00 conference call discussion was held with the audience with Thomas Russell commenting that he recently traveled and saw an 8-bed hospital and emergency room and suggested the Commissioners check into something like that. Jim stated that we are working on the healthcare situation and Justin and Clifton are working 24/7.
Jim said he had a friend question the duties of the Chairman, so Jim clarified that he is to conduct the meeting in an orderly manner and does not have any authority over Clifton or Nelson.
Brent Smith spoke about the new facilities being constructed for Saint Martin’s Academy near 120th Street and Hackberry Road and asked if there was something that could be done about the road when the project is complete. Mr. Smith stated the additions of a church, housing, and multiple buildings will cause a lot of traffic on that road.
Jennifer Hawkins, County Clerk, spoke about a few topics while waiting on the conference call. Jennifer stated the Clerk’s office is filing homestead claims for residents until April 15.
The Clerk’s office is still working on trying to connect Bourbon County residents with unclaimed property they have sitting at the State Treasurer’s office. Jennifer stated that they have been able to help residents claim over $100,000 of unclaimed property so far.
Early voting for the Presidential Preference Primary election will begin on March 11th and run Monday through Friday from 8:30 am -4:30 pm. Early voting will also be available on Saturday, March 16th from 8:00 am -12:00 pm and on Monday, March 18th from 8:30 am-12:00 pm. Residents will be able to vote on Tuesday, March 19th from 7:00 am-7:00 pm at their normal polling place.
Matt Quick, County Appraiser, reminded individuals that they have 30 days to dispute their valuation notices that were sent out. Matt stated that it is a simple process and to contact their office and a time will be scheduled to meet and discuss the property.
Mike Dallman, Property Valuation Division Field Staff Supervisor, called in to review the 2023 Substantial Compliance Report with the Commissioners and Matt Quick. Mike stated the reason for conducting a conference call is it is mandated now per KSA 79-1404(b). Mr. Dallman went over the report outlining each section and explained the weighing process the use for the classifications of residential and commercial properties. Mike stated that the commercial properties are in compliance and the residential properties are only out of compliance by 0.07 of a point. Mike went over the process of sales validations and stated the Property Valuation Division has their own department who performs the validations and the county performs their own sales validations.
Jim and Clifton did not have any comments this evening. Nelson stated he did not understand most of what was discussed during the conference call and stated he doesn’t think most people do.
Nelson questioned what portion of taxes go towards welfare and stated that program is very abused. Nelson said he wants to work to change the situation and not just complain about it and that you have to dig in your heels and figure out a way to change. Nelson also said a prayer during his Commission comment time.
Clifton made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 6:39. Nelson seconded the motion and all approved.
THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
OF BOURBON COUNTY, KANSAS
___________________, Chairman
___________________, Commissioner
ATTEST: ___________________, Commissioner
Jennifer Hawkins, Bourbon County Clerk
3-11-2024 Approved Date
Legislative Update by KS Senator Caryn Tyson
Election Integrity “The issue today is the same as it has been throughout all history, whether man shall be allowed to govern himself or be ruled by a small elite.” Thomas Jefferson
I think that Thomas Jefferson would agree that for us to govern ourselves we must have election integrity. Senate Bill (SB) 365 was debated on the Senate floor. The bill would have required all ballots to be submitted by 7 pm on election day. Not all counties treat ballots the same if the address on the ID doesn’t match a voter’s address. I carried an amendment that would have treated these ballots the same, provisional ballots across the state. Another amendment would have codified in statute removing duplicate registrations. A super majority of Senators agreed this should be law. I also carried an amendment to remove remote ballot drop boxes. It also passed. There were several amendments that went on the bill that would have increased security and accuracy of our elections. However, an amendment that passed raised some concern with a few Senators on federal compliance with Help America Vote Act (HAVA), which requires at least one electronic voting machine at each polling place, so the bill failed to get the constitutional majority of 21 to pass.
There are efforts to bring this legislation that had majority support to the Senate floor again.
It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your 12th District State Senator.
Caryn
…
Bourbon County Arts Council 2024 Fine Arts Exhibit Awards Announced
The Bourbon County Arts Council congratulates the winners of its 32nd Annual Fine Arts Exhibit, held at the Danny and Willa Ellis Family Fine Arts Center.
Local corporate sponsors contribute award monies for the First-Place prize winners in each category. The Arts Council provides prizes for the Second-Place awards, the Peoples’ Choice award, and also Best in Show, in 2-D and 3-D categories, in memory of E.C. Gordon, who provided an Endowment to the organization in 2011.
Award winners for each category, and its sponsor, are as follows:
CERAMICS
1st (Ward Kraft) – Al Letner – “Lidded Jar”
2nd – Daria Claiborne – “Metamorphosis”
DRAWING AND GRAPHIC
1st (Landmark Bank) – Whitney Powell – “Dirty Nails & Fairy Tales”
2nd – Ripp Harrison – “Winter Bug”
FIBER ART/TEXTILE
1ST (State Farm Insurance) – Nancy Kreibach – “Let Your Light Shine”
2nd – Millie Karleskint – “Shabby Chic”
GLASS
1st (Edward Jones/ Armstrong) – Carleen Shatto – “Thin Vessels”
2nd – Cynthia Allen – “Tribute”
JEWELRY
1st (Citizens Bank) – Nicole Meyer Foresman – “Organic Brooch & Stand”
2nd – None
MIXED MEDIA
1st (Lyons Realty) – Eric Doucette – “Grasshopper”
2nd – Anita Wilson – “On Fire”
PAINTING
1st (Union State Bank) – Henry Kreibach – “Gold Rush”
2nd – Tom Altenburg – “Barnyard Royalty”
PASTEL
1st (Mid-Continental Restoration) – Rick Bushnell – “Autumn Statis”
2nd – Emerson Grisier – “An Autumn Drive”
PHOTOGRAPHY
1st (The Artificers) – Linda Teeter – “Reflections – Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow”
2nd – Maggie Brenner – “Building Blocks”
PRINTMAKING
1st (Osage Timber) – Rick Bushnell – “Cottonwood Autumn”
2nd – Rylee Coulter – “Eyeball Kid”
SCULPTURE
1st (H & H Realty) – Mayumi M Kiefer – “Shoulder to Shoulder”
2nd – Mark Denton – “Anagama Hare”
THEME
1st (City State Bank) – Tom Altenburg – “Traveling a Dusty Road”
2nd – Eric Doucette – “A Day at the Office”
WATERCOLOR
1st (Buerge Studio) – Henry Kreibach – “Flower Tower”
2nd – Kaitlynn Sampson – “Peaceful View”
BEST OF SHOW 2D – Henry Kreibach – “Gold Rush”
BEST OF SHOW 3D – Al Letner – “Lidded Jar”
PEOPLES’S CHOICE – Addison Smith – “Orchid
Bourbon County Commission Amended Agenda for This Evening
Bourbon County Courthouse
210 S. National Ave Fort Scott, KS 66701 Phone: 620-223-3800
Fax: 620-223-5832
Bourbon County, Kansas
Nelson Blythe
1st District Commissioner
Jim Harris, Chairman
2nd District Commissioner
Clifton Beth
3rd District Commissioner
Bourbon County Commission Agenda 210 S. National Ave.
Fort Scott, KS 66701
March 11, 2024 5:30 p.m.
- Call Meeting to Order
- Flag Salute
- Approval of Consent Agenda
- Approval of Minutes 3/4/2024
- Approval of Payroll Totaling $307,076.65
- Approval of Accounts Payable Totaling $406,928.16
- Public Comments
- Don George-Elm Creek Dam Grant Status Report
- Jennifer Hawkins, County Clerk
- BlueMark Energy Agreement
- Cintas Rental Service Agreement
- KCCA Conference
- Real Property Relief Applications
- Healthcare Sales Tax Ballot Language
- Clifton Beth-Public Safety
- Commission Comments
- Adjourn Meeting
Executive Session Justifications:
KSA 75-4319 (b)(1) to discuss personnel matters of individual nonelected personnel to protect their privacy.
KSA 75-4319 (b)(2) for consultation with an attorney for the public body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the
attorney-client relationship.
KSA 75-4319 (b)(3) to discuss matters relating to employer/employee negotiations whether or not in consultation with the
representative(s) of the body or agency.
KSA 75-4319 (b)(4) to discuss data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations, partnerships, trust and individual proprietorships
KSA 75-4319 (b)(6) for the preliminary discussion of the acquisition of real property.
KSA 75-4319 (b)(12) to discuss matters relating to the security measures, if the discussion of such matters at an open meeting
would jeopardize such security measures.
Par Tee Girls Start Their Third Golf Season
The Par Tee Girls Golf League is a group of women who look forward to getting together regularly, enjoying companionship, and playing a little golf while they are at it, said organizer Diane Striler.
“This will be the third year for the Par Tee Girl league at Woodland Hills,” Striler said. “Last year we had roughly 55 women sign up for the league from Fort Scott, Nevada, and the Mound City area.”
“We are a very casual league encompassing women of all skill levels,” she said. “I encourage women to come out and play, even if they have never played before. A lot of our members are beginners. I always tell women if they want to learn to play, this is a great way to start. If you don’t set the time aside to play regularly, it’s hard to improve.”
Striler has golf lessons scheduled for April, before the league starting.
“So women can get a little more comfortable before hitting the course,” she said. “The lessons are only $20 each and are perfect for beginners and a great refresher for avid players.”
Their season goes from May 1 to July 31.
“Each week we have a different game that we participate in, whether it’s for the longest drive, straightest drive or longest putt, etc. Women can keep track of their scores if they want, but that is not required. I ask members to keep track of their putts though.”
“At the end of the night, we tally our putts and pay ten cents for each,” she said. “The winner of the game that night receives half of the putt money, and I save the rest for our banquet tournament on July 31.”
On July 31 there is a four-person best ball scramble.
“Afterward, we have a catered dinner and give out prizes for the top three teams, for games on each hole and we each receive a league gift.”
“This year our league will also host three different dates when a restaurant or food truck will serve dinner at Woodland Hills,” she said. “Along with our league, the community will be invited to join us at the course for a night of good company, food, and some music.”
The dates scheduled are: May 8th – Brickstreet BBQ, June 5th – Taco Azul, and July 10th- Aunt Toadies.
Striler will post more information as the dates get closer.
Obituary of Donald Russell
Donald “Don” Russell, 74, went to be with his heavenly father on March 8, 2024, after a long fight with kidney and heart disease.
He was born in Kansas City, KS on November 18, 1949, to James L. Russell and Ruth E. Selbe. He was accompanied in birth that day by his twin sister, Maurita “Rita” Garnette Russell (West). Don and Rita were eventually a part of a family that included 12 boys and 2 girls.
While the family moved a number of times, a good part of Don’s formative years were spent in or near Fulton, Kansas. Don’s father, James Lowell Russell passed away on November 29, 1964, at the age of 51.
He married Linda Sue Parrent in Shawnee, Kansas on March 27, 1971, at the home of Linda’s parents. Don had one daughter Jamie Payton, and three sons, Casey, Les and Matthew “Matt” Russell.
Around 1974, Don and Linda came to Fort Scott, KS and settled to live. Shortly after the move to Fort Scott he went to work for the City of Fort Scott in the water department. He continued to work for the city of Fort Scott for his entire career, retiring as the city Economic Development Director. Over the course of his career, he led, or supported numerous economic development initiatives for the city and Bourbon County.
He was also active in a number of community organizations, helping others. For many years, he was an active sponsor for Alcoholics Anonymous and he served for years on the Bourbon County Drug and Alcohol Council. He also served the community as a reserve police officer for a number of years in his free time from responsibilities at the city.
However, as a member of such a large family, his largest presence was as a husband, father, brother, uncle and grandfather. The Russell family (and the varying surnames that branch off from them) are a large family that loves to gather together. Don was an integral, and beloved part of those gatherings, and will be greatly missed by all of his siblings, children, nieces, nephews, and grandchildren.
Wherever the Russell family gathered together, cars played an important role in those gatherings. Don and many of his brothers loved restoring automobiles. If you drove past Don’s home (or one of the assorted garages they worked from) you regularly saw antique vehicles in some stage of restoration. That love of vehicles continued into retirement when Don and his brothers, bought, scrapped, and continued working on old cars. When pulling a hulk into the driveway, with assorted parts in the bed of the pickup he would have to explain to Linda (who was unconvinced) “look at it, It’s got potential”. Many, many of the Russell children (Don’s nieces and nephews) learned to drive in cars from the 1930’s – 1960’s.
He is survived by his wife Linda, sons Casey and wife (Mindy), Les and wife (Jena), and Matt, daughter Jamie Payton, brothers, Jesse, Dennis, Bob, Wayne,Chuck, and Kevin, four grandchildren, Kaitlyn, Brysen (DeChant), Madilyn, and Max, two great-grandchildren, Landon and Kylie DeChant, along with numerous nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents, brothers Jim, Leo (Jay), Joe, Jerry, and Les, his sisters Louise, and Rita as well as numerous other loved ones.
There was cremation.
A memorial visitation will be held from 5 to 7 P.M. Thursday, March 14, 2024 at the Cheney Witt Chapel.
Memorials are suggested to Care to Share 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.
Adult Prom This Weekend To Fund Raise for Bourbon County Community Theatre
To purchase tickets to this prom, click this link:
KDOT supports applications for ‘Safe Streets and Roads for All’ grants
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The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Report March 11
Bo Co Democrats Meet March 17
The general meeting of the Bourbon County Democrats will be held on Sunday, March 17th at 2:00 p.m. in the Meeting Rooms of the Ellis Center on Fort Scott Community College campus.
The guest speaker will be Representative Mari-Lynn Poskin, a member of the House Committee on Education.
For information, text with your name or call 620 215 1505. Please join us!
Submitted by
Carol MacArthur
Chair, Bourbon Co. Democrats
620 215 1505
Please like us on Facebook
“Serving Bourbon County’s Registered Democrats”
Amended Agenda for the Bourbon County Commission on March 11
Bourbon County Courthouse
210 S. National Ave Fort Scott, KS 66701 Phone: 620-223-3800
Fax: 620-223-5832
Bourbon County, Kansas
Nelson Blythe
1st District Commissioner
Jim Harris, Chairman
2nd District Commissioner
Clifton Beth
3rd District Commissioner
Bourbon County Commission Agenda 210 S. National Ave.
Fort Scott, KS 66701
March 11, 2024 5:30 p.m.
- Call Meeting to Order
- Flag Salute
- Approval of Consent Agenda
- Approval of Minutes 3/4/2024
- Approval of Payroll Totaling $307,076.65
- Approval of Accounts Payable Totaling $406,928.16
- Public Comments
- Don George-Elm Creek Dam Grant Status Report
- Jennifer Hawkins, County Clerk
- BlueMark Energy Agreement
- Cintas Rental Service Agreement
- KCCA Conference
- Real Property Relief Applications
- Healthcare Sales Tax Ballot Language
- Clifton Beth-Public Safety
- Commission Comments
- Adjourn Meeting
Executive Session Justifications:
KSA 75-4319 (b)(1) to discuss personnel matters of individual nonelected personnel to protect their privacy.
KSA 75-4319 (b)(2) for consultation with an attorney for the public body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the
attorney-client relationship.
KSA 75-4319 (b)(3) to discuss matters relating to employer/employee negotiations whether or not in consultation with the
representative(s) of the body or agency.
KSA 75-4319 (b)(4) to discuss data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations, partnerships, trust and individual proprietorships
KSA 75-4319 (b)(6) for the preliminary discussion of the acquisition of real property.
KSA 75-4319 (b)(12) to discuss matters relating to the security measures, if the discussion of such matters at an open meeting
would jeopardize such security measures.