Monthly Archives: July 2024

Fort Scott

Vehicle Fire On South Main

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The Fort Scott Fire Department was called to aide in extinguishing a vehicle fire at Citizens Bank on South Main today.

At approximately 1:26 pm on July 6, the Fort Scott Fire Department was dispatched to Citizens Bank, 2207 S. Main, parking lot for a report of a vehicle on fire.

 FSFD arrived on scene to find a Chevrolet truck with heavy flames and smoke from the engine and interior compartment.
Fire crews worked quickly to extinguish the fire and the fire was under control within 5 minutes.  The extent of the fire was major and the vehicle is a total loss.  Fire crews remained on scene to extinguish hot spots inside the vehicle as well as the engine compartment.
Upon investigating the owners stated they were having issues with the fuel lines and were taking the vehicle to Briggs.  It is believed the fire was a direct result  of this issue as the area of origin was the engine compartment and spread through the fire wall into the interior.
Fire crews cleared the scene and went back in service.
Advertisements, Bourbon County, Elections

AD: Rick James For Ks House of Representatives District 4

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Rick James is a Republican candidate for the 4th district House of Representative, a position currently held by Trevor Jacobs. Trevor announced that he is not seeking another term.

Rick is passionate about protecting the conservative values of fellow Kansans. He understands that freedom is not merely a privilege but a birthright. He was raised in La Cygne, Kansas where he attended La Cygne elementary school and graduated from Prairie View High School in 1981. He entered the Marine Corps a few short days later serving a 30-year career. This career included serving in Desert Storm, Haiti, Iraqi Freedom, serving on embassy duty and as a Marine Drill instructor. He achieved the rank of Sergeant Major and was awarded the Bronze Star and Legion of Merit. He also obtained a bachelor’s and a master’s Degree from the American Military University.

There was never a doubt, that he would return to Eastern Kansas. He moved his family to a small farm near highway 69 in 2008 and completed his Marine Corps career at Richard Gebauer Base in Belton. He retired a decorated Marine in 2011.

Since retiring from the Marine Corps he opened two local businesses, Semper Fi Auction Services and Bravo Realty. The Marine Corps instilled a dedication to serving his community. In 2014 he ran for the district 1 Linn County Commissioner. He served 2 full terms from 2014-2022. He did not seek reelection for a third term because, he believes there should be term limits in government at all levels.

He has a personal interest in Kansas, he was a military leader and a small Business owner.  He has conservative views!! He believes in the right to bear arms, he is pro-life, he believes in a smaller government and reduced taxes.

Politicians represent the people they serve, and he takes that very seriously! He would appreciate your vote on August 6. Click here to follow him on Facebook.  Semper Fi and God Bless!

Paid for by Rick James for KS State Representative.

K-State Extension

The Bourbon County Fair is July 13-19

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Jennifer Terrell, K-State Extension Agent

 

July…for most of the country means it’s time for the county fair. For many, this is the best time of year.

 

The county fair is more than just a carnival or night time events. It is an exhibition of talents from all ages with exhibits ranging in a variety of sizes and categories. Most exhibits have taken an entire 4-H year to complete and some a lot less, but all of the exhibits have a special story and add value to the county fair.

 

As any 4-H’er can tell you, there is a lot of blood, sweat, and tears involved with preparing for the county fair. The animals you see were raised by youth not just because of the county fair, but to help the youth learn invaluable life lessons to become responsible, caring individuals. The same goes for any of the indoor exhibits from cooking to sewing to photography to woodworking and so on! The opportunities are endless.

 

I would like to encourage you to take a minute and attend a county fair near you. Explore all of the great accomplishments within the indoor exhibits and the barns full of animals. Visit with a 4-H’er about their project and see the excitement they display.

 

In the coming weeks, there will be three fairs held within the Southwind Extension District. The first is Bourbon County Fair – July 13th-19th, Woodson County Fair – July 16th-22nd, Neosho County Fair – July 22nd-26th, and Allen County Fair – August 22nd-25th. We hope to see you at the county fair!

 

If you would like more information on how to be involved either to enter exhibits or be a volunteer, please contact your local Extension Office. Contact information can be found on our website at www.southwind.ksu.edu. For more information about being in 4-H, contact Jennifer Terrell, 4-H Youth Development Agent at [email protected] or 620-223-3720.

 

 

Bourbon County, Government

Agenda for the Bo Co Commission on July 8

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A meeting of the Industrial Development Research Committee will be held on July 8, 2024 at 5:30 p.m. in the main lobby of the Bourbon County Courthouse, 210 S. National Ave. Fort Scott, KS 66701.

 

Bourbon County Courthouse

210 S. National Ave Fort Scott, KS 66701 Phone: 620-223-3800

Fax: 620-223-5832

 

 

 

 

Bourbon County, Kansas

Brandon Whisenhunt

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

 

July 8, 2024 5:30 p.m.

 

 

  1. Call Meeting to Order
  2. Flag Salute
  • Approval of Consent Agenda
    1. Approval of Minutes from 7/1/2024
  1. Public Comments
  2. Jennifer Hawkins, County Clerk-Election Information
  3. 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.

 

K-State Extension

Recruiting New Leadership

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Amanda  Clasen. Submitted photol

One of the signs of a healthy and vital community is recognizing the need to recruit new members into the leadership role when the time comes. The most successful recruitment efforts are conducted by the people already in leadership positions. Leadership of program and communities often change over a course of time, but what does that change look like and how do you “recruit” the new leadership to help continue to drive the mission of your group?  Without great leadership to organize and provide others with the way to act, a likelihood of real change is very slim.

When you think of recruiting new leadership for a role, ask the question, “Who isn’t at the table that should be?” What groups or individuals should be involved in order to have a truly representative community organization, event or project? Making sure a group is inclusive is the best way to build in cooperation from the beginning. Also think about looking for skill assets that someone can bring to the conversation instead of names. One of the problems caused by relying on the same people for the same tasks over and over again is that those people will eventually tire of making the same contribution. A simple way to identify new people to recruit is to focus on the skills needed for the task and not the person.

While the effort to bring new people into the leadership arena is important, it’s also important to recognize that even the smallest and most limited volunteer contribution can be part of the leadership activities of a community. What is important, is seeing how each contribution fits into the whole picture, and by never discounting any effort, no matter how small, the door to increased involvement remains open. Recruiting new leaders by asking for help becomes most effective when a task is very clearly defined. This means describing the skills needed, describing the task in terms of what the expectations are as well the time commitment required. Finally, defining the task should also cover some ideas about how this role fits into the whole scheme of community improvement.

If you currently serve in a leadership role, it is important to know how to better yourself to continue to be a great leader in your community. Look at how you understand your community and the engagement in your community. Your job as a leader is to know what lies at the heart of the community that you serve, make informed decisions and foster a clear and maintained vision of major issues affecting your community. Leading with empathy and instilling compassion for community members allows for the community to see themselves as leaders.

Lead by being adaptable and open-mined helps you meet community needs and evolve with the times. Of course, effective communication and collaboration with community members and other stakeholders are crucial to this endeavor. The best leaders are one-of-a-kind individuals who remain relevant with large groups of people. Another powerful driver of confidence and self-assurance is self-reflection. Without substantial self-reflection, you cannot gain a true understanding of yourself, your leadership characteristics, or your ability to affect others. To put it a different way, you can’t influence others if you don’t understand them, and you cannot understand others if you don’t understand yourself.

For More information, contact Community Vitality Agent, Amanda Clasen at [email protected] or at 620-244-3826.

Fort Scott, Jobs

New FSCC Dean of Students: Vanessa Poyner

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Vanessa Poyner. Submitted photo.

Vanessa Poyner, 46, is the new  Fort Scott Community College Dean of Students as of June 11. Her office is located in the Student Services office of Bailey Hall.

Poyner earned her Associate of Science from Fort Scott Community College, then a  Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Administration from Missouri Southern State University and a Master of Science in Criminal Justice Administration from the University of Cincinnati.

“With 18 years of experience as the Criminal Justice Instructor at Fort Scott Community College, I have always been very student-centered and driven to assist students both in and out of the classroom in achieving their life goals,” she said.

“As the Dean of Students at Fort Scott Community College, I oversee the Student Services departments, which include admissions, the registrar, advising, TRIO, student housing, and student activities,” she said.” In addition to these responsibilities, I serve as the TITLE IX Coordinator on campus, ensuring compliance and addressing issues related to Title IX. I am also dedicated to playing a vital role as the student advocate, supporting and championing the needs and interests of our students.”

 

Bourbon County, Youth

Barnstormers 4H Minutes of June 12

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    The Barnstormers 4H club met under the Hubenette Pavilion at
6:36 p.m. “What is your favorite fair project that you have seen?” was this month’s roll call.  13 members and 8 parents were present. The Secretary minutes were read then approved by Macie making a
motion and Klara seconding.  The Treasurer’s report had no
changes.  Next on the agenda was the reading of the newsletter. All
members were told to collect rodeo tickets to sell for the fair and
Rodeo this year.  Katie made an announcement that we would work
on the booth and banner the weekend before the fair started, July 13 and 14.  She would text for more information.
At 6:51 p.m. Bane made a motion to adjourn the meeting and Kort seconded.
Jewel Endicott
Barnstormers 4H Secretary
Jack Endicott
Barnstormers 4H Reporter
Bourbon County, Government

Bo Co Commission Work Session Agenda for July 8

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Bourbon County Courthouse

210 S. National Ave Fort Scott, KS 66701 Phone: 620-223-3800

Fax: 620-223-5832

 

Bourbon County, Kansas

Brandon Whisenhunt

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

 

 

There will be a budget work session on Monday, July 8, 2024 beginning at 4:00 p.m. in the County Commission Room. There is a possibility that all three Commissioners might be in attendance, however; no action will be taken.

Bourbon County, Government

Uniontown City Agenda for July 9

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The Uniontown City Council will meet at 7 p.m. on July 9 at city hall.

ROLL CALL: 

___ Jess Ervin ___ Danea Esslinger ___ Amber Kelly ___ Mary Pemberton ___ Bradley Stewart

2024 Financials –

June 07-24 informational items

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS/PROJECTS

 

 

CITIZENS REQUESTS

 

 

FINANCIAL REPORT

Charlene Bolinger – Financial reports

Schedule budget worksession – need to notify County Clerk by July 20 if intend to exceed RNR

 

APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA

  1. Minutes of June 11, 2024 Regular Council Meeting
  2. Treasurers Report, Monthly Transaction Report & Accounts Payables

 

DEPARTMENT REPORTS

Codes Enforcement:  Doug Coyan

 

 

Superintendent:  Bobby Rich

On vacation – still waiting on quotes for gas valve replacements

 

 

Clerk Report:  Sally Johnson  

Thank you to Union State Bank for Independence Day Bash

CCMFOA Institute Year 1

Repurposed Materials

 

COUNCIL & COMMITTEE REPORTS

Councilman Ervin –

Councilwoman Esslinger –

Councilman Kelly –

Councilwoman Pemberton –

Councilman Stewart–

Mayor Jurgensen –

 

OLD BUSINESS

Pickleball court project –

 

Warehouse refurbishing –

 

Streets –

 

NEW BUSINESS

 

 

ADJOURN Time ____________ Moved by ______________, 2nd ___________________, Approved ___________

Bourbon County, Government

Uniontown City Minutes of June 11

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The Regular Council Meeting on June 11, 2024 at Uniontown City Hall, was called to order at 7:02PM by Mayor Jurgensen.  Council members present were Jess Ervin, Danea Esslinger, Amber Kelly, and Mary Pemberton.  Also in attendance for all or part of the meeting were City Treasurer Charlene Bolinger, City Superintendent Bobby Rich and City Clerk Sally Johnson.

 

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS/PROJECTS

Appoint City Clerk/Municipal Court Clerk, City Treasurer, Municipal Judge, Municipal prosecutor –

 

Motion by Ervin, Second by Kelly, Approved 4-0 to appoint Sally Johnson as City Clerk/Municipal Court Clerk, Charlene Bolinger as City Treasurer, Patricia Miklos as Municipal Judge, and Chase Vaughn as Municipal Prosecutor.

 

Oath of office was administered by Mayor Jurgensen for Sally Johnson and Charlene Bolinger.  Clerk Johnson will administer oath for Municipal Judge and Prosecutor by the next court date.

 

Designate official bank and newspaper –

 

Motion by Ervin, Second by Kelly, Approved 4-0 to designate the Union State Bank, Uniontown, as official bank and The Fort Scott Tribune as official newspaper

 

 

CITIZENS REQUEST

None

 

FINANCIAL REPORT

Treasurer Bolinger asked if they wanted an oral report on April and May; they opted for oral for May 2024 Treasurer’s Report.  April 2024 Treasurer’s written reports were presented.  Beginning Checking Account Balance for all funds was $248,941.39, Receipts $51,651.27, Transfers Out $12,776.00, Expenditures $25,058.15, Checking Account Closing Balance $262,758.51. Bank Statement Balance $264,895.81, including Checking Account Interest of $55.65, Outstanding Deposits $0, Outstanding Checks $2,137.30, Reconciled Balance $262,758.51.  Water Utilities Certificates of Deposit $37,385.86, Sewer Utilities Certificate of Deposit $21,376.69, Gas Utilities Certificates of Deposit $39,177.46, Total All Funds, including Certificates of Deposit $360,698.52. Year-to-Date Interest in Checking Acct is $283.42, and Utility CDs $841.17 for a Total Year-to-Date Interest of $1,124.59.  Also included the status of the Projects Checking Account for the month of May 2024, Beginning Balance $0, Receipts $4,311.86, Expenditures $4,311.86, Ending Balance $0.  May Transfers from Sewer Utility Fund to Sewer Revolving Loan $1,402.00, to Capital Improvement-Streets $250.00; from Water Utility Fund to GO Water Bond & Interest $1,624.00, to Capital Improvement-Streets $750.00; from Gas Utility Fund to Capital Improvement-Streets $6,250.00; from General Fund to Capital Improvement-Streets $2,500.00 for Total Transfers of $12,776.00.  Net Income for the month of May $13,817.12, Year-to-Date Net Income $27,279.31.  Budget vs Actual Water Fund YTD Revenue $46,034.81 (37.3%), Expenditures $56,155.73 (34.6%); Sewer Fund YTD Revenue $14,593.33 (39.5%), Expenditures $14,392.05 (34.2%); Gas Fund YTD Revenue $78,818.29 (53.8%), Expenditures $51,114.51 (28.8%); General Fund YTD Revenue $93,682.10 (57.1%), Expenditures $95,345.38 (47.1%); and Special Highway YTD Revenue $3,966.38 (54.6%), Expenditures $0 (0%).  The June 2024 payables to date in the amount of $13,031.25 were presented.  The invoices from KMGA, Homestead Tech, Phillips 66, and Ag Engineering have not been received by noon meeting day.

 

CONSENT AGENDA

Motion by Ervin, Second by Esslinger, Approved 3-0, to approve amended Consent Agenda:

  • Minutes of May 14, 2024 Special Council Meeting, May 14, 2024 Regular Council Meeting and May 23, 2024 Special Council Meeting
  • April and May Treasurer’s Reports, Monthly Transaction Report & Accounts Payables

 

DEPARTMENT REPORTS

Codes Enforcement Officer Doug Coyan was absent.  Council received emailed reports.

 

City Superintendent Rich had nothing to report.

 

Clerk Johnson informed the Council the copier maintenance agreement renewal was received and is $25 higher.

 

Motion by Esslinger, Second by Kelly, Approved 4-0 to renew copier maintenance agreement with Modern Copy Systems

 

She also went over 2024 KMGA Regional Meetings, KMU Health Insurance Pooling Survey, and KDHE public meeting on implementation of the 2022 Kansas Water Plan.

The request for quotes for the weather siren preventive maintenance was discussed.

 

COUNCIL REPORT

Councilman Ervin – nothing

Councilwoman Esslinger – nothing

Councilwoman Kelly – nothing

Councilwoman Pemberton – nothing

Councilman Stewart – absent

Mayor Jurgensen – FEMA/KDEM representatives were here on June 5th to do a preliminary assessment of flooding damages from the April 25-30 flooding event.  Bourbon County has met the threshold for disaster declaration.

 

OLD BUSINESS

Pickleball Court Placemaking Project – Mayor Jurgensen and Councilwoman Pemberton will run some chalk lines to determine the best location for the court, then Superintendent Rich can paint.  They will try to get project completed by July 3.

 

Warehouse project – Mayor Jurgensen is working on the specs for the project.  Statute 12-1739 Sale of Building was reviewed.  Clerk Johnson will follow-up with attorney on next steps of selling 402 Sherman to help fund refurbishing and have the county appraised value for next month.

 

Streets – Mayor Jurgensen is not having much luck communicating with Bettis regarding warranty work and possible future projects.  Funding avenues were discussed and consensus is to hold off on more resurfacing while building up funds for future projects.

 

NEW BUSINESS

 

Moved by Ervin, Second by Kelly, Approved 4-0, to adjourn at 7:27PM

Opinion

Lost Keys by Patty LaRoche

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Patty LaRoche. 2023.
Author: A Little Faith Lift…Finding Joy Beyond Rejection
www.alittlefaithlift.com
AWSA (Advanced Writers & Speakers Assoc.)

The day started off fine.  On my drive to the dermatologist in Olathe, I spoke to my granddaughter, Montana, who was boarding a plane with her sister-in-law, Julia, and Julia’s two children, a two-year old and a three-month old.  They would land in K.C. and get into their car they had left in the airport parking lot and drive to Ft. Scott.

At the doctor’s office, some skin cancer was removed, and my back was sewn up with several stitches.  There were a few errands to run in K.C., but I needed to be home for my late afternoon, Bible study, Zoom call.  About ten minutes north of Fort Scott, my phone rang.  It was Jenn, Mo’s mother, calling from somewhere in Alabama.  “Where are you?” she asked.  I said that I was on 69, headed home.

Silence…which in this case was not golden.

“Do you need something?” I asked.  She did.  Jenn had looked in her purse and, Surprise! Surprise! There were the keys to the car parked at the K.C. airport.  I told her that I could turn around and pick up my four relatives.  They were to land at 2:30. It was 2:15.                                Stopping in Louisburg to get gas and use the restroom, I managed to drop my credit card (you know, the one that pays all my bills automatically) into the toilet which, at record place, flushed on its own.  Then I hit rush-hour traffic while on the phone, calling to cancel my credit card.  (Yes, talking on the phone while driving.  Illegal and, in this case, unnecessary, since the odds were against anyone getting their hands on my flushed card to use it.)

At the airport, the traffic attendant told me that my gas lid was open and the cap was hanging outside my truck, meaning, I probably had lost quite a bit of fuel driving to the airport.  Mo called and she said that they were delayed because the airline had broken their stroller and she and Julia were trying to scan the Q.R. code—whatever that means—to submit a complaint.  Neither baby had napped the entire day (which did not change on the ride home) and the girls were “starving.”  It was then the deadening agent for my stitches began to wear off.  Not. Good.

I had mapped out my day to time everything perfectly, but “perfectly” in God’s timing can be very different than what I think.  My needs being met or someone else’s needs being met?  A minor inconvenience verses coming to another person’s aid?  Understanding that God continues to give me crazy stories to write about verses a boring, mundane life?

What I didn’t count on was how much of a hassle it is to lose a credit card.  I don’t know how much is too much, but this was close.  However, there were blessings.  When I called to say that I would not be on the Zoom call, others also had conflicts (but did not want to be the one to cancel), so we moved it to the next week.

My granddaughters and I had a wonderful conversation which we would not have had, had they remembered to bring the car key.  When I phoned the billing departments to change my credit card number, everyone got a good laugh from my toilet flushing story, and when I ended my calls with “Have a blessed day,” they told me to have the same.  I know, it’s not like I baptized someone or led them to the Lord, but it made me smile, and sometimes that’s as good as it gets.

Maybe that’s what God had in mind the entire time.