Southeast Kansas Health Department 2026 Budget Request

Rebecca Johnson administrator of the Southeast Kansas Multi-county Health Department and the Bourbon County local health officer presented the SEK Health Department budget request for 2026 to the commission.

The department is requesting a 3% increase in funding for the upcoming year to account for inflation and rising operational costs. This reflects a standard cost of living adjustment and the continued rise in the cost of goods and services. The department’s last increase was in 2021.

In the annual report she presented, Johnson said that the health department conducted 362 disease investigations, 795 immunizations, 3,751 WIC appointments, and 140 home visits, the best home visits in the state of Kansas per a recent KDHE (Kansas Department of Health and Environment) report. The department also engaged 1,349 individuals through outreach and 496 through other services.

A new project the department has taken on started in August of 2024 with a breast milk donor depot to help get frozen donated breast milk to hospitals in the area. They are also working on a tick disease prevention project.

The department applies for many grants to help the region. They currently have a grant through KDHE for safe sleep baby showers, and will be hosting an event in June with safe sleep trainers to educate families in safe sleep for babies, which includes distribution of pack-and-plays. The department also has carseat safety trainers, providing safety check lanes, and a grant to pay for car seats for children. In addition, the breastfeeding coalition is experiencing rapid growth.

The SEK Health Department’s funding request for 2026 is $93,473.

The commission will use this information as they write the 2026 budget.

Old Business

Hay bid letter from Pat Murphy, over-the-road truck driver who missed the bid deadline

Murphy bid $200 to hay Native Road and the old dump site. The commission approved.

Letters of interest in the zoning committee

The county received 14 letters from individuals interested in serving on the committee to advise the commission on zoning. More letters were submitted from District One than any other.

Commissioner David Beerbower read the new committee bylaws aloud in the meeting.

After taking about 13 minutes of the meeting to look over the letters of interest, the commission chose a nine-member committee. Brian Wade, Christine Farbo, Brian Ashworth II, James L. Banwart Jr., Mary Pemberton, Jason Yaunt, Amanda Spicer, Pete Owensby, and Mike Hueston were selected as committee members.

The committee will meet once a week for 5 weeks starting Thursday, April 17 at 5pm in the commission room at the courthouse. These meetings are open to the public, but are not a public forum, and no public participation allowed.

Public Comments for Items not on the Agenda

Kevin Shafer asked the commission to upgrade the septic code to include a soil test.

Shafer had spoken to the previous commission about this problem, but no changes were made at that time. There was a requirement prior to 1998, but it was dropped then. Shafer said it’s a safety issue and right now it’s “just guesswork” going on when a septic system is installed. He offered to come back with more detailed information about the changes he’s suggesting at a later date.

Brent Smith from Redfield Kansas thanked Beerbower for coming to the recent chamber event. He also commended the commission for the professional manner in dealing with the public, compared to the previous commission.

Anne Dare recently joined an organization called Path of Ease, a transitional program for women coming out of addiction. They need lockable medication boxes and she is interested in checking over the hospital supplies the county will be auctioning to see if they have any that meet Path of Ease’s needs. Whisenhunt said they would check on the progress of the auction company and if the items aren’t yet up for auction, they will help Path of Ease get in to look and see if any of the items fit their needs.

Michael Hoyt said that Veteran advocacy has been a challenge since November of 2024. He wanted the public to know that on April 22-23 from 9am-6pm in Kansas City, the Missouri and Kansas VA Benefits offices will be in Kansas City, Kansas at the Veterans Memorial Hall to work with those who need help inputting their claims.

Michael Walden, Director of Juvenile Detention Center in Gerard, KS, which Bourbon County is part owner off came to meet the commissioners. He said they will have a Board of Directors Meeting on April 23, where they will discuss legislative changes affecting the center. Beerbower plans to attend. Walden offered the commissioners a tour of the center, and emphasized that it is part of Bourbon County, which has $300,000 invested in the center. He expressed the desire to serve the county in whatever capacity he can.

New Business

Letter of Support for SEK Community Action Program

Casey Brown, Community Engagement Coordinator for SEK CAP, which covers the 12 counties in Southeast Kansas, including Bourbon spoke to the commission. He asked for a letter of support for their application for the Community Service Block Grant, the core funding that operates CAP programs across the nation. CAP programs are a federal initiative designed to alleviate poverty at local levels.

Initiatives the grant and SEK CAP conduct include: community needs assessments, housing programs, early childhood education center and home visitation program, transportation services and weatherization assistance.

The commission approved signing letter.

Department Updates

Eric Bailey, Public Works

After last week’s road presentation, they went out and got the estimate to do Maple Road. The distance of 2,092 feet will cost $30,170.

Wednesday, 195th, south of 54 to Maple will be under construction for a culvert replacement.

Roofs are going on right now at the shelters and house at Elm Creek. Todd Fox and his group of volunteers have been working on it. The Fort Scott High School construction trades department is building windows for the house, using materials from the county.

The Public Works Safety Committee is doing CPR  and First Aid training this week and continue to look for ways to improve their rules and procedures through committee meetings.

Current job postings for public works are a Class A driver, a mechanic, and a general laborer.

Commissioner Brandon Whisenhunt wants the county to hire a scale house operator at the transfer station to weigh trucks, handle tickets, pick up trash when not busy. Beerbower sees the need for more personnel out there but is concerned about finding the money. Bailey’s opinion is that the county needs to get the transfer station paid off, which won’t be done until March of April of 2026. They also have to have $235,000 set back, per the state, for reclamation. Hopefully that’s all handled by next year. Then there will be room in the 2026 budget for that position.

Beerbower says further discussion requires getting numbers to see if the budget will allow it at this time. Bailey asked to be in on any discussion, and Whisenhunt agreed.

Commissioner comments

Whisenhunt thanked all who sent a letter of interest in for the zoning advisory committee. “It’s nice to see the citizens getting involved and taking an interest in what’s going on in the county.”

He also wants to have a public hearing on the zoning discussion with a moderator. In the public hearing, the commissioners will be there to listen. The date will be announced.

Whisenhunt was asked to explain the difference between zoning and coding. “Coding would be when we get involved in everybody’s business and everything they do. I am not in favor of that,” he said.  Zoning is no permits for agricultural or residential. It only takes affect when you go from those things to commercial and industrial use. “I don’t know how to make it any easier than that,” he said. “Hopefully that clears it up some.”