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Monthly Archives: June 2025
Bourbon County Zoning Meeting Tonight at 6 p.m.
Sorry for the late notice. There will be a zoning meeting tonight at 6pm in the commission room.
Susan Walker
County Clerk
Bo Co Meeting June 2, part 2
The remainder of the Bourbon County Commissioner meeting of June 2 included discussion of repairs to the courthouse and the awarding of opioid fund money to Path of Ease for the purchase of a vehicle.
Mission Statement
Commissioner Mika Milburn read two sample mission statements and asked for feedback from the community. The commission will revisit a county mission statement on June 16.
Worker’s Compensation
Commissioner David Beerbower moved to withdraw a motion from a previous meeting to consider additional pay with workmen’s compensation claims. Moved to add it to the next budget work session.
Zoning Discussion
Beerbower moved to give the zoning advisory committee a one-week extension, at their request, to present their recommendations to the committee at the June 9 meeting. Commission approved.
Public Comments for Items Not on The Agenda
June Bench, Bourbon County resident, spoke to the commission about a member of the sheriff’s department that she claimed lied about her in a police report, leading to her arrest. She expressed concern that this person is still in the employ of the sheriff’s department, “Just because you have a badge, you shouldn’t be allowed to break the law,” she said.
Bench is not in a lawsuit with the sheriff’s department, she took a $75,000 settlement to drop it. She doesn’t want any more money. She claimed she went to the sheriff for help before litigation, and he wouldn’t help her, she said through tears. She is concerned and feels that the person who did that to her is dishonest, and others are suffering as she did. She asked the commissioners to investigate the situation.
“You guys have the right to know that there’s some unethical things going on,” she said.
Bob Johnson, the county attorney, said her lawsuit was her form of redress, and the commissioners aren’t the right place to come with this issue.
Clint Walker publicly thanked the public works department for their good work after the storms and said the assessor’s office staff was very professional when they came to his home.
New Business
Path of Ease Association
Jennifer Simhiser, the founder of Path of Ease Association, a women’s and children’s recovery house came to ask the commissioners to award her organization some of the opioid settlement fund allocated to Bourbon County to purchase a van. Simhiser gave her personal history of depression and addiction. After rehab in Lawrence, KS she learned about transitional housing and was then able to live on her own.
“The recovery community is almost non-existent [in Fort Scott]. The drug problem, on the other hand, is horrible,” she said.
She asked fro $30,000 from the Municipal Kansas Fights Addiction Fund to purchase a recovery transportation van to get the women to their recovery meetings, as well as to and from work, church and events that build the recovery community.
The county has $81,000 in that fund currently, earmarked for addiction recovery purposes. None of Bourbon County’s fund is allocated at this time.
Several members of the board for the Path of Ease home spoke to the commission, commending Simhiser and the home, and attesting that it is meeting a need in Bourbon County.
Beerbower moved to allocate $50,000 from the opioid settlement fund to the Path of Ease (End Addiction Stigma Everywhere) for travel expenses and other expenses through the clerk’s office.
Motion carried.
Tri-Valley Developmental Services 2026 Budget Request
Bill Fiscuss CEO of Trivalley Developmental Services said his organization is requesting $55,000 from the county, which has been their budget request for the last several years. They provide services to individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities in eight counties, at their centers, as well as services in homes.
Courthouse Repairs
Two county employees spoke to the commission about the courthouse’s need for serious repairs over last 18 years. “It’s deferred maintenance,” said one.
The building needs washing, tuck pointing, waterproofing, window sealing, and elevator repair. It is a contributing building to the national historic district of Fort Scott, therefore, it has to meet certain standards.
Jason Dickman from Earl’s Engineering created the current bid document and will come discuss it with commission in the June 23rd meeting.
“We’re not going to kick the can down the road,” said Beerbower.
Commissioner Comments
Beerbower said, “It’s unfortunate that we’ve lost another member.” He then mentioned that citizens in the old first district are eligible to serve as the next commissioner.
Milburn read a statement:”It was recently brought to my attention that the position of commissioner is ever-changing in our county…what can we do to gain some stability?” She went on to point out that the county many have to strategically spend a little bit of money to save money, referring to Dr. Cohen’s Human Resources services mentioned in yesterday’s county commission story.
Letter to the Editor: Monte Carriker
I am writing this letter to weigh in on the current debate about zoning in Bourbon County. For full transparency, I must disclose that I do not reside within Bourbon County. My wife and I live just an eighth of a mile into Allen County on land that has belonged to her family since the 1800s. Our cattle ranch is situated across both Bourbon and Allen Counties in nearly equal portions. Additionally, I should note that we are participating landowners in the Hinton Creek solar project.
First and foremost, I would like to urge Commissioner Beerbower and his cadre of busybodies to stop pretending that the push for zoning is motivated by reasons other than stopping solar development. If that’s not the case, I challenge him to state specifically what type of unregulated industrial growth he aims to protect the rural areas of the county from. I see no industries of any kind eager to establish themselves in the rural sections of the county. Why would they? The infrastructure is lacking: many areas in the western townships do not have water, sewer, or electrical services. The majority of the roads are unpaved or in poor condition. Our youth are leaving due to the scarcity of job opportunities. There is no compelling reason for anyone to want to develop the western part of the county. So, apart from solar development, what industries are you trying to shield us from, Mr. Beerbower?
Given that the entire zoning initiative is clearly centered on the singular issue of solar development, let’s examine the tactics employed thus far by Whisenhunt, Beerbower, and their associates. Since becoming aware of the debates surrounding our contracts, I have witnessed this county commission disregard the interests of the entire county to cater to a small, vocal group that regularly attends commission meetings. For the sake of brevity, I will refer to this group as Busybodies, Inc.
The commission formed a committee comprised of these individuals to investigate the alleged “dangers” posed by solar farms. There was never an opportunity for anyone to present counterarguments, as the committee was not genuinely seeking the truth. The conclusions drawn from the so-called “research” were easily discredited, and I would have welcomed the chance to address them, and still would if given the opportunity. Their amateurish and biased research served as the basis for a moratorium on solar development, aimed at nullifying legal contracts between landowners and developers.
The commissioners and others attempted as individuals to sue themselves as the commission (still trying to wrap my head around that one) to overturn these contracts, while cleverly shifting the burden of individual legal expenses onto the taxpayers. Busybodies, Inc. distributed flyers and made social media posts claiming that 45,000 acres of Bourbon County would be covered with solar panels, a blatant falsehood. They circulated petitions demanding what they claimed were reasonable concessions. One of their demands was a one-mile setback from all residences for both solar panels and transmission lines, effectively rendering most of Bourbon County off-limits. When solar companies proposed 350-foot setbacks, BB Inc. insisted on a minimum of 600 feet, not only from homes but also from property lines, making any parcel smaller than 640 acres impractical for development. When the solar developers offered to plant trees as a visual barrier, they insisted on constructing berms to ensure they wouldn’t be inconvenienced by even the sight of a solar panel. They were well aware that these and all their other demands were unrealistic. Their true goal was never to negotiate or reach a compromise; it was to completely halt any solar development. They claimed to be protecting farmers and ranchers from “greedy developers,” as if we entered our contracts under coercion or lacked the acumen to hire attorneys to review them. How disingenuous, insulting, and patronizing!
Here’s a fact that the Solar Committee conveniently overlooked: No one has ever died due to a solar farm fire. Not a single instance. Conversely, there are numerous fatal incidents involving railroad fires, manufacturing facility fires, or even grassfires on cattle ranches. Yet, none of the members of Busybodies Inc. are actively campaigning on social media to stop those occurrences. Why not? Because they understand that the only legal and ethical justification for restricting someone’s property rights is if those rights are causing direct harm to others. Consequently, Busybodies Inc. has consistently spread alarmist rhetoric via social media from the outset to persuade you all that we “absentee landowners” are endangering you.
I apologize for the lengthy recounting of this issue’s history, but I feel it is necessary for you to consider this: BB Inc. has thus far been willing to spread blatant untruths, burden their fellow citizens with legal fees, deprive local schools of funding, and hinder economic growth in a financially struggling county. They have done all this simply to dictate to me how I may affect THEIR view of MY property. Now they want you, the residents of Bourbon County, to trust that they will be fair and just in how they wield this zoning authority?! I wonder what any of you might wish to construct on your property that wouldn’t meet their approval. I also wonder, due to the rate of resignations within the commission, which member of the busybodies will be hand-selected to make those decisions for you.
I wish I were a resident of Bourbon County. If my wife’s ancestors had settled just a bit further east, I would have a vote in electing these officials. Fortunately, I still have a voice. I hope you will use yours as well, unless you wish to have this particular group of busybodies involved in every business decision you make moving forward. I fear that ultimately, it may not matter. Commissioner Beerbower has made it clear that he intends to implement zoning in the county, regardless of the wishes of the majority. He seems willing to obstruct industrial development and the economic benefits it brings, drown the county in legal fees, and add further layers of costly bureaucracy to appease a handful of vocal, bullying busybodies. I genuinely hope they do not prevail.
Sincerely,
Monte Carriker
Owner/Operator, Wolfpen Creek Cattle Co.
Chief Operations Specialist, US Navy (Ret)
Evergy filed an application seeking a $196.4 million (8.62%) rate increase
KCC schedules public hearings
on Evergy’s request to raise rates
TOPEKA – The Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) will hold public hearings in Wichita and Topeka beginning next week to give Evergy Kansas Central customers the opportunity to learn more about the company’s rate increase request, ask questions and make comments before the Commission.
Evergy filed an application with the Commission in January seeking a $196.4 million (8.62%) rate increase. If approved as filed, the new electric rates would take effect in September 2025, resulting in an average monthly increase of $13.05 for residential customers.
Attendees may participate in person or virtually via Zoom. Those participating virtually must register by noon the day prior to the hearing using the registration links below. In addition, the hearings will be broadcast live and recorded for later viewing on the KCC’s YouTube channel. Registration is not required to attend in person or view on YouTube.
Public Hearings
Wednesday, June 11 at 6:00 p.m. Wichita State University, Lowe Auditorium Hughes Metropolitan Complex 5015 E 29th St. North Wichita, KS 67205 Register to attend via Zoom (deadline noon June 10)
Monday, June 16 at 6 p.m. Washburn Institute of Technology 5724 SW Huntoon St. Topeka, KS 66604 Register to attend via Zoom (deadline noon June 15)
The Commission will accept written comments through 5 p.m. on July 14. Comments may be submitted online, by mail or by calling the KCC at 785-271-3140 or 800-662-0027.
To register to participate in the hearing via Zoom, make a public comment online or find additional information on the application, go to the Commission’s website (www.kcc.ks.gov) and click on the “Your Opinion Matters” tab.
The Commission will issue an order on the application on or before September 29, 2025.
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Heartland Accepting Applications for 2025 Concern for Community Grants
GIRARD, Kan. — Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative is now accepting applications for its 2025 Concern for Community grant program, which offers grants of up to $5,000 for capital improvement projects that benefit communities within Heartland’s service area.
Applications will be accepted through July 31, and grant recipients will be selected by the Heartland Board of Directors in August. Funds will be distributed in September.
The Concern for Community grant program reflects Heartland’s commitment to strengthening the region through investment in long-term community development. Eligible projects must fall into one of the following categories:
- County fairs: Infrastructure and other projects at county fairgrounds that are outside of the scope of what is typically funded through sponsorships
- Schools: Capital campaigns for school facilities that benefit Heartland members and families
- Nonprofit organizations: Capital campaigns focused on education, the environment, culture and the arts, or civic and community development
- Other community improvements: Projects that serve Heartland-area communities and are approved by the board
Preference will be given to collaborative efforts that receive funding or support from multiple sources.
Funding for the program comes from unclaimed capital credit checks—money that was intended to be returned to members. Rather than letting these funds go unused, Heartland’s Board of Directors has chosen to invest them back into the communities the cooperative serves.
“These are dollars that belong to the people in our service area, and we believe the best way to honor that is by using them to support projects that create lasting value,” said Heartland CEO Mark Scheibe. “This program is a powerful example of the cooperative principle of ‘Concern for Community’ in action.”
To learn more or apply, visit heartland-rec.com.
About Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc.
Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc. powers rural lifestyles throughout more than 11,000 locations in eastern Kansas. Heartland’s service area includes members in 12 counties, including Allen, Anderson, Bourbon, Cherokee, Coffey, Crawford, Labette, Linn, Miami, Neosho, Wilson, and Woodson.
Heartland REC traces its roots back to three original rural electric cooperatives: Cooperative Electric Power & Light Company, Sugar Valley Electric Cooperative Association, and Sekan Electric Cooperative Association. Cooperative Electric Power & Light Company joined with Sugar Valley in 1975 to form United Electric Cooperative; United Electric Cooperative joined with Sekan Electric Cooperative Association in 1996 to form Heartland.
Doris Ericson Celebrates 90th Birthday
Congratulations to the 2025 ArtEffect Awardees!
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FSCC Will Hold a Special Board Meeting on June 5
The Fort Scott Community College Board of Trustees will hold a special board meeting on Thursday, June 5, 2025, at 3:00 pm in the Cleaver-Burris-Boileau Agriculture Hall to conduct business needing addressed before the regularly scheduled meeting on June 16. The Board will also adjourn to executive session(s) for the purpose of discussing non-elected personnel.
Submitted by
Juley McDaniel
Director of Human Resources
Fort Scott Community College
Chamber Coffee hosted by 44th Annual Good Ol’ Days Committee on June 5
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Obituary of Peggy Gannon
Peggy Anne Gannon, age 81, died May 29 at Sunrise at Cherry Creek assisted living in Denver, Colorado, following a lengthy illness.
Peggy was born February 22, 1944, in Alameda, California to Aubra L. and Mynettia Davis Gannon. In 1947, the family moved to a farm northwest of Fort Scott.
Peggy attended Bethel School through 8th grade. She graduated from Fort Scott High School in 1962 and began a four-year enlistment in the Air Force where she worked as a dental technician. After discharge from the Air Force, she lived in Seattle and then moved to Denver where she worked at Lowry AFB as a civilian accounting technician until retirement.
Peggy was preceded in death by her parents, sisters Betty Welborn and Patricia Hill, and brothers Edgar Gannon and Larry Gannon. She is survived by her brother Jerry Jones and sister Susan Hanzlicek, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
Graveside services for Peggy will be held at 1:30 PM Monday, June 9th, 2025, at the U. S. National Cemetery, Fort Scott, KS.
Services are under the direction of the Cheney Witt Chapel. Words of remembrance may be submitted online at cheneywitt.com.
Whisenhunt Resigns from Bourbon County Commission
Commissioner Brandon Whisenhunt, District 1, resigned right after the opening prayer of the June 2 Bourbon County Commissioner meeting.
“It’s been a pleasure serving Bourbon County, but effective immediately, I’m resigning,” he said and left the meeting.
Commissioner David Beerbower said, “That’s unfortunate news. I don’t know what to say about it,” before moving on with the meeting.
County Clerk Susan Walker then read a statement saying she is “respectfully declining to perform the employee grievance process in the future due to continual interference in the most recent investigation I performed. I will share my findings with the county counselor and let him present them to the commission at a later date.”
Contractual Services for Municipalities
Commissioner Mika Milburn said she found Dr. Cohen in her search for help as a commissioner and asked him to talk to the commission about what his company does to serve counties and other municipalities.
Cohen has a consulting operation based in Kansas City that specializes in human resources. They serve several Kansas health departments, cities, counties, and ambulance districts as clients, and so are familiar with working with elected officials. They have submitted a proposal to Bourbon County to do HR systems work, including updating Bourbon County’s outdated job descriptions and policy manuals, as well as wage and salary development and implementing a performance appraisal process. As part of their services, they would assist in all investigations and examinations of allegations by employees or elected officials. They have an employee hotline for elected officials and employees to get real-time, effective guidance or recommendations. This is a step county personnel can take for assistance before choosing to call the Kansas Human Rights Commission. The company will also perform governance training and sexual harassment prevention training, reducing the county’s liability in the event of a case. Their objective is to protect the county and employees and to put would-be perpetrators on notice that sexual harassment won’t be tolerated. Cohen said his first priority is to protect the county and help it operate in a healthy way.
The proposal is for an all-inclusive fee. The county would be hiring a company, not an individual, with lots of experience in municipal settings.
“I think it’s really important that we do something, David. Take it very seriously, please,” said Milburn. She also said the fees Cohen’s company charges are “a fraction of what it would cost,” to hire a full time county HR person.
The commissioners put it on the agenda for the June 9 meeting.
Old Business
Department Updates
Susan Walker-Employee Benefits
Walker talked to the commissioners about raises given on May 27 that were “pretty significant” and impacts the budget, which she said requires some extensive discussion. The fund that the commissioners have charge of, which pays employee taxes will need to increase by at least $12,000 to finish the year, possibly more if the employees work overtime.
Sheriff Bill Martin and Officer Murphy, his advisor spoke to the commission about the situation. Murphy said his department lost two officers since the first of the year, and the current staffing shortage leaves money in payroll and benefits to cover the cost of the raises. He said there’s not a current need for a budget amendment.
He also said his department has lost 20 trained people, at a cost of $1 million dollars, over the last several years, because “we can’t pay enough…so we’ve got to get our starting wages up so we can get qualified people in the door.” The county needs to adjust to be somewhat comparable to other law enforcement in the region.
Past administration made a choice to use sales tax dollars to keep taxes down, said Walker, which affected the sheriff’s department as well as the rest of the county offices.
Commissioners decided to wait to see if a budget amendment would be needed in the future.
Brian Allen-Disaster Proclamation
Allen asked the commissioners to sign the disaster declaration from the storms of May 19. Road damage and other damages met the qualifying threshold. This will allow the county to submit it to the governor, so that if the governor declares a state of emergency, the county can benefit from it.
Allen also told the commission he wants to compile a list of those with safe spaces for tornado events so that first responders can use it to check on folks.
Eric Bailey – Public Works
The May 19 storm caused damage to several roads with washouts, as well as large trees down in the roads. Bailey encouraged county residents to let them know of roads that need his department’s attention.
Bailey said he’s been working with the motor grader operators on a plan to get the crowns back on the roads and lips to guide the water off the roads and into the ditches. This plan will take several weeks of dry weather to implement. Mowing has been delayed by water-filled ditches.
The Elm Creek Lake shelter houses and house have been roofed. Outhouses are under construction. Bailey gave credit to Todd Fox and his family, as well as county public works employees, for volunteering their time to work on the shelters.
Bailey said he had spoken with former commissioner Whisenhunt and Don George about applying for a grant for dam improvements at Elm Creek Lake. The phase two grant application is due June 16. He referenced suggestions of applying for a feasibility study to drain the lake and repair the valve box and the dam. The commissioners chose to wait for the safety study, which means they will probably miss the deadline of applying for the second phase of the grant this year.
A group called Kansa Bonanza is planning to come to Fort Scott this weekend. This group drives side-by-sides on the back roads, cleaning up trash. They have asked for a roll-off dumpster for the trash they will collect. The commission made a motion to approve that use.
Allen County landfill will shut down on days with high wind notifications, per the National Weather Service, because of the trash blowing away, which affects what Bourbon County will do with its trash.