Monthly Archives: September 2026

Bourbon County, Kansas

Bourbon County District Court to temporarily relocate

Leave a comment
Map of downtown Fort Scott showing 108 W. Second St. and the Bourbon County Courthouse about 350 feet apart on West Second Street.
The county-owned building at 108 W. Second St. sits about 350 feet west of the Bourbon County Courthouse. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Bourbon County District Court offices will temporarily relocate from October 21 to November 20 to allow for elevator modernization in the Bourbon County Courthouse.

Bourbon County is in the 6th Judicial District, which also includes Linn and Miami counties.

Bourbon County court offices will remain open throughout the relocation, and the court clerk’s office can be reached at 620-223-0780 during business hours.

The computer set up for members of the public to search court records will also be moved to the temporary location.

The temporary location will be:

108 W 2nd St.
Fort Scott

“We appreciate everyone’s patience while our court is relocated,” said Chief Judge Amy Harth, 6th Judicial District. “We are fortunate the temporary location is just around the corner from where the court is now, which helps us minimize the disruptions to our court operations and services.”

While the court is relocated, all court hearings will be by videoconference unless otherwise ordered by the presiding judge.

Persons scheduled to appear in court remotely may use their own devices if they are set up for videoconferencing. The court will also offer videoconference access from its temporary location. Public access to court proceedings will be through viewing rooms at the temporary location.

In addition to court hearings, all court services officer check-ins will be by videoconference unless otherwise approved by the chief of court services.

Fort Scott, Fort Scott Police Department

Fort Scott Police Day Sheets – September 21, 2026

Leave a comment

Fort Scott Police Day Sheets

Fort Scott Police Day Sheets – September 21, 2026

Fort Scott police, fire and EMS logged 46 calls for service on September 21, 2026.

Reports and Arrests

Domestic / Physical — 1:41 AM, 1219 E Elm, Fort Scott. Complaint No. 26-01534FS. Disposition: ARRC.

Warrant Service / Search — 5:19 AM, 215 S Hill St. Complaint No. 26-0899BB. Disposition: ARRC.

Follow-Up — 11:20 AM, 293 E 20th St. Complaint No. 26-0900BB. Disposition: RPTG.

Animal Control — 12:24 PM, 1505 S Broadway. Complaint No. 26-01536FS. Disposition: RPTG.

Follow-Up — 2:21 PM, 402 Hill St. Complaint No. 26-01537FS. Disposition: ARRC.

Seeking Advice/Info / Walk-In — 4:51 PM, 1604 National, Fort Scott, KS. Complaint No. 26-01538FS. Disposition: RPTA.

Seeking Advice/Info / Walk-In — 5:50 PM, 1604 National, Fort Scott, KS. Complaint No. 26-01539FS. Disposition: RPTG.

Disturbance — 5:59 PM, 1494 212th Terr. Complaint No. 26-0901BB. Disposition: RPTG.

Harassment — 7:24 PM, 523 S Lowman. Complaint No. 26-01540FS. Disposition: RPTG.

Accident / Injury — 7:27 PM, 1759 Hwy 7, Fort Scott. Complaint No. 26-0902BB. Disposition: * Multiple.

Check Vehicle — 10:46 PM, 2222 S Main St. Complaint No. 26-01541FS. Disposition: RPTC.

Fire and EMS

EMS / Standby — 4:57 AM, 293 E 20th St. Disposition: AMBU.

EMS — 8:21 AM, 101 Andrick St. Disposition: AMBU.

EMS / Standby — 4:42 PM, 1005 S Main, Fort Scott, KS. Disposition: AMBU.

EMS — 7:25 PM, 706 W 2nd St, Fort Scott. Disposition: * Multiple.

EMS — 10:24 PM, 293 E 20th St. Disposition: * Multiple.

Other Calls for Service

Check Subject — 2:39 AM, 401 Woodland Hills Blvd, Fort Scott, KS. Disposition: 77.

Follow-Up — 2:47 AM, 1604 National, Fort Scott, KS. Disposition: HBO.

Public Assist — 4:50 AM, 1708 S National, Fort Scott, KS. Disposition: HBO.

Alarm / Burglary — 5:37 AM, 1808 S National Ave. Disposition: HBO.

Alarm / Burglary — 6:43 AM, 2000 S Main, Fort Scott, KS. Disposition: HBO.

Parking Complaint — 7:03 AM, 2322 S Main St. Disposition: HBO.

Animal Control — 7:03 AM, 1604 National, Fort Scott, KS. Disposition: HBO.

Parking Complaint — 7:27 AM, 3rd, Fort Scott. Disposition: HBO.

Animal Control — 7:51 AM, 922 S Crawford. Disposition: HBO.

Animal Control — 8:37 AM, 102 Arthur St. Disposition: 77.

27,28,29 Checks — 8:57 AM, 1604 S National Ave. Disposition: HBO.

Lost Property — 9:15 AM, 1604 National, Fort Scott, KS. Disposition: HBO.

Alarm / Burglary — 9:45 AM, 2096 Grand Rd. Disposition: 22.

Vin Inspections / County — 9:59 AM, 293 E 20th St. Disposition: HBO.

Animal Control — 10:14 AM, 213 Scott St. Disposition: HBO.

Animal Control / Dead Animal Pick Up — 11:01 AM, Heylman, Fort Scott. Disposition: HBO.

Seeking Advice/Info / City — 11:34 AM, 1604 National, Fort Scott, KS. Disposition: HBD.

Animal Control — 12:11 PM, 601 N Barbee, Fort Scott, KS. Disposition: HBO.

Seeking Advice/Info / City — 12:42 PM, 323 Broadway. Disposition: HBO.

Animal Control — 1:30 PM, 601 N Barbee, Fort Scott, KS. Disposition: HBO.

Vehicle Unlock — 2:56 PM, 734 S Barbee. Disposition: HBO.

Paper Service — 3:23 PM, 615 S Margrave St, Fort Scott. Disposition: HBO.

Check Area — 4:01 PM, 118 S Main St. Disposition: HBO.

Check Subject — 4:32 PM, 1135 E Wall St, Fort Scott. Disposition: HBO.

Animal Control — 4:48 PM, 293 E 20th St, Fort Scott. Disposition: HBO.

Found Property — 5:15 PM, 502 S Main St, Fort Scott. Disposition: HBO.

Harassment — 5:42 PM, 293 E 20th St. Disposition: HBO.

Follow-Up — 6:19 PM, 293 E 20th St. Disposition: HBO.

Disturbance — 9:35 PM, 915 S Horton, Fort Scott, KS. Disposition: HBO.

Traffic Stops

Traffic Stop — 7:22 PM, Barbee St. Disposition: HBO.

Total Calls for Service: 46

Documents:

Bourbon County, Bourbon County Sheriff's Office

Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Report – Sept. 22, 2026

Leave a comment

Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Report – September 22, 2026

Bourbon County Sheriff’s Report

Arrested

Herrington, John Thomas (Age 56) — Arrested 9/21/2026 2:10 AM by Fort Scott Police Department. Charge: Domestic Battery; Unknown Circumstance. Bond: $1,500.00 Cash/Surety.

Guss, Roy (Age 57) — Arrested 9/21/2026 6:26 AM by Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office. Charge: Distribute Controlled Substance; Unknown Substance. Bond: $50,000.00 Cash/Surety.

Clinton, Derek Arthur (Age 48) — Arrested 9/21/2026 2:38 PM by Fort Scott Police Department. Charge: Warrant – Out of County (three counts). Bond: $100,000.00 Cash/Surety.

Coberley, Jaci Mae (Age 20) — Arrested 9/21/2026 10:58 PM by Fort Scott Police Department. Charge: Driving While License Cancelled/Suspended/Revoked (Misdemeanor), Possession of Controlled Substance (Unknown Substance, Misdemeanor), Use/Possess with Intent to Use Drug Paraphernalia. Bond: $7,500.00 Own Recognizance. Released 9/22/2026 3:08 AM via Own Recognizance.

Released

Adams, Rocketta Lashawn — Released 9/21/2026 3:49 PM via Own Recognizance (Self).

Brown, Larry Joe — Released 9/21/2026 8:40 AM via Transferred Out (KDOC).

Coberley, Jaci Mae — Released 9/22/2026 3:08 AM via Own Recognizance (Self).

Total Inmates Released: 3

Documents:

Entertainment, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

Young Fables Concert Set for Oct. 8 at Crooner’s

Leave a comment

The Young Fables concert flyerReserve your tickets for an evening of live music and a hearty appetizer buffet on October 8.

Thursday, October 8th

Please note: The date for this event has changed. Please update your calendar accordingly.

5:00 pm Doors Open
5:30-7:30pm Hearty Appetizer Buffet
8:00pm Performance

Crooner’s | Liberty Theatre
113 S. Main
Fort Scott, KS

Reservations Required

Tickets: $50 BCAC Member / $60 Non-Member

Contact Terri Floyd 620-224-7221 or Steve Floyd 620-224-7702

Visit Bourbon County Arts Council’s Facebook Page or The Young Fables Facebook Page for more details.

Bourbon County, Fort Scott, Freeman Fort Scott Hospital, Health Care

Exploring Future Ownership of Freeman Ft. Scott Hospital

Leave a comment

Freeman Health System and Kansas Renewal Institute (KRI) issued a joint statement Monday announcing the signing of a non-binding Letter of Intent to explore the future ownership and operation of Freeman Fort Scott Hospital.

“The Letter of Intent provides Freeman Health System and Kansas Renewal Institute (KRI) the opportunity to evaluate whether a transition of ownership and operations could further support the long-term access to healthcare,” according to the press release.

“The Letter of Intent is non-binding, and no final agreement has been reached. Any potential transaction remains subject to due diligence, negotiation of definitive agreements, regulatory review and other necessary approvals,” according to the press release. “Throughout this process, patient care, hospital operations and services will continue as normal.”

“Freeman Health is trying to sell its hospital to KRI,” said Gregg Motley, who is the Bourbon County Commission Chairman. “They (Freeman Health System) don’t have a building to sell; they have its operations to sell.”

“KRI would have to acquire expertise to run the hospital, and all the Freeman staff would have to be willing to reassign their contract with KRI,” he said. “KRI has to be willing to buy the operations of Freeman Fort Scott. The fly in the ointment is that the State of Kansas will have to give licensing to KRI.”

“I tried to trigger the ‘Claw Back Provision’ with the Bourbon County Commission (who previously owned the building), to give the building to Freeman, and the commission would not support that,” Motley said.

“Now KRI has to be willing to buy the operations of Freeman Fort Scott Hospital,” he said.

Some background

The hospital building at 401 Woodland Hills Blvd. has changed hands more than once. Mercy Hospital Fort Scott announced its closure in 2018, and the Ascension Via Christi emergency room that followed closed in December 2023. Bourbon County donated the building and $2 million to Legacy Healthcare Foundation in November 2022, writing in a “clawback” that returns the property to the county if the terms of the donation are not met. KRI bought the building in December 2024 and runs a mental health treatment center there. Freeman opened its hospital and emergency department in the building on Sept. 4, 2025.

Part of what keeps the emergency department running is a tax county voters approved themselves. On May 14, 2024, Bourbon County voters approved a quarter-cent countywide retail sales tax, 1,611 to 496. It took effect Oct. 1, 2024 and runs five years. The ballot language limits the money to the “establishment and operation of an emergency department in Bourbon County,” and says that when the tax ends, whatever is left goes to emergency medical services or to reducing property taxes.

A citizens committee appointed by the commission checks that the money is spent that way. Charles Gentry and Dr. Randy Nichols reported to commissioners on Aug. 31 that the tax collected $336,741.49 in the first half of 2026 and that $280,602.05 of it was disbursed to Freeman to operate the emergency department.

The county is not a party to the Letter of Intent. Commissioners declined in July to put $300,000 in the 2027 budget to pursue the clawback against KRI and Legacy, a push Motley had led and said he would stop; he laid out his reasoning in a June interview with FortScott.biz. Separately, a federal rural hospital bill introduced in July could change what a hospital like Fort Scott’s can bill for.

The press release, as sent

Joint Statement
Freeman Health System and KRI Sign Letter of Intent Regarding the Future of Fort Scott Healthcare Services

Freeman Health System and KRI today announced the signing of a non-binding Letter of Intent (LOI) to explore the future ownership and operation of Freeman Fort Scott Hospital.

Since opening Freeman Fort Scott Hospital on September 4, 2025, Freeman has remained committed to providing the residents of Fort Scott and Bourbon County with access to high-quality local healthcare. During that time, healthcare organizations across the country, particularly those serving rural communities, have continued to face significant workforce, reimbursement, operational and financial pressures.

As part of its ongoing commitment to the community, Freeman has worked closely with local leaders, providers and stakeholders to evaluate opportunities that could support the long-term sustainability of healthcare services in Fort Scott. Those efforts have included operational improvements and evaluation of potential care delivery models, including opportunities associated with the Rural Emergency Hospital model.

The Letter of Intent provides Freeman Health System and KRI the opportunity to evaluate whether a transition of ownership and operations could further support the long-term access to healthcare.

The LOI is non-binding, and no final agreement has been reached. Any potential transaction remains subject to due diligence, negotiation of definitive agreements, regulatory review and other necessary approvals.

Throughout this process, patient care, hospital operations and services will continue as normal.

Both organizations remain committed to supporting employees, providers, patients and community stakeholders while exploring opportunities to preserve and strengthen local healthcare access.

Additional information will be shared as appropriate as discussions progress.

###

About Freeman Health System

Locally owned and nationally recognized, Freeman Health System is a not-for-profit health system serving communities across Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Kansas through a network of hospitals, physician clinics, outpatient locations, and specialty services. The system includes Freeman Hospital West, Freeman Hospital East, Freeman Neosho Hospital, Freeman Fort Scott Hospital, Inc. and the Freeman Health System facilities in Bentonville, Springdale, Johnson and Siloam Springs. Freeman Health System also operates Ozark Center—the region’s largest provider of behavioral health services, and offers comprehensive cancer, cardiology, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics, and women’s and children’s services. The system is supported by more than 7,000 employees and is the only Children’s Miracle Network Hospital in a 70-mile radius. For more information, visit Freeman Health System.

Obituary

Obituary: Eileen Marie McDaniel, Age 84

Leave a comment

Eileen McDaniel

Eileen Marie McDaniel, age 84, resident of Fort Scott, KS passed away Monday, September 21, 2026, at Mercy Hospital Pittsburg, KS. She was born on April 27, 1942, in Fort Scott, the daughter of Fred and Elsie Eberle Sinn. She graduated from Fort Scott High School with the class of 1960. She married Glen Johnson. He preceded her in death. She later married Norman McDaniel on February 14, 1992.

In addition to homemaking and raising children, Eileen worked as a supervisor at a packing plant, managed Village Inn, and later worked for Gene’s IGA. She enjoyed flower gardening, cooking, baking, and house cleaning. Eileen also had an extensive collection of Angel figurines.

Survivors include her husband Norman of the home; children Jeff Johnson, Brian Johnson, Tonya Wirths, Christine Faurbo, and Julie Sealey; grandchildren Austin Grey, Keifer Johnson, Avery Johnson, Corrina Johnson, Quinton McDaniel, and Gabriele Faurbo; great grandson Kholton Johnson; and numerous other grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by a son, Brent Johnson; an infant twin sister; four brothers; and her parents.

There was cremation. Graveside services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, October 2nd, at the U.S. National Cemetery in Fort Scott. Memorials are suggested to Care to Share and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main St., Fort Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted online at cheneywitt.com.

Government, Kansas

Kansas DCF Partners with Binti for Family Finding Tech

Leave a comment

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) announced today a new partnership with Binti, a technology company focused on child welfare. The Binti Family Finding and Engagement platform strengthens practitioners’ ability to quickly identify and engage a child’s relatives and trusted adults, including non-relative kin, to support family connections and kinship placements.

Research shows that children in foster care who remain connected to relatives and trusted adults experience improved well-being, reduced trauma, and a greater chance of finding a safe, permanent home. Kansas’ use of Binti’s platform will provide crucial support to children who are at risk of entering foster care or are already in care.

“Children do better when they remain connected to the people and communities they know,” said DCF Secretary Laura Howard. “By using advanced family finding technology, we can uncover important family and trusted adult connections that might otherwise be missed, giving more children the chance to stay with people who offer familiarity, support, and a lasting sense of belonging.”

“Every child deserves the chance to grow up surrounded by people who know and love them,” said Felicia Curcuru, Co-founder and CEO of Binti. “We’re proud to partner with the Kansas Department for Children and Families to give practitioners the tools they need to find those connections faster and help more children build lasting bonds with family and trusted adults.”

DCF Child Protective Services (CPS) staff and Prevention and Protection Services contractors are responsible for conducting and documenting their own family-finding efforts. Currently, multiple resources are used, including Consolidated Lead Evaluation and Reporting (CLEAR) software, internal DCF systems, contractor case-management systems, case records, internet searches, and other available sources. Due to differing systems and documentation practices, it can be difficult to share information, avoid duplicate searches, track previous outreach and responses, and maintain a complete statewide record of family-finding efforts.

The Family Finding and Engagement platform aims to remedy this by centralizing the approach to family finding to one platform. Available to CPS, Family Preservation providers, and foster care case management agencies, the Binti platform will connect information across the child and family well-being system, ensuring that what is learned at each stage of a family’s involvement is carried forward.

Binti has been awarded a one-year contract with a total cost of $624,620 for the initial term, with an option to renew for three additional 12-month periods. DCF expects the platform to be operational in 2027.

Fort Scott Community College, Opinion

From the Bleachers: The Strength to Say, “I Was Wrong”

Leave a comment

From the Bleachers: The Strength to Say, “I Was Wrong”

By Dr. Jack Welch

This past week, I saw something on Facebook that reminded me of a lesson we sometimes forget: One of the greatest signs of strength is being willing to admit when we are wrong.

A board member in Texas publicly apologized for calling another board member an “idiot” during a public-school board meeting. She did not begin by explaining why she was angry and called the person an idiot. She did not blame the other board member. She did not say, “I was wrong, but you need to understand what he did.” She simply owned it. She said she was wrong, asked her Lord and Savior for forgiveness, apologized to the board member, and committed to controlling her words and actions differently in the future. There is strength in that.

During my years in athletics, I have watched players make mistakes and immediately point toward a teammate. I have seen coaches blame officials after losses. In administrative leadership, I have seen people spend more energy explaining why the other person was wrong, than simply admitting they were wrong. Trying to shift the blame to others usually does nothing more than weaken an apology and make us appear unwilling to accept responsibility.

I think we all have been guilty at one time or another of speaking wrongly to someone. Most of us, if we are truthful, have said something in anger that we later wished we could take back. The question is not whether we will ever make a mistake. The question is what we do after we make one.

Integrity is not about always agreeing with one another. Character is not determined by which side of an issue we stand on. Faith is certainly not demonstrated by never falling short.

Sometimes character is simply having enough humility to say: “I was wrong. Please forgive me.”

This board member made a mistake and took ownership. Admitting we are wrong does not make us smaller. In many ways, it makes us bigger.

Thought for the Week: “Your character is not measured by never being wrong. It is measured by whether you have the courage and humility to admit it when you are.” — Kelly Boggs, Pastor

Dr. Jack Welch serves as President of Fort Scott Community College. With a career spanning professional sports, public education, and rural community development, he brings a servant-leader mindset and a passion for building trust-driven cultures that empower people to thrive in the classroom, on the field, and in life. He is also the author of Foundations of Coaching: The Total Coaching Manual.

Business, Fort Scott, Health Care

Clifton Chiropractic Offers New Service: Hydro-Massage

Leave a comment

 

From left: Emily Norris, chiropractic assistant, Dr. Ethan Couch, Dr. Kaylee Clifton, and Angie Trim, office manager. The team at Clifton Chiropractic.

Dr. Kaylee Clifton is expanding the treatments Clifton Chiropractic LLC offers its clients.

In late August, she purchased a hydro-massage bed.

The hydro-massage bed is in a treatment room at the business just off Hwy. 69 on Third Street.

“The hydro treatment has been going well,” Dr. Clifton said. “It’s a good added treatment to relax and help with muscle and joint pain.”

“You can do this before or after a treatment, or just walk in,” said Angie Trim, office manager. “It may be eligible for a Flexible Spending Account or Health Savings Account, you have to check in with the plan administrator.”

The treatment was at first located at Spoiled Brat Salon, and Heather Engstrom, the owner, “reached out to us.  Several of our chiropractic patients were using it there,” said Trim.

The cost is $20 for 20 minutes of hydro-massage in the lounge chair.

During the week of September 21, high school or community college athletes get 1/2 price off the hydro-massage treatment.

Other services

The price list at Clifton Chiropractic.

Both Dr. Couch and Dr. Clifton provide traditional chiropractic adjustments, and they provide other services as well.

“Dr. Couch does the dry needling treatment service,” Clifton said.

Dry needling is a technique where a very small, thin needed is used to release tight muscle knots and help reduce pain. It helps muscles relax, improves blood flow, and allows the body to heal better. It targets specific tight or irritated muscles, according to information provided by Clifton.

Dr. Clifton does acupuncture, a treatment that uses very thin needles placed at specific points on the body to help reduce pain, improve energy flow, and support the body’s natural healing process. It’s based on traditional Chinese medicine and focuses on energy pathways in the body, while dry needling targets tight muscles directly, according to information from Clifton.

Dr. Clifton is also a practitioner in allergy elimination, in a technique known as NAET.

NAET is a mild, non-invasive, gentle energy balancing procedure.

She is also doing vagus nerve resets (restoring healthy rhythm and responsiveness) with acupuncture.

Fees.
Clifton Chiropractic is located on Third Street, just off of Hwy. 69. The address is 203 E. Third. Contact the office at 620.644.5000.

 

Kansas

Kansas Arts Commission Seeks New State Poet Laureate

Leave a comment

TOPEKA – The Kansas Arts Commission (KAC) today announced that applications for the next Poet Laureate of Kansas currently are being accepted. The Poet Laureate serves as Kansas’ leading voice for poetry, connecting communities through workshops, lectures and other public programs.

“Arts and culture play an important role in advancing the quality of place and economic vitality of communities across the state,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “Supporting the Poet Laureate is a way for Commerce and the Arts Commission to invest in our communities by elevating Kansas voices, building the state’s creative economy, and connecting the literary arts to the communities and businesses they help sustain.”

Responsibilities for Poet Laureate during their four-year term include presenting at a minimum of eight free public events each year, developing a signature program for Kansas audiences, and participating in the annual Poetry Out Loud program. Selected poets will work with Kansas Arts Commission staff on outreach and maintain an active writing and publishing practice.

“Poetry is a creative platform for artists to share where they come from, their personal values and their perspective of the world,” Kansas Arts Commission Director Curtis Young said. “This is an opportunity for poets eager to showcase their talents to Kansas communities and help more Kansans view poetry as a beneficial piece of their lives.”

To be considered for Poet Laureate, applicants must:

  • Be at least 21 years of age
  • Not enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate university program
  • Have lived in Kansas for at least three years and remain a resident throughout the term
  • Be available to travel and present statewide
  • Demonstrate a strong body of publicly accessible poetry and active publishing practice
  • Have a minimum of three publications from the previous five years
  • Not be a current KAC staff member or former Poet Laureate of Kansas participant

Traci Brimhall, the current Poet Laureate of Kansas who has served since 2023, is an author of four poetry collections, most recently The Grief Artist. Her poems have appeared in publications including The New Yorker, Poetry Orion and Best American Poetry.

“It’s truly been one of the greatest honors and privileges of my life to serve Kansas as Poet Laureate these past four years,” Poet Laureate of Kansas Traci Brimhall said. “I’ve gotten to visit so many great libraries and communities and I’m astonished at the great talent growing in all corners of our state.”

Applicants for the next Poet Laureate must include an artist statement, a narrative describing their vision for advancing poetry in Kansas, a resume or curriculum vitae, and 10 original poems. Applicants may, but are not required to, also submit up to three supplemental materials, such as letters of support or an outline of a proposed public program.

Finalists will be invited to Topeka to present a sample of the programming they would offer during their term. The position includes a $12,000 annual stipend and travel support for approved programs with nonprofit and community organizations in Kansas. The four-year term begins January 1, 2027.

Applications close Friday, October 9. The complete guidelines and the application can be found here.

For more information or questions about the Poet Laureate of Kansas, please contact arts@ks.gov.

Bourbon County

Bourbon County Commission Agenda Summary for Sept. 21, 2026 Meeting

Leave a comment

Bourbon County Commission

Bourbon County Commission Meeting Agenda – September 21, 2026, 5:30 PM

agenda-packet (full PDF)

Agenda as of September 18th, 2026 5:07 PM Central for the September 21st, 2026 5:30 PM meeting, fetched from HeyGov when this draft was created.

Detailed Information Packet Summary

1. Meeting Minutes Pending Approval (Pages 3–10, 46–73)

The packet includes several sets of draft minutes for commission approval.

  • Special Meeting, Sept. 14, 2026, 1:00 PM — Appraiser candidate interviews: Four executive sessions under K.S.A. 75-4319(b)(1) to interview appraiser candidates (Danyelle, Adam, Andrew, and final candidate Brooke), each 10–25 minutes, no action taken during sessions. (Pages 3–5)
  • Meeting, Sept. 14, 2026, 5:30 PM — Revenue Neutral Rate public hearing: Public hearing on a proposed mill levy of 56.678 mills versus the revenue-neutral rate of 54.661 mills (about $294,000 in additional revenue); resolution to exceed the RNR carried 5-0. Agenda amended to remove the KC Crown item (postponed a week), add a burn ban discussion and a pending-litigation executive session. Approved the Confluence Inc. comprehensive plan/zoning contract (Resolution 28-26), lifted the county burn ban, and authorized Commissioner Milburn to proceed with hiring an appraiser. Kevin Allen and Clayton Miller raised transfer-station rate/wage concerns. (Pages 6–10)
  • Meeting, Aug. 24, 2026: Courthouse elevator outage prompted temporary relocation of District Court to 108 W. Second St.; election ballot deadlines discussed; cereal malt beverage application approved; Baker Tilly budget scenario analysis presented; public hearing notice authorized for a mill levy not to exceed 56.669 mills. (Pages 46–51)
  • Special Meeting, Sept. 2, 2026 — Asbestos testing: Commission engaged Apex Environmental for courthouse asbestos inspection/testing ahead of elevator modernization, not-to-exceed $5,000 budget; motion carried 4-0. (Pages 64–65)
  • Meeting, Sept. 9, 2026: Approved an $8,000 training invoice; approved restrictive covenant and Triad Environmental water-testing contract ($12,990) for the old landfill site; discussed appraiser applicant interviews and a possible Allen County appraiser-sharing arrangement. (Pages 66–68)
  • Meeting, Aug. 31, 2026: Public comment from Kevin Allen on transfer-station rate/wage plans; budget framework presented by Baker Tilly; S&P bond-rating discussion; asbestos-testing motions (mixed results); Healthcare Sales Tax Review Committee reported $336,741.49 collected year-to-date for Freeman Hospital’s ER; two-week countywide burn ban enacted 3-1. (Pages 69–73)

2. Accounts Payable / Open Invoices Report (Pages 12–40)

A 29-page open-invoices report dated 9/18/2026, grand total $581,360.08 across county funds.

  • Road & Bridge Sales Tax Fund: $199,848.03
  • Road and Bridge Fund: $106,376.24
  • County Sheriff/Correctional: $45,772.69
  • Courthouse General: $47,121.52
  • Bond Sales Tax – County Jail: $8,195.85
  • Employee Benefit: $5,293.69
  • County Coroner (autopsy service): $7,675.00
  • Emergency Services Sales Tax (August hospital sales tax): $58,485.85
  • Other departments (District Court, Finance, HR, Emergency Preparedness, IT, Ambulance Service, County Treasurer, County Attorney, Landfill, Special Law Enforcement, Noxious Weed) round out the total.

(Pages 12–40)

3. County Appraiser Vacancy & Appointment (Pages 41–42, 79–80)

  • Notification of County Appraiser Change: Matt Quick’s resignation as County Appraiser, effective 8/18/2026, after eight years in the role. (Pages 41–42)
  • Draft Resolution — Appointment of County Appraiser: Appoints Danielle Louk, a Kansas Registered Mass Appraiser, effective September 21, 2026, to serve the unexpired term through June 30, 2029, sharing her services with Allen County under a Memorandum of Understanding; repeals Resolution 20-25. (Pages 79–80)

4. Budget & Revenue Neutral Rate Documentation (Pages 43, 45)

  • Notice of Hearing to Exceed Revenue Neutral Rate and Budget Hearing: Full 2027 budget summary by fund, comparing 2025 actual, 2026 estimate, and proposed 2027 figures; total proposed expenditures $19,969,633, proposed 2026 ad valorem tax $8,148,472, proposed tax rate 56.678 mills versus a revenue-neutral rate of 54.661 mills. (Page 43)
  • Roll Call Vote: 5-0 vote to levy a property tax rate exceeding the revenue neutral rate, held 9/14/26. (Page 45)

5. Comprehensive Plan & Zoning — Confluence, Inc. Agreement (Pages 52–63)

  • Resolution 28-26: Approves a Planning Services Agreement with Confluence, Inc. to develop a Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Code Regulations, total fee $116,500 (including up to $5,000 reimbursable expenses), funded $36,000 from the 2026 General Fund and $80,500 from the 2027 General Fund; aligns with the existing moratorium on utility-scale power generation, crypto mining, data centers and waste disposal (Resolution 24-26). Signed by Chairman Motley 9/14/26. (Pages 52–55)
  • Full Planning Services Agreement: Four-phase, roughly 12-month scope (Project Research + Analysis; Vision, Input and Direction; Draft Plan + Zoning Code; Final Draft Plan and Code + Adoption) with fees by phase totaling $116,500, plus Exhibit A standard hourly rates and reimbursable expense schedule. (Pages 56–63)

6. Environmental Testing Proposals (Pages 44, 74–78)

  • Triad Environmental Services: Proposal to sample groundwater monitoring wells at KDHE Landfill #206 & #512, approximate total cost $12,990; approved by Commissioner Allen 9/9/26. (Page 44)
  • APEX Environmental Consultants — “Apex environment” (agenda item XII.a): Pre-renovation asbestos NESHAP inspection, lead-based paint testing and ambient air monitoring of the courthouse ahead of elevator/third-floor renovation; fees of $2,475 for field inspection/report and an estimated $1,050 for bulk sample analysis (30 samples @ $35 each). Includes full General Conditions terms. (Pages 74–78)

7. Murphy Tractor & Equipment Letter — Purchasing Policy (Pages 81–84)

Territory Sales Manager Travis Clinesmith writes to the Board questioning the county’s recent equipment purchasing process. He states Murphy Tractor was not contacted or invited to submit competitive proposals for a Caterpillar motor grader (~$54,000/year for eight years, more than $432,000 total, via Foley Equipment/Sourcewell), an excavator (~$34,000/year), or a proposed Caterpillar backhoe (later rescinded pending a used-equipment search). He asks the Board to clarify the county’s current competitive-bidding procedures for major equipment purchases and requests the opportunity to compete going forward. (Pages 81–84)

8. Employee Insurance Benefit Proposal (Pages 85–86)

A proposal (Commissioner Milburn) to standardize the county’s insurance contribution at $1,100/month for the roughly 82 employees who use county insurance (replacing the current tiered $925–$1,700/month structure), and to offer $2/hour premium pay (about $4,160/year) to the roughly 35 eligible employees who opt out with outside coverage, at an estimated added cost of $145,600/year. (Pages 85–86)

9. Office Space Assignment Resolution (Pages 87–89)

A draft resolution formally designating office, workspace, storage and restricted-area assignments throughout the Courthouse and Courthouse Annex — including District Court, County Attorney, Appraiser, Recorder of Deeds, County Clerk, Public Works, County Treasurer, and a list of restricted cell-pod storage/IT areas — and requiring Commission approval for any reassignment. (Pages 87–89)

10. KORA / Public Records Policy Resolutions (Pages 90–102)

  • Resolution 10-06 (2006): Existing schedule of copy and fax fees under KORA, currently in effect. (Pages 90–92)
  • Draft comprehensive KORA resolution (agenda item XIII.e): A new, detailed resolution decentralizing public-records responsibility to each office/department’s own custodian rather than routing all requests through the County Clerk, setting a $0.25/page copy fee and staff-time billing, and superseding Resolutions 99-19 and 10-06 where they conflict. (Pages 93–101)
  • KORA Resolution #99-19 (1999): The original, still-referenced public records policy. (Page 102)

11. KC Crown Inc. Fort Scott Housing Project (Pages 103–105)

  • Project scope memo: KC Crown Inc. proposes a phased affordable-housing development (25 homes per phase, up to 4 phases) on land owned by Binder “Sam” Singh south of the KC Mart, with an initial investment of about $2.5 million; requests a Commission resolution of support to apply for the Kansas Housing Investor Tax Credit. (Page 103)
  • Draft resolution: Authorizes preparation and submission of a Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC) application for the Housing Investor Tax Credit (HITC) on the county’s behalf. (Pages 104–105)