The newly remodeled facility that was donated to Bourbon County EMS by Mercy Hospital, located northeast of Community Health Center at 405 Woodland Hills on May 13, 2019.
The new Bourbon County Emergency Medical Services Station at Woodland Hills is nearly complete.
“A new sign will be coming,” EMS Director Robert Leisure, “It will be seen from the street out front, Woodland Hills.”
“Mercy Hospital donated the building,” Leisure said. “The city runs the day-to-day operations. The trucks and facility are owned by the county.”
Inside the station is housed four EMS vehicles.
“Two duty and two transfer trucks,” Leisure said. “Two ambulances are at the Fort Scott Fire Department (on National Avenue).”
Paramedic Mike Kreiger consults with Bourbon County EMS Director Robert Leisure in the new facilities day room.
There is a dayroom to “relax and get off our feet in between calls,” Paramedic Mike Krieger said.
EMT Katelyn Harper works at the reporting station in the new EMS facility, it is adjacent to the kitchen area.
There is one large room that the main office, day room and kitchen are located in.
The kitchen area of the Bourbon County EMS Station at 405 Woodland Hills. In the background is the hallway to the laundry, sleep rooms, bathrooms and the director’s office.There are separate bathroom facilities for male and female employees, complete with lockers and shower.Paramedic Mike Kreiger and EMT Aide Chris Reed in the EMS station dayroom in between calls.Each shift employee has a sleeping room at the EMS station.
There are four separate sleeping rooms for shift employees.
“The EMS schedule varies on which days are worked,” Leisure said. “But the goal is two 24 hour’s (shifts) per week or 48 hours per week.”
Laundry room facilities, with the dayroom/work station/kitchen area in the background.Three of the four EMS vehicles located at the Woodland Hills Station.
EMS Director Robert Leisure indicated the new ambulance service is doing well.
For an earlier feature on the service, click below:
Robert Leisure, Bourbon County Emergency Medical Services Director, 2019.
Robert Leisure was chosen as the new Bourbon County Emergency Services Director, with an official starting date of April 29.
“Robert has been a Paramedic/RN with the service for the past 23 years. Christi Keating had decided that she was no longer going to serve in the capacity of EMS Director earlier in the year,” Dave Bruner said.
EMT Katlyn Harper works at the reporting station at the new Bourbon County EMS facility at 405 Woodland Hills, northeast of the Community Health Center. Bourbon County EMS Director Robert Leisure fields a call in the background.
Bruner is a representative of the City of Fort Scott on a task force that was given the job of transitioning the services from Mercy Hospital. Keating was a representative of Mercy Hospital and there were also representatives from Bourbon County on the task force that was formed following the announcement of the closure of the hospital in October 2018.
“We opened the position up and Robert expressed interest as well as three other candidates,” Bruner said. “Robert was chosen to fill the EMS director position.”
“I was already a Mercy employee and transitioned over to county with the rest of the staff,” Leisure said. “I was asked and encouraged to step up and fill a void left by the late Danny Hall.”
Robert Leisure, Bourbon County Emergency Medical Services Director, 2019.
He has several decades experience in emergency services.
“I’ve been a Kansas paramedic for 23 years or since 1996,” he said. “Most of my EMS career was spent in this general area and mostly with Mercy.”
Leisure is a registered nurse with 16 years of experience with Mercy Hospital.
“Nearly all (nursing experiences)have come in the ER setting with the exception of a brief stint of flight nursing with Eagle Med,” he said.
Leisure believes he has a good mix of employees.
“I’m currently fully staffed with 10 full time and 15 part-time employees” Leisure said. “It’s a good mix of paramedic and EMT’s. Some with vast experience and some just getting started.”
Leisure is learning the director job with help and has been challenged and motivated by this new position in a good way, he said.
“My duties are very fluid to me right now as I’m learning the position which is a new position, with no predecessor to really follow,” he said. “I’m being helped greatly by both Christie Keating and Dave Bruner in this transition. Christie has an extensive background in management mostly inter-hospital. And Dave is very knowledgeable about the inner workings of governmental processes.”
His duties include: “ordering and maintaining medical supplies and medications, ensuring billing of the runs we do is done accurately and on time, ensuring compliance with all state policies and procedures for ambulance operations, configuring a schedule of work for staff that see’s all shifts are covered with two crews on a 24/7 basis,” he said.
In addition, “duties include quality assurance where run reports are reviewed to assure a certain level of care is maintained, hiring and maintaining a full staff, facilitating regular maintenance of the six ambulances, meeting with the medical director and reporting to both county and city commissions since the service is run by the city and owned by the county,” he said.
The partnership between the City of Fort Scott and the Bourbon County administration has worked well.
” I have nothing but great things to say about both commissions as they’ve worked together exceptionally,” Leisure said.
Bourbon County Ambulance Service has a station at 405 Woodland Hills, northeast of the Community Health Center building, and one at the Fort Scott Fire Department on National Avenue.
To view earlier stories on the Bourbon County Ambulance:
Fort Scott’s Community Development Director Robert Uhler listens as Woodland Hills Clubhouse Manager Shannon O’Neil tells of upcoming events during the weekly Chamber of Commerce Coffee May 9.
Fort Scott’s publicly owned golf course is one of the best in Kansas.
“It’s one of the top ten in the state,” Fort Scott’s Community Development Director Robert Uhler told the weekly Chamber of Commerce Coffee attendees on May 9 at Woodland Hills Golf Course.
To view others on the list of top ten golf courses in Kansas, click below.
Golf carts are lined up in front of the Woodland Hills Golf Course, ready for rental. There are 30 carts for public rental, Clubhouse Manager Shannon O’Neil said.
Woodland Hills Golf Course is busy with community events.
“The next Saturday’s are busy,” Clubhouse Manager Shannon O’Neil told the coffee attendees, “The Kiwanis Golf Tournament is May 18, there is a three-person scramble on Memorial Day weekend May 25 and a Tiger Baseball Fundraiser on June 1.” The Kiwanis fundraiser is for student scholarships and the Tiger baseball fundraiser benefits the local baseball team, he said.
O’Neil is also the head golf professional at the course.
An introductory course for beginning golfers ages 8-13 begins Tuesday, June 11, for six weeks of one-hour group lessons.
Coffee attendee, Fort Scott Community College President Alysia Johnston said the college has a great partnership with the golf course. This partnership has allowed two girls to hone their skills to excel at the sport.
“In our first year with a golf team, two girls have qualified for nationals,” she said.
City Manager Dave Martin commended Golf Course Superintendent Jon Kindlesparger for his work on upgrading and maintaining the picturesque course.
“We hired him when the course was in disrepair,” Martin said. “Jon, with his experience has done a lot of great work out here.”
Jon Kindlesparger, Woodland Hills Golf Course Superintendent.The board at the Woodland Hills Clubhouse lists all the fees.
Kansas Department of Transportation work on 69 Hwy. as seen from Eagle Road earlier in the expansion project.
The U.S.Hwy 69 expansion in Bourbon County is nearing completion.
“The four lanes should be completed within the next two to three weeks,” Priscilla Peterson, Public Affairs Manager, Southeast Kansas Department of Transportation said. “Although both north- and southbound traffic will be reduced to one lane to allow the contractor to finish work on the median and shoulders.”
It is projected that the four-lane section will be open to unrestricted traffic by mid to late June, she said.
“A ribbon cutting is in the works for late June, although we don’t yet have an exact date,” Peterson said.
Fort Scott High School music assistant and former instructor Pat Harry and Meredith Reid, the current instructor, lead students with the Steinway piano accompaning. Submitted photo.
There will be a free concert this Sunday for the community to celebrate the restoration of the Fort Scott High School Steinway piano.
The concert will be held Sunday, May 19 at 3 p.m. in the FSHS Auditorium, 1005 S. Main.
“This will feature the newly restored Steinway piano,” FSHS Music Instructor Meredith Reid said. “Performers will include students, alumni, and music teachers. The purpose of the concert is to recognize all of the generous donors who made this project possible.”
“We sent it off February 2018,” Ried said. “It was restored by Mike Dugan of Dugan’s Piano Service located in Nixa, MO.”
Pictures of the project from beginning to end will also be displayed.
The mystery of who donated the prized Steinway to the school has never been solved, Reid said.
Refreshments will be served following the concert.
This is the first story in a National Public Radio series that will explore how the closure of a rural hospital, Mercy Hospital Fort Scott, disrupts a community’s health care, economy and identity.
Across the country, more than 100 rural hospitals like Fort Scott’s have closed since 2010, under increasing financial pressure.
Because of public response, NPR added a Facebook page for public comments, see the last link in this feature.
The word “Pickup” can be seen on the south section of Walmart, 2500 S. Main Street. There will be designated parking spaces for online shoppers soon.
Shoppers at Walmart in Fort Scott can see boxes in the former self-checkout area and the removal of a few cash register stations at the front of the store.
The self-checkout area is being expanded in Walmart Fort Scott.
In addition, the cell phone area has been relocated to the electronics department.
Walmart’s remodeled electronics section.
Walmart is remodeling.
“We are getting ready for online shopping,” said Scott, an associate manager at Fort Scott. “That’s where you order online, then come and pick it up. It will be sometime in June.”
“The self-register area will be bigger,” he said. “And there will be one on the north (of the line cash register stands), within the next two weeks.”
The number of cash registers has been reduced to make room for the expanded self-registers.
The empty space, formerly the cell phone sales area, as you enter the southeast door of Walmart, is closed.
“It is undecided right now what the previous cell phone area will be used for,” Scott said.
The City of Uniontown has barricaded Clay Street, which runs on the west side of West Bourbon Elementary School, because of baseball games. It will remain barricaded until the end of the games at approximately 5:45 p.m. this evening, May 13.
All fans are asked to enter the games through on the east side of the school, according to Uniontown City Clerk Sally Johnson.
“We apologize for any inconvenience,” Johnson said.
Uniontown Ruritan sponsored a ribbon cutting on May 11 for a new business: HB Salon, 108 Sherman, Uniontown. From left, front row: Ruritan Member Mark Warren, Tim and Kerri Travis, owner Hannah Ballou, Levi Ballou, Jennifer Ballou, Ruritan member Lawrence George, Ruriteen member Luke George; back row: Ruritan member Joe George, Hayden and Zach Travis, Roanne Blake, Thyra Babcock, Rachel Eden, Simon Ballou, Vance Eden, Ruritan members Raymond George and Henry Homan.
HB Salon owner Hannah Ballou and family were part of a ribbon cutting for the new business on May 11, sponsored by the Uniontown Ruritan.
The business opened in early 2019 and specializes in haircuts and colors.
It is located at 108 Sherman, on the southeast corner of the Uniontown square. Hours are Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Saturday by appointment.
Contact Ballou at 620-756-4770 or on Facebook at HB Salon.
The hours of HB Salon, Uniontown.
Starting in June, manicure and pedicure services will be offered by Ashley Travis, Ballou’s sister-in-law, at the salon.
Mani-pedi specials will be offered to introduce the new service, Ballou said.
The Southeast Kansas Multi-County Health Department, with a facility currently housed in a modular office building on the Bourbon County Courthouse square, is moving.
“We hope to be completed by the end of May,” Bourbon County Commissioner Jeff Fischer said.
“Every day we are getting closer to moving in,” Rebecca Johnson, SEKMCHD Director said. Johnson assumed the position on April 1, 2019.
“There will be lots of possibilities for health care related agencies to use the facility,” Johnson said. “We are looking into a telemedicine possibility.”
The new location is at 6th and Horton Streets and will provide more than twice the size of the existing building, Fischer said.
The Bourbon County employees will remain the same: Alice Maffet-public health nurse, Kristi George-administrative assistant and head billing clerk, Gayle Green, Healthy Start Home Visitor and Johnson.
“I’ll be working there primarily,” Johnson said.
Chardel Hastings, the previous SEKMCHD director, is stepping into the position of Woodson County Public Health Nurse, Johnson said.
Jeff Fischer, District 2 Bourbon County Commissioner.
In December 2018, SEKMCHD purchased the building from Cornerstone Bible Church. The structure was originally built by Mercy Hospital in 1992 to provide health care services.
A building permit was granted to modify the western side of the building, replacing interior walls and providing the ability to secure the SEKMCHD space from the commons areas that include the waiting room and reception area, Fischer said.
Walls and doors were installed to create three new office spaces and two examination rooms, he said.
“Painting is going on right now,” Fischer said. “Once that is done, the electrician and cabinet folks can come in.”
The electrical, plumbing and cabinetry work has yet to be completed.
The annual Fort Scott Presbyterian Village benefit dinner, auction and vacation raffle is May 15.
The fundraiser is for tenants of the assisted living facility who outlive their funds stored for retirement years.
Ginger Nance, executive director of Fort Scott Presbyterian Village answered the following interview questions.
Who will it benefit from this fundraiser?
“We are a Christian mission, not for profit, independent and assisted senior living community. As people age, they usually put back money for ‘old age’ thinking it will surely be enough to meet their needs, knowing they will retire and not be able to continue working at some point.
“Life continues and sometimes seniors are faced with the reality that they never dreamed they’d live as old as they may currently be.”
“For example, we had a tenant once who lived in our assisted living who lived to be 104 years old. She told us, ‘I never dreamed I’d live to be older than 90!’ A decade later, she was still able to enjoy life and do many of the things she enjoyed so much, such as gardening, but she was not physically able to return to the workforce to earn money for that 14 years that she had not planned for. Who could?!
“In our Christian mission, we are dedicated to making sure that our seniors needs are met as long as they can continue to physically live in assisted living at the Presbyterian Village, regardless of whether they can afford their care or not. This is only possible through generous donors who believe in our program and see the wonderful quality of life that their tax-deductible donations can provide. ”
“We accept donations all year-long to support this charitable program, but once a year we hold a live auction and dinner to boost the money raised in order to cover the deficit that some of our seniors have. For this reason, on May 15th, we will hold our annual Good Samaritan Auction and Dinner and hope to bring in more than $30,000 to cover that need.”
“For the event, we are selling tickets for a 3 piece Chicken Mary’s dinner which includes two sides, a homemade desert (made by many wonderful local bakers), and a bottle of water. Ticket prices are $9.00 each in advance, or $12.00 at the door. The dinners will serve from 4:30-6:30pm. We will also have a drive through service available if you are not able to stay for the live auction that will be held, but would like to simply pick up dinner to take home. Be sure to get your tickets early though, we usually sell out by the morning of the event and we don’t want anyone to go without a dinner.”
What will be going on that evening?
“A live auction will be held in the parking garages on the back side of the building, held by Nance Auction Service. Come see all the great items we have to offer! Everything from a Chevy Malibu car, tools, antiques, collectibles, household furniture, outdoor and hobby items, to knic knacs will be offered. There is truly something for everyone! The auctioneers engage the crowd and the fun begins among buyers and spectators. Most everything will be inside the garages so there will be cover in case of rain.”
“A few premier silent auction items will be inside near the cashiers table, as well.”
“Additionally, we will have a ‘Buy It Now’ area set up at one end of the garage for those who would rather purchase and go.
“If you are not able to attend the auction but would like to leave a bid on an item that you are interested in, please contact Ginger Nance in advance to leave a bid. We will also have people at the auction to assist if you are nervous about raising your hand to bid, or would simply prefer to have someone else bid for you.
“Last but not least, we are also selling tickets for one lucky person to win a seven-day trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico. The winner will stay at the beautiful Las Brisas condo which is appointed with all the luxuries of the Southwest that one could want while on vacation from your busy life. The condo is large enough for a family, yet intimate for a romantic get-away and is located within walking distance of the downtown attractions and dining. Tickets for the opportunity to win are $5.00 each, or 3 tickets for $10.00. The drawing will take place at the end of the auction and the winner does not have to be present to win.”
“All money raised remains local here at the Fort Scott Presbyterian Village to directly impact the lives of seniors with a financial need,” states Nance. “The program is confidential, otherwise we would ask a recipient of the program to give their testimony.”
“However, I have been the Executive Director at the Village for 17 years and I can attest that those who are utilizing the program often don’t even realize they are and their life continues unchanged and they continue to live the way they want to live, without interruption or worry.”
“The program is a dignified, loving gift of kindness from supporters, like you and I, and every dollar makes a direct impact on our senior’s lives,” states Nance.
“Join us for a great evening together! We are located at the Fort Scott Presbyterian Village, 2401 S. Horton, Fort Scott, KS 66701.
Tickets are available at the Presbyterian Village, or at the Chamber of Commerce in Fort Scott.
For more information contact Ginger Nance, Executive Director at (620) 223-5550 or email [email protected].
To view a partial listing of the auction items visit www.nanceauctionservice.com or come by to preview early on sale day.
Items are being added daily, so there are sure to be surprises on auction day.”
The location and directions to get there?
“Directions: Take Highway 69 south on the bypass of Fort Scott, KS. Turn west at 23rd street (at McDonald’s intersection light), then turn south on Horton Street. We are located directly across the street from the Fort Scott Public Golf Course.
In case of rain, if it’s too wet to park in the grass, we will have people assisting with parking and a shuttle service will run between the Village and the Fort Scott Community College parking lot from 4:30-7:00 p.m.”
