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Fort Scott, Government

City-Wide Infrastructure Project Begins

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Fort Scott Begins Infrastructure Revitalization Project

Working with global energy leader, Schneider Electric, improvements will help the city sustain growth and economic development.

Fort Scott is excited to announce a city-wide infrastructure project with Schneider Electric, that will drive economic development and enhance city buildings. Through this project, Schneider Electric has helped identify energy savings measures and growth within the city’s wastewater and water treatment facilities, buildings, parks and downtown redevelopment that will exceed $52,000 a year for the next 20 years. With a goal of anticipating and mitigating future needs, this strategic initiative also plans to reduce annual operating and maintenance costs by an additional $25,000 and create new revenue streams through improved city services and infrastructure. Over the next 20 years, The city of Fort Scott can expect at least $2.1 million in savings, which will completely offset the cost of the $1.5 million project.

 

By adopting new technology and replacing existing equipment, Fort Scott will be providing enhanced city services and upgraded facilities through an innovative design-build construction model. The impact of reinvesting energy and operational dollars back into capital needs of the city, provides an opportunity to leverage current capital dollars in other areas of need. Additionally, the targeted improvements in this initial phase will greatly improve the overall environments for city staff and visitors to the City of Fort Scott’s municipal facilities.

For more information on Schneider Electric, please visit www.enable.schneider-electric.com.

About Schneider Electric

At Schneider, we believe access to energy and digital is a basic human right. We empower all to do more with less, ensuring Life Is On everywhere, for everyone, at every moment. We provide energy and automation digital solutions for efficiency and sustainability. We combine world-leading energy technologies, real-time automation, software and services into integrated solutions for Homes, Buildings, Data Centers, Infrastructure and Industries. We are committed to unleash the infinite possibilities of an open, global, innovative community that is passionate with our Meaningful Purpose, Inclusive and Empowered values. www.se.com

 

Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

Christmas Parade Winners

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The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce would like to thank all who attended or participated in the 2019 Christmas Parade in Downtown Fort Scott Tuesday, December 3rd. The theme was “Christmas through the Years” and the parade was sponsored by Briggs of Fort Scott.

The Chamber would also like to announce the parade entry winners: 1st place winner, receiving a $75 prize, Medicalodges Fort Scott; 2nd place winner, receiving a $50 prize, Bethel Community Baptist Church; 3rd place winner, receiving a $25 prize, Parkway Church; best golf cart winning $25, Ascension Via Christi; and best band winning $25 was the Fort Scott Tiger band.

The contribution of many is what makes events like the Christmas parade successful. The Chamber is sincerely appreciative of all who volunteered, announced, judged, and otherwise had a part in the parade.

Contact the Chamber for more information at 620-223-3566.

Bourbon County, Business, Entertainment, Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

Chamber Coffee Dec. 5 at Fort

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The Chamber Coffee will be hosted by the
Fort Scott National
Historic Site
Old Fort Blvd., Fort Scott, KS
Join us for some coffee & good company at 8 am!
Join us at the Chamber Coffee Thursday, December 5th at
8 am at the Fort Scott
National Historic Site!
This will kick off the Candle light tours starting Friday, December 6th from 6:30 to 9 pm & Saturday, December 7th from 5 to 9 pm!
UPCOMING COFFEE SCHEDULES:
* December 12th ~ FSCC ~ Ellis Fine Arts Center
* December 19th ~ City of Fort Scott
* December 26th ~ No Coffee
Business, Government

Kansas Tax Reform Recommendations

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Meeting for the Governor’s Council on Tax Reform produces recommendations

 

The fourth meeting of the Governor’s Council on Tax Reform concluded this afternoon. The bipartisan group is performing an in-depth study of the state’s current tax system, and today submitted an initial round of recommendations for consideration by the Kansas Legislature in the upcoming session.

  

“I want to thank the Council for its work in preparing thoughtful recommendations, and look forward to their continued study in 2020,” Governor Laura Kelly. “The proposals they shared today reflect my vision for a fiscally responsible, fair and sustainable tax structure that will keep the tax burden as low as possible for Kansas individuals and businesses.”

 

The Council recommended:

 

  • A food sales tax rebate. The Council recommended a new Food Sales Income Tax Credit that would be refundable, have income limits based on Federal Adjusted Gross Income and be limited to taxpayers who were Kansas residents for the entire tax year. If the food sales tax rebate is fully implemented, it is estimated that over 400,000 Kansans would receive a refund.

 

  • A return to implementation of the Local Ad Valorem Tax Reduction Fund (LAVTRF) as a way to help local governments keep their property taxes low. Previously funded by 3.63% of the state sales tax, the LAVTRF has not been funded since 2003. If fully funded again, local governments would once again have a strong tool to begin lowering local property taxes. 

 

  • Implementation of a tax on out-of-state marketplace facilitators and digital products. While the Department of Revenue notice earlier this year requires out-of-state retailers to register and collect and remit use tax on sales made in the state, existing statute does not allow the state to make the same requirements of marketplace facilitators. A marketplace facilitator is a person who facilitates a sale through an internet or physical retailer. The proposal related to digital products would apply the state sales tax to all sales of digital products and subscription services, such as digital books and music.

 

  • Caution by the Governor and the Legislature: Given the devastation prior tax policy has had on Kansas, the Council recommended the Governor and the Legislature be very cautious with proposals that diminish revenue until Kansas has fully regained its fiscal health. 

 

  • Property tax lid exemption for transportation:  The Council recommended that an exemption be made to the existing property tax lid for the funding of local transportation projects. A significant portion of expenditures at the local level are for road and bridge repairs and the property tax lid has far too often been a hinderance to those needs. During the Department of Transportation’s local consult meetings across the state, a number of communities expressed the need for this exemption.

 

  • Affirming the need to bring back the 3-legged stool: Additionally, the Council recommended the state strive to bring balance back with a 3-legged stool approach to taxes — income, property and sales.  During the past few months, the Council found evidence that the state’s current tax policy has an imbalanced tax structure with income taxes and property taxes being significantly out of balance. 

 

  • Future items to consider:  The Council also approved a list of items they are planning on studying and reviewing during the next calendar year. Those are:  broadening the tax base, tax exemptions, review of progressivity v. regressivity within the current tax system, Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), Global Intangible Low-taxed Income (GILTI), decoupling and overall property tax relief.

 

Over the course of its study, the Council will make additional specific statutory recommendations to state lawmakers on tax reform in Kansas. A final report is due in December 2020, in advance of the 2021 legislative session.

 

For more on Governor Kelly’s executive order establishing the Council, its membership and presentation materials:

 

https://governor.kansas.gov/newsroom/council-on-tax-reform/

Government, Kansas

Christmas Cash For Unclaimed Property

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Kansas State Treasurer launches Christmas Cash website to encourage Unclaimed Property searches

Topeka—Kansas State Treasurer Jake LaTurner today announced the beginning of their 2nd Annual Christmas Cash initiative with the launch of www.ChristmasCash.ks.gov. The website is a free search engine for Kansans to go online and find out if any of the $350-million in unclaimed property in the State treasury belongs to them. Last Christmas the website yielded over 40,000 searches and over $7-million dollars was returned to Kansans.

“We love putting this money back in people’s pockets, and what better time than Christmas for us to connect Kansans with a little extra cash,” said LaTurner. “Even if you’ve searched for yourself before and found nothing, search again. We get new property all the time, and would be thrilled to make the holidays a little brighter for you or someone you know.”

All searches on ChristmasCash.ks.gov are free and can be done for individuals and businesses. The State Treasurer’s office warns individuals to beware of anyone asking for a finder’s fee to return unclaimed property. Those types of solicitations are fraudulent and do not originate from the State Treasurer’s Office.

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Entertainment, Fort Scott National Historic Site

Fort Candlelight Tour: FSHS Drama Dept. Included

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Only a few days until the 38th Annual Candlelight Tour

 

Fort Scott Kan. – A few tickets still remain to participate in Fort Scott National Historic Site’s 38th Annual Candlelight Tour. Later tour tickets are still available by calling the Fort at 620-223-0310 (with a major credit card) or by stopping by the Visitor Center on Old Fort Blvd.

Tours on December 6 will begin at 6:30 pm and leave every 15 minutes until 9 pm.

On Saturday, December 7, the tours will start at 5 pm with the final tour leaving at 8:45 pm.

Please arrive 10 minutes early to allow time to park, present/pick up your ticket, and get oriented.

Tickets are $8.00 per person and non-refundable, children 5 and under are free. Participants are advised to please dress for the weather and the terrain, as they will be outside and on sidewalks.

1,000 candle lanterns illuminate the site and 100 reenactors (including you) bring the fort to life. “This year’s tour will include the audience in the tour stops. It will feature six stops around the site beginning with the enlistment and ending with reassignment of release from service,” said Betty Boyko, Superintendent, Fort Scott National Historic Site. “We encourage everyone to dress up (in modern or period clothes) and step back in time.” Take the tour under the identity of one of our own Fort Scott soldiers. Enlist in the U.S. Army stationed at the Fort; learn about life on the frontier; the ups and downs of payday; celebrate the holidays 1840’s style; find out how much the officer’s wives appreciate all of your hard work; and after an memorable career, receive your discharge or reassignment stamp.  Keep your enlistment card to remember your journey through time.

“Our fourth scene was written and will be presented by the Fort Scott High School drama students,” Carl Brenner, Park Ranger noted in a separate press release.

 

-NPS-

Fort Scott was an active military post from 1842-1853, which was a time of rapid growth and change in the country.  As Fort Scott was being built, the nation grew west, expanding all the way to the Pacific Ocean. With this growth, Fort Scott changed, the mission of its soldiers changed, their experience changed, the environment changed, and the nation changed. Soldiers at Fort Scott lived their lives to the fullest despite the constant change.