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Bourbon County, Government

Bourbon County Commission Agenda April 14

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Agenda

Bourbon County Commission Room

1st Floor, County Courthouse

210 S. National Avenue

Fort Scott, KS 66701

Tuesdays starting at 9:00

Date: April 14, 2020

1st District-Lynne Oharah Minutes: Approved: _______________

2nd District-Jeff Fischer Corrected: _______________

3rd District-Nick Ruhl Adjourned at: _______________

County Clerk-Kendell Mason

MEETING HELD IN THE EOC WITH NO PUBLIC ATTENDANCE (PUBLIC ATTENDANCE VIA FACEBOOK LIVE)

9:00 – 9:15 Discuss a committee for the renewal of the hard surface road sales tax

9:15 – 9:30 Discuss finance options for dump truck

9:30 – 9:45 Open Hay bids-was scheduled to be open 4/7/2020

9:45 – 10:00 Clint Anderson-Vehicle

10:00 – 10:15 Open porch bids-was scheduled to be opened 3/24/2020

10:30 – 10:45 Jody Hoener-Bourbon County’s goal to facilitate an effective path forward and our work to build infrastructure needed to move from phase one to phase twoof the covid 19 pandemic reopening roadmap

10:45-11:00 Volunteer work and work comp

11:00 – 11:15 Executive Session – Personnel matters of individual non-elected personnel

11:15 – 11:30 Executive Session – Consultation with an attorney for the body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship

11:30 – 12:00 Open meeting numerous administrative issues

12:00 – 1:30 Lunch

1:30 – 1:45 Jacqie Spradling – Personnel Salary

1:45 – 2:00 Will Wallace Non-elected personnel

Area News

Child Abuse Prevention Training Online

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The month of April has shaped up to be a unique one: we’re observing Child Abuse Prevention Month mostly from the comfort of our own homes. As our communities continue to press pause and participate in social distancing, we’re encouraging you to take things One Day at a Time. While the current COVID-19 has dramatically impacted life as we know it, protecting kids doesn’t have to be an overwhelming process—in fact, there are protective measures we can take that can come as easy as taking a deep breath.

During this month it is important, now more than ever, to help people understand that safe, stable, and nurturing relationships and environments are necessary to ensure that children thrive. Everybody plays a part in preventing child abuse and neglect – everyone can make great childhoods happen. Small discreet actions can make a big difference in a child’s life—and a parent’s as well.

Kansas Children’s Service League (KCSL) is pleased to announce the Darkness to Light Stewards of Children child sexual abuse prevention training is now available online, for Kansas residents, through a grant administered by the Office of the Kansas Attorney General. This is a free 2.0 hour training.

 

Registration spaces are first-come-first-serve. You are encouraged to forward this opportunity to other PARENTS, EDUCATION and CHILD CARE professionals, and COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS who work with children, churches, school staff, and area agencies.

Contact KCSL ([email protected]) with any questions or for directions on how to access the training opportunity.

We look forward to discussing steps we can take together to help keep kids safe!

Need local resources? Call any day, any time for FREE. We’re here to connect you to resources, answer any questions or just be a listening ear.

Government, Kansas

  KDA Marketing and Promotions Advisory Board Meets April 17

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Agriculture Marketing and Promotions Advisory Board to Meet Via Conference Call April 17

 

MANHATTAN, Kan. —   The Kansas Department of Agriculture’s Marketing and Promotions Advisory Board will meet at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, April 17. This is a regularly scheduled board meeting that will be held via conference call.

 

The mission of the KDA Agricultural Marketing, Advocacy and Outreach Team is to serve all Kansans through innovative programming and delivering solutions designed to create an environment that facilitates growth and expansion in agriculture while increasing pride in and awareness of the state’s largest industry — agriculture.

 

The meeting is open to the public. To request a copy of the agenda or directions on how to participate in the conference call, please contact Kerry Wefald, agriculture marketing director, at 785-564-6758 or [email protected].

 

Persons who require special accommodations must make their needs known at least two days prior to the meeting.

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WHO:            KDA Marketing and Promotions Advisory Board

 

WHAT:          Regular Board Meeting

 

WHEN:          10:00 a.m. on April 17, 2020
Obituary

Obituary of Phyllis Norris

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Phyllis Norris, 88, of Fort Scott, passed away at her home Saturday morning, April 11, 2020. She was born March 11, 1932, in Liberty, Kansas, the daughter of Archibald Warren and Hazel Johanna (Johnson) Austin.

She married Claude Wayne Norris on September 24, 1950, in Cherryvale, Kansas, he preceded her in death on April 30, 2017.

Phyllis attended the Mercy School of Nursing and later worked at the Newman-Young Clinic from 1959 to 1997. She was a member of the Church of Christ.

She is survived by a daughter, Jonni Stanton, and husband, Steve, two sons, Mike Norris and wife, Kathy, and Phillip Norris and wife, Debbie all of Fort Scott, a sister-in-law, Joycelyn Malone and husband, Keith, grandchildren, Jerod Stanton, Lindsey Gulager, Linda Cabuay, Lisa Davis, Megan Vincent and Andy Norris, and 12 great-grandchildren.

In addition to her husband, Claude, she was preceded in death by her parents.

Phyllis was cremated per her wishes.

Memorial services will be held at a later date under the direction of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made in Phyllis’s name to The Beacon, Inc. contributions may be sent to, or left in the care of, the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home at P.O. Box 309, 15 W. Wall Street, Fort Scott, Kansas 66701

The family encourages friends to sign Phyllis’s memorial book at the funeral home. Condolences may be submitted to the online guestbook at konantz-cheney.com.

Fort Scott, Schools

Honoring the Fort Scott High School Senior Class Tonight: Be The Light Campaign Drive By

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On Monday, April 13th, Fort Scott High School will join other school districts across our state and nation by participating in the Be The Light campaign.

This is to celebrate the  Fort Scott High School Senior class of 2020 and spring sports athletes, coaches, and families.

Many schools around the country have already participated in this, and several schools in the area participated Friday evening.

We have chosen to do this on Monday the 13th.

The lights at Frary Field, Fisher Park, the FSHS Tennis Courts, and the LaRoche baseball complex will go on at 8:20 pm for 20 minutes as a symbol we are thinking of them and we will eventually return to school and competition.

Persons hoping to witness this event are encouraged to drive by these venues and provide support by honking your car horn a time or two.

Participants are to remain in their vehicles in order to adhere to the social distancing guidelines.

Submitted by Jeff DeLaTorre

Athletic/Activities Director
Fort Scott High School
620 223-0600

 

Bourbon County, K-State Extension

Suddenly in Charge: Teens Taking Care of Younger Children During Pandemic

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K-State Research and Extension Southwind District

Family Consumer Science News Column

Joy Miller

620-223-3720 or [email protected]

 

K-State launches a program to help teens and tweens who take care of younger children. 

With the closing of schools and preschools due to coronavirus, parents may be in sudden need of someone to assist with care for young children.  Teens and tweens may be asked to help look after younger siblings or take of children for a neighbor or friend as parents continue to work. 

K-State Research and Extension agents across the state predicted that youth may become responsible for others, creating the program “Suddenly in Charge”.  This program includes tools and resources for those who are new to taking care of others, those who have been doing it for years, and parents who want to be prepared. 

Suddenly in Charge has four sections: Safety, Activities, Food & Recipes, and For Adults.  The Safety resources currently has two tools available for use.  The first is a Home Safety checklist with a variety of categories to review –security, emergency, first aid, general home safety, watching young children, and items to discuss.  The other tool is a Babysitter Information sheet which includes information you need to know if you had to call 911, who to contact in case of an emergency, and personal information pertaining to the children.  The sheet also includes a space for notes about snacks and meals, screen–time, nap and bedtime routine, rules, and anything else that is important.    

The Suddenly in Charge program is available at https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/families/suddenly-in-charge/.  Information is also available in Spanish at https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/families/spanish.html.  Other information available on the website includes guides for caring for young children, Developmental Milestone publications, or Building Baby’s Brain publications.   

A reminder K-State Research and Extension also has a COVID-19 Extension page to help you navigate through this challenging situation. Resources included on this page are Agriculture, Business, Children’s Education, Family, Finances, Foods Safety and Nutrition, Health, Safety, Wellness, and recommended links about COVID-19 at https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/news/stories/about-us/covid-19-extension.html.   

Follow us on Facebook @southwindextensiondistrict, visit southwind.ksu.edu, or contact us with your questions at 620-223-3720.  

 

Government

Ag Marketing Assistance Loans Extended

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USDA Announces Loan Maturity for Marketing Assistance Loans

Now Extended to 12 Months

Provides Producers with Marketing Flexibilities Amid COVID-19 Uncertainties

WASHINGTON, April 9, 2020 – Agricultural producers now have more time to repay Marketing Assistance Loans (MAL) as part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s implementation of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020. The loans now mature at 12 months rather than nine, and this flexibility is available for most commodities.

“Spring is the season when most producers have the biggest need for capital, and many may have or are considering putting commodities under loan. Extending the commodity loan maturity affords farmers more time to market their commodity and repay their loan at a later time,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue. “We are extremely pleased that USDA can offer these marketing flexibilities at this critical time for the agriculture industry and the nation.”

Effective immediately, producers of eligible commodities now have up to 12 months to repay their commodity loans. The maturity extension applies to nonrecourse loans for crop years 2018, 2019 and 2020. Eligible open loans must in good standing with a maturity date of March 31, 2020, or later or new crop year (2019 or 2020) loans requested by September 30, 2020. All new loans requested by September 30, 2020, will have a maturity date 12 months following the date of approval.

The maturity extension for current, active loans will be automatically extended an additional 3 months. Loans that matured March 31 have already been automatically extended by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA). Producers who prefer a nine-month loan will need to contact their local FSA county office. Loans requested after September 30, 2020, will have a term of nine months.

Eligible commodities include barley, chickpeas (small and large), corn, cotton (upland and extra-long staple), dry peas, grain sorghum, honey, lentils, mohair, oats, peanuts, rice (long and medium grain), soybeans, unshorn pelts, wheat, wool (graded and nongraded); and other oilseeds, including canola, crambe, flaxseed, mustard seed, rapeseed, safflower, sunflower seed, and sesame seed. Seed cotton and sugar are not eligible.

About MALs

Placing commodities under loan provides producers interim financing to meet cash flow needs without having to sell their commodities when market prices are low and allows producers to store production for more orderly marketing of commodities throughout the year. 

These loans are considered nonrecourse because the commodity is pledged as loan collateral, and producers have the option of delivering the pledged collateral to the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) for repayment of the outstanding loan at maturity. 

MAL Repayment

Under the new maturity provisions, producers can still repay the loan as they would have before the extension:

  • repay the MAL on or before the maturity date;

 

  • upon maturity by delivering or forfeiting the commodity to CCC as loan repayment; or
  • after maturity and before CCC acquires the farm-stored commodity by repaying the outstanding MAL principle and interest.

Marketing Loan Gains

A Marketing Loan Gain occurs when a MAL is repaid at less than the loan principal. If market gain is applicable during the now-extended loan period, producers can receive a gain on the repayment made before the loan matures.

For more information on MALs, contact the nearest FSA county office. USDA Service Centers, including FSA county offices, are open for business by phone appointment only, and field work will continue with appropriate social distancing. While program delivery staff will continue to come into the office, they will be working with producers by phone and using online tools whenever possible. All Service Center visitors wishing to conduct business with the FSA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, or any other Service Center agency are required to call their Service Center to schedule a phone appointment. More information can be found at farmers.gov/coronavirus.

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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.