The Tourism Advisory Board will meet on Thursday, August 26th, 2021 at 3:30 p.m. in the City Commission Meeting Room at City Hall, 123 S. Main. This meeting is open to the public.
The Tourism meeting will be available on the City’s YouTube channel.
All posts by Submitted Story
FS Commission Meets Aug. 24 for Budget Work Session
The Fort Scott City Commission will meet on Tuesday, August 24th, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. in the City Hall Commission Meeting Room at 123 S. Main Street, Fort Scott, Kansas to hold a work session to discuss the 2022 budget. This meeting is open to the public, but no action will be taken.
The work session will also be available on the City’s YouTube channel.
Fort Scott Town-Wide Garage Sale Sept. 10-11
Mark your calendars for the Fall Town-wide Garage Sale on Friday and Saturday, September 10th and 11th. Now is the time to get your garage sale on the map.
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce encourages residents in Fort Scott to do your Fall cleaning and make room for something new. Garage sales may be registered through the Chamber by 1 pm, Tuesday, September 7th for only $10. The registration fee lists your sale on the official garage sale map, two colorful balloons and enables the Chamber to advertise the sale throughout the region on the radio, newspaper, social media and the Chamber website.
Businesses are encouraged to advertise on the official garage sale map, which will be distributed to shoppers the week of the Town-wide Garage Sale. The maps will be distributed from local stores and the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce. The cost to place a business ad or coupon is $25 for small ad and $35 for larger ad. The garage sale maps will be available and printed on Thursday, September 9th by 1 pm at 5-Corners Mini-Mart, Bids & Dibs, Casey’s, Don’s Smoke Shop, all Pete’s locations, and The Fort Scott Chamber.
Garage sales may be registered in person at the Chamber office, 8am-5pm Mon-Fri, located at 231 E. Wall Street or by phone using debit or credit card by calling (620) 223-3566.
K-31 section closed west of Fulton on Wednesday
Wednesday, Aug. 25, the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) plans to close K-31 west of Fulton to replace a crossroad pipe. The closure is between reference points 131 and 132 and will be in effect from 7:15 a.m. until 6 p.m.
Traffic should use alternate routes. Check KDOT’s updated traveler information website, www.Kandrive.org, for more road condition and construction details. Persons with questions may call KDOT Area Superintendent Derrick Shannon at (620) 901-6550 or Public Affairs Manager Priscilla Petersen at (620) 902-6433.
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports August 23
The Fort Scott Police Department Daily Reports August 15-22
Friday Night Free Concert: Scarborough, Lundeen, Tucker, Carlson
The first half of this week’s Friday Night Concert will be presented by local area musicians Doug Scarborough and Michael Lundeen.
Scarborough sings and plays guitar and Lundeen plays keyboard. The duo will feature country, folk, and gospel music. A self-taught guitarist at age 14, Scarborough will perform two of his original songs, “Dust on the Bible” and “You’re the One.” Lundeen began studying piano at the age of six and has a vast repertoire of hymns, gospel, 1930s music, and songs from his youth.
The second half of the show will feature Carolyn Tucker on vocals and keyboard, and Ralph Carlson on guitar. Both of these musician friends began playing at the age of nine; between the two of them they have 132 years of musicianship. Their set will include Latin guitar classics, gospel instrumental and vocal favorites, and some 1940s tunes.
“Come out and join us for a special opportunity to see friends and support the gift of music in our area. We are happy to offer a show with such a wide variety of songs in the downtown park pavilion,“ concert series organizer Ralph Carlson said.
The concert begins at 7 p.m. at the Heritage Park Pavilion at First and Main streets. The shows, sponsored by the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce, are free and open to the public. Dave Oas of Parsons serves as sound technician each week. Due to limited seating, attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.
In the event of inclement weather, the concert will be moved to the Common Ground Coffee Co., 12 E. Wall Street.
Obituary of Randell Gregg
Randell Scott Gregg, age 62, a resident of rural Ft Scott, Kansas, passed away unexpectedly early Friday, August 20, 2021, at his home.
He was born March 21, 1959, in Odessa, Texas, the son of Charles L. Gregg and Joy R. Locke Gregg. Randy graduated from the Center High School in Kansas City, Missouri.
He married Barbara Diblasi on August 28, 1999.
In his younger years, Randy completed the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) in Lander, Wyoming. He loved the outdoors, camping, backpacking and being a mountaineer. He later worked for NOLS where he taught outdoor skills to the next generation. A lifelong learner, always teaching himself and others new skills such as woodworking, carpentry and photography.
Above all else, his favorite thing to do was explore the world with his beloved wife Barbara. They always shared a love for adventure. Randy and Barbara moved to Ft. Scott approximately twenty years ago to pursue a dream of organic farming. Randy enjoyed renovating their one hundred-year-old farmhouse. He was actively involved with the Ft. Scott Farmer’s Market.
Survivors include his wife, Barbara, of the home; his mother, Joy Gregg of Kansas City, Missouri; two sisters, Barbi Wood of Overland Park, Kansas and Drenda Hall of Lee’s Summit, Missouri; a brother, Mark Gregg, of Kansas City, Missouri and eight nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father.
Randy Gregg, a devoted son, brother and friend, always willing to lend a helping hand to those in need. A father figure and role model to many. His passing is a great loss to all those who
Agenda of Bourbon County Commission Budget Work Session
Agenda
Bourbon County Commission Room
1st Floor, County Courthouse
210 S. National Avenue
Fort Scott, KS 66701
Tuesdays starting at 9:00
Date: August 24, 2021
1st District-Lynne Oharah Minutes: Approved: _______________
2nd District-Jim Harris Corrected: _______________________
3rd District-Clifton Beth Adjourned at: _______________
County Clerk-Kendell Mason
MEETING HELD IN THE COMMISSION ROOM WITH NO PUBLIC. MEETING WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING ON YOUTUBE.
Call to Order
- Flag Salute
- 2022 Budget Work Session
Justifications for Executive Session:
KSA 75-4319(b)(1) To discuss personnel matters of individual nonelected personnel to protect their privacy
KSA 75-4319(b)(2) For consultation with an attorney for the public body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship
KSA 75-4319(b)(3) To discuss matters relating to employer-employee negotiations whether or not in consultation with the representative(s) of the body or agency
KSA 75-4319(b)(4) To discuss data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations, partnerships, trust, and individual proprietorships
KSA 75-4319(b)(6) For the preliminary discussion of the acquisition of real property
KSA 75-4319(b)(12) To discuss matters relating to security measures, if the discussion of such matters at an open meeting would jeopardize such security measures.
Education by Gregg Motley
If you have read any of my columns, you probably know that I am data-driven and look for trends and tendencies in the numbers. That probably stems from my accounting/economics degree and life-long vocation as a banker. However, if I have learned anything about life in my 42 years of being in business and a parent to seven, I know that statistics are not a great indicator of educational outcomes. One does not need an advanced degree to figure this out. Education is difficult, even for the most learned.
That being said, Bourbon County school districts rank fairly well statistically when compared to other SEK counties, especially in the area of pupil/teacher ratio: we are at 13.4 compared to a state-wide range of 9.0 to 26.3. Consistently, studies show that this is one of the top indicators of positive outcomes.
If a school rating system can be believed (I am not convinced), we are not so fortunate. Schooldigger.com ranks all 270 Kansas districts on various criteria, and rates them one star to five star, and puts them in ranking order. Uniontown ranked 155th, moving up 41 spots from the previous year, and achieved a 2-star rating. Fort Scott ranked 221st, moving up 16 spots, but only merited a 1 star. Whether or not these rating systems really mean anything may not occur to parents looking move to Bourbon County; they may only look at the number.
As it pertains to a community college, you may remember a previous column that references James Fallows’ 54,000-mile journey around the USA to learn why some small towns are succeeding where others are not. Having a vibrant community college was one of the consistent eleven factors he identified. Some complain about the additional tax burden, but I believe the college is a major positive in Bourbon County.
Most importantly, study after study shows that there is no more relevant factor to drive student achievement than parental involvement; it is not even close. None of us can or should go into every home in Bourbon County to make sure children are ready and motivated to learn. We all know that some children do not show up to school prepared (or even interested) to learn. We can’t expect a school district to fill in all parental gaps, no matter how well-funded they are, or how many advanced degrees their teachers possess.
What can we do? If Bourbon County is your home, consider that the schools are partly your responsibility. It does not matter if you are an empty-nester like me or never had children, the schools of the county, public and private, belong to all of us. Consider how you can get involved in our schools and community college to be a resource. Use the time, talent, and treasure God gave you to continue to invest in education. Don’t wait till they organize a program to suit you. Take the initiative in collaboration with the boards, administrations, and teachers, and let us all commit to this important economic development factor, education.
FSCC Board Minutes of July 19
FORT SCOTT COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Minutes of the Board of Trustees Meeting
July 19, 2021
PRESENT: Dave Elliott, Jim Fewins, Kirk Hart, and Robert Nelson (acting Chair)
ALSO PRESENT: Alysia Johnston, President, Juley McDaniel, Board Clerk, faculty, and staff
Acting Chairman Nelson called the meeting to order at 5:32 pm in Cleaver-Burris-Boileau Hall. The meeting was opened
with the Pledge of Allegiance.
COMMENTS FROM THE CHAIR: None.
CONSENT AGENDA: A motion was made by Fewins, seconded by Hart, and carried by unanimous vote to approve the
consent agenda.
ACTION/DISCUSSION ITEMS:
A. A motion was made by Elliott, seconded by Fewins, and carried by unanimous vote to approve the Culinary
Memorandum of Understanding between SEKESC (Greenbush) and FSCC.
B. A motion was made by Elliott, seconded by Hart, and carried by unanimous vote to approve the Kansas State
Department of Education (KSDE) Migrant Education Project State Level Activities Agreement for 2021-22.
C. A motion was made by Fewins, seconded by Elliott, and carried by unanimous vote to allow the interested party to
recover the fossil pods from the Fort Lincoln School rocks.
D. A motion was made by Fewins, seconded by Hart, and carried by unanimous vote to approve the contract with
Diehl, Banwart, Bolton, CPAs PA to audit financial statements for June 30, 2021.
E. A motion was made by Elliott, seconded by Fewins, and carried by unanimous vote to approve the bid from
Dissinger & Reed for Athletic Insurance and Catastrophic Injury Insurance for the 2021-22 year.
F. A motion was made by Fewins, seconded by Elliott, and carried by unanimous vote to approve the purchase of
rubber flooring for the Hound Pound from Abacus Surfaces for $13,176.00. A motion was made by Elliott,
seconded by Hart, and carried by unanimous vote to approve the purchase of artificial turf for the Hound Pound
from IGS, Inc. for $15,200.00
G. A motion was made by Elliott, seconded by Fewins, and carried by unanimous vote to rename Garrison
Apartments to FSCC Garrison Hall.
H. A motion was made by Hart, seconded by Elliott, and carried by unanimous vote to approve staff raises that are in
the budget so they can begin to be paid to employees.
ITEMS FOR REVIEW: The Board reviewed letters of correspondence.
REPORTS:
A. ADMINISTRATIVE UPDATES: The Board reviewed and heard reports from the Miami County Campus,
Gordon Parks Museum, Student Services, Instruction, Finance and Operations, and the President.
ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business to come before the Trustees, a motion to adjourn was made at 6:40
p.m. by Elliott, seconded by Fewins, and carried by unanimous vote.
Chairman Clerk
Death Notice of Enos Zimmerman
Enos Doyle Zimmerman, age 91, a resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away Friday, August 20, 2021, at the Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg, Kansas. Arrangements will be announced by the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, Ft. Scott, Kansas.