SPECIAL MEETING – CITY COMMISSION
Monday, June 2, 2025 – 5:00PM – City Hall
For the purpose of equipment purchase
No formal agenda will be prepared.
Lisa A. Lewis, City Clerk
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Bourbon County Commission Agenda for June 2
Bourbon County Commission Agenda
Bourbon County Commission Chambers 210 S National Ave.
June 2, 2025, 5:30 PM
- Call Meeting to Order
- Roll Call
- Pledge of Allegiance
- Prayer – David Beerbower
- Approval of Agenda
- Approval of Minutes from 05.19.25
- Consent Agenda
- Approval of 05.23.25 Accounts Payable Totaling $53,886.11
- Approval of 05.30.25 Accounts Payable Totaling $143,253.12
- Approval of 05.30.25 Payroll Totaling $244,413.12
- Tax Roll Corrections
- Pursuant to KSA 75-4319 (b)(1) to discuss personnel matters of individual nonelected personnel to protect their privacy for job performance with ____________ attending and will return at _________PM in the commission chambers. – Susan Walker & Selena Williams
- Health Benefits Update – Don Doherty
- Cohen – Contractual Services for Municipalities – Milburn
- Pursuant to KSA 75-4319 (b)(2) for consultation with an attorney for the public body of agency which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship for litigation with _______ attending and will return at ______PM in the commission chambers.
- Old Business
- Department Updates
- Susan Walker-Employee Benefits
- Brian Allen-Disaster Proclamation
- Department Updates
- Eric Bailey
- Policy & Procedures
- Mission Statement – Milburn
- Workers Compensation – Beerbower
- Mika Milburn-Resolution – Personal Improvement Plan, Corrective Action Plan, Formal Written Notice, Deviation Plan
- Zoning Discussion
- Public Comments for Items Not on The Agenda
- New Business
- New Commission District 4 & 5 Term Limits – Milburn
- Path of Ease Association – Jennifer Simhiser
- Tri-Valley 2026 Budget Request
- City of Fort Scott 911 Agreement – Milburn/Brad Matkin
- Courthouse Repairs – Milburn
- NRP Discussion – Milburn
- Commissioner Comments
- Adjournment
Future business that has been tabled in past meetings or planned for future meetings:
- SEK Mental Health Budget
- Juvenile Detention Budget
- Office Restructuring Cost
- Job Descriptions
- Handbook Updated
- Economic Development Direction
- Dump Fees for Employees – June 9, 2025
- Separation of Public Works and Landfill Departments – June 16, 2025
Ealyn Taylor – Anim
FS City Commission Agenda for June 3
NOTICE OF AND AGENDA FOR REGULAR
MEETING OF FORT SCOTT CITY COMMISSION
City Hall Commission Room – 123 S. Main Street, Fort Scott, KS 66701
June 3, 2025 – 6:00 P.M.
- Call to Order/Roll Call
- Pledge of Allegiance
III. Invocation
- Approval of Agenda
- Consent Agenda
- Approval of Appropriation Ordinance 1385-A – Expense Approval Report – Payment Dates of May 15, 2025 – May 28, 2025 – $790,786.25
- Approval of Minutes: Regular Meeting of May 20, 2025
- Public Comment
VII. Appearances
- Cory Bryars/Care To Share – Overview of processes to support cancer fighters
- Jenni Simhiser/Founder of Path of EASE Association
- Ben Hart /BakerTilly – 2026 Budget Calendar
VIII. Unfinished Business
- Consideration for Action on 118 E. Wall
- New Business
Public Hearing:
- Petition for the Vacation of a Street – 761 S. Garrison – Lewis Nihiser
Action Items:
- Consideration of Certificate of Appropriateness – 24 N. Main – La Hacienda – Window Replacement Pending Approval from SHPO – Lisa Dillon
- Consideration to Establish a Certified Local Government (CLG) – M. Wells
- Discussion of Business Directory – B. Matkin
- Consideration of Proposals for Project to Remodel (2) Bathrooms at Memorial Hall
- Consideration of Change Order No. 1 – EEI No. 24-003B – Charles Street Lift Station – Additional Pipe and Fittings to Tie Into Existing Force Main – $1,448.96 – J. Dickman
- Consideration of Final Acceptance, Close Out of Project and Request to Pay Cardinal Sitework Contractor’s Application for Payment No. 1 – EEI No. 24-003B – Charles Street Lift Station – $68,161.51 – J. Dickman
- Consideration of Change Order No. 5 – Project No. 6 U-2455-01 – Horton St. & 6th Improvements – Heck & Wicker, Inc – Earles Engineering & Inspection, Inc. – Final Measured Quantities through 5/24/25. All delays after substantial completion and through stormwater pollution prevention control inspections ending 6/14/2025 for (60) additional days. Decrease of this Change Order – $18,500.00 – J. Dickman
- Consideration of Request to Pay Heck & Wicker, Inc. – Project No. 6 U-2455-01 – Horton St. & 6th Improvements – Contractor’s Application for Payment No. 10-FINAL – $489,525.55 – J. Dickman
- Reports and Comments
- Adjourn
Volunteers Needed for FS Design Review Board
Two openings for the City of Fort Scott Design Review Board:
must be a City resident:
The function of the Design Review Board is to review requests for the Certificate of Appropriateness in the historic district of our downtown. They meet on an “as needed” basis.
If you have a desire to serve on this board and meet the above requirements, please submit a letter of interest to the City Clerk, Lisa Lewis, 123 S. Main, Fort Scott, Kansas 66701 or [email protected]. The names will be submitted for consideration to the City Commission. All the boards and commissions serve on a volunteer basis and are not compensated.
Thank you,
Lisa Dillon
Native American Dance Presentation and Feather Workshop
Fort Scott, Kan. – Learn Native American stories and experience dance performances by the Oklahoma Fancy Dancers. Then learn how to work with Feathers that adorn the dancers in traditional Native Plains fashion. All activities are free and open to the public.
SATURDAY, JUNE 7
10 a.m. – Ranger Guided Tour of the Fort, meet in the Visitor Center
1 p.m. – Oklahoma Fancy Dancers (Native American Cultural Dance Presentation), Parade Ground
2:30 p.m.– Make & Take Traditional Native Feather Workshop for youth and some space for adults, meet inside of the Grand Hall
Fort Scott National Historic Site, a unit of the National Park Service, exhibit areas and visitor center are currently open Friday through Tuesday from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Park grounds are open daily from a half hour before sunrise until a half hour after sunset. To find out more or become involved in activities at the Fort, please contact the park at 620-223-0310 or visit our website at www.nps.gov/fosc.
-NPS-
ARCADIA, KANSAS HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI BANQUET: “HUGE SUCCESS”
Submitted by Marilyn Flagg
Even though Arcadia High School closed its doors at the end of the “1965” school year, the annual alumni banquet is still being held on memorial week-end. This year, the 2025 banquet was held in Arcadia, Kansas at the Community Center with 62 attending. The membership also includes the Junior, Sophomore, and Freshman Class of 1965. The banquet was held in Arcadia on Saturday afternoon, May 24th and was catered by Chicken Mary’s and served by the Stansbury brothers of Arcadia, Ks. Open Door Mission Church Youth.
Enclosed with the invitation to the banquet this year was the deceased for 2024 prepared by Marilyn Flagg, Historian. The change of addresses, phone numbers, etc. was enclosed also prepared by Marilyn. The 2024 Financial Report done by Shirley Landon, Treasurer, and the 2024 Minutes completed by Virginia Smith, Secretary, was a hand out at the banquet.
Social hour was 1:00-3:00 p.m. followed by lunch and business meeting. President Pat Morris of Arcadia welcomed the 40 Alumni and 22 guests. The Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag was led by Merle Engle. The invocation was by Richard Page.
At the opening of the business meeting, President Pat Smith Morris (Class of 1964) introduced alumni officers Vice President, Tom Watt (Class of 1968); Secretary, Virginia Harris Smith (Class of 1964); Treasurer, Shirley McKinstry Landon (Class of 1956); and Historian Marilyn Coonrod Flagg (Class of 1962) and thanked them for all the work they have done for this year’s banquet.
There were no objections or corrections to the 2024 Minutes or the 2024 Treasurer’s report. They stand approved as presented.
Richard Page led the nominations and election of officers. Michael Sheffield and Sharon Foster were also on the nomination committee.
Richard Page nominated Tom Watt for president in 2026 and Pat Morris for Vice President. Michael Sheffield made the motion to accept and Lilly Sheffield seconded Michael’s motion. All in favor voted yes and motion carried. Shirley Landon will remain as Treasurer; Virginia Smith as Secretary and Marilyn Flagg as Historian.
Special recognition was given to members of the 60th (1965);
70th (1955); and 80th (1945) this year.
Those attending from the 60th class were the following:
Rosedda Burge Carter and guest Teresa Kennedy; Terry Bright;
and Linda Montee Underwood and guest John Underwood.
Attending from the 70th. were as follows: Virgil Curnutt and guest Benjamin Curnutt; Mary Lee Eggen Payne and guests Ron and Cindy
Morton.
There were none in attendance for the 80th class.
All 22 guests were asked to stand and be recognized.
Tom Watt, chairman of the Scholarship Committee, announced the winner of the 2025 A.F. Bowlus/Betty Kirksey Scholarship as Lainey
O’Dell. Lainey is the great granddaughter of Jack and Mary Lee Payne.
Since Lainey lives in Alabama and unable to attend, her grandparents,
Ron and Cindy Morton and great grandparent, Mary Lee Eggen Payne, attended and spoke in her behalf. Lainey was awarded a $1,000 scholarship. Katherine Shead was awarded an additional “AHS” scholarship in the amount of $1,000. Katherine is the granddaughter of Larry Shead. Because of her graduation, Katherine and Larry were unable to attend.
Any child, grandchild, or great grandchild of Arcadia High School Alumni may apply for a scholarship.
Marilyn Flagg led the memorial service for alumni deceased since the last meeting. Those remembered were: Mary Coonrod Bournonville; Robert (Bob) Morozzo; Yvonne Blair Gazaway; Helen Cambers Green; Elmer R. Carpenter; Marilyn Ferguson Nuzum; Philip Harris; Don Kauble; Carl F. Morris; Donald E. (Gene) Stevens; Patsy Fanning Scott; Elizabeth Burge Buchanan; Sandra Hanson Hamby; Doylene Shoemaker Chapman; Mary Jo Wozniak McKinney; David Beerbower; Mike Carpenter; Priscella Krieger; and Jack Hurst.
The roll call which consisted of the following and the 1945, 1955, and 1965 classes listed above was done by Tom Watt.
1949 – Jerry Skidmore
Billy D. Yoos and guest William Yoos
1950 – Betty (Clarkson) Skidmore
1953 – Bobby Charles and guests Bobby Harris and Paul Harris
1954 – Esther Engle Cousins and guest Janice Crooks
Gary Peterson and guest Patty Peterson
1956 – Shirley (McKinstry) Landon and guest Tina Caldwell Hooks
1957 – Merle Engle
Francis M. Jones and guest Karen Kay Tripp
Lilly (Turner) Sheffield
Lou Sheets and guest Linda Sue Sheets
1958 – Joyce McKinstry Turner
Laura Coonrod Felt
1959 – William Page
Michael Sheffield
1960 – Hilda Cockman Page
Jerry Coonrod and guest Jan Steele
1961 – Howard Holland and guest Louise Holland
1962 – Marilyn (Coonrod) Flagg
Joyce (Elliott) Maycumber
Helen (Morris) Nichols
Ronnie Smith
1963 – Sharon Barnard Foster
Richard (Dick) Page
1964 – Ronnie Kellogg and guest Barbara Kellogg
Virginia Harris Smith
Steve Morris
Ronnie Portwood and guest Mary Portwood
Pat Smith Morris
Sherry Swafford Page
1966 – Jerry Morris
Larry Smith
1968 – Don Schaub
Sherry Sisney
Tom Watt and guest Phyllis Watt
Billy D. Yoos (Class of 1949) was given an award for being the “Oldest” alumni. Virgil Curnutt (1955) was awarded for traveling the “Most
Distance”.
The school song was led by Jan Steele. Jan is the daughter of Richard (Dick) Steele) long time music teacher in the Arcadia High School.
The benediction was led by Merle Engle.
The servers were the
Stansbury Brothers (Camryn, Wyatt, and Timothy), of Arcadia, Kansas Open Door Mission Church Youth and Judy Stansbury.
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports May 30
KDOT to begin Bridge Repair on U.S. 69 June 9
The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) plans to begin a bridge repair project on the U.S. 69 bridge over Wall Street in Fort Scott the week of June 9.
Project activity includes patching and resurfacing the bridge deck.
One-lane traffic will continue through the work zone. Drivers can expect delays of no more than 15 minutes, weather permitting, through the end of December 2025.
KDOT awarded the $1.5 million construction contract to PCI Roads, LLC of St. Michael, Minnesota. People with questions may contact Construction Manager Warren Ebberts at (620) 901-6549.
KDOT urges motorists to stay alert and follow posted signs in all work zones.
For current road conditions, visit kandrive.gov or call 5-1-1. For updates on construction projects in Southeast Kansas, visit ksdot.gov/projects/southeast-
Change by Patty LaRoche
Author: A Little Faith Lift…Finding Joy Beyond Rejection
www.alittlefaithlift.com
AWSA (Advanced Writers & Speakers Assoc.)
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:28-31 NIV)
From stumbling to soaring, we have a choice to make. We remember the stumbles, times we wish we could delete from our memories, times we needed to turn to the One who offers us the ability to soar and not tire out. Times when we need to change our ways, but who, except for wet babies, likes change?
We dig our heels in and justify our decisions to continue doing what requires no soaring or running or even walking. The couch becomes our safe place, and the television becomes our god. Easy peasy. Except it’s not the way God calls us to live.
Isaiah reminds us that when it comes to change, the eagle has much to teach us.
Did you know that the eagle has the longest life-span among birds? It can live up to 70 years, but to reach this age, the eagle must make a hard decision. In its 40s, the eagle’s long and flexible talons no longer can grab prey, which serves as food. Its long, sharp beak becomes bent, and its aged, heavy wings, covered with feathers that have grown thick over the years, become stuck to its chest, making it difficult to fly.
The eagle is then left with only two options: die or go through a painful process of change, which lasts 150 days. The bird must fly to a mountain top and sit on its nest. There it knocks its beak against a rock until the beak falls off. The eagle then will wait for a new beak to grow back, a beak used to pluck out its talons. When the new talons grow back, the eagle starts plucking out all the old feathers. After five months, the eagle takes a famous flight of rebirth and lives 30 more years.
Like the eagle, we cannot “stay right where we are” and call ourselves Christians. God wants us to delete old memories, eliminate destructive (lazy?) habits, and soar like eagles. We just need to understand that faith does not come in one giant tsunami-like wave. It is a step-by-step process which calls on us to move out of our comfort zone, to pluck out whatever keeps us from soaring. We don’t have to wait until we believe it all, see it all or understand it all. We just need to take the first step.
That’s what the Israelites did after they escaped Egypt and 40 years later, found themselves camped on the bank of the Jordan River. Joshua 3 explains their dilemma. God asks them to step into the raging river (“at flood stage”) and trust that He will take them to the other side where the Promised Land awaits. The priests go first, as per Joshua’s instructions, followed by one man representing each tribe and then the rest of the Israelites. Not until the priests’ feet hit the water did God allow the river to open for them to pass through. One step. An act of trust that opens Heaven.
God offers us the same victory.
The next step is ours. We stumble or we soar.
Friendship and Dating Program at Tri-Valley
Tri-Valley Developmental Services Holds Friendship and Dating Class for Persons Served; Program Grant from the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation
Persons Served at Tri-Valley Developmental Services (TVDS) Fort Scott Service Center are participating in a Friendship and Dating Program that was made possible by funds from the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation. Grant money from the Foundation was used to purchase Friendships and Dating program developed by the University of Alaska – Anchorage.
The program teaches individuals with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) how to build healthy, meaningful relationships and prevent interpersonal violence. “This program has made a huge impact on the individuals we serve,” said Bill Fiscus, CEO. “Persons served are having fun and are learning a lot through the program. We discuss communication skills (non-verbal and verbal) as well as emotions and feelings. This program is a success, thanks in part to our friends at the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation.”
The Fort Scott Area Community Foundation hosts individual charitable funds created by donors who have a passion for giving back to their community. Grants from these funds assist people throughout Fort Scott and Bourbon County. Call the Foundation at 620-244-6500 with questions about the Community Foundation.
What’s Happening in Fort Scott May 29 Newsletter
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Letter to the Editor: Randy Nichols
Electing Kansas Supreme Court Justices.
In her May 13 legislative update Senator Tyson supported changing the current nomination process for selecting Supreme Court justices. She supports electing our Supreme Court justices. The issue will appear on the August 2026 ballot. She alleges the current system came about because Kansas voters were thought “not smart,” that the nominating process is unfairly dominated by lawyers, that it lacks transparency, that it promotes “judicial activism” and that it has failed based on overturn rates of Kansas cases heard by the U.S. Supreme court. Please read her update and let’s unpack what she said.
The current nominating process came about in 1958 after then-governor Hall conspired with his lieutenant governor and a retiring supreme court justice to get himself appointed to the supreme court. (His action was labeled The Triple Play.) Subsequently, informed and intelligent Kansas voters supported the constitutional amendment defining the current judicial nominating process and have continued to support it since 1958.
The judicial nominating committee is composed of nine people. Two people from each of the four congressional districts. One is a lawyer elected by lawyers in their district. The second person is a non-lawyer appointed by the governor. The chairperson is a lawyer elected by a vote of all eligible lawyers across the state. The committee vets and selects three candidates. From these three the governor choses the Supreme Court justice. The process is transparent. All committee meetings are open to the public and press and responsible to the Kansas open records act. While no process is perfect this system gives equal representation to all areas of the state, it balances political influence and it avoids voting domination by large population centers.
It’s important to note that a Supreme Court justice stands for a vote of retention after their first year and every six years thereafter. We as voters therefore decide to retain or not based on an actual record not on campaign promises and special interest group influence as happens with elected politicians.
Senator Tyson states the nominating committee process has failed because of the number of Kansas cases overturned at the U.S. Supreme Court level. She states that it is “alleged” Kansas has the highest overturn rate per capita of any state. How do you even interpret this? The study is statistically skewed both by population bias and the fact the upper court does not hear all Kansas cases but picks and choses the ones it wants. A better study done by Washington University found that since 1966 the Kansas overturn rate was 66%. The national average was 77%.
Senator Tyson next implies elected judges would be less likely to engage in judicial activism. So ask yourself if a judge who made campaign promises and was supported by a large dollar special interest group, often with out of state ties, (think the recent Wisconsin supreme court election) would be more or less likely to engage in judicial activism? Senator Tyson goes further implying our appointed judges will be judicially active by conflating them with German judges from the 1930s. Those judges were antisemite, Nazi sympathizers appointed by Adolf Hitler. Is that really the comparison she wants to make?
To further illustrate her concern that cases heard by appointed judges are overturned at the U.S. Supreme Court level and that appointed judges are judicially active the Senator sites the court case of Kansas vs Gonzales. The case involves an undocumented immigrant using falsified federal and state forms. Obviously a hot button example. Please read the case yourself. It does not represent judicial activism protecting an undocumented immigrant. Rather it is a case defining if a federal law, the Immigration Reform and Control Act, supersedes Kansas law. It was overturned by a 5-4 decision. What the case actually represents is the system working the way it was designed.
Electing Supreme Court justices will introduce partisan politics, special interest group and outside the state dark money influence into the selection process. Preserving our system of checks and balances is critical. Electing justices is a bad idea.
Randy Nichols