Lynne Oharah resigned from the Bourbon County Commission as the District 1 Commissioner on July 13, 2022.
“I served seven and one-half years as commissioner,” Oharah said. “I enjoyed being a commissioner and I feel we did a lot of good things. I want to thank all of my constituents for putting up with me…and I sincerely wish Bourbon County the best of luck in the future.”
The resignation came about because the commission could not find a person to fill the position of Bourbon County Medical Facility Director at the former Mercy Hospital building which the county now owns, Oharah said, so he applied. The facility now houses Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas Clinic and Ascension Via Christi Emergency Department, I Am Rehab and a beauty salon.
Oharah started as the new director on July 13, 2022.
“The reason I resigned was that we could not find anyone to fill the Bourbon County Medical Facility Director position,” he said. “Some of my background was managing central offices, telephone switching offices in Western Kansas, for 10 years. Larger offices in places like Dodge, Garden City, Scott City and Liberal. The medical facility is the same concept, just more regulations, so it’s a good fit.”
The facility is 177,00 square feet and there are two other employees who work to keep the building maintained.
The Bourbon County Republican Committee will meet on Thursday, August 4 from 6 to 8 p,m. at the Empress center, 7 N. Main St. to decide on a new county commissioner.
“Voting is by committee members, one man and one woman from from the 18 different precincts,” Mark McCoy, chairman, said. “We will select one person that night and send to the governor’s office for approval. To be eligible the candidate must reside in the first commission district and be a member of the Republican Party.”
The first district is north and west of Fort Scott to the Allen and Linn County lines.