Agenda
Bourbon County Commission Room
1st Floor, County Courthouse
210 S. National Avenue
Fort Scott, KS 66701
Tuesdays starting at 9:00
Date: May 17, 2022
1st District–Lynne Oharah Minutes: Approved: _______________
2nd District–Jim Harris Corrected: _______________________
3rd District–Clifton Beth Adjourned at: _______________
County Clerk–Ashley Shelton
MEETING HELD IN THE COMMISSION ROOM
Call to Order
• Flag Salute
• Approval of Minutes from previous meeting
• Jennifer Hawkins – Permit Request
• Justin Meeks – County Counselor Comment
• Susan Bancroft – Chief Financial Officer Comment
• Shane Walker – Chief Information Officer Comment
• Public Comment
• Commission Comment
Category Archives: Bourbon County
New Ladies Golf League Is Starting May 18
In 2021, Fort Scott newcomer Diane Striler brought up the topic of starting a ladies golf league with Lindsay Madison, the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Executive Director.
A few weeks ago the idea moved forward with local interest shown.
It was then that Fort Scott Parks Director Doug Guns approached Madison about starting a league, saying that recently several woman had inquired about a women’s league.
Woodland Hills Golf Course is owned by the City of Fort Scott.
“Lindsay introduced me to Doug and I started planning, ” Striler said.
She will be coordinating a new ladies golf league in Fort Scott.
“The League will be called the Par Tee Girls,” she said. “Our sign up will be May 18th at Woodland Hills Golf Course at 5:30 p.m.
That night we will pay our $40 league fee, take a picture for our website, get paired up with a partner (if you don’t already have someone to join with) and meet the other women of the league.”
The league will begin on May 25 and play each Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. through August 10.
“On the last night, we will have our banquet with a best ball scramble, a catered dinner and a lot of fun! ” Stiler said.
“My main goal for coordinating the league is to bring together women off all ages and skill levels to play a great game,” she said. “I have told many women over the years that if you would like to play golf, you need to set the time aside to play on a regular basis so you have a chance to improve your game. The league is very casual, and a great opportunity to learn. Our only opponents are really ourselves.”
There is an opportunity to join a competitive group for those interested in challenging themselves more, she added.
“The nice aspect of the league is that women of all skill levels can play together,” she said. “I only ask that you play ready golf to keep the pace going.”
Striler is coordinating some lessons for those women that are learning or who would like to brush up on their game.
To contact Striler, phone 248-568-7790
“Joining a women’s league is a great opportunity to meet a lot great women, develop your game and friendships, and have a lot of fun in the meantime,” she said. “I hope the women of Fort Scott and surrounding areas will join us!”
Striler coordinated a similar ladies league in the Kansas City area for 18 years, starting the league when her youngest daughter was 4 years old. She started it looking for an excuse to meet with friends on a regular basis.
Here are the Par Tee Girls Information and Rules, provided by Striler:
“*Everyone has a partner.
*We will play from the red tees.
*Please play ready golf – hit when you can if another golfer is not ready.
*Take only 6 strokes before green. If you are not on the green by the 6th shot,
(5th on par 3s) pick up your ball and move to the green so you can count your putts.
*We will have one game each night. The winner receives half the putt money. The rest
will go toward the banquet.
*Turn in one scorecard with all 4 players on it. (I do not record everyone’s weekly score,
so if you want to keep track, you can fill out an extra card to keep)
*When scoring, write down your total score for the hole, and then the number of putts you have for the hole.
Do the same for your total score
This way you can calculate what you need to add to the kitty.
*If you hit a ball out of bounds or into the water, drop a ball near where it went out, and take a one stroke penalty.
*Free lift – If your ball lands on a man-made pathway, sprinkler, etc., bring the ball out two club lengths back away from the hole.
*Keep up with the pace of play. You should be able to complete a hole in less than 15 minutes. That way the tee times don’t get backed up.
*Most of all, relax, play with new people and have fun !!!”
About Striler
Diane Colgan Striler is a realtor for Front Door Realty in Fort Scott.
She grew up in the Kansas City area and discovered Fort Scott around eight years ago when husband, Dean, and she were looking for a lake house. Friends had recently purchased a home at Lake Fort Scott and suggested that they come look.
The community has been very welcoming, she said, and the couple “fell in love with Fort Scott.”
Striler’s original plan was to fix up some houses and sell them because of a need for housing in the community. She enjoys working with hand tools, has a background in sales and a marketing degree.
She decided to get a real estate license.
After visiting with Jared Leek, owner of Front Door Realty, things fell into place.
“I started working as a realtor with Front Door Real Estate and we (she and Dean) purchased the Ren-nett Studio Building at 6 N. Main,” she said. She now has a Kansas and Missouri license.
She works to get unoccupied homes back on the market, she said.
“It ends up being a win win situation for everyone: back taxes get paid, the past owner is relieved of the burden and a new person finds a home,” she said.
Healthy Bourbon County Action Team Newsletter for April
Jody Hoener
The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team, Inc.
President and CEO
620-215-5725
104 North National
Fort Scott, KS 66701
Postai: CHC Expansion Impacts Fort Scott Positively
Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas is proceeding with what will ultimately be a $10 million investment in their newly renovated building in Fort Scott that they are fully funding, according to Krista Postai, CEO and President.
The renovation project is located at the former Price Chopper building at 2322 S. Main.
“We are on schedule to be in the new building in December as planned,” she said. “We did discover tunnels underneath the former grocery store that we weren’t expecting which came as quite the surprise, but are addressing the situation especially in those areas which will be supporting heavy equipment such as the CT Scanner and Mammography Unit.”
CHC currently is housed in a portion of the former Fort Scot Mercy Hospital on Woodland Hill Blvd. but their lease is up in December 2022.
Postai Provides Impact Studies
CHC/SEK and Fort Scott were featured in a national case study focusing on the transition of the Mercy Clinics to CHC/SEK, Postai said.
Postai attached the case findings plus the information compiled on the economic impact on the community, which were completed by Capital Link. Capital Link is a national, non-profit organization that has worked with community health centers and
primary care associations for over 25 years to plan for sustainability and growth, access capital, articulate value and improve and optimize operations and financial management, according to info in the study.
The current CHC project value to the community is shown to have both temporary impacts during construction and ongoing impacts from expanded operations including economic, employment and tax impacts.
To view the detailed study:
Capital Project Value Impact of Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas Fort Scott-1
The introduction to the case study:
“When Mercy Hospital Fort Scott (Mercy) closed its doors in Fort Scott, Kansas, after 132 years in operation, the rural community of 7,800 was left without a hospital. In the tumultuous aftermath of this closure, Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas (CHC/SEK or CHC), a Federally
Qualified Health Center based 30 miles away in Pittsburg, Kansas, stepped forward to take over two of the closed
hospital’s primary care clinics, providing a range of primary and preventive care services in Fort Scott, partially
filling the gap left by the hospital’s closure.
The circumstances leading up to the hospital’s closure and its impact on the community have been well-
documented by Sarah Jane Tribble in NPR’s nine-episode podcast, “Where it Hurts, Season 1: No Mercy.” This
case study focuses on CHC’s response to the closure and its efforts to restore access to primary care in Fort Scott,
while the community grieved the loss of its hospital.
Through interviews with CHC/SEK’s leadership, Capital Link explored CHC/SEK’s response to Mercy’s closure,
the subsequent impact on the community and the current state of the situation, in order to highlight lessons
learned for rural centers in similar situations.”
To view the entire case findings in detail:
Question on Property Taxes
Recently on social media there was a comment that CHC had neglected paying property tax on their building at 902 Horton Street that currently houses some of their staff and a Veteran’s Administration local office.
Postai responded with the following:
“CHC/SEK is a non-profit 501(c)3 and, like the Mercy Health System, Ascension and most other healthcare organizations is exempt from property taxes,” Postai said. “Fort Scott Community College is also exempt, as is the Veterans Administration who currently occupies the Horton Street Building along with CHC/SEK staff.”
“Appropriate paperwork has been filed and is working its way through the system and we were advised by the county to hold payments pending final determination, which is what we’ve done.”
“We had actually mailed a check to the county for the taxes, who returned it to us because they anticipate our tax-exempt status will also apply to this building and they’d just have to refund our payment,” she said.
“In the meantime, we’re proceeding with what will ultimately be a $10 million investment in our newly renovated building (on Main Street) in Ft. Scott that CHC/SEK is fully funding itself.
“Any money from the sale of the Horton Street Building will be utilized toward the redo of the former Price Chopper building (on Main Street) which will also include classrooms for use by Fort Scott Community College at no cost to them.
“A portion of the funds will also be used for scholarships at FSCC.
“We will be in the new facility by the end of December and are looking forward to expanding services, recruiting additional professionals and serving all regardless of ability to pay.
“I am always available to answer any questions and can be reached at 620-235-1867 or on my cell at 620-249-9936. My email is [email protected]. Krista Postai, CEO, CHC/SEK.
Input Needed For Workforce Survey
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Uniontown City Council Worksession May 25
PUBLIC NOTICE
COUNCIL WORKSESSION
TO BE HELD BY
THE CITY OF UNIONTOWN
GOVERNING BODY
ON
May 25, 2022
6:00 PM
AT THE UNIONTOWN CITY HALL
FOR THE PURPOSE OF:
To work on ordinances for storage containers, storage/accessory buildings, fences, governing body protocols/operating procedures, and solid waste (trash) collection. They will also be working on strategies to utilize the American Rescue Plan Act funds.
No action will be taken at this worksession.
Shead Farm Homestead Festival on May 21: A Learning Experience
Since Larry and Vickie Shead’s retirement as educators a few years back they have been showcasing their farm to the public.
They started an event last year for visitors to explore and gather ideas from the Shead’s sustainable lifestyle farm.
“We feel we are just caretakers (of the farm),” Vickie Shead said. “This is what God has given us to do.”
“The Shead Farm Homestead Festival is great for all ages with the farm’s 50 point tour, children’s educational game center, music, and food court, all setting the stage for new innovative ideas and educational information about gardening and farming that produce quality food,” she said.
On May 21 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. they are opening their farm to the public for the second annual Shead Farm Homestead Festival, located at 2468 Cavalry Rd, Garland, KS, southeast of Fort Scott.
In addition to a farm tour of their gardens, orchard, greenhouse, animals and bee keeping activities there will be a food court serving products made at the farm: walking tacos for $5 and supercharged cookies for $2.
Vendors will be selling seedlings, soap, honey and more.
The farm will be filled with sounds of live music by many local musicians, David Pritchett, Ralph Carlson, Mim Carlson and Carolyn Tucker. Also, a local group called the Prairie Sunflower Strings will perform as well: Marilyn Adcock, Charlena Burns, Jack and Sandy Hemphill, Joyce Love, Cherry Nelson, Jean Strader, Stephen Moses. There will also be an open jam session. Sound is provided by Dave Oas.
Children will have lots to choose from for activities: an animal arena, story station, photo place, cow milking, butter making, and more.
Admission for the day is $5 per person or $20 for a family of four and more.
Their children and their spouses will be helping the day of the festival excluding Michael and Chrisi Shead and family, who are missionaries to Guatemala. Those who will be helping May 21 are: Mark and Haley Shead, Mitzi and Joel Ray, and Maria and Clayton Whitson, along with most of their 21 grandchildren. Many other volunteers are helping to make this a great family outing.
For more information:
Vickie Shead
Phone: (620) 224-4149
Email: [email protected]
https://www.etsy.com/shop/SheadFarm
https://SheadFarm.com
History of the Shead’s Sustainable Homestead
In 1978, Larry and Vickie Shead moved to their family’s 1892 homestead with a goal of having a healthy, sustainable, organic farm.
They began to produce fruits, vegetables, herbs and animals, and also to teach and train the family the value of hard work as a fun activity and entertainment.
Before “agritourism” was a word, the Sheads found themselves welcoming guests who wanted to experience farm life. These included: school field trips, church camps, reunions, weddings, and large Thanksgiving gatherings.
Over the decades, five colleges used the farm for weekend retreats where students could experience the life of work and fun in the outdoors. Over 3000 students representing 50 states and 54 different countries have come to enjoy the farm.
In 2017, Vickie’s dream of a high tunnel (greenhouse) became a reality through a Natural Resource Conservation Service grant, through the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.
“The high tunnel not only extends the growing season but helps protect against insects and chemical contaminants that might drift from neighboring farms,” she said.
In 2021, the Shead Farm was registered as an Agritourism Farm with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism
VEGGIE POWDER
Over 44 years, Vickie has planted, grown, harvested, and preserved all her organic produce surplus which was dehydrated and ground into extremely fine powder and added to cookies, eggs, smoothies, peanut butter sandwiches, meats, soups, casseroles,
puddings, salads, etc.
It is called VEGGIE POWDER.
The powder provides extra nutrients for families constantly on the go, parents of difficult eaters, or those wanting a more healthy natural diet, she said.
The concentrated organic Veggie Powder from the Shead Farm has an interested beginning.
“Having 250 kindergartners come to the farm
for a fun, farm field trip was an eye opener,” Vickie said. “The school provided healthy sack lunches. However, when the trash was emptied, almost all of the carrots and most of the apples were in the trash along with half-eaten peanut butter sandwiches. The
cookies were ALL EATEN. Children, as well as adults, often choose to eat what they want to eat, pushing the healthy vegetables to the side. Vegetables are sadly missing in so many diets.”
VEGGIE POWDER is made without fillers. In each bottle, she uses available vegetables: kale, cucumbers, zucchini, chard, sweet potatoes, sweet potato leaves, summer squash, carrots, carrot tops, butternut squash, okra, spinach, beets, beet greens, eggplant, Malabar spinach, and Moringa.
Veggie Powder will be available for sale on the day of the festival and additionally, the powder is sold on Etsy for $5 per oz.
After ordering, each customer receives a thank you card with a recipe on the back, usually made by Vickie and Larry’s grandchildren.
Customers can visit their Facebook page for inspiration on how to incorporate the powder into their meals.
Bourbon County Arts Council 2022 Patio Concert Friday, June 17
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Tourism on the Rise in Fort Scott
Tourism is the act of spending time away from home in pursuit of recreation, relaxation, and pleasure, while using commercial services, according to Britannica Dictionary.
Local tourism is looking healthy as evidenced by the transient guest tax from 2015 through 2022, which just completed its first quarter, JacksonTough, Fort Scott’s Public Relations and Tourism Director said.
“Transient guest tax is probably the most common form of raising funds to promote tourism in a given community,” Tough said. “It’s simply a tax on hotel/motel rooms that visitors pay when they stay in Fort Scott.”
“Residents do not pay into the tourism tax unless they happen to stay in a hotel/motel in Fort Scott,” he said. “Advertising funds are primarily used for promotion of Fort Scott; from print ads, brochure distribution, website maintenance, materials to target motorcoach tours and conferences, social media ad placement, among others.”
The City of Fort Scott has had several tourism directors through the years whose job it is to promote events and attractions
Tough started last June as the newest public relations and tourism director.
Earlier this year, his office was moved from city hall to the Bourbon County Regional Economical Development Inc. office on the second floor of the Landmark Bank, 200 S. Main, he said. He is still an employee of the city but the move allows he and the REDI Executive Director Rob Harrington to work more closely.
Because tourism is also a form of economic development the city commission and the REDI board agreed that it would be smart for the two entities to work side by side, Tough said.
“Like Rob’s job is to help existing businesses increase and to facilitate new business, my job is to help grow existing tourism as well as promote for new events and tourism attractions to Fort Scott,” Tough said.
“I’m very excited about the direction we’re headed in, Harrington said. “Jackson and I work well together. He has his own economic development experience when he was in broadcast marketing and management and also through the chamber of commerce. He has put together a solid plan for marketing Fort Scott tourism into the future.”
“Even though tourism is on the rise there’s always room for improvement,” Tough said. “We are constantly researching opportunities. Whether it’s the possibility of more motor sports, expansion of rodeo events, adding disc golf or baseball tournaments.”
“There has been discussion of combining and incorporating Gordon Parks, Company D – 1st Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry Regiment and other little known and under told stories of progressive African American leaders and events from the Fort Scott area,” Tough said. “It’s an inspirational story that should be told about our area.”
“Advertising funds are primarily used for promotion of Fort Scott; from print ads, brochure distribution, website maintenance, materials to target motorcoach tours and conferences, social media ad placement, among others.”
To view the prior story on the mud run:
Watch Fun in the Mud April 23-24 at Bo Co Fairgrounds
“We recently hosted two new events to Fort Scott,” Tough said. “The first annual Fort Scott Mud Run at the Bourbon County Fairgrounds drew approximately 500 visitors to town last month. The first annual National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) youth race at Gunn Park, also in April, brought approximately 400 visitors to Fort Scott.”
This month Bourbon County hosted with Crawford and Cherokee counties the 2022 Big Kansas Road Trip which features three Kansas counties each year.
The three counties cooperated to invite folks from across Kansas to explore the area.
“It’s been a fantastic event to be a part of!” Tough said.
These Are Events The Fort Scott Tourism Office Works With
- FSCC Rodeo each March,
- National Historic Site Spring Civil War Encampment in April,
- Pioneer Harvest Fiesta Swap Meet and Town-Wide Sale each May,
- Good Ol’ Days Celebration in June,
- Lavender Fest in June,
- Marmaton Massacre/Tri-Yak-A-Thon in September,
- Pioneer Harvest Fiesta, and the Gordon Parks Celebration in October,
- Veterans Day Events (Monuments & Memorials, Military Mixer, etc.) in November,
- National Historic Site Candlelight Tours in December.
“We also promote Dolly the Trolley, the U.S.National Cemetery #1, our Historic Downtown District, as well as other events/attractions” Tough said.
“Fort Scott Tourism is continuing to build a strong brand, expand our social media reach, and target consumers that fit our primary visitor demographics,” Tough said. “Brand awareness is critical to building a relationship with travelers. We will continue to utilize creative concepts that deliver…measurable results. A unique proposition targeted to prospective travelers can create consumer engagement.”
For more information about Fort Scott tourism click www.VisitFortScott.com to discover more events, attractions, excellent eateries, cozy accommodations and more.
Bo Co Democrats Meets May 15
Bourbon County Democrats meet on Sunday, May 15th at 2:00 p.m. at Fort Scott Community College Ellis Building, H-121.
GOTV 22 information, orientation, and volunteer training.
Guest Speakers: Shelley Dunham and Dan Knupp
Carol MacArthur
Chair, Bourbon Co. Democrats
620 215 1505
Please like us on Facebook
Bo Co Commission Agenda For May 10
Agenda
Bourbon County Commission Room
1st Floor, County Courthouse
210 S. National Avenue
Fort Scott, KS 66701
Tuesdays starting at 9:00
Date: May 10, 2022
1st District–Lynne Oharah Minutes: Approved: _______________
2nd District–Jim Harris Corrected: _______________________
3rd District–Clifton Beth Adjourned at: _______________
County Clerk–Ashley Shelton
MEETING HELD IN THE COMMISSION ROOM
Call to Order
• Flag Salute
• Approval of Minutes from previous meeting
• Eric Bailey – Road and Bridge Report
• Justin Meeks – County Counselor Comment
• Susan Bancroft – Chief Financial Officer Comment
• Shane Walker – Chief Information Officer Comment
• Public Comment
• Elected Officials Comment
• Commission Comment
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 wou
Bo Co Commission Meets Monday
Agenda
Bourbon County Commission Room
1st Floor, County Courthouse
210 S. National Avenue
Fort Scott, KS 66701
Date: May 9, 2022
1st District–Lynne Oharah Minutes: Approved: _______________
2nd District–Jim Harris Corrected: _______________________
3rd District–Clifton Beth Adjourned at: _______________
County Clerk–Ashley Shelton
MEETING HELD ON MONDAY, MAY 9TH AT 9AM IN THE COMMISSION ROOM
Call to Order
• Flag Salute
• Jim Harris – Executive Session KSA 75–4319(b)(1) to discuss personnel matters of individual
nonelected personnel to protect their privacy