In collaboration with USD 234 & USD 235, Bourbon County officially declared the week of November 28th as Bourbon County Reads to Preschoolers Week during the County Commission meeting on Tuesday, November 15, 2022.
This proclamation coincides with Kansas Reads to Preschoolers Month, which is an annual event celebrated in November to promote reading to children under the age of five.
USD 234 & USD 235 encourage the reading of books to students of all ages but stress the importance of reading as a part of early childhood development. Early childhood education is critical to a student’s future success in school.
“This week we will be celebrating reading to preschoolers,”
Bronson Pride Committee is having a fundraiser this Saturday.
Visits with Santa start at 11 am to noon.
Soups, drinks, dessert will be served from 11 am-2 pm for a free will donation.
All money collected will be used for future Bronson Day events!
Several gift certificates & gift baskets are available for raffle as well you do not need to be present to win.
We will have a variety of things going on and volunteers are needed for serving food as well as donations for any desserts would be appreciated.
“As always we encourage all our community members to step in and help participate as much as they can to make our small community the best it can be,” said Kelly Perry, secretary for the Bronson Day organization. ” Serving together with purpose.”
Agenda Bourbon County Commission Room 1stFloor, County Courthouse 210 S. National Avenue Fort Scott, KS 66701 Date:November29, 2022 1stDistrict–Nelson BlytheMinutes:Approved:_______________ 2ndDistrict–JimHarrisCorrected: _______________________ 3rdDistrict–Clifton BethAdjourned at: _______________ County Clerk–Ashley Shelton MEETING HELD IN THE COMMISSION ROOMBEGINNINGat 9:00AM. Call to Order •Flag Salute •Approval of Minutes from previous meeting •Eric Bailey–Road &Bridge Report •Ashley Shelton–Executive Session KSA 75–4319(b)(1) to discuss personnel matters of individual nonelected personnel to protect their privacy •Approval of Accounts Payable •Susan Bancroft–Chief Financial Officer •Justin Meeks–County Counselor Comment •Shane Walker–Chief Information Officer Comment •Public Comment •CommissionComment Justifications for Executive Session: KSA 75–4319(b)(1) To discuss personnel matters ofindividualnonelected personnelto 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 discussmatters relating toemployer–employee negotiations whether or not in consultation with the representative(s) of thebody 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.
Linda Minor-Hammond Community Center Board Member, Doug Graham-Heartland Communication Specialist -, and Alice Helton-Hammond Community Center Board Member.. Submitted photo.
Linda Minor wrote a grant that was awarded for the Hammond Community Center$2,000 from Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative for roof and HVAC repairs.
“I am a Hammond Community Center board member,” Minor said. “The building has been struggling financially with upkeep.”
The Hammond Community Center, 2275 Soldier Road, rural Fort Scott, is about 30 years old.
“Hammond Community Center is the only community center left in the Osage Township of Bourbon County,” she said. “The facility has been serving the Hammond area since the closing of the Hammond School. The center is often used for birthday parties, reunions, and wedding receptions along with the monthly meetings of the Northeast Scott 4H Club.”
The Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative’s Concern for Community Program provides grants of up to $5,000 for capital improvement projects throughout the cooperative’s service area, according to a Heartland press release. Applications are accepted during a defined application period each year.
The Hammond project was one of 10 selected to receive a funding boost through Heartland’s Concern for Community grant program, according to a Heartland press release.
“I often say that we’re not in the business of selling electricity, we’re in the business of powering rural lifestyles,” said Mark Scheibe, Heartland CEO. “Part of that is supporting the communities our consumer-members live in and around. This grant program is a great way to do just that.”
The Concern for Community program provides grants of up to $5,000 for capital improvement projects throughout the Heartland service area, which covers parts of 12 counties in eastern Kansas. Capital improvement projects are those that involve investment in structures or equipment that will last for many years.
As a non-profit, member-owned cooperative, Heartland issues capital credits to members each year, but sometimes those capital credits go unclaimed. Because those monies were intended to be returned to the communities from which they came, Heartland’s Board of Directors decided to use those unclaimed funds for community grants and started the Concern for Community program in 2019.
This year, 10 applications out of 26 received were approved for funding by the Heartland board. Heartland distributed a total of $37,000 in Concern for Community grants this year.
Other Heartland REC projects selected for funding are as follows:
Cato Historical Preservation Association, Inc. was awarded $2,500 for painting at the Cato Christian Church between Fort Scott and Pittsburg.
Crawford County Fair Association was awarded $5,000 for new lights and wiring at the fairgrounds outside Girard.
Crawford County Fire District # 4 was awarded $5,000 to help purchase a virtual fire extinguisher training system to be shared with area fire departments and businesses.
Fairview Chapel outside Moran was awarded $2,500 for new bathrooms.
Hammond Community Center in rural Fort Scott was awarded $2,000 for roof and HVAC repairs.
Jayhawk USD 346 was awarded $2,500 for new curtains for the auditorium.
Linn County Fair Association was awarded $5,000 for new animal pens at the fairgrounds in Mound City.
Moran-Marmaton/Osage Fire Department was awarded $2,500 for new hoses and nozzles.
Mound City Historical Society, Inc. was awarded $5,000 for roof repairs on historical buildings.
Woodson County Fair Association was awarded $5,000 for renovations to the swine barn at the fairgrounds in Yates Center.
Applications were accepted in the month of September and selected by the Heartland Board of Directors in October. Heartland plans to reopen applications in summer 2023 for the next round of funding.
About Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc.
Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc. powers rural lifestyles throughout more than 11,000 locations in eastern Kansas. Heartland’s service area includes consumer-members in 12 counties, including Allen, Anderson, Bourbon, Cherokee, Coffey, Crawford, Labette, Linn, Miami, Neosho, Wilson, and Woodson.
Heartland REC traces its roots back to three original rural electric cooperatives: Cooperative Electric Power & Light Company, Sugar Valley Electric Cooperative Association, and Sekan Electric Cooperative Association. Cooperative Electric Power & Light Company joined with Sugar Valley in 1975 to form United Electric Cooperative; United Electric Cooperative joined with Sekan Electric Cooperative Association in 1996 to form Heartland.
A work session with the county and city commissioners will be held at noon today at the Empress Event Center. Multiple topics will be discussed but no action will be taken. This meeting is open to the public.
The Starlite FCE held there November meeting at the Yeager building on the Bourbon County Fairgrounds. President Glenda Miller called the meeting to order and Vice president Joyce Allen led the club in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and the Club Collect. Eleven members were in attendance and reported that they had volunteered for sixty-six hours and had recycled 70 pounds.
Minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved. Doris Ericson presented the treasurer’s report.
Old business consisted of a report that treats had been delivered to the VFW, American Legion and the assisted living facilities in honor of Veterans Day. Goodie bags were also delivered to the Tri-Valley clients. Glenda Miller announced that Betty Johnson had been selected as the Southeast Kansas representative for the Heart of FCE award for 2022 at the Parsons Fall Training. It was also reported that three members had helped out with the poppy distribution and that Deb Lust had assisted in placing the Flag out for Veterans Day.
New Business for the month was planning the Christmas party. Doris Ericson moved that everyone bring money to be donated to Preferred Living, Deb Lust seconded the motion, motion carried. It was decided that the Christmas Potluck Dinner would be held on December 16th at 11:00. Before the dinner the members will be putting together gift bags for the Tri-Valley clients, which will consist of socks, gloves, hot chocolate mixes, popcorn, mugs filled with Chex mix and candy. We will also be having a white elephant exchange at the dinner. Other new business was assigning the lessons for the coming year and picking hostesses.
Before the meeting the members folded two hundred Christmas messages and stuff envelops to be delivered to the VA hospital.
Letha Johnson moved the meeting be adjourned, Joyce Allen seconded the motion, meeting adjourned. After the meeting the members enjoyed refreshments of vegetable pizza, cinnamon roll twists, nuts, chocolate, V8 and water provided by Claudia Wheeler and Letha Johnson.
The Bourbon County Commission room, at the courthouse.
The Bourbon Country Commission transferred ownership of the former Mercy Hospital Building at 401 Woodland Hills on November 17, 2022 to Legacy Health Foundation.
Editors note
The agreement document was originally sent by the Bourbon County Clerk to fortscott.biz for publication on Nov. 17 but an email from the clerk said her office was just notified that there was an error in the document and was asked to pull the document off of the Bourbon County site. Fortscott.biz also pulled the document out of the story until the corrected document was available.
Here is the corrected agreement document between the county and Legacy Health Foundation.
“We have been in negotiations with them for six months,” Commissioner Clifton Beth said. “We transferred the building to them to develop. The building is the responsibility of Legacy Health Foundation as of today.”
In addition, the commission gave Legacy Health Foundation a combined $2 million dollars, he said. Mercy Hospital gave the commission the building and $600,000 after the hospital closed in December 2018.
This bill provided additional relief to address the continued impact of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) on the economy, public health, state and local governments, individuals, and businesses.
Times have become more difficult and challenging for many individuals and families in both Fort Scott and throughout Bourbon County. At the forefront of this economic situation stands Fort Scott Compassionate Ministries Outreach Center, where those who are struggling can be assisted with a vast array of services and personal needs.
FSCM is located on the second floor of the Senior Citizens Center at 26 N. Main, where director and chaplain Allen Schellack operates on a volunteer basis. Hours are Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m to 2 p.m or by appointment, supported in part by local churches, private donations and The Salvation Army bell ringing campaign, which is the largest annual fundraiser.
Schellack extends a heartfelt request for more participation in the bell ringing. “The need has never been greater, and we ask our community to support this fundraiser as much as possible. We need volunteers to operate the Red Kettle Campaign at Wal-Mart, starting November 19th through December 24th. The days and hours are flexible, and it’s critical that we have enough volunteers to make this happen in a big way.”
FSCM is the only designated Salvation Army Disaster Relief and Services Extension Unit for Bourbon County. Community participation and generosity will help provide a variety of disaster relief services, in addition to assistance with rent, utilities, prescriptions, temporary lodging, gasoline for work or doctor appointments, eyeglass help, clothing, school supplies and other needs on a case by case basis. The center also provides personal hygiene items, diapers, formula, bedding, towels, canned food items, fans and space heaters.
It was formerly known as Our Father’s House, operated by Schellack until government funding became unavailable. He created Fort Scott Compassionate Ministries in 2016 to fill the gap in needed services. It works in partnership with several groups, organizations and community partners, relying heavily on individual donations and volunteerism throughout this holiday season.
Director Schellack is hopeful. “Individuals, families and groups are encouraged to sign up for a shift – it’s a fun, easy way to help those less fortunate. All gifts made through the Salvation Army fund raiser will stay in our community.”
Bourbon County businesses are needed to display the Salvation Army mini buckets – where customers can donate their spare change, Schellack said.
During this special time of giving and sharing, please schedule to volunteer by contacting FSCM directly at 620-223-2212.
There will be a meeting of the City Commission and County Commission on Tuesday, November 22, 2022 at 12:00 PM. It will be held at the Empress Event Center, 7 N. Main Street, Fort Scott, KS 66701. This meeting is open to the public.
