MEETING WILL BE HELD IN COMMISSION ROOM. ANYONE ATTENDING THE MEETING WILL BE REQUIRED TO WEAR A MASK PROVIDED BY THE COUNTY. MUST MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING.
9:00 – 9:05 Eric Bailey, Road & Bridge
9:05 – 9:08 Eric Bailey, Executive Session, Consultation with an attorney for the body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship
The Bourbon County Treasurer’s Office in the courthouse closed Monday afternoon Dec. 14, because employees were COVID-19 quarantined.
The office will remain closed until Monday, Dec. 28.
Residents who need to do business with the office have some options.
Taxes
“We cannot extend the due date for taxes, they are still due Dec. 21 which is Monday,” Bourbon County Treasurer Patty Love said. “People can pay online by going to the bourboncountyks.org clicking on government, then treasurers, there is a link on that page.”
Another option is bringing the taxes to the courthouse entrance.
“There is a dropbox that people can put payment in, on the right wall by the double glass doors coming into the courthouse entrance,” she said.
They can also be mailed but time is of the essence.
“They can also mail them in, we are accepting postmark of December 21, 2020 to process them as on time,” Love said.
Vehicle Tag Renewals
“Renewals for tags can be dropped in the same dropbox along with payment and proof of insurance and we will mail out the sticker,” Love said. “
“If you need to register and title a vehicle we have a title-work-by- mail-form that is in a box next to our dropbox they can fill it out and put it in dropbox along with their paperwork, title and proof of insurance,” Love said. “We will call them when we get a total. Once we receive payment we will mail the tag to them. “
“They can also call our office at 223-3800 x 803 and we will email or mail forms to them,” she said.
“We realize this couldn’t happen at a worse time for our office,” Love said. “We appreciate everyone’s patience and are sorry for the inconvenience.”
The Southeast Kansas Multi-County Health Department is located between 6th and Lowman Streets and 6th and Horton Streets.
The SEK Multi-County Health Department will only be reporting our COVID-19 active case count once per week on Wednesdays starting next week (12/23) and going through January 6th, to allow our staff to take time with their families during the holidays. We will resume reporting our active case counts Monday-Thursday starting on January 11th.
We will still have staff working on disease investigations and contact tracing during this time when new COVID-19 positive lab results are sent to us, but will not be working with a full crew during the next few weeks.
We appreciate our resident’s patience with their county health department during these trying times and hope you understand the needed time off.
We would like to remind residents to stay home when possible, wear a mask over your mouth AND nose, avoid crowds-stay 6 foot away from others and wash your hands often!
If you are sick, stay home.
If you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, we recommend you get tested. While waiting for test results, please isolate yourself in your home and have your household members self-quarantine.
If you test positive, continue to isolate for 10 days from symptom onset. You must be symptom/fever free for 72 hours prior to release from isolation.
Tell your household members to self-quarantine-they should be released back to normal activities 10 days after you are released, as long as they are and have remained symptom/fever free and have not tested positive.
Tell your other close contacts (friends, family, co-workers, etc.) to self-quarantine for 10 days from last day of exposure-they may be released after 10 days as long as they are and have remained symptom/fever free and have not tested positive.
Please also notify your employer of your positive test and your child’s school if your child tests positive or is a close contact of a positive COVID-19 case.
Thank you for all of your continued support. We wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a safe, happy and healthy New Year.
The Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative Service area is in the white. From its’ website, https://www.heartland-rec.com/content/service-area. It serves the western half of Bourbon County.
Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative is adding solar power to its business.
“All of Heartland’s consumer-members will benefit from the two solar arrays that we are building,” Ron Graber, Heartland’s Director of Member Service andCommunication said.
The electric cooperative is joining with 11 other Kansas rural electric cooperatives to invest in 20 Megawatts of solar power to be built across the state, and power 80,000 homes across rural Kansas, according to a press release from Heartland.
“Even though the solar arrays will directly feed only two of our 17 substations, the arrays will provide affordable power that helps us keep power costs low for everyone,” Graber said. “In addition, the arrays are being designed to produce power during peak hours late in the day. That peak usage plays a big part in the price the co-op pays for power. So lowering that peak use will help us manage overall power costs for everyone.”
The solar panels will reduce the business’s amount of greenhouse gases and specifically carbon dioxide emitted.
“Because solar power is renewable and carbon-free, building these two arrays helps us reduce our carbon footprint, and that helps everyone,” Graber said.
Heartland’s portion of the project consists of two solar arrays of 1 Megawatt each, according to the press release. Preliminary work has already begun on the two tracts of land purchased by Heartland for the project. Groundbreaking was held on Tuesday, December 8. Construction should be completed by June of 2021.
One Heartland 1-MW array will be located in Crawford County, just west of Girard near Greenbush along Highway 47, according to the press release. The second Heartland 1-MW solar array will be built in Neosho County between Erie and Chanute along 160th Road (Shaw Road.)
The two Heartland solar arrays, and the 18 other arrays in Kansas, will all be built and owned by Today’s Power Inc, a North Little Rock-based company established by rural electric cooperatives in Arkansas, according to the press release. Today’s Power Inc. has successfully installed more than 25 solar projects totaling more than 40 Megawatts over the last five years in Arkansas, Oklahoma and Tennessee. Heartland has signed a purchased-power-agreement with Today’s Power Inc. to buy the solar energy produced by the two arrays for the next 25 years.
This opportunity began when the wholesale power contract between all participating cooperatives and their forward-thinking generation and transmission cooperative, Kansas Electric Power Cooperative, was recently modified to provide Kansas electric cooperatives with the ability to self-procure up to 15 percent of peak demand – with 5 percent of that amount specifically allowing for the addition of solar, according to the press release.
By joining together in the Kansas Cooperative Sun Power Program, all of the participating Kansas rural electric cooperatives were able to negotiate very competitive long-term pricing, according to the press release. In addition, the solar arrays will be customized in the design process to maximize output during the cooperative’s peak demand hours, when power is most expensive. These factors will all help Heartland control power costs and keep power affordable for those served at the cooperative’s 11,200 service locations.
Heartland currently has more than 60 members with almost 700KW of solar panels installed on their own property, according to the press release.
Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative provides power to more than 11,000 locations in Southeast and Central Eastern Kansas, according to the press release. Heartland’s service area includes consumer-members in 12 counties, including Allen, Anderson, Bourbon, Cherokee, Coffey, Crawford, Labette, Linn, Miami, Neosho, Wilson, and Woodson counties. Heartland REC traces its roots back to three original rural electric cooperatives, Cooperative Electric Power & Light Company, Sugar Valley Electric Cooperative Association, (which came together to form United Electric Cooperative in 1975) and Sekan Electric Cooperative Association (which combined to become Heartland in 1996.)
Tuesday was a successful night for the Uniontown Eagles. Both Varsity teams, as well as the girls’ JV, were victorious against the Yates Center Wildcats.
The Varsity Lady Eagles won their match against the Wildcats 57-25. Karleigh Schoenberger scored 21 points and had 4 boards. Danielle Howard followed with 14 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, and 8 steals. Laney Covey, Gwenyth Fry, Sammie Hampton, and Kaydra Woods each scored 4 points, and Fry had 5 rebounds. The JV girls won 37-24, with Rylee Coulter leading the team with 14 points.
“Proud of the effort, attitude, and toughness that was displayed by the team tonight. Both the Varsity and Junior Varsity took care of business!” says Coach Miller. “We will get back to work tomorrow on those fundamental skills that make the game of basketball fun to play.”
The Varsity boys won their game 63-45. Jake Harvey scored 32 points and had 8 boards and 3 assists. Clay Sutterby followed with 20 points and 6 rebounds. Luke Perry also had 6 rebounds, as well as 4 assists. Drew Perry had 4 assists and 4 steals.
“The boys put together a complete game tonight. They got after it on the defensive end and played well together on offense. This was a great way to start league play,” said Coach Hays.
New flooring was installed at Imagination Station Daycare with SPARK funds. Submitted photo.
Childcare during the COVID-19 Pandemic has been essential for working parents.
Imagination Station Daycare, 678 Maple Rd., has received SPARK funds to update the daycare’s worn flooring, which helps with cleaning and keeping the daycare healthier, Marla Oharah, owner and operator said.
Oharah was one of over one-hundred Bourbon County businesses who applied for the SPARKS grant in July 2020.
” I applied for $25,000 and was awarded $17,500,” she said. “Two projects were identified on the application that would qualify for helping reduce the effects of COVID along with some administrative cost.”
New flooring for the daycare. Submitted photo.
“Receiving only part of the requested grant, I was only able to complete one project,” she said. “I chose to replace the extremely worn floor covering in my 3,400 square-foot facility to help with keeping the daycare’s environment clean and virus free. The grant was awarded in September. The floor covering was purchased in mid-September and installed in mid-November. At the same time, I also replaced a worn water heater that wasn’t working properly and purchased/replaced a new carpet cleaner at my own expense.”
The water heater at the daycare was replaced with SPARK funds. Submitted photo.
“The grant was very much needed and appreciated,” Oharah said. “The kids at the daycare love the new carpet and I appreciate the new carpet and hard vinyl plank floor covering for the ease of keeping the center environment cleaner and healthier.”
Marla and her husband, Lynne, purchased the daycare business in 2006 and have operated the facility as a Kansas State Licensed Child Care Center since.
“Child care is a business that is in demand and does fill a need of parents needing a quality place to have their children cared for,” she said. “I fill the need to provide safe, loving and learning service to the community.”
“We were closed for a very short time when COVID19 first was declared a pandemic and most of our clients had to honor the stay at home order,” Marla said. “Even though our numbers were greatly reduced I reopened in hopes that the children would return.”
About SPARK
The Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) Taskforce is charged with leading Kansas forward in recovery from the far-reaching effects of COVID-19 and is responsible for the statewide distribution of the federal coronavirus relief fund, according to its website.
MEETING WILL BE HELD IN COMMISSION ROOM. ANYONE ATTENDING THE MEETING WILL BE REQUIRED TO WEAR A MASK PROVIDED BY THE COUNTY. MUST MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING.
9:30 – 9:50 Executive Session, Confidential data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations, partnerships, trusts and individual proprietorships
Gordon Parks along with his son, Gordon Parks Jr. in Fort Scott, KS during filming of The Learning Tree. Unknown Photographer Copyright: Courtesy of and Copyright The Gordon Parks Foundation.
TOPEKA – Humanities Kansas recently awarded $5,745.00 to the Gordon Parks Museum in Fort Scott to support the “Learning Tree Film Scene Location Trail” project. Kirk Sharp serves as project director.
The project is a series of signs located at the different scene locations where the filming of The Learning Tree took place. The signs will also include QR codes along with a virtual tour of identified 12 different scene locations of The Learning Tree Film.
The Gordon Parks Museum has also received a grant from the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation to assist with funding support for this project as well.
Currently, we are in the first phase of our timeline that includes taking current photos of the locations along with researching and obtaining other photos with text information. The completion goal date for this project is by August 15, 2021.
This historical film by Warner Bros. Seven Arts, was the first time a major motion picture movie filmed in Hollywood was directed by a black film director. Fort Scott, KS’s native son, Gordon Parks was that person. This film was partially filmed in 1968 on location in Fort Scott and the surrounding area to include Mound City, KS. The film was released in 1969. The film was based on a semi-autobiography novel with the same title that Gordon Parks wrote in 1963. The story, based on Gordon’s childhood in Fort Scott, KS, is about a boy growing up in a difficult time in segregation and poverty. This film was placed in the Library of Congress National Film Registry Classics in 1989 as one of the top 25 important films. The film continues to be very important today.
Over hundreds of people from both Fort Scott and Mound City, KS area were part of the film as film extras, with a few having speaking parts in the film. This film holds fond memories of those that were in
the community when the filming was taking place. Most of the scene locations are still here and are accessible to drive or walk to.
“We are very excited about this project and much honored to be able to receive this awarded grant to give tribute to this wonderful film. The Learning Tree film is a part of Fort Scott and Mound City history that residents in these communities can be very proud to be part of; along with its Kansas native son, Gordon Parks.” said Kirk Sharp, Gordon Parks Museum Executive Director.
“Humanities Kansas supports projects that illuminate local history,” said Julie Mulvihill, Humanities Kansas Executive Director. “This project’s interactive signage will bring Parks’ film to life for community members and visitors alike.”
About Humanities Kansas Humanities Kansas is an independent nonprofit spearheading a movement of ideas to empower the
people of Kansas to strengthen their communities and our democracy. Since 1972, our pioneering programming, grants, and partnerships have documented and shared stories to spark conversations and generate insights. Together with our partners and supporters, we inspire all Kansans to draw on history,
literature, ethics, and culture to enrich their lives and serve the communities and state we all proudly call
home. Visit humanitieskansas.org.
The final game of the Humboldt Pre-season Tournament saw Uniontown face the Crest Lancers. Both Varsity teams won against the Lancers.
The Lady Eagles defeated Crest 61-26. Danielle Howard scored 25 points and had 5 rebounds and 9 steals. Rylee Coulter scored twice and had 4 steals and 1 assist. Karleigh Schoenberger scored 16 points with 4 rebounds and 4 assists. She was also 2/2 on free throws. Sammie Hampton had 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals. Addisyn Hall, another freshman, also had 4 rebounds and 2 steals. Gwenyth Fry had 3 rebounds and 2 assists.
“It was good to get a win going into the weekend,” said Coach Miller. “It’s time to rest, regroup, and get back to practice. Looking forward to playing at home next Tuesday when we take on the Yates Center Wildcats.”
The boys played a close game, winning 44-42. Jake Harvey led with 19 points and 7 rebounds. Luke Perry scored 12 points and had 3 assists. Drew Perry had 3 steals, Dawson Dreisbach had 2 steals, and Clay Sutterby had 15 rebounds.
Coach Hays said of the game, “I am proud of our boys. It wasn’t always pretty, but we executed a play late that was just enough to get us our first win. We defended and rebounded well enough to keep us in the game. We missed a lot of shots in the paint that we need to finish.”
Before winter break, the Eagles will face Yates Center at home on Tuesday, December 15, and Marmaton Valley at Moran on Friday, December 18.
Carla Nemecek is Southwind District Director and agent.
Just because COVID-19 continues to plague our communities, does not mean the good work done by community organizations and clubs needs to come to and end. It is suggested we avoid face-to-face gatherings, and the Southwind Extension District is making it possible your group to convene and continue important community activities.
K-State Research & Extension in the Southwind District would like to offer virtual meeting hosting and collaboration services to any business, club or organization. We will establish your meeting through Zoom and be as involved as you choose. We respect your privacy and understand this is your meeting.
The basic zoom license gives you unlimited time for one-on-one meetings, but group meetings are limited to 40 minutes. The Southwind District utilizes the pro license with unlimited group meetings up to 100 people and can collaborate as long as you need, without worrying about time limits or having to start another meeting. Recording options are also available at your request.
My zoom meeting experience has grown immensely over the past year, and I have found it to be a useful way to collaborate with groups and individuals from across the state and in my own community. Our 4-H club has meet by zoom several times, and the members have found fun and creative ways to practice parliamentary procedure, sing songs and even play games in recreation! Sometimes just seeing someone’s face is just as important as hearing their voice, and with zoom you can do both.
I have helped a wide variety of organizations meet via zoom, and I can assure you that it gets easier each time you use it. Smartphones, tablets and computers with webcams work best, but if you only have a phone, a number is always provided to call into the meeting.
With a vaccine making its way across the country as I write this column, I am hopeful the pandemic is nearing an end. However, until we receive the all-clear from health officials it is our responsibility to remain diligent about our health, wear masks and practice social distancing whenever possible. Social distancing doesn’t mean the good work your businesses, clubs or non-profit organizations must come to an end and that is why I hope you will consider the offer to help you meet through virtual means.
If you are interested in this free service offered by the Southwind Extension District, please give me a call at 620-365-2242 or send an email at [email protected]. For more information about programs and services offered by the Southwind Extension District, go to our website at www.southwind.k-state.edu.
I wish you the very best during this holiday season, and may the 2021 prove to be a year of recovery, peace and prosperity for all.
Carla Nemecek
Southwind Extension District
Director & Agent [email protected]
620-365-2242
1 North Washington, Iola, KS 66749
Post 25 membership stands at 93.48% or 86 members. We are SIX members short of 100% and NINE members short of the 2020 Post Excellence Award of 103%. If we reach 103% membership, Post 25 will earn its FIFTH consecutive Post Excellence Award and earn the Five Consecutive Years All-Time High Department Award.
If you have not yet renewed, please help your Post reach 100% by renewing at this time.
If you know of a Bourbon County Veteran who has not joined the American Legion, it is probably because they were not asked to join and did not know they were eligible to join the largest American Veterans organization.
If the Veteran went to Boot Camp, they are qualified to join the American Legion. It does not matter if they later joined the Guard or Reserves, their Boot Camp experience qualifies them for the Legion.
UPDATES
Legionnaire Scott Dorsey has assumed the position as Post 25 Service Officer as of December 7. Scott has 2o plus years in working for the VA and will be an excellent source for information on filing new claims or appealing denied claims. Service Officer Dorsey can be reached at [email protected].
The Department of Kansas December Newsletter and the National American Legion Impact Report are attached as informational items.
Color Guard Captain Darrell Spencer presented Robert “Bugler Bob” Solomonson a photo and Certificate of Appreciation from the Fort Scott American Legion Post 25 in recognition of the funeral honors he provides our departed comrades at local funeral services.
Photos of our General Membership meeting on Pearl Harbor day are attached.
Commander Award, submitted photo.
Finance Officer Darrell Spencer presented Post 25 Commander Carl Jowers with a Post Commander Award from Second District Commander Myra Jowers. Commander Jowers has led Post 25 for four consecutive years of membership growth and attained four consecutive National Post Excellence Awards. Commander Jowers thanked the members in attendance for the award, but noted, “Without each of you doing your part in recruiting new members, encouraging current members to renew, and working programs, this award would not have been possible. A successful and thriving Legion Post depends upon its members working together for local Veterans and their families.”
IMPORTANT DATES
Tuesday. December 15. American Red Cross Blood Drive at Buck Run. Starts at 12:45 pm. Call 1-800-RED CROSS to schedule a donation appointment.
Wednesday. December 16. American Red Cross Blood Drive at Buck Run. Starts at 9:00 am. Call 1-800-RED CROSS to schedule a donation appointment.
Saturday. December 19.American Legion Riders Chapter 25 meets at 10 am in Memorial Hall. Any motorcycle enthusiast who is a member of any of the American Legion family organizations and owns a motorcycle of at least 250 cc can join the American Legion Riders.
All members, Veterans and guests are invited to any American Legion meetings.
Any female who has or had a family member in military service can join the American Legion Auxiliary. This includes those parents, grandparents, siblings, children, and stepchildren of those who served our nation.
Any DIRECT male descendant of a Veteran can join the Sons of the American Legion. This eligibility requirement can be confusing, but any male descendant of a Veteran is eligible for the Sons of the American Legion. This includes your parents, grandparents and great grandparents who served in the United States Armed Forces.
All American Legion family organizations support Veterans and their families. Joining the American Legion family is one way to recognize and honor your Veteran’s service.
See the Fort Scott Post 25 Facebook page for additional information on American Legion activities.
