Category Archives: Bourbon County

Bourbon County, Elections, Government

Bourbon County Ballot For Nov. 3

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COUNTY CLERK’S NOTICE OF CANDIDATES TO BE VOTED ON

AT THE GENERAL ELECTION NOVEMBER 3, 2020

 

State of Kansas County of Bourbon

 

In compliance with K.S.A. 25-105, and the General Election Laws of the State of Kansas, I submit herewith the list of National, State and District Candidates certified to me by the Secretary of State, and the list of those filed as candidates in Bourbon County in the forthcoming General Election to be held, Tuesday, November 3, 2020.

 

And, I hereby give further notice that the election will be held in the voting places listed below in Bourbon County, Kansas, and that the polls will be opened and closed at the regular time specified by law for the conduct of elections.  All precincts in the county will open at 7:00 am and will close at 7:00 pm.

 

Sales Tax Question on the ballot:

 

To vote in favor of any question

submitted upon the ballot, darken

the oval to the left of the word

“YES”;

to vote against it, darken

the oval to the left of the word

“NO”.

 

Shall the following be adopted?

Shall Bourbon County, Kansas,

levy (renew) a one percent

countywide retailers’ sales tax to

take effect on July 1, 2021, and

expire on June 30, 2031, with the

allocated shares pursuant to

K.S.A. 2019 Supp. 12-192 to be

used as follows: (1) to Bourbon

County, for the purpose of

maintenance and construction of

hard surface roads, and (2) to

each city located in Bourbon

County, for the purpose of

providing funding for public

services?

 

Residents living in the City of Fort Scott vote at the following locations:

1st Ward       Community Christian Church – 1919 S Horton, Fort Scott

2nd Ward       Grace Baptist Church – 502 S Margrave, Fort Scott

3rd Ward       Grace Baptist Church – 502 S Margrave, Fort Scott

4th Ward       Community Christian Church – 1919 S Horton, Fort Scott

5th Ward       Community Christian Church – 1919 S Horton, Fort Scott

6th Ward       Community Christian Church – 1919 S Horton, Fort Scott

7th Ward       Grace Baptist Church – 502 S Margrave, Fort Scott

 

Residents living out in the county vote at the following locations:

Drywood       Grace Baptist Church – 502 S Margrave, Fort Scott

Franklin        Mapleton Community Building – 565 Eldora, Mapleton, KS

Freedom      Fulton Community Building – 408 West Osage, Fulton, KS

East Marion  Uniontown City Hall – 206 Sherman Street, Uniontown, KS

West Marion Bronson Community Building – 504 Clay Street, Bronson, KS

Marmaton     Redfield City Hall – 312 N Pine, Redfield, KS

Millcreek       Redfield City Hall – 312 N Pine, Redfield, KS

Osage          Fulton Community Building – 408 West Osage, Fulton, KS

Pawnee       Redfield City Hall – 312 N Pine, Redfield, KS

North Scott   Community Christian Church – 1919 S Horton, Fort Scott

South Scott  Grace Baptist Church – 502 S Margrave, Fort Scott

Timberhill      Mapleton Community Building – 565 Eldora, Mapleton, KS

Walnut         Uniontown City Hall – 206 Sherman Street, Uniontown, KS

 

NATIONAL AND STATE OFFICES
For President and Vice-President of the United States
Joseph R. Biden / Kamala D. Harris 1209 Barley Mill Road

Wilmington, DE 19807

 Democratic
Donald J. Trump / Michael R. Pence                     1100 S. Ocean Blvd.

Palm Beach, FL 33480

 Republican
Jo Jorgensen / Jeremy “Spike” Cohen Greenville, SC Libertarian
For United States Senate
  Barbara Bollier 6910 Overhill Road

Mission Hills, KS 66208

 Democratic
  Roger Marshall PO Box 1588

Great Bend, KS 67530

 Republican
  Jason Buckley 8828 Marty Ln

Overland Park, KS 66212

 Libertarian
For US House of Representatives – District 2
Michelle De La Isla 3250 SW Briarwood Dr

Topeka, KS 66611

 Democratic
Jake LaTurner 2329 SW Ashworth Pl

Topeka, KS 66614

 Republican
Robert Garrard 2287 N 300 Rd

Edgerton, KS 66021

 Libertarian
Kansas Senate, District 12
Mike Bruner 1002 Pecan St.

Humboldt, KS 66748

 Democratic
Caryn Tyson PO Box 191

Parker, KS 66072

 Republican
Kansas Senate, District 13
Nancy J. Ingle 511 E. 21st

Pittsburg, KS 66762

 Democratic
Richard Hilderbrand 240 Cleveland Ave

Baxter Springs, KS 66713

 Republican
 Kansas House of Representatives, District 2
  Lynn D. Grant 202 S. Appleton

Frontenac, KS 66763

 Democratic
  Kenneth Collins 102 E First Street

Mulberry, KS 66756

 Republican
Kansas House of Representatives, District 4
  Bill Meyer 14 Golfview Drive

Fort Scott, KS 66701

 Democratic
  Trevor Jacobs 1927 Locust Road

Fort Scott, KS 66701

 Republican
For County Commissioner – District 2
  Jim Harris 2302 Jayhawk Rd

Fort Scott, KS 66701

 Republican
For County Commissioner – District 3
  Clifton Beth 2236 215th,

Fort Scott, KS 66701

 Republican
  Phillip G. Hoyt 2422 242nd Terrace

Fulton, KS 66738

 Democratic
For County Clerk
  Kendell Dawn Mason 2 S Eddy

Fort Scott, KS 66701

 Republican
For County Treasurer
  Patty Love 901 Shepherd St

Fort Scott, KS 66701

 Republican
For Register of Deeds
  Lora Holdridge 1814 Richards Rd

Fort Scott, KS 66701

 Republican
For County Attorney
  Jacqie Spradling PO Box 576

Spring Hill, KS 66083

 Republican
For County Sheriff
  Mike Feagins 1964 Justice Rd

Fort Scott, KS 66701

 Democratic
  Bill Martin 502 Meadow Ln

Fort Scott, KS 66701

 Republican
TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE
Drywood Richard Cullison, Jr. 506 260th

Garland, KS 66741

 Republican
Franklin Tony Bradbury 631 Soldier Rd.

Bronson, KS 66716

 Republican
Freedom Janice Seested 2330 215th St.

Fort Scott, KS 66701

 Republican
Marion Steve Geiger 1121 Hwy 3

Uniontown, KS 66779

 Republican
Marmaton David Duffey 1201 Locust Rd

Redfield, KS 66769

 Republican
Millcreek Yvonne Beck 1821 159th Street

Fort Scott, KS 66701

 Republican
Osage Brian Wade 2618 Soldier Rd.

Fort Scott, KS 66701

 Democratic
Pawnee Karen A. Endicott-Coyan 1635 Fern Rd

Fort Scott, KS 66701

 Republican
Scott Jim Sackett 2019 Maple Rd

Fort Scott, KS 66701

 Republican
Timberhill Dan Laughlin 2275 105th St.

Mapleton, KS 66754

 Republican
Walnut No Republican or Democratic Candidates filed
TOWNSHIP TREASURER
Drywood No Republican or Democratic Candidates filed
Franklin No Republican or Democratic Candidates filed
Freedom Karen A. Paddock 608 W Cedar St.

Fulton, KS 66738

 Republican
Marion Rex Wilson 905 Clay St.

Bronson, KS 66716

 Republican
Marmaton Wilma K. Graham 102 W 4th

Redfield, KS 66769

 Democratic
Millcreek Betty L. Graham 1458 Tomahawk Rd

Fort Scott, KS 66701

 Democratic
Osage Kathleen Valentine 2638 Tomahawk Rd

Fort Scott, KS 66701

 Republican
Pawnee Sharon Middleton 1374 Eagle Rd

Fort Scott, KS 66701

 Democratic
Scott Harold Rogers 2189 Ironwood Rd

Fort Scott, KS 66701

 Republican
Timberhill David Scharenberg 1045 Yale Rd

Mapleton, KS 66754

 Republican
Walnut No Republican or Democratic Candidates filed
 
STATE OF KANSAS OFFICIAL JUDICIAL BALLOT
Supreme Court Justice, Court of Appeals Judges, District Court Judges and District Magistrate Judge
Question #1, Shall the following Supreme Court Justice be retained in office?
Eric S. Rosen 1928 S.W. Indian Woods Ln.

Topeka, KS 66611

 Position 4
Question #2, Shall the following Court of Appeals Judges be retained in office?
Sarah E. Warner Kansas Judicial Center

301 SW 10th Ave

Topeka, KS 66612

 Position 4
David E. Bruns Olathe Position 6
G. Gordon Atcheson 301 SW 10th Ave

Topeka, KS 66612

 Position 8
Karen M. Arnold-Burger 301 SW 10th Ave

Topeka, KS 66612

 Position 9
Kathryn Gardner 301 SW 10th Ave

Topeka, KS 66612

 Position 14
 
Question #3, Shall the following Judges of the District Court be retained in office?
  Terri L Johnson PO Box 311

Pleasanton, KS 66075

 District 6, Division 2
  Mark A. Ward 829 190th St

Fort Scott, KS 66701

 District 6, Division 3

 
  Steven C. Montgomery 22404 S. Roosevelt St.

Spring Hill, KS 66083

 District 6, Division 4
 
Question #4, Shall the following Judge of the District Magistrate be retained in office?
  Valorie R. Leblanc 210 S. National

Fort Scott, KS 66701

 District 6
Shall the following be adopted?

Shall Bourbon County, Kansas,

levy (renew) a one percent

countywide retailers’ sales tax to

take effect on July 1, 2021, and

expire on June 30, 2031, with the

allocated shares pursuant to

K.S.A. 2019 Supp. 12-192 to be

used as follows: (1) to Bourbon

county, for the purpose of

maintenance and construction of

hard surface roads, and (2) to

each city located in Bourbon

county, for the purpose of

providing funding for public services?

Kendell Mason, County Clerk &

(SEAL)                                                              Bourbon County Election Officer

Bourbon County, Business, COVID-19

Small Business Development Center: In Bourbon County Nov. 2

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Kansas Small Business Development Center Offers New Business Support Kiosk to Bourbon County Residents

PITTSBURG, Kan. – The Kansas Small Business Development Center (SBDC) will be launching their new Business Support Kiosk to provide no-cost consulting services to small businesses in the Bourbon County area.

The Kansas SBDC Business Support Kiosk will launch on November 2nd inside the Bourbon County Workforce and Entrepreneur Resource Center located at 17 N. Main in Fort Scott, Kansas. The Kiosk will have a mixture of in-person support and daily walk-in video conference support. Support available will include COVID-19 business programs, steps to starting a business, industry research, training seminars, and access to additional SBDC experts across the state.

“We want to give current businesses the tools to build sustainable business models with the capital and resources needed,” said Jody Hoener, Bourbon County Economic Director. “The Kansas SBDC has a track record of supplying small businesses with industry reports, business planning templates, and resources needed for long term success.”

Hoener also stated that having the Kansas SBDC’s certified personnel is crucial for the community’s economy and small businesses moving forward.

“It’s nice helping bring this enhanced service to my hometown,” said Dacia Clark, Assistant Director for the Kansas SBDC at Pittsburg State University. “We want to give special thanks to the City of Fort Scott and Bourbon County for their continued support of the Kansas SBDC program.”

About the Kansas SBDC: The Kansas Small Business Development Center at Pittsburg State University serves as the regional consulting resource for the small business owner. Whether it’s an existing business looking to boost sales or a start-up trying to get off the ground, we provide our customers with quality professional and personal care. Funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Kansas Department of Commerce, and Pittsburg State University, a majority of our services come at no cost to the local business. Learn more about the Kansas SBDC at http://www.pittstatesmallbusiness.com/.

 

Bourbon County, Business, Fort Scott

Rural Business Relief Grants Available Until Nov. 2

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North Main Street, downtown Fort Scott.

A new round of grants for small businesses is available online as of today, Oct. 26, according to Jody Hoener, Bourbon County’s Economic Director.

This is a NEW grant opportunity for for-profit business and she advised applying before the Nov. 2 deadline, next week, she said.

“I haven’t applied for this specific grant and it is online,” Hoener said.  “If anyone needs any help though, I would be more than willing to help.”  Contact her at [email protected]

“Only small businesses located in rural communities are eligible at this time,” according to the website https://www.lisc.org/covid-19/small-business-assistance/rural-relief-small-business-grants/?fbclid=IwAR32Hywr90-CMVmhziFOfkQGynQQ–i3KqlfYX8Tvz-IH5bOfArVqtx3XGE  “Rural communities are defined as having a population of 50,000 or less. A community is defined as the city/town/village where your business address is located. If the business is mobile (a food truck, fishing boat, rideshare driver, etc) please use the address where your vehicle is stored during non-business hours.”

All potential applicants are encouraged to review this FAQ and grant information before applying.

Non-profit organizations are ineligible for the relief funding program at this time but may be eligible for later rounds of funding.

Rural Relief Small Business Grants
Grants range from $5,000-$20,000 to for-profit businesses.
Grants will not need to be repaid. They can be used for:
• Payables to include rent and utilities
• Meeting payroll (to include yourself the applicant)
• Paying outstanding debt to vendors
• Other immediate operational costs
This “round” is open October 26-November 2.
Please see the link below to apply and for more information.
Bourbon County, Schools, Sports

UNIONTOWN HS VB AND FB RESULTS WEEK 7

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Adelay Martin. Submitted photo.

Submitted by Adelay Martin, UHS Student Sports Reporter

The week of Homecoming was a busy one for the Eagles! The Varsity volleyball team defeated Oswego on October 13. They played 5 sets scoring 23-25, 23-25, 25-19, 25-19, and 15-10. Paige Mason scored 14 points and Bri Stokes scored 12 points with 28 assists. Libby Schaaf was 38/43 on attacks with 5 kills, Danielle Howard was 26/29 on attacks with 11 kills, Karleigh Schoenberger was 24/28 on attacks with 7 kills, and Gwen Fry was 23/26 on attacks with 5 kills. Danielle also had 13 solo blocks.

The Varsity team also traveled to Pleasanton on October 15 to play Pleasanton and Kansas City Christian. They came home having defeated both teams in two sets.

The Eagles defeated KCC 25-4 and 25-5. Karleigh Schoenberger scored 21 points and had 14 consecutive serves, and Paige Mason scored 19 points and had 15 consecutive serves. Danielle Howard was 18/19 on attacks with 8 kills and Paige Mason was 9/9 on attacks with 2 kills. Bri Stokes had 15 assists.

Uniontown also defeated Pleasanton, sets both scoring 25-12. Danielle Howard was 23/24 on attacks with 13 kills, and Paige Mason was 16/16 on attacks with 4 kills, Libby Schaaf was 11/11 on attacks with 4 kills. Danielle Howard and Gwen Fry each had 3 solo blocks and Bri Stokes had 19 assists.

Coach Hall said of the games, “The five-set match with Oswego on Tuesday showed a lot of character and determination from the team. Losing the first two sets and having to come back and win three: that is challenging, but the team rose to the occasion!

“The JV season has come to a close after Oswego’s match. The team finished with a 5-12 overall record. Varsity will be preparing for Class 2A Sub-State, which we will be hosting on Saturday, October 24.”

The football team also played an exciting game, facing Central Heights and defeating them 25-14. Drew Perry had 25 rushes for 119 yards and 6 tackles, as well as 1 completed 8-yard pass. Treden Buckman had 24 rushes for 127 yards. Zach Franklin had 9 tackles and Jake Harvey had 8 tackles. Drew Buckman had 5 tackles, 1 interception, and 1 pass deflected. Cayman Fewell and Korbin Miller each had 1 sack. Moving forward, Uniontown will host a playoff game at home on Friday October 30th, so come support your Eagles before preparing for some Halloween festivities of your own!

Bourbon County, Bourbon County Sheriff's Office

Slick Roads Today

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Sleet on streets and roads make driving difficult today..
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office is asking the public to be cautious driving, according to its’ Facebook page.
The office states that roads are slick and one can stay updated on road conditions by visiting the KanDrive website: www.kandrive.org 
KanDrive
kandrive.org
KanDrive
Reports regarding traffic incidents, winter road conditions, traffic cameras, active and planned construction, etc.
Bourbon County, K-State Extension

Donut Hole: Who Pays What Under Medicare Part D Drug Plans in 2021

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Joy Miller, RD, LD
Family and Consumer Science Extension Agent
Adult Development and Aging
Family Resource Management
K-State Research and Extension
Southwind Extension District
210 S. National
Fort Scott, KS 66701
Office: 620-223-3720
Fax: 620-223-0332
[email protected]

 

You might be familiar with the acronym CMS, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.  CMS is the federal agency that administers Medicare.  Annually, they revise the parameters for the standard drug Medicare Advantage and Part D plans to account for increased prescription drug costs.  The parameters include the four phases of a Medicare drug plan- deductible, initial coverage phase, coverage gap (or donut hole), and catastrophic coverage.  Depending on what medications a Medicare beneficiary is prescribed will depend on how many phases one might enter, varying the costs of prescriptions through out the year.  

The first phase of a Medicare drug plan is the Deductible Phase, this is the amount one must pay each year for prescriptions before a plan pays its share.  Deductibles vary between plans, the upper limit for 2021 is $435.  Not all plans have a deductible and not all medications are subject to the full drug cost in this phase. 

Once the deductible phase is met, a beneficiary enters the Initial Coverage Phase and pays a copayment or coinsurance for covered drugs.  The amount paid will depend on if it is a generic or brand name, tier classification, and a plan’s drug formulary.  This phase continues until a total of $4,130 (2021) is spent by the beneficiary and the drug plan.   

The Medicare drug Coverage Gap phase (or “donut hole”) was officially closed in 2020, but that doesn’t mean people won’t pay anything.  Entering this phase, a beneficiary will pay a co-insurance of 25% of the full cost of a drug for generic and brand name prescriptions.  The insurance company and drug manufacturers are responsible for the other 75%.  It is important to know if or when and how much you might have to pay for prescriptions during this phase. 

Once $6,550 (2021) has been reached, the beneficiary enters the Catastrophic Coverage phase.  During this phase, copays or coinsurance significantly lower for the for remainder of the year.  Drug costs are now a co-insurance of 5% of the cost for each prescription or $3.60 for generics and $8.95 for brand-name drugs, whichever is greater. The other 95% of the costs are covered by the plan and government.  

Medicare plans keep track of how much money is spent out of pocket for covered drugs and progression through coverage phases and should appear in your monthly statements. 

During Open Enrollment, October 15-December 7, Medicare beneficiaries have the opportunity to review current insurance plans and shop for a new one.  A Senior Health Insurance Counselor (SHICK) can assist you with a personalized drug plan comparison to determine your expected financial costs and if you will enter more than one phase.  If you have questions or would like a one-to-one appointment, contact the Southwind Extension office for a free, confidential, and unbiased session in Fort Scott, Erie, Iola, and Yates Center Southwind Extension offices. 

Follow us on Facebook @southwindextensiondistrict or Instagram @southwind_ext. For more information, contact Joy Miller at [email protected] or by calling 620-223-3720. 

 

 

 

Bourbon County, Business, Entertainment, Food, Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

What’s Happening in Fort Scott Oct. 23 Edition

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What’s Happening
in Fort Scott
October 23rd-25th Weekly Edition
UPCOMING CALENDAR OF EVENTS
2020 GORDON PARKS PHOTO CONTEST Sponsored by Merl Humphrey. The Theme “Social Justice, Diversity and Equity” for any amateur photographer. Deadline EXTENDED to 10/26/2020, send submission to [email protected].
GUIDED TOURS OF THE FORT DAILY, 10AM &1PMThe Fort Scott National Historic Site is open daily 8am-5pm for touring on your own, but arrive at 10am or 1pm on any day and take advantage of a guided tour with a park ranger! Guided tour lasts approx. 1 hour.
10/23-10/29 –FORT CINEMA The Nightmare Before Christmas, Honest Thief, The War with Grandpa
10/23 & 10/24 – CLARK STREET LIGHTS, HALLOWEEN THEME & SCREAM!
$1 entry from 7 pm -10 pm
10/23 –BOILER ROOM BREWHAUS!  – Come in and drink and sing Karaoke night!
10/23 & 10/24- FORT SCOTT LIVESTOCK
Sale starts as 10am – Sale Barn and Sat. at 7 am
10/23 – FORT SCOTT FARMERS’ MARKET– At Skubitz Plaza in front of the Fort, 8am to noon. American Legion serving Breakfast on the Bricks starting at 8am.
10/23 –THE LAVENDER PATCH FARM – Open Sat. from 9 am -2 pm., 2396 Locust Rd.
8-10 am Saturdays @ Memorial Hall, 1 E. 3rd St.
6-8pmTues. & Thurs., 5-7pm on Sundays.
Visit Facebook Group for play & location updates.
10/24 –OPEN HOUSE FORT SCOTT EXPLORATORIUM! ~ 10 am – 5 pm. Sample Exhibits, Take home & build projects, Shop custom homemade crafts. Run through the Halloween themed maze! Much more! Visit:
10/24 –ANDERSON AUCTION OF CHELSEA & THE LATE VERDON DAUBEN ESTATE ~ 10 am. 2324 Maple Rd. Fort Scott, KS. *Nice offering of Farm equipment , Tools, Antiques & Primitives.* Visit the website for more information. www.fortscott.com
10/24 -BACKYARD BAIT CHILI COOKOFF AT GUNN PARK! Hosting to raise money for the FSHS students. Raffles, Top 3 winners, Free-will donation. Gunn Park 1010 Park Ave. 3-6 pm
10/25 – BOILER ROOM BREWHAUS! Brings back Trivia night for teams of 2 to 6 people, $5 entry
per team, 5-7 pm
SAVE THE DATE!
10/31 – HALLOWEEN PARADE AT 11 AM!
**ACTIVITES, SPORTS, FIREWORKS, TRUNK & TREAT ** FLYER BELOW
Fort Scott Area
Chamber of Commerce
620-223-3566
In This Issue
Gordon Parks Photo Contest
Clark Street Lights-Halloween
Backyard Bait Chili Cookoff
Pickleball Games
Fort Scott Exploratorium “OPEN HOUSE”
Anderson Auction
The Boiler Room Brewhaus – Karaoke Night, Live Music
Fort Scott Livestock Sale
Midwest National Baseball
The Lavender Patch Farm
Chamber Highlights
Click here for our
Membership Directory.
We THANK our members for their support! Interested in joining the Chamber? Click here for info.
Thinking of doing business in or relocating to Fort Scott?
Contact us for a relocation packet, information on grants & incentives, and more!
Seeking a job/career?
We post a Job of the Day daily on our Facebook page, distribute a monthly job openings flyer, and post jobs on our website.
Many opportunities available!
Housing needs?
Click here for a listing of our Chamber member realtors.
Click here for our rental listing.
REGISTER FOR KANSASWORKS VIRTUAL JOB FAIR – NO COST TO EMPLOYERS!
THANK YOU TO OUR BOOSTER MEMBERS!
Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce
231 E. Wall Street
Fort Scott, KS. 66701
Bourbon County, Government

No Bourbon County Commission Meeting on Oct. 27

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Agenda

Bourbon County Commission Room

1st Floor, County Courthouse

210 S. National Avenue

Fort Scott, KS 66701

Tuesdays starting at 9:00

Date: October 27, 2020

1st District-Lynne Oharah Minutes: Approved: _______________

2nd District-Jeff Fischer Corrected: _______________

3rd District-Clifton Beth Adjourned at: _______________

County Clerk-Kendell Mason

 

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.

 

NO MEETING

Bourbon County, Jobs

SEKCAP Searching For Home Based Family Educator

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WE ENCOURAGE ALL QUALIFIED APPLICANTS TO APPLY FOR IMMEDIATE HIRE
SEK-CAP SEEKING TO FILL OPEN JOB POSITION OF A HOME BASED FAMILY EDUCATOR!
Click HERE to review the job responsibilities and job requirements.
See flyer below for more information.
Applications at Girard office, online:
www.sek-cap.com or by calling the central office located in Girard KS
620-724- 8204 – ext. 1019
Bourbon County, Health Care

Jayhawk Wind Contributes to Uniontown Health Clinic Project

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Jayhawk Wind Provides Key Funding for Uniontown Health Clinic:

Grant to Uniontown Ruritan Club Closes Remaining Funding Gap

Uniontown, KS – October 22, 2020 – Jayhawk Wind announces the award of a $20,000 community grant to support the completion of a new health clinic for the western part of Bourbon County and surrounding communities. The new facility will be located at the old USD 235 Uniontown Board of Education Office building and operated by the Girard Medical Center. The new facility will help serve local residents who have previously had to travel outside of the immediate area for medical care, and it will be located in close proximity to assisted living apartment complexes and local schools.

“We are excited to have the support of Jayhawk Wind in the form of a community grant,” said Ruth Duling, CEO of the Girard Medical Center. “A health clinic in Uniontown has been a mission for the Uniontown community for a number of years. Their dream is about to become a reality and Girard Medical Center couldn’t be happier to help along with the collaboration of USD 235 and the Uniontown Ruritan Club. We know that local access to health care will be a huge benefit for the folks that live in and around Uniontown. It means a lot to have the support of Jayhawk Wind and we thank them for their confidence and generosity.”

“Having locally based healthcare and healthcare choices for the residents in the western half of Bourbon County and surrounding areas, especially at this time, has been a goal of this community for a number of years,” stated Mark Warren, Middle America Ruritan District Governor #37 and Uniontown Ruritan Member. “The Uniontown Ruritan Club is pleased to have the cooperation of USD 235 and the Girard Medical Center in making this dream a reality. We are pleased and appreciate the support of Jayhawk Wind for their generous gift to the residents of the area. Thank you, Jayhawk Wind, for partnering with us and making this investment in our community!”

Bret Howard, USD 235 Superintendent, said, “Uniontown USD 235 is excited to partner with other organizations to bring health care options to our district communities. This grant will allow a current building to be leased to Girard Medical Center while being able to construct a separate building for bathrooms and concession stand areas. We are pleased that Jayhawk Wind has partnered with Uniontown USD 235, Girard Medical Center, and Uniontown Ruritan Club in making this dream a reality.”

“2020 has been a very challenging year, especially when it comes to community health,” said Julianna Pianelli, development manager for Jayhawk Wind. “We are so glad that we can help contribute to this critical need here in Bourbon County, and we are grateful for the community partners who helped make us aware of how we could support this worthy cause.”

The Jayhawk Wind community grant will complement the great work USD 235, the Uniontown Ruritan Club, and Girard Medical Center have already done to make this project a reality. This grant will supplement the funds earmarked for this project from state SPARK funding and other generous donations, providing the final portion of funding needed to complete the project.

For more information about the Jayhawk Wind community grant program, please visit http://www.jayhawkwind.com/grant.

About Jayhawk Wind

Jayhawk Wind is a proposed 195-megawatt wind energy facility located in Bourbon and Crawford Counties. The project is anticipated to provide enough clean, renewable energy to the grid to power about 70,260 homes per year. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2021.

 

About Apex Clean Energy

Apex Clean Energy develops, constructs, and operates utility-scale wind and solar power facilities across North America. Our mission-driven team of more than 200 renewable energy experts uses a data-focused approach and an unrivaled portfolio of projects to create solutions for the world’s most innovative and forward-thinking customers. For more information on how Apex is leading the transition to a clean energy future, visit apexcleanenergy.com.

Bourbon County, COVID-19, Health Care

Uniontown Health Clinic Moving Forward To Open in 2021

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The building for the medical clinic is south of the Uniontown High School Football Field.

Uniontown will soon have a health clinic.

The small town in western Bourbon County, population approximately 300, is 20 miles away from health care in Fort Scott and 25 miles from Iola, the two largest towns with clinics nearby.

 

Spearheaded by Uniontown Ruritan, and the vision of several members of the community, the Uniontown health clinic is a collaboration of Ruritan, USD 235 School District, the Bourbon County Commission, the City of Uniontown and Girard Medical Center.

To see a prior fortscott.biz story on the clinic, click below:

Uniontown Collaboration: New Health Clinic Coming

Girard Medical Clinic, Girard, Ks. Photo from its’ website.

“We at GMC want to partner with the local community there in Uniontown to offer primary care services for an area where it is difficult to access those services currently,” Ruth Duling, Girard Medical Center CEO said.

The project is moving forward quicker since receiving U.S. coronavirus emergency funds which is distributed locally through the Bourbon County SPARK program. That program is to spur on the Kansas economy following the devastating effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) grant was applied for by Uniontown’s school district, which owns the property for the health clinic. The building is the former superintendent’s office.

Mark Warren, Uniontown Ruritan member, opens the door of the medical clinic building just south of the Uniontown High School football field.

“The school district applied for SPARK funding because the property to be renovated for use as the clinic,  belongs to the school,” Duling said.

“Completion will be after the first of the year,” Duling said. ” I don’t have any idea yet on a date when the clinic will be fully operational.  Since the renovation stage is being completed by mostly volunteer work and the availability of that workforce, it’s just difficult to say until we get further in the process…the renovation is in the very early stages.”

Uniontown Ruritan MemberJoe George has taken the lead on the renovation project with input from Girard Medical Center Engineering staff Judd Pride and Pat Holt and its’ Director of Clinic Operations Candi Adams, Duling said.

 

History The Clinic

Uniontown Mayor Larry Jurgensen explored a health clinic in the town with Fort Scott Mercy Hospital, Mark Warren said.
“At the time the Marathon Valley Nursing Home shut down,” he said.
” Mercy told him they didn’t want to explore a clinic out here because we were close enough to go to Ft. Scott, but instead put clinics in Arma and Pleasanton which were approximately the same distance from Ft. Scott ,” Warren said.  “This irritated people out here. The matter was then dropped for a period of years.”
Warren then visited with Holly Koch, Chief Financial Officer of Girard Medical Center and a resident of Uniontown.
He shared with Koch about the possibility of a Girard Medical Center satellite clinic.
After Koch spoke with Duling, meetings were organized which included the City of Uniontown, Ruritan, Girard Medical Center, Senator Jerry Moran’s office, Uniontown citizens, a Pittsburg doctor, Bourbon County Commissioner Lynn O’Harah, and Bourbon County Economic Director Jodi Hoener.
When Mercy Hospital closed in Dec. 2018 things began to progress, Warren said.
“We had residents here now (who were) a longer distance from health services,” Warren said.  “Girard went to work then.  Ruth asked me and I asked Larry and Judy Jurgensen both to come with me to a Girard Hospital board meeting.  Larry gave the historical timeline of his interaction with Mercy to them of which we left that meeting feeling we had their support.  The only thing left was funding.”
“The  Uniontown Ruritan Club offered to help fundraise but as federal SPARK money became available and Jayhawk Wind ( a wind energy company) heard about it, we found we could still fundraise but possibly not have to work so hard at it.  Jayhawk and SPARK money was the final piece of the puzzle to get this project finally started and going and to make a Uniontown clinic a reality.”
Jayhawk Wind contributed a $20,000 grant to help fund the Uniontown Clinic, which will also serve the towns in nearby communities, according to its’ website: http://www.jayhawkwind.com/
The SPARK Grant was for $88,000, according to Warren.