Category Archives: Bourbon County

Ascension Via Christi, Bourbon County, Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, Health Care, Mercy Hospital

Mercy Foundation Distributes Funds

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The Mercy Health Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) organizaiton, has been working to distribute the assets of the foundation to the community, since the closure of Mercy Hospital-Fort Scott in December 2018.
The following responses are from an interview with the foundation board president, Jared Leek, regarding those distributions.
“Following large contributions to secure Community Health Center-Southeast Kansas($300,000) and Ascension Via Christi Emergency Department ($200,000), the purchase of two transport ambulances, the remodel of the (Bourbon) County’s Ambulance Barn and donations to specific program areas, the remaining Mercy Health Foundation assets will be transferred to the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation an affiliate of the Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas,” Leek said.
Click below for the features on the donations:
A motion was made at the May 24, 2019 foundation board meeting to transfer the remaining balance of unrestricted funds to the community foundation as un-endowed funds.
Funds will be used to support healthcare needs in the community, Leek noted.
“The account with the Community Foundation has been set up and funds should be transferred from the Mercy Health Foundation to the Community Foundation in the near future,” Leek said.
Will the Mercy Foundation be dissolved?
 “The Fort Scott Mercy Health Foundation will not be fully dissolving at this time, but the board has been reduced down to three members.  These three members will be responsible for fulfilling the duties assigned to them until the board can fully dissolve.  The Foundation is the beneficiary of a few annuities and charitable trusts established years ago, and the smaller board has been directed to transfer the funds to the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation once these items mature.”
The current officers of the Mercy Foundation Board are  Leek, president; Bryan Holt, treasurer; and Darcy Smith, secretary.
These three will form the managing board under the umbrella of the Community Foundation Board to manage these funds.
Other members of the foundation board at the hospital’s closing were Jolynne Mitchell, Colleen Quick, Alysia Johnson, Becky Tourtillott, Mark McCoy, Chris Petty, and Bill Michaud. Leek, Holt and Smith remain members.
Corporate Members from Mercy with no voting rights were Jim Barber and Reta Baker.
Recently, the  Gordon Parks Museum received the Parks art collection which was donated to Mercy by Parks in 2002.
” The Fort Scott Mercy Health Foundation was honored to donate our collection of Gordon Parks’ photographs and poems gifted to the foundation.  We hope that the members of the community and tourists will continue to enjoy these works of art for many years to come at the Gordon Parks Museum Foundation.”
The Gordon Parks Museum is located on the campus of Fort Scott Community College, 2108 S. Horton.

Click below for the donation to the local museum:

Exhibit Donated to Gordon Parks Museum by Mercy Foundation

“The transfer of the artwork to the Gordon Parks Museum Foundation stipulates the collection must remain in Bourbon County and be made available to loan out to organizations in Bourbon County based on approval of the Executive Director.”
Bourbon County also received a donation from the Mercy Health Foundation?
 “Bourbon County Commission and Mercy Hospital reached an agreement to transfer/donate/sell the ambulance barn located east of the hospital.  The foundation was not included in this discussion, because the property was not owned by the foundation.  The foundation did agree to assist the Bourbon County Commission with the remodel of the ambulance barn; the board  approved a $26,000 donation to update the ambulance barn.”
Bourbon County Ambulance Service has a station at 405 Woodland Hills, northeast of the Community Health Center building that was donated by Mercy. Also donated were two emergency transport vehicles.

Click below for more information:

New EMS Vehicles Dedicated Feb. 12 At Timken

The newly remodeled emergency medical services facility that was donated to Bourbon County EMS by Mercy Hospital, located northeast of Community Health Center at 405 Woodland Hills.
 ” The $7,527 in the restricted ambulance fund (remaining after the purchase of two new transport ambulances; gifted to Bourbon County) will be moved to the general fund to assist with this funding.” Taken from Mercy Health Foundation Minutes, February 25, 2019.
Leek provided the following as the purpose of the Mercy Health Foundation taken from the Mercy Foundation articles:

“To receive gifts and grants of unrestricted funds, and to use the unrestricted funds in a manner that is recommended by the Member (Mercy Hospital); provided that such use and distributions are for the Corporation’s (board of the Mercy foundation) proper purposes and activities that qualify as exempt under Code Section 501(c)(3) and are proper under the provisions of this Article VI;

“To review and approve of the receipt and acceptance of gifts and grants of restricted funds, and if the restricted funds are approved for receipt and acceptance by the Corporation, to use the restricted funds for their intended purposes; provided that such use and distributions are for the Corporation’s proper purposes and activities that qualify as exempt under Code Section 501(c)(3) and are proper under the provisions of this Article VI;

“To fund health-related capital expenditures using the unrestricted funds as recommended by the Member;

“To coordinate the development of new health programs and services as recommended by the Member, which include funding the ongoing operation of such programs;

“To coordinate health-related educational programs as recommended by the Member;

“To coordinate and conduct health-related research as recommended by the Member.”


Bourbon County, Church news, Entertainment, Fort Scott

Blackwood Brothers Quartet Free Concert July 19

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The Blackwood Brothers Quartet will give a free concert at the First United Methodist Church, Friday, July 19th, at 7 p.m.

The Blackwood Brothers Quartet was formed in 1934 with brothers Roy, Doyle, James and Roy’s son, RW. RW was killed in a plane crash in 1954 and Roy and Doyle retired from traveling in the late ’50s. However the quartet with James, as the quartet’s leader and spokesman, established a new group of singers who would go on to take Gospel music to new heights. They have traveled and sung in all 50 of the United States, every Canadian province as well as cities in Great Britain, Europe, the Middle East, Northern Africa, South Africa, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand South Korea, Hong Kong, and the Philippines.

James, the last surviving member of the original quartet, died in 2002, but his youngest son Billy continues the family tradition of great gospel singing. The group today consists of Billy Blackwood baritone, Wayne Little tenor, Butch Owens bass, and Jonathan Mattingly as lead singer.

A free-will offering will be taken at the end of the concert to help defray the quartet’s travel expenses. For more information call The First United Methodist Church at 620-223-1950 or Don Tucker at 620-223-4617.

Bourbon County, Exercise, Schools

Improvements at the USD 235 Fitness Center Are Coming

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USD 235 students use the facility in the daytime during the school year. Pictured are some students chosen to demonstrate the equipment when the fitness center opened in October 2018.

The Uniontown U235 Fitness Center that opened last year, is getting improvements through a grant.

 

A bathroom and shower room will be added to the fitness center from an unused storage area nearby.

“The grant was a Healthy Bourbon County Grant,” Bret Howard, superintendent at USD 235, said.  “It will cover nearly 2/3 of the total cost. The grant was for $12,500 and the total cost once completed will be $17,000. “
“We will be adding this directly to the fitness center so that we can lock the doors that enter the (Uniontown High/Jr. High) Commons Area and not allow access to the building. The shower room will allow those who work out in the morning before work to shower and leave immediately for work.”
The bathroom and shower room will be located in the northeast corner of the fitness center which is on the south side of the Uniontown Junior High School.
 “There is currently a storage room there now behind a locked door,” Howard said. “We will be creating two separate rooms and will be adding another entrance door so there are two entrances, one for the bathroom and one for the shower.”
The fitness center will be closed during  construction of the rooms.
“We do not have an exact date yet as construction projects do not always proceed as expected,” Howard said.  “We will communicate via our district social media accounts and website as soon as we
know more.”
The fitnes center is for patrons on USD 235 only.

Key cards to the fitness center are applied for through West Bourbon Elementary School Principal Vance Eden, the participants can enter the center when school is not in session.

 

 Eden can be reached at [email protected] 
or 620-756-4335. There is a fee for the card of $10.
“We currently have 149 active accounts for the fitness center,” Eden said. “This doesn’t give an exact number of participants, but should be a fair estimate.”

 

Bourbon County, Business, Fort Scott

Update on Paws and Claws

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On May 29, the Shirley Yeager Animal Friends Foundation finalized the sale of their 4,000-square-foot facility on 20 acres in southeast Bourbon County.

It was purchased by Zachary and Aubry Ross of Fort Scott.

On April 23, 2011, the ground was broken and construction began on a 2,000-square-foot animal shelter called Lee’s Paws and Claws. Not long after, an addition doubled the size of the shelter.

The foundation began with a bequest from Shirley Yeager. While generous, it was not sufficient to build and operate a no-kill shelter. The shelter was built with funds donated by Marjorie “Lee” Weast.

SYAFF is a private corporation which has been granted 501(c)3 not-for-profit status by the IRS. It receives no tax monies from the City, County, or State, relying instead on income earned on the Yeager bequest and the remainder of the Weast gift, as well as small donations, and, very occasionally, grants.

While the community’s support for the foundation’s mission has been strong, donations have not kept pace with increasing needs and rising costs. The overhead on such a large facility created a negative cashflow and eventually threatened the long-term financial viability of the organization.

In addition to the high overhead, the location was an issue. The shelter was located on a gravel road seven miles from central Fort Scott. This discouraged people from visiting the shelter, especially to volunteer.

Last year, the executives of the SYAFF board of directors made the difficult decision to sell the facility, with the goal of transitioning to a more economically-sustainable business model in a more affordable location. Earlier this year, the shelter moved into a smaller facility at 8 North Judson Street which they are renting. At the end of this year, decisions about a long-term location will be made.

The foundation’s shelter is now doing business as “Fort Scott Paws & Claws Animal Shelter.” A ribbon-cutting was held at the new location on May 16.

During the first few weeks it was open downtown, the shelter had more volunteer hours than in all of last year. The convenient location has also allowed the shelter to expand retail sales as another source of income.

The new shelter houses cats and kittens in two rooms, just as it did at the previous location. A major change is that dogs are not housed at the shelter; instead, they now are housed in foster homes. Living with a family rather than being caged in a kennel is much better for the dogs’ health and behavior. The foster “parents” are able to provide accurate descriptions of the dogs’ personalities, making it easier to make a good match with potential adopters.

Applications for adopting or fostering can be found at FSPawsAndClaws.org. Donations, which are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law, can be left at the shelter or mailed to PO Box 667, Fort Scott. The shelter is open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm.

Bourbon County, Entertainment, Fort Scott

StoryWalk: Reading and Relationships

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The program that combines walking, reading, talking, and learning into one enjoyable family activity is returning to Fort Scott. StoryWalk is a collaborative public offering for families of young children to help with reading skills, develop relationship skills, have a physically active, outdoors experience together, according to Joy Miller with Kansas State University Research and Extension.

Fort Scott Public Library and K-State have once again collaborated on the family reading program.

Beginning Sunday, July 14, families can go to the library at 201 S. National Avenue to begin StoryWalk. A different story will be featured every three weeks until the end of the program on September 16.

Story panels begin at the ground level door on the north side of the library. Families may then proceed counterclockwise walking around the block from Second Street to National Avenue to Third Street to Main Street, then back to the library.

Ideally, families will read each panel, talk about the story, and move on to the next panel.

Every three weeks, a new book for young children will be featured, giving families abundant opportunities for finding time to enjoy the activity and even do repeate readings.

The theme of this installment of StoryWalk is to encourage families to walk together while learning scientific themes.

For the past two years, the extension office and the library have hosted similar storywalk programs.

Featured books will be “The Magic School Bus Plants Seeds,” “The Magic School Bus Gets Eaten,” and “The Magic School Bus Gets Planted,”  by Joanna Cole.

Questions about StoryWalk can be directed to Joy Miller at 620-223-3720 or Valetta Cannon at 620-223-2882.

 
Bourbon County, Entertainment, Fair

Fair Time!

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The annual event that allows 4-Her’s to showcase their hard work  is the county fair.

The Bourbon County Fair is July 12-20 at the fairgrounds located across from Fort Scott Community College on South Horton.

The week includes animal shows, a fashion revue, a livestock sale, open class and 4-H exhibits along with grandstand events.

New this year, the Bourbon County Fair is hosting a professional rodeo at 8 p.m. on July 12-13  at the fairgrounds, by the Hampton Rodeo Company, a consistent top-rated International Pro Rodeo Association (IPRA)  contractor.

“The big thing is the professional rodeo we are having Friday and Saturday starting the fair,” Diane Brillhart, treasurer for the fair board, said.

Tickets are $10 adults, $5 youth and five and under, free is purchased before the rodeos, $12 and $7 at the gate.

Presale tickets are available at Landmark Bank, Chamber of Commerce and Southwind Extension District Office.

 

There will be a calf scramble, bull poker, beer garden and a live band, in addition.

Contact Steward Gulager, 620-215-5302 for more information.

 

Brillhart also encourages the public to notice the newly painted sheep and dairy barns.

“Thanks to a Fort Scott Area Community Foundation Grant and the Bourbon County Jail Inmates, we were able to paint the Sheep and Dairy Barn,” Brillhart said.

See information on both the fair and rodeo below.

 

 

Pam Korinek enters her plants in the horticulture department in open class at the Bourbon County Fair in 2018.
Northwest Scott 4-H members and family put together their entry into the hay bale decorating contest in the 2018 Bourbon County Fair. From left: Amanda, Abigail, John and Timothy Collins and Kaitlyn Hanks with her mom, Darla Hanks (not pictured).
Area News, Bourbon County, K-State Extension

George Retires From K-State Just Shy of 50 Years

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Herschel George, K-State Southeast Kansas Watershed Specialist, shows how a water tank that he helped build on Doug Eden’s farm, works and functions to colleagues on June 25. From left:  Will Boyer, Dan Devlin, Amanda Schlelky ( a research assistant) George, Doug Eden and Jeff Davidson.

Herschel George started as a Kansas State University Extension Agent in February 1970, just after graduating from the university.

Through the years he worked in various counties as an agent, then became a specialist in watersheds.

A watershed consists of surface water-lakes, streams, reservoirs and wetlands, and all the underlying  groundwater, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

George was a 4-H Extension Agent in Marion County, moved to be the agricultural agent in Miami County from 1972 until 2003 when he became a watershed specialist.

George continued in that role but moved to Uniontown, his home town in 2007.

His last day in the watershed specialist role was June 30, 2019.

As a watershed specialist for Southeast Kansas, he worked to encourage farmers and ranchers to install alternative water supplies for livestock and also encouraged the farmers/ranchers to participate in watershed restorative and protection strategies.

“That was the best part of the job,” George said. “Relationships I could build with producers (farmers/ranchers). Another good thing about the job was the continuing education and professional development through the K-State Extension system.”

“I would use county fairs and field days and the 4-State Farm Show as places where I might present or demonstrate alternative livestock practices,” George said. “I often did demonstrations of solar (water) pumps or tire tank installations, to create interest.”

Additionally, he worked with local Watershed Restorative and Protective Strategy organizations as a technical service provider.

Another role George had was to provide technical assistance to livestock operators who may be out of compliance with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment policies, he said.

The purpose of his job was to reduce the nitrogen and phosphorus content of runoff from livestock areas.

“Keeping the poop on the grass, not in the ponds,” George said.

In 2008 and 2009 he traveled with K-State’s Kansas Center for Agriculture Resources and the Environment (KCARE) to Africa where he demonstrated drip irrigation systems in community and private gardens.

On June 25-26,  George invited co-workers to tour the types of projects that producers in this area installed to improve water quality, just before his retirement June 30.

It’s been a good 49 plus years, according to George.

“I’ve had nothing but very good supervisors throughout,” he said. “County extension board members to K-State Administration.”

“And I’ve had a good, supporting wife,” George said.

Following his retirement, George will continue to work with K-State and KDHE on special projects and activities across the state, as a consultant, he said.

In his retirement, George said he “might travel to see our daughter and help my brothers in farming as needed.”

George is a 1965 graduate of Uniontown High School, attended Fort Scott Community College, then transferred to Kansas State University, where he graduated in the fall of 1969  with a bachelors degree in agricultural education. In 1981 he earned a masters degree in agriculture mechanization from K-State.

He is involved in the Uniontown community through Uniontown Baptist Church and the Old Settler’s Picnic Association.

 

Colleagues from Kansas State University toured area farms where George has helped improve water quality in his tenure as Watershed Specialist for Southeast Kansas. From left: Ron Graber, watershed specialist; Pat Murphy, extension agriculture engineer, emeritus; Dan Devlin, watershed specialist; Will Boyer, watershed specialist; Sue Brown, Kansas Center for Ag. Resources and the Environment Assistant; Doug Eden, owner of the property; Connor Minson son of watershed specialist Stacie Minson; Stacie Minson; Jeff Davison, watershed specialist, and George.
Looking at a former pond on Doug Eden’s farm, which was converted back to pastureland and replaced with a tire tank waterer that George helped install. From left: George, Dan Devlin, and Doug Eden.
Herschel George, K-State Watershed Specialist for Southeast Kansas, finds some shade to check in on a cell phone in 2018  at the Bourbon County Fair.  Fairs and farm shows were where George raised public awareness about alternative water supplies, including pumping livestock water.

 

 

 

Bourbon County, Elections

Candidate Forum July 23 For Local Races

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REMINDER:
Election Candidate Forum
for Primary Races:
USD-234 Position 3
City of Fort Scott Commission
IS TUESDAY, JULY 23
Save the date:
Community members are invited to an
Election Candidate Forum
co-hosted by the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce and the Young Professionals League.
The event will take place on Tuesday, July 23rd at the FSCC Ellis Fine Arts Center at 2108 S. Horton. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. for a meet & greet with the candidates and the forum will begin at 6 p.m.
Questions for the candidates may be submitted to the Chamber by
July 22nd at [email protected].
There will be two races on the
Primary Election ballot:
–  The first is USD-234 Position 3 Candidates. There are 5 candidates for 1 position; this race will be narrowed to 2 candidates after the primary election.
Candidates include: Kellye Barrows, Joe Foulk Sr., Michael Hoyt, Josh Jones, and Aaron Judy.
– The second is Fort Scott City Commission. There are 14 candidates for 3 positions; this race will be narrowed to 6 candidates after the primary election.
Candidates include:Cheryl Adamson, Harold (Pete) Allen, Kevin (Skitch) Allen, Cindy Bartelsmeyer, Casey Bolden, Tracy Dancer, Bobby Duncan, Bob Farmer, Josh Jones, Deb McCoy, Diana Morriss, Jeanie Parker, Lindsey Watts, and Matthew Wells.
The general public is invited and encouraged to attend this Election Candidate Forum on Tuesday, July 23rd. Light refreshments will be served.
Candidates should RSVP to the Chamber prior to the forum
by e-mailing [email protected] or
by calling 620-223-3566.
————————————————————————————————————————
For a listing of candidates that have filed for the
2019 Bourbon County Election, click HERE.
Bourbon County, Government

Bourbon County Commission Minutes of June 25

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June 25, 2019                                                           Tuesday 1:00 pm

The Bourbon County Commission met in open session with all three Commissioners, the County Counselor and the County Clerk present.

Jason Silvers with the Fort Scott Tribune was also present.   Steve Hill was present for a portion of the meeting.

Kelly Stone – an intern with the City of Fort Scott was present for a portion of the meeting.

Nick made a motion to approve a budgeted transfer of $200,000 total for the 1st two quarters of 2019 from Road & Bridge Sales Tax to Road & Bridge, Lynne seconded and the motion passed.

Jim Harris reported that they are overlaying with the recently purchased paver on Condensory, 235th (Frank Young suggested not overlaying the bridge on 235th, but to patch the bridge) and Franklin. He said the paver machine is doing a great job. Nick thanked Jim’s employees for the good work they are doing.

Lynne reported to Jim Harris a request from Joe George for a field entrance ½ mile west of a little south of Paint Creek.

Jim reported that one of the Freightliner trucks has been in the shop approximately 10 days of the last 3 weeks; he said so far in 2019 the County has spent $10,000-$12,000 on repairs for this truck. The truck is used to haul asphalt and gravel and has a snow plow. Jim said that the City of Fort Scott has loaned him a truck and a driver to help since this truck is down; Jim said he had loaned the City the excavator.

Jeff discussed Justice Lane; he said that years ago the County dumped some fill in the area; a resident in the area wants the right-of-way maintained. Jeff discussed a possible drainage issue near a driveway entrance on Justice Lane. Jeff questioned if cost sharing regarding trimming and treating could be done with the utility companies using the right-of-ways.

Jeff Fischer discussed the areas that he wants overlaid this year; he said he based his decision on traffic count and the condition of the road. He suggested a surface thick enough to restore the surface for chip sealed condition.

  1. Industrial Park – patch and overlay on Liberty Bell Road past Value Merchandiser and then up to 69 Highway.
  2. The Horton Extension – overlaying south on 215th from the City limits to Indian Road.
  3. Ironwood Road
  4. Two miles on Jefferson Highway from Indian Road going south to the tracks.

Jody Hoener, Economic Development Director met with the Commissioners; she said that Peerless Products had bought a building for expansion in Nevada, Missouri. Jody said that she didn’t feel that Peerless had any intention of moving outside of Fort Scott.

Lynne made a motion to go into a 10 minute executive session for personnel matters of individual non-elected personnel, Jeff seconded and all approved, (the session included the Commissioners, Justin Meeks and Jody Hoener). No action was taken.

Jody reported that she had sent invitations to the cities in Bourbon County to inform them of the strategic plan and the 5 & 10 year goals. She said she had met with Bronson; their top three issues were businesses, housing and the roads. Jody said a representative from Fulton questioned how to get spraying done for mosquitos; Lynne suggested asking Uniontown who they use to spray them.

Nick made a motion to go into a 15 minute executive session for personnel matters of individual non-elected personnel, Jeff seconded and all approved, (the session included the Commissioners and Justin Meeks). No action was taken.

Nick made a motion to go into a 15 minute executive session for consultation with an attorney for the body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship, Jeff seconded and all approved, (the session included the Commissioners and Justin Meeks). No action was taken.

Jeff made a motion to have only a morning Commission meeting from 9-12 on July 2nd, Nick seconded and all approved.

Justin Meeks reviewed the Kansas Association of Counties legislative update and discussed KORA and KOMA guidelines with the Commissioners.

Lynne made a motion to go into a 20 minute executive session for personnel matters of individual non-elected personnel, Nick seconded and all approved, (the session included the Commissioners, Justin Meeks and Dave Bruner). No action was taken.

Dave Bruner gave an EMS update; he said as of 6/24/2019 for June they have had 143 calls for service, 104 of those were transports, 61 were transfers (40 of those transfers were to Via Christi) and 39 dry runs. Dave said so far the maintenance the maintenance costs for the EMS vehicles was $9,363.79.

Lynne made a motion to approve the fireworks permit for Cathy Ramirez for 840 N. Main, Mapleton, KS, Nick seconded and all approved.

At 3:45, Jeff made a motion to adjourn, Nick seconded and all approved.

THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

OF BOURBON COUNTY, KANSAS

(ss) Lynne Oharah, Chairman

(ss) Jeff Fischer, Commissioner

(ss) Nick Ruhl, Commissioner

ATTEST:

Kendell Mason, Bourbon County Clerk

07/02/2019, Approved Date

 

Bourbon County, K-State Extension

Annual Flowers Need Attention to Keep Blooming

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Krista Harding
District Extension Agent, Horticulture
Southwind Extension District
111 S. Butler
Erie, KS 66733
Office: 620-244-3826
Cell: 620-496-8786

 

What an unusually rainy spring and summer we have had! Our soils have definitely been saturated for several weeks now. You may think that watering won’t be needed for quite some time since soil moisture levels are very high. However, watering may be needed much sooner than you think.

Excessive rain can drive oxygen out of the soil and literally drown roots. Therefore, as we enter hotter, drier weather, the plants with damaged root systems may be very susceptible to lack of water. Don’t forget to check your plants for signs of wilting or leaf scorching and water as needed.

The excessive rainfall has also depleted our soils of nitrogen. If your annual flowers haven’t been overly impressive yet, they may need a shot of fertilizer.

Annual flowers have been bred to flower early and over a long period of time. Providing nitrogen through the growing season (side-dressing) will help maintain flower display. A high nitrogen fertilizer applied every four to six weeks is helpful during a rainy summer or if flower beds are irrigated.

Common sources of nitrogen-only fertilizers include nitrate of soda, urea, and ammonium sulfate. Use only one of the listed fertilizers and apply at the rate given:

  • Nitrate of soda (16-0-0) – Apply ¾ pound fertilizer per 100 square feet
  • Urea (46-0-0) – Apply ¼ pound fertilizer per 100 square feet
  • Ammonium sulfate (21-0-0) – Apply ½ pound fertilizer per 100 square feet

If you cannot find the above materials, you can use a lawn fertilizer that is about 30 percent nitrogen (nitrogen is the first number in the set of three) and apply it at the rate of 1/3 pound per 100 square feet. Do not use a fertilizer that contains a weed killer or a weed preventer.

Removing spent flowers or “deadheading” will help some plants bloom more profusely. Annuals focus their energy on seed production to ensure that the species survives. If old flowers are removed, the energy normally used to produce seed is now available to produce more flowers. Deadheading is as easy as pinching the plant between the thumb and finger, but tough, wiry stems will require the use of scissors or pruning shears.

Plants that do increase blooms in response to deadheading include hardy geraniums, coreopsis, some petunias, marigolds, snapdragons, begonias, some roses, zinnias, sweet peas, salvia, blanket flower, and yarrow.

There are some “self-cleaning” plants on the market now. These plants drop their spent flowers and bloom again and do not require manual deadheading. In many cases, they are sterile varieties – bred not to produce seeds. The petunia and rose varieties that are “self-cleaning” continue to excel in the home garden market because of their low maintenance and blooming power.

If you need help with any horticulture topic, give me a call. My current office schedule is Monday and Friday – Erie; Tuesday – Iola; Wednesday morning – Yates Center; Wednesday afternoon – Chanute Recreation Commission and Thursday – Fort Scott.

Krista Harding is a K-State Research and Extension Agricultural agent assigned to Southwind District. She may be reached at [email protected] or 62-244-3826.

K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Bourbon County, Government

Bourbon County Commission Agenda July 9

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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: July 9th, 2019

1st District-Lynne Oharah Minutes: Approved: _______________

2nd District-Jeff Fischer Corrected: _______________

3rd District-Nick Ruhl Adjourned at: _______________

County Clerk-Kendell Mason

9:00-9:45- Jim Harris

9:45-10:00-KAC

10:00-10:15-John Hill, City State Bank-3 Sheriff’s Vehicles

10:30-10:45-Tony Hanks-EMS

11:00-12:00-Justin Meeks

11:00-11:20-Executive Session-Privileged in the attorney-client relationship

12:00-1:30-Commissioners gone to lunch

Justifications for Executive Session:

          Personnel matters of individual non-elected personnel

          Consultation with an attorney for the body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship

          Matters relating to employer-employee negotiations whether or not in consultation with the representative(s) of the body or agency

          Confidential data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations, partnerships, trusts and individual proprietorships

          Preliminary discussions relating to the acquisition of real property

          Matters relating to the security of a public body or agency, public building or facility or the information system of a public body or agency, if the discussion of such matters at an open meeting would jeopardize the security of such public body, agency, building, facility or information system