Category Archives: Bourbon County

K-3 Resurfacing Project Starts Next Week

 

The week of July 30 the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) expects to begin resurfacing the roadway on K-3 in Bourbon and Crawford counties.

The mill and asphalt overlay project starts at the K-47 junction and continues north for 15 miles to end at the K-39 south junction. The highway will be resurfaced through the communities of Brazilton and Hepler.

 

Flaggers and a pilot car will direct one-lane traffic through the work zone during daylight hours; expect delays of 15 minutes or less. The project should be completed in two weeks, weather permitting.

 

KDOT awarded the $861,000 construction contract to Shilling Construction Company of Manhattan. Drivers are reminded to watch for the signs and flaggers and to “Give ‘Em a Brake!” in the work zone. Persons with questions may contact KDOT Construction Engineer Bob Gudgen at (620) 308-7621 or Public Affairs Manager Priscilla Petersen at (620) 902-6433.

Farmer’s Market Tomato Festival July 28 At Skubitz Plaza

Taste the glossy red fruit tomorrow at the farmers market to see which is your favorite!

Tomatoes for sale at Fort Scott Farmers Market.

The annual Fort Scott Farmers Market Tomato Festival is Saturday, July 28 at Skubitz Plaza, starting at 8 a.m.

The public is welcome to bring in their tomatoes for the contest as well, Stacey Atkins, president of the FSFM said.

“People can sample tomatoes and vote for their favorite,” Atkins said. “It’s always fun to sample the produce.”

Vendor Stacey Atkins chats with a customer July 21 at her booth. Atkins sells eggs, baked goods, and lemonade.
Chet and Linda Bower sell produce from their farm.
Linda Murrow changes the billboard of what she sells as she runs out of produce. Murrow sells produce, baked goods, and lemonade.
Mary Yoder sells baked goods, homemade jellies,  relishes and cherry tomatoes.
Roman Shetler sells produce, honey, maple syrup, relish and produce.
Ronnie Brown sells nuts, jellies, fruit, produce and baked goods.
Micki Kraft sells homemade sewn products.
Chet Bower shows some of his carrots he grew on his farm.

 

WIC Is Electronic

WIC Benefits Now Available by Electronic Benefit Transfer Statewide
Kansas 26th state to implement federally-mandated EBT system, following Shawnee Co. pilot

 

TOPEKA –  The federal Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program, administered by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment serves 30,800 families across the state. Historically, food available through the program could only be acquired at grocery stores utilizing paper checks. However, the federal government now requires states to issue an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card to recipients to purchase food benefits.

 

The pilot to test the use of the card launched in September 2017 in Shawnee County. The $3.2 million conversions to eWIC were funded by the United States Department of Agriculture. All states are required to implement EBT WIC programs by Oct. 1, 2020.

 

“This technology project came in on time and within budget,” David Thomason, Kansas WIC Director said. “The alternative to paper checks has been well received by our clients and merchants.”

 

WIC provides participant-centered nutrition education, healthy food and breastfeeding support to low-income families. Once a family qualifies for WIC, they are allotted foods to meet their nutrition needs, through grocery stores, using the EBT card. At the register, the family will first swipe their eWIC card to deduct the cost of approved items. They will then pay for any remaining items with another form of payment. As a fraud deterrent, the EBT card requires a PIN to access benefits.

 

WIC provides services at more than 100 clinic sites throughout Kansas and currently serves approximately 50,200 women, infants, and children under five.

New Gas Line For Uniontown

The city of Uniontown’s Council received a grant to replace the natural gas pipeline in the town.

The Uniontown City Council has been active in recent years to improve the town’s infrastructure.

A project to widen and deepen the town’s ditches to keep water going where it should, a water line replacement project and this year a natural gas line replacement project has been initiated by the council. Uniontown’s population is 272.

The city of Uniontown was awarded $201,000 in 2017 with Community Development Block Grant funds to replace a natural gas transmission line, according to kansascommerce.gov/CivicAlerts.

The city will contribute $201,000 in matching funds for this project.

NPL Foreman Pat Wier, Parker, left, tells USIC employee Mason Adams, Sugar Valley, right, where the pipeline project is, on Tuesday morning. USIC locates electric meters for entities.

The Uniontown project started June 12.

“We are trying to get it done by September 1,” NPL(Northern Pipe Line) Foreman Pat Wier, said. “So far, we are up to date, but we have a lot of work to be done.”

The two-man crew is replacing PVC pipe with PE pipe. The crew is comprised of Wier and Edmundo Rodriguez, Lenexa.

“PE is a federal requirement,” Wier said. “PVC is not recognized anymore. We are laying new pipe in portions of the city where the PVC is.”

The crew worked late into the night on Thursday to get resident Bill Griffith hooked back on to gas after a day spent laying pipe on the town’s southeast side.

“Once started, we couldn’t quit,” Wier said. “There are a few late nights.”

The usual hours for the crew is 7 a.m to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, Wier said.

Edmundo Rodriguez, left, an NPL employee, chats with Mason Adams, USIC employee during work on the pipeline just south of Nita Campbell’s property Tuesday morning.

Next for the crew is replacing 3,700 feet of two-inch steel pipe south of town.

“That is exposed,” Wier said. “We’ll be replacing and putting pipe underground for safety.”

Recently, a brush mower in this area ran over the steel riser and “caused a pretty good (gas)leak,” Wier said. “That’s why we are doing all this.”

During the FortScott.Biz interview a Kansas Corporation Commission Inspector, Jon Bolinder, turned up at the work site.

Kansas Corporation Commission Office of Pipeline Safety Inspector Jon Bolinder of Topeka stopped by the Uniontown gas line project Tuesday morning.

Bolinder is with the Office of Pipeline Safety for the KCC, he said.

Bolinder said all projects submit a construction notice to KCC. He was on his way to the Coffeyville area and made a stop in Uniontown to view the project.

“We come out and make sure they are following code when installing,” Bolinder said. He also said it helps him “in my head, when I am doing the paperwork on the project.”

The Small Cities Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program allows the Kansas Department of Commerce to distribute federal funds to Kansas cities and counties looking to improve their community.

To receive CDBG funds, a project must meet at least one of the following federally mandated criteria, according to the website:

  • The project benefits low- and moderate-income individuals.
  • The project removes or prevents slum or blight condition.
  • The project eliminates an urgent need created by a disaster when local funds are unavailable.

 

 

Barnwood Make and Takes

Participants who created a barn wood craft at Presbyterian Village Tuesday evening: clockwise from left, Sara Black, , Tabitha Stults, Josie Stults, Skye Metcalf, Cindy Lashley, Minnie Lou Allen, Glenda Stevicks, instructor Jennifer Cox. Not pictured is Rachel Kellum and Tamra Elsisle .

Presbyterian Village  hosted a barn wood sign art class at Fort Scott Presbyterian Village on Tuesday, July 24.

Instructor, Jennifer Cox,  demonstrated how to create charming barn wood style signs, using reclaimed weathered wood.

Barn wood craft instructor Jennifer Cox, standing, assists Tamra Belisle with her craft.

Participants were able to take home their creations at the end of the class.

Following the lead of instructor Jennifer Cox, art students used stencils to paint on reclaimed barnwood.

Jennifer Cox is owner of Funky Junktiques and can be reached at  620-215-4646.

Fort Scott National Cemetery Navy Memorial Donations Sought

The following is submitted by Daryl Roller

Veterans living in Southeast Kansas are thankful for Fort Scott National Cemetery. We appreciate the generous investments made in the (Fort Scott National) cemetery the past twenty-plus years. It is comforting for us, as well as our families, to know when our time comes; we will be buried in a dignified, peaceful place, with grounds attended to with exceptional care.

We are raising funds for a commemorative works granite monument, complete with U.S. Navy stockless anchor and chain to be placed in the Monument Circle at Fort Scott National Cemetery, to honor the service and sacrifice of the many sailors and Navy airmen buried there, as well as those to be interred in future years.

To accomplish this project, we need your help. Fundraising will be conducted by Olson-Frary-Burkhart Post 1165 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Fort Scott, KS. We plan to have a dedication once the monument is installed. Please send your donation to VFW Post 1165, PO Box 85, Fort Scott, KS 66701. Your name will be listed in a log of contributors to be kept at the post.

We thank you for your donation to honor the past, present, and future Navy Veterans from Southeast Kansas.

00050196_Ft Scott Donation_letter to donor (1)

Roller’s contact phone: 913/322-6492 or cell phone: 620/215-4743

 

 

The Bourbon County Commission Agenda July 24

Agenda

Bourbon County Commission Room

2nd Floor, County Courthouse

210 S. National Avenue

Fort Scott, KS 66701

Tuesdays starting at 9:00

Date: July 24th, 2018

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

10:00-Shane Walker-Bids

11:00-12:00-Justin Meeks

NRP Update

Walking Trail Update

City of Fort Scott-Public Hearing for Airport-Monday, July 30th at 4:30 pm

Executive Session-Privileged in the Attorney-Client Relationship

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