The Bourbon County Repubilcans will have a regular meeting on Thursday, April 25, 2024 at 6pm, Ft Scott Livestock Market.
Submitted by Deb Martin
Bo Co Republicans Meet on April 25
Category Archives: Bourbon County
Bourbon County Commission Agenda for April 8
Bourbon County Courthouse
210 S. National Ave Fort Scott, KS 66701 Phone: 620-223-3800
Fax: 620-223-5832
Attachments:
Bourbon County, Kansas
1st District Commissioner
Jim Harris, Chairman
2nd District Commissioner
Clifton Beth
3rd District Commissioner
Bourbon County Commission Agenda 210 S. National Ave.
Fort Scott, KS 66701
April 8, 2024 5:30 p.m.
- Call Meeting to Order
- Flag Salute
- Approval of Consent Agenda
- Approval of Minutes from 4/1/2024
- Approval of Payroll Totaling $296,979.09
- Approval of Accounts Payable Totaling $558,052.08
- Public Comments
- SEK-CAP Request for Funding
- Susan Walker, CFO
- NRP
- CFO Response
- Jennifer Hawkins, County Clerk
- KDHE Public Notice
- Election Information
- Justin Meeks-Executive Session KSA 75-4319 (b)(2)
- Commission Comments
- Adjourn Meeting
Executive Session Justifications:
KSA 75-4319 (b)(1) to discuss personnel matters of individual nonelected personnel to protect their privacy.
KSA 75-4319 (b)(2) for consultation with an attorney for the public body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the
attorney-client relationship.
KSA 75-4319 (b)(3) to discuss matters relating to employer/employee negotiations whether or not in consultation with the
representative(s) of the body or agency.
KSA 75-4319 (b)(4) to discuss data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations, partnerships, trust and individual proprietorships
KSA 75-4319 (b)(6) for the preliminary discussion of the acquisition of real property.
KSA 75-4319 (b)(12) to discuss matters relating to the security measures, if the discussion of such matters at an open meeting
would jeopardize such security measures.
Agenda for the Uniontown City Council on April 9
The Uniontown City Council will meet on April 9 at 7 p.m. in city hall for a regular meeting.
CALL TO ORDER AT ________ by _____________________________
ROLL CALL:
___ Jess Ervin ___ Danea Esslinger ___ Amber Kelly ___ Mary Pemberton ___ Bradley Stewart
2024 Financials – March
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS/PROJECTS
CITIZENS REQUESTS
Heather Jackson
Tena Smith
FINANCIAL REPORT
Charlene Bolinger – Financial reports
APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA
- Minutes of March 12, 2024 Regular Council Meeting, March 19, 2024 and March 25, 2024 Special Council Meetings
- Treasurers Report, Monthly Transaction Report & Accounts Payables
DEPARTMENT REPORTS
Superintendent: Bobby Rich
Codes Enforcement: Doug Coyan
Clerk Report: Sally Johnson
County has scheduled a special election on May 12, our council meeting date – change date of meeting or have county change location?
Motion by ____________, Second by _____________, Approved ________ to enter into executive session pursuant to non-elected personnel matters exception, KSA 4319(b)(1), in order to review applications of non-elected personnel, the open meeting to resume at _______.
COUNCIL & COMMITTEE REPORTS
Councilman Ervin –
Councilwoman Esslinger –
Councilman Kelly –
Councilwoman Pemberton –
Councilman Stewart–
Mayor Jurgensen –
OLD BUSINESS
Pond Project –
Pickleball court project –
Warehouse refurbishing –
NEW BUSINESS
ADJOURN Time ____________ Moved by ______________, 2nd ___________________, Approved ___________
Uniontown City Council Special Meeting Minutes for March 25
The Special Council Meeting on March 25, 2024 at Uniontown City Hall, was called to order at 5:30PM by Mayor Jurgensen. Council members present were Jess Ervin (5:31), Danea Esslinger, Amber Kelly, Mary Pemberton, and Bradley Stewart. Also in attendance for all or part of the meeting was City Clerk Sally Johnson.
Motion by Kelly, Second by Esslinger, Approved 4-0 to enter in to executive session pursuant to non-elected personnel matters exception, KSA 4319(b)(1), in order discuss offer of position of non-elected personnel, the open meeting to resume at 6:05PM
Johnson in at 5:41, out at 5:42. Open meeting resumed at 6:05.
Motion by Ervin, Second by Kelly, Approved 5-0 to authorize Mayor Jurgensen to hire a City Clerk at $15/hour with benefits as specified in employee policy manual
Moved by Ervin, Second by Kelly, Approved 5-0, to adjourn at 6:08PM
Uniontown City Council Special Meeting Minutes of March 19
The Special Council Meeting on March 19, 2024 at Uniontown City Hall, was called to order at 5:15PM by Mayor Jurgensen. Council members present were Jess Ervin, Danea Esslinger, Amber Kelly, Mary Pemberton, and Bradley Stewart. Also in attendance for all or part of the meeting was Ashley Endicott, Brooke Gilfert, and City Clerk Sally Johnson.
Motion by Ervin, Second by Kelly, Approved 5-0 to enter in to executive session pursuant to non-elected personnel matters exception, KSA 4319(b)(1), in order to interview applicants for non-elected personnel, the open meeting to resume at 6:45PM
Mary Pemberton out at 5:30. Ashley Endicott in at 5:30, out at 5:57. Mary Pemberton in at 5:57. Brooke Gilfert in at 6:00, out at 6:19. Open meeting resumed at 6:45.
Motion by Ervin, Second by Kelly, Approved 5-0 to extend executive session pursuant to non-elected personnel exception, KSA 4319(b)(1) in order to discuss job duties, benefits and employee handbook of non-elected personnel, the open meeting to resume at 7:15PM
Sally Johnson in at 7:10, out at 7:15. Open meeting resumed at 7:15.
Motion by Ervin, Second by Kelly, Approved 5-0 to extend executive session pursuant to non-elected personnel exception, KSA 4319(b)(1) in order to discuss job duties, benefits and employee handbook of non-elected personnel, the open meeting to resume at 8:05PM
Johnson in at 7:45, out at 7:56. Open meeting resumed at 8:05.
Motion by Ervin, Second by Kelly, Approved 5-0 to schedule a special meeting on March 25, 2024, 5:30PM for the purpose of entering into executive session to discuss offer for position of non-elected personnel
Moved by Ervin, Second by Kelly, Approved 5-0, to adjourn at 8:06PM
Uniontown City Council Minutes of March 12
The Regular Council Meeting on March 12, 2024 at Uniontown City Hall, was called to order at 7:00PM by Mayor Jurgensen. Council members present were Jess Ervin, Danea Esslinger, Amber Kelly, Mary Pemberton, and Bradley Stewart. Also in attendance for all or part of the meeting were Doug Coyan, City Treasurer Charlene Bolinger, City Superintendent Bobby Rich and City Clerk Sally Johnson.
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS/PROJECTS
Pond Project, Don George, KDWPT – Mr George was unable to attend. Since the project is complete, he will get with Clerk Johnson soon to finish up paperwork and take for submission. He will present a “big check” when paperwork is approved.
CITIZENS REQUEST
Dave Wehry sent an email, due to being unable to attend, regarding under-age, unlicensed drivers of golf carts on city streets. After discussion, Clerk Johnson will send a reply as directed.
FINANCIAL REPORT
Treasurer Bolinger presented the February 2023 Treasurer’s Report. Beginning Checking Account Balance for all funds was $293,383.58, Receipts $44,634.56, Transfers Out $12,776.00, Expenditures $56,818.78, Checking Account Closing Balance $268,423.36. Bank Statement Balance $278,443.08, including Checking Account Interest of $57.98, Outstanding Deposits $0, Outstanding Checks $10,019.72, Reconciled Balance $268,423.36. Water Utilities Certificates of Deposit $37,222.22, Sewer Utilities Certificate of Deposit $21,264.85, Gas Utilities Certificates of Deposit $39,006.17, Total All Funds, including Certificates of Deposit $365,916.60. Year-to-Date Interest in Checking Acct is $112.54, and Utility CDs $394.40 for a Total Year-to-Date Interest of $506.94. Also included the status of the Projects Checking Account for the month of February 2023, Beginning Balance $0, Receipts $0, Expenditures $0, Ending Balance $0. February Transfers from Sewer Utility Fund to Sewer Revolving Loan $1,402.00, to Capital Improvement-Street $250.00; from Water Utility Fund to GO Water Bond & Interest $1,624.00, to Capital Improvement-Streets $750.00; from Gas Utility Fund to Capital Improvement-Streets $6,250.00, and from General Fund to Capital Improvement-Streets $2,500.00 for Total Transfers of $12,776.00. Net Loss for the month of February $24,960.22, Year-to-Date Net Income $32,944.16. Budget vs Actual Water Fund YTD Revenue $15,896.7 (12.9%), Expenditures $18,850.79 (11.6%); Sewer Fund YTD Revenue $5,621.56 (15.2%), Expenditures $4,883.71 (11.6%); Gas Fund YTD Revenue $37,211.40 (25.4%), Expenditures $26,734.81 (15.1%); General Fund YTD Revenue $53,528.28 (32.6%), Expenditures $19,242.89 (9.5%); and Special Highway YTD Revenue $1,987.58 (27.4%), Expenditures $0 (0%). The March 2024 payables to date in the amount of $39,826.45 were presented. The invoices from C2, KMGA, Homestead Tech, Phillips 66, and Ag Engineering have not been received at meeting time.
Clerk Johnson gave Council copies of comparable reports from the new software.
CONSENT AGENDA
Motion by Ervin, Second by Esslinger, Approved 5-0, to approve Consent Agenda as amended:
- Minutes of February 13, 2024 Regular Council Meeting and February 27, 2024 Special Council Meeting
- Treasurer’s Report, Monthly Transaction Report & Accounts Payables
Motion by Ervin, Second by Kelly, Approved 5-0 to enter in to executive session pursuant to non-elected personnel matters exception, KSA 4319(b)(1), in order to discuss job duties and review applications of non-elected personnel, the open meeting to resume at 8:00PM
Doug Coyan called in at 7:16, out at 7:35. Open meeting resumed at 8:00PM.
Motion by Kelly, Second by Esslinger, Approved 5-0 to call a Special Meeting to enter into executive session to interview City Clerk applicants on March 29, 2024 at 5:15PM.
DEPARTMENT REPORTS
City Superintendent Rich reported that the water valve has been replaced and is working. He also reported that KCC inspected the gas system on February 27 and no deficiencies were noted.
Codes Enforcement Officer Doug Coyan will is back. He will work spring through fall.
Clerk Johnson presented the Contract for Auditing Services from Diehl, Banwart, Bolton at a cost not to exceed $5,990.
Motion by Ervin, Second by Esslinger, Approved 5-0 to accept Contract for Auditing Services from Diehl, Banwat, Bolton
COUNCIL REPORT
Councilman Ervin – nothing
Councilwoman Esslinger – nothing
Councilwoman Kelly – nothing
Councilwoman Pemberton – has been asked when the public restrooms will be reopened. April 1 was decided on.
Councilman Stewart – asked for a follow-up on the sewer issue at 100 Second St. Owners have not contacted City about their plan to remedy.
Mayor Jurgensen – need to schedule spring clean-up and citywide yard sale. Citywide yard sales will be April 20 and spring clean-up will be April 29-May 2 with three dumpsters that will be removed as filled.
OLD BUSINESS
Pickleball Court Placemaking Project – concrete work completed. Someone did initial the wet concrete. Someone has volunteered to seed when ground leveled. It was suggested to also paint hopscotch and/or four square games also. A portable net, paddles and balls have been donated. Once court is painted it was suggested to host a Grand Opening.
Warehouse project – Mayor Jurgensen received a verbal quote to break up concrete scale and fill with concrete and millings, then top with 6” of packed rock. A written quote was received by Clerk Johnson. Mayor Jurgensen will ask for a written quote instead of verbal quote and we will request at least one more quote from recommended vendors.
It was suggested that we look into the process to sell the weed barn and use the proceeds to offset the cost of refurbishing the warehouse. Clerk Johnson will contact attorney about the process to sell the property.
NEW BUSINESS
None
Moved by Ervin, Second by Kelly, Approved 5-0, to adjourn at 9:19PM
Citizens For The ER Will Hold Town Hall Meetings in Fort Scott and Uniontown This Month
A citizen group working independently of the county commission plans a few community town hall meetings to inform people of the upcoming sales tax question on the May 14 ballot.
The group, Citizens For The ER, is presenting two town hall meetings regarding the one-quarter cent Bourbon County sales tax dedicated to re-opening the local emergency room.
The meeting aims to address questions and concerns about the sales tax.
Meetings are scheduled for:
Fort Scott on Thursday, April 11, at 6:30 p.m. at the Fort Scott Community College Ellis Center.
Uniontown on Wednesday, April 24, at 6:30 p.m. in the City Hall Meeting Room.
“This is an opportunity to learn how your vote will impact the well-being of our county,” said Charles Gentry, a member of the group.
“Our purpose is to support obtaining an emergency room (in the county) by getting the ¼ cent retail sales tax passed,” said Randy Nichols, another member. “The members are myself, Jamie Armstrong, Craig Campbell, Lynda Foster, Charles Gentry, Mark McCoy, and Doug Ropp.”
McCoy will be the moderator of the meetings.
“We are taking on the issue because we all feel strongly the need to have an ER for both community health and economic well-being,” Nichols said.
Significant Grants Are Available for Solar Energy For Bourbon County Businesses
If you own a business in Bourbon County and selected other counties in rural Kansas, you can apply for a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) grant and get up to 50% off the cost of solar panels.
Add the 50% federal tax credits available for renewable energy installations in Bourbon County, and a business owner could get a solar system for nearly free, according to Daniel Zywietz, founder of SEK Solar, Chanute.
SEK Solar designs and installs solar systems and also helps with the grant application, allowing business owners to drastically reduce their utility bills, he said.
Before starting SEK Solar, Zywietz founded and ran Enerwhere, the Middle East’s largest rooftop installation company and one of the world’s largest microgrid operators. The company started as a provider of temporary power services to the construction industry in 2012 and quickly expanded into the commercial rooftop solar market in Dubai, building over 45 MW of solar over 10 years, including the world’s second-largest solar rooftop system at the time, covering an area of more than 23 football fields, he said
He ended up in the Middle East as a management consultant working for Booz & Company, a spin-off of Booz Allen Hamilton, and one of the best-known management consulting companies worldwide.
With his wife (who is originally from Humboldt, KS) looking to move home after the COVID-pandemic, Zywietz started to look into the solar market in Kansas and was astonished to find that there were hardly any solar panels installed, despite the clear and sunny skies and large open spaces. With over $1 billion in grant funds for solar and energy efficiency available to agricultural and rural small business owners under the USDA’s Rural Energy for America (REAP) program, Zywietz and his wife decided to set up a solar company to service local business owners.
What made the opportunity even more exciting was that the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), passed in 2022, not only refilled the REAP program, which had been running for 10 years with much lower funding levels, but also significantly improved the Federal tax credits available to rural Kansans, according to Zywietz.
According to the EPA website, the credits are structured in three separate buckets, according to information from Zywietz. The 30% base tax credit is available to anyone wanting to install a solar system at the business or home, anywhere in the US. A further 10% “Low-Income Community” bonus is available to projects in disadvantaged areas. (Bourbon County, together with most of South-East Kansas, qualifies). Finally, there is another 10% “Energy Community Bonus” available to areas that previously hosted coal mines or coal-fired power plants, and again, Bourbon County qualifies, according to a map provided by the Department of Energy. Added together, the tax credits can add up to 50% for a renewable energy project in Fort Scott and the surrounding area.
While the tax credits don’t require any special application process, the REAP grants do. It all starts with checking whether a business’s location is eligible based on the USDA’s Property Eligibility site, says Zywietz.
The USDA defines a rural area as an area with a population of less than 50,000 people. The second criterion is the business size. The small business size standard is based on either annual revenue or the number of employees, depending on a North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code, which is used by federal agencies to classify businesses by industry type, according to http://kansasenergyprogram.org/assessments/REAP-OverviewFAQ
This generally means that if a business has less than $10 million in revenue or less than 100 employees and is a for-profit business, such as a restaurant, hair salon, retail business, or farm business, the owner is eligible to apply, Zywietz said.
“It’s a tedious grant application process,” he said. “The smallest grants of up to $20,000 have a nearly 100% approval rate because $200 million were set aside for these small projects and there aren’t enough applications, as most small business owners find it too time-consuming to fill in all of the forms. Larger grants, which can go up to $1 million, compete with other projects based on a scoring system, so getting the grant application right can make a big difference to the chance of approval. The next application deadline is June 30th.”
“It’s a big opportunity for rural business owners to lower their utility bills and go green. And while filling in government paperwork can be frustrating, I think it’s only fair for them to check if your business is legitimate before they hand you what is essentially free money. I’m happy to answer any questions on solar or the USDA REAP grants and the IRA tax credits as well,” Zywietz said.
To learn more about SEK Solar visit the website at http://seksolar.com
Zywietz can be reached at (620) 431-1122 or email: [email protected].
Zywietz will be in Dubai for two weeks at the end of April.
“I’m mostly done with the handover to the new Enerwhere CEO and summers in Dubai are pretty miserable anyways,” he said.
To view a feature he wrote:
Zywietz plans to attend the Fort Scott Chamber Coffee meetings on Thursday mornings at 8 a.m. to answer questions from business owners., he said.
The Kansas Energy Program is also available to assist you through the entire REAP grant application process, according to its website.
Sponsor A Woman Entrepreneur for the Dare To Dream Conference
Women’s Entrepreneurship Statewide Conference is June 14-15 in Fort Scott
Bo Co Coalition Minutes of April 3 Meeting
Bourbon County Inter-Agency Coalition
General Membership Meeting Minutes
April 3, 2024
- Welcome: Twenty-two members representing eighteen agencies attended. Billie Jo reminded members that the 2024 family swim pass applications to the Aquatic Center are available at Buck Run and The Beacon; applications must be returned to Buck Run by the end of April.
- Member Introductions and Announcements:
- Elizabeth Schafer, Pioneer Kiwanis and CASA – CASA needs volunteers!
- Angela Handly, Compassionate Ministries: There will be a bake sale fundraiser Friday, May 5, at the First Baptist Church.
- Lindsey McNeil, COPE: Since the COPE grant will be ending at the end of the month, she will be moving to a position with KRI.
- David Gillen, Beacon: 266 families and 614 people were served in March, twelve of the families were new. They had forty hours of volunteer service for March.
- Craig Campbell, GNAT and FSACF: GNAT is in the spring clean-up mode; April 22, 4-6 p.m. is the scheduled date for the Downtown Clean-up; contact Bailey Lyons to volunteer. Fort Scott Community Foundation grant applications open August 1; check the website for grant information.
- Tammy Alcantor, Crawford County Health Department: They are working toward virtual pre-natal classes for Bourbon County moms; this will eliminate the need to travel to Pittsburg for classes.
- Travis Wilcoxen, Angel Care Home Health: The specialty this month is wound care; they can help with this according to doctor’s orders.
- Nick Johnson, USD 234 Pre School: Kindergarten round-up will be held on April 10; Pre School round-up will be held on April 12. Spring Fling family night is April 18; contact Nick if you wish to have a space for your agency.
- Rachel Carpenter: The SEK Childcare Conference will be on April 20; the Dare to Dream Women’s Entrepreneurship conference will be held on June 14-15. Flyers for these events will be sent as an attachment with the minutes.
- Program: Mike Sharpmack, Executive Director, Kansas Renewal Institute (KRI) explained the concept behind the first ever institute of this type. Phase 1 of KRI will be a residential hospital with 58 beds in the adolescent unit, twenty beds in the adult unit, and an adult detox unit. Phase 2 will include an ER, hopefully within six months. Doors will open on April 15 with the first ten patients. The education proponent will be done in cooperation with USD 234. Ribbon cutting for this new facility will be April 18; 11:00 a.m.
May program: Amanda Classen, K-State Research Community Vitality Agent
June program: Tara Solomon Smith, QPR Suicide Prevention
- Open Forum: Nothing further came before the membership; Billie Jo did remind members that we do not meet in July.
- Adjournment: The next General Membership meeting will be May 1, 2024.
The Farmers Market Vendors Meeting Starts the 2024 Season This Evening
After several years of planning and execution, the Fort Scott Farmers Market will be under the new pavilion on North National Avenue on May 4.
Tonight is the first vendor’s meeting of the season. This meeting is for returning vendors and anyone interested in becoming a vendor in 2024, Teri Hamilton, president of Fort Scott Farmers Market said.
The meeting is at the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team office at 104 N. National Avenue, across the street from the pavilion, from 6-8 p.m.
At tonight’s meeting, there will be introductions, information about market guidelines, applications, and fees “and a time to get to know each other a little better,” she said.
Vendors are not just farmers, “but we give preference to farmers and agriculture businesses,” Hamilton said.
“There are also baked goods and craft vendors,” she said. “We have 15 returning vendors.”
“We have space for up to 24 under the pavilion,” Hamilton said.
“The vendors will park in the parking spaces under the pavilion and the customers will go around to each vendor in the parking stall,” she said.
If more than that number of vendors want to be a part of the market, the vendor spaces will have to be reconfigured, and will be thoroughly discussed, she said.
The Farmers Market Committee comprises Hamilton, owner of Hamilton’s Artisan Bakery, as president; Ethan Holly, treasurer, of Still Waters Farm; and Leanna Cain, secretary, of Sweet County Farms.
Vendors pay $5 a week for a vendor space, and if payment is given for the whole year, it is $4 a week, she said.
The market is open on Tuesdays from 4-6 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon, starting on May 4 and continuing until the end of October.
There is a Healthy Bourbon County Action Team workshop on April 15 that will focus on how to get a license to sell at a farmers market, food laws and food safety.
“We want our vendors to have access to that resource,” she said.
Hamilton said the group is so thankful for the new space.
“The pavilion is so wonderful,” she said. “We are so thankful for the project and all the fundraising that took place and they didn’t have to give us the priority,” she said.
On opening day, May 4, there will be a ribbon cutting, live music and speakers for the pavilion’s first farmers market, Hamilton said. The Bourbon County Garden Club always has a live plant sale on the first day of the market season as well.
For more information, call Hamilton at 816-491-7884.
To see the latest on the Fort Scott Farmers Market:
https://www.facebook.com/fsfma
