John Horn votes during a 2017 election at the Bourbon County Courthouse.
The election process has begun and this year the general election date is November 3,
“Filing deadline is noon, June 1st, 2020,” Bourbon County Clerk Kendell Mason said. “Anyone wanting to run for a local office can pick up the filing paperwork from my office.”
The county clerk’s office is located on the first floor of the north wing of the Bourbon County courthouse, 210 S. National Ave.
Since the interview, the courthouse has temporarily closed due to COVID 19 prevention measures.
“I am checking my emails on a regular basis,” Mason said on March 17. “if someone needs a packet they can email me with their mailing information and we will mail them a packet. My email address is [email protected].”
At the county level, there have been some filings for Bourbon County Sheriff and two commission positions, Mason said.
So far this year, three men have applied to run for Bourbon County Sheriff: Derick Burke, Bill Martin and Craig A. Rice
Fort Scott Police Department Officer Derick Burke. File photo. Burke is running for sheriff.
Bourbon County Sheriff Bill Martin. Submitted photo. Martin is running for sheriff.
Craig Rice. Courtesy photo by Merle Humphrey. Rice is running for sheriff.
Two Bourbon County Commission seats are up for election:
For Commission District #2 – Jeffrey Fischer and Jim Harris
For Commission District #3 – LeRoy “Nick” Ruhl
Jeff Fischer, District 2 Bourbon County Commissioner. He is running for his current position.Jim Harris, Bourbon County Public Works Director. Harris is running for District 2 Commissioner.Nick Ruhl, District 3 Bourbon County Commissioner. He is running for his current position.
“Elections in even years are in August and November,” Mason said. “A law changed the odd-year elections from spring to fall.
As of last week, there are no amendments received to be put on the ballot, Mason said.
You may register to vote online, through the Kansas Secretary of State’s website.
Check your voter registration status, the location of your polling place and view a sample ballot at VoterView by the Secretary of State.
Advance Voting is available prior to each election. You may advance vote in one of two ways: By mail, by filing an application for a ballot to be mailed to you OR in-person, beginning at least one week prior to any election.
Fort Scott City Attorney Jeffrey Deane speaks to the press following the special meeting of the city commission on Dec. 30.
The Fort Scott City Commission had a special meeting on Dec. 30 to sign off on a letter to Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt.
This was in response to local citizen Michael Hoyt’s protest alleging Kansas open meetings violations by the commission.
The Fort Scott City Commission, Dec. 30, 2019, during a special meeting. From left: Commissioner Randy Nichols, City Clerk Diane Clay, Commissioner Cheryl Adamson, Mayor Jeanie Parker, Commissioner Jolynne Mitchell, Commissioner Cindy Bartlesmeyer, City Manager Dave Martin and City Attorney Jeffrey Deane.
“I wrote on behalf of the city and commission in reply to an inquiry from Lisa Mendoza of the Kansas Attorney General’s office,” Jeffrey Deane, Lauber Municipal Law, LLC, Lee’s Summit, MO, said in an email to FortScott.Biz. Deane is the new Fort Scott City Attorney, replacing Burton Harding.
The city response letter was approved Dec. 30 by the commission and signed.
Hoyt’s Allegations
Hoyt alleged the city commission violated the Kansas Open Meetings Act when it prepared and signed a letter objecting to the candidacy of Kevin Allen, outside of an open meeting.
“It is now a public record and to save you the time of making a KORA request of us or the attorney general, I am providing this copy for information,” Deane said in an email to FortScott.Biz.
Hoyt sent a letter to the attorney general that a “notice of objection” was prepared and signed by each member of the Fort Scott City Commission on August 23, 2019.
The allegation is that the commissioners were acting together as a governmental body for the citizens of Fort Scott, in violation of the Kansas Open Meetings Act (KOMA), according to Hoyt’s complaint.
The KOMA violation form was dated 10-10-2019 and signed by Hoyt.
To view the complaint to the attorney general, click below:
“This allegation is baseless,” Attorney Deane noted, “in that
1) the commission, as the governing body, lacked the legal power and/or standing to contest Mr. Allen’s candidacy;
2) the August Letter was executed by five individuals, qualified under law as registered voters to lodge the contest, and not as an action of the governmental body; and
3) the provisions of KOMA did not attach to the actions of the commissioners acting on power granted to them individually by law and not in their official capacity.
For these reasons there was no KOMA violation.”
The Fort Scott City Attorney’s conclusion of the issue is as follows:
“Mr. Hoyt’s allegations stem from a flawed reading of the laws that govern this issue,” Deane states in the response to the attorney general. “The KOMA requires meetings when the governing body is transacting the business or affairs of government. As the analysis sets out above, the power and standing to raise an election contest is a personal right reserved and granted only to registered voters. A governmental subdivision such as the city, even though its duly elected governing body, lacks the legal power to lodge a
contest. As a result, the August Letter, even though signed by the five individuals that are also commissioners, could only be the expression of the individual’s power and standing to contest.”
Assistant Attorney General Lisa Mendoza, who is also on the Open Government Enforcement Unit, said in the letter that once a response from the city is received, a proper course of action will be determined.
This may include further investigation, closing the matter or seeking appropriate remedy for any KOMA violations.
As a remedy, Hoyt seeks the entry of a consent order, admission of a violation and a $500 fine per commissioner, according to the letter from Mendoza.
Background Of The Issue
From Attorney Deane’s response to the attorney general:
The November 2019 Fort Scott City Commission elections were passionately contested.
Fourteen candidates filed for the citycommissionseats held byCommissioners Cheryl Adamson, CindyBartelsmeyer,and Mayor Jean Parker.
The August primary elections pared the 14 candidates down to six for the general election.
Rumors were circulating aboutKevin Allen, allegingthat his primaryresidencewas his homeon BrownStreet, which is outside theboundaryof the city limits, according to the letter from Attorney Deane. Allen used the address of Skitch’s Hauling&Excavating,Inc., his business address, on East 20th Street as his residence.
Cityordinance and statelaw require candidates for cityoffice to residein the corporate boundaries of the citywheretheywillhold office.
The allegationthat Allen lacked theresidence to hold officein Fort Scott wasgenerallyknown to theelectorate, includingthe individual city commission members, Deane’s letter stated.
“CherylAdamson authored theAugustletter,as an individual contest ofMr. Allen’s residencytohold office, to which CindyBartelsmeyer, JoLynne Mitchell,RandyNichols, and Jean Parkerjoined,” Deane said in the response letter.
Theletter could onlyhave been brought byindividual registered voters under statelawand not bythe city commission actingin its official capacity, Deane stated
TheAugustletter was accepted bythe Bourbon CountyElection Officer anda board convened for afull hearingon the matter.
The election boarddetermined thateven though Allen had several conflictingaddresses inand out of the boundaries ofFort Scott, hisclaim of legal residenceat the East 20thStreet business address was sufficient to supportcandidacyand the election continued, according to the Deane letter.
The following are the unofficial results for the general election Nov. 5 for the Fort Scott City Commission, USD 234, and Fort Scott Community College Trustees, USD 235, area town councils and the Southwind District.
Out of 11,526 registered voters in Bourbon County, 2, 345 voted in this election.
According to Bourbon County Clerk Kendell Mason, the results will not be official until after canvassing by the commissioners on November 14th
To see the complete Bourbon County Clerk’s election results click below:
Advance voting begins today at the Bourbon County Courthouse.
A general election will take place on November 5, 2019, to vote for representation on school boards, city councils, and the Kansas State Southwind Extension District.
Also on the ballot is a constitutional amendment question.
“The amendment question seeks to do away with a census count specifically for college students and military personnel to be counted where they come from and not where they are at the time of their vote,” according to a report on KSN TV, Wichita, Oct. 14, 2019. For the whole report click below:
Advance voting will begin today, Oct. 23and continues through Nov. 4 at noon., at the courthouse only, 210 S. National. Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
All of the following polling places will be open from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. on Nov. 5. The polling places in Bourbon County are as follows:
Residents living in the City of Fort Scott vote at the following locations:
1st Ward Community Christian Church
2nd Ward Grace Baptist Church
3rd Ward Grace Baptist Church
4th Ward Community Christian Church
5th Ward Community Christian Church
6th Ward Community Christian Church
7th Ward Grace Baptist Church
Residents living out in the County vote at the following locations:
Carla Nemecek is Kansas State University Southwind District Director and agent.
As we approach election day, it is important to evaluate each candidate and make your own decision as to who will be an effective leader while representing the wants and needs of local constituents.
At the same time, just because you may not be running for a political office, doesn’t mean that your personal leadership skills could not be valuable to local organizations or service groups, and maybe this time of year sparks an interest is serving in your community.
The goal of the effective leader is to have leadership flexibility — and a good leader knows how to involve people by structuring their ideas toward task accomplishment. An effective leader must also be adept at assessing the situation and choosing the most appropriate leadership role.
A leader who learns how to involve other people, listens to their ideas, and learns how structuring ideas will lead to a common goal has learned the advantages and the skills of being a flexible activator.
Rigid, passive, or unstructured leadership results in organizational problems. The leader who knows when to involve, when to abdicate, and when to control is able to “read” a leadership situation and is able to meet its particular needs.
These are skills that so many of our elected officials often overlook as they are going through the campaign season.
With a focus on flexibility, those with excellent leadership skills can structure behavior to serve effectively in any organization — knowing when to control to get something quickly done, when to relieve tension, how to bargain, and how to avoid making a decision when it would be more profitable for the group to make it.
Strong leaders know how to change their leadership roles to fit the situation and personalities they are working with — and above all, knows how to involve the whole group in decision-making to create a productive, cooperating team.
Flexibility and the ability to be creative are skills that are often overlooked in a good leader.
Not everyone needs to be in charge of the group or be the person to call the meeting to order. In contrast, those with unique abilities to bring people together and work toward a common goal can be most effective in the right group. This group of talented individuals are best known for their informal leadership and can often be incredibly valuable to the organization.
Leadership is loosely defined as the process of people working together to achieve mutual purposes. You have the ability to be a leader, and it is simple – set a good example for your children and your community – vote on November 5th.
Submitted by
Carla Nemecek
Southwind Extension District
Director & Agent [email protected]
620-365-2242
1 North Washington, Iola, KS 66749
The vote here sign sits in front of the north wing of the Bourbon County Courthouse, 210 S. National.
Bourbon County Clerk Kendell Mason said advance voting will begin at the courthouse, 210 S. National. Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. beginning October 23rd. Advance voting ends on November 4th at noon.
CANDIDATES FOR THE 2019 BOURBON COUNTY GENERAL ELECTION
CITY OF BRONSON-CITY COUNCIL
JAMES E. OLSON-1218 CLAY ST, BRONSON, KS 66716
DANIELLE MINOR-506 BAY ST, BRONSON, KS 66716
MICHAEL STEWART-1111 CHARLES ST, BRONSON, KS 66716
CITY OF FORT SCOTT-CITY COMMISSION
HAROLD (PETE) ALLEN-1248 CRAWFORD, FORT SCOTT, KS 66701
KEVIN “SKITCH” ALLEN-324 E. 20TH ST, FORT SCOTT, KS 66701
CYNTHIA BARTELSMEYER-22 ½ N. MAIN ST PO BOX 266, FORT SCOTT, KS 66701
JOSH JONES-617 FAIRWAY, FORT SCOTT, KS 66701
DEB MCCOY-510 S. EDDY, FORT SCOTT, KS 66701
LINDSEY WATTS-1310 HORTON, FORT SCOTT, KS 66701
CITY OF FULTON
NO CANDIDATES FILED
CITY OF MAPLETON
NO CANDIDATES FILED
CITY OF REDFIELD-CITY COUNCIL
WILMA K. GRAHAM-102 W. 4TH ST, REDFIELD, KS 66769
JIMMIE JACKSON-502 W 1ST ST, REDFIELD, KS 66769
L.D. MORRISON-404 3RD, REDFIELD, KS 66769
ANGELA HIXON-311 N PINE ST, REDFIELD, KS 66769
CITY OF UNIONTOWN-CITY COUNCIL
DANEA D. ESSLINGER-205 7TH ST, UNIONTOWN, KS 66779
DAVE WEHRY-206 FULTON, UNIONTOWN, KS 66779
USD 234
JAMES WOOD-523 S HOLBROOK, FORT SCOTT, KS 66701 POSITION 1
DANNY BROWN-424 N FRANKLIN, FORT SCOTT, KS 66701 POSITION 2
MICHELLE HUDIBURG-904 S CRAWFORD, FORT SCOTT, KS 66701 POSITION 2
KELLYE BARROWS-1607 S CRAWFORD, FORT SCOTT, KS 66701 POSITION 3
JOSH JONES-617 FAIRWAY, FORT SCOTT, KS 66701 POSITION 3
SHAWN GOANS-2102 JAYHAWK RD, FORT SCOTT, KS 66701 620-223-3840 POSITION AT LARGE
LYNETTE JACKSON-25 GOLFVIEW DR, FORT SCOTT, KS 66701 POSITION AT LARGE
BILL MICHAUD-7 N MAIN ST, FORT SCOTT, KS 66701 POSITION AT LARGE
USD 235
TROY GOODRIDGE-1335 125TH, REDFIELD, KS 66769 POSITION 1
JASON SUTTERBY-148 HWY 39, SAVONBURG, KS 66772 POSITION 2
JOSHUA HARTMAN-403 CLAY ST, UNIONTOWN, KS 66779 POSITION 3
KOLBY STOCK-1486 JAYHAWK RD, FORT SCOTT, KS 66701 POSITION 3
SALLY JOHNSON-402 HILL ST, UNIONTOWN, KS 66779
FSCC BOARD OF TRUSTEES
DAVID ELLIOTT-1779 LOCUST RD, FORT SCOTT, KS 66701
KIRK HART-715 S LITTLE ST, FORT SCOTT, KS 66701
MICHAEL HOYT-1315 BEECH ST, FORT SCOTT, KS 66701
CURTIS LEAR-643 MAPLE RD, UNIONTOWN, KS 66779
ROBERT NELSON-216 N LINCOLN ST, FORT SCOTT, KS 66701
SOUTHWIND EXTENSION DISTRICT
DIANE BRILLHART-412 130TH ST, FORT SCOTT, KS 66701
PETE WILEY-1476 225TH ST, FORT SCOTT, KS 66701
The school districts of Girard, USD 248 and Arma, USD 346, overlap slightly into Bourbon County, because of this, the following candidates are on the Bourbon County ballot, according to Kendell Mason, Bourbon County Clerk.
USD 248
DALE SHIREMAN-206 E. HOWARD, GIRARD, KS 66743 POSITION 1
ROGER L. BRENEMAN-803 N. LEONARD, GIRARD, KS 66743 POSITION 2
DAVE GOBLE-478 W 680TH AVE, GIRARD, KS 66743 POSITION 3
LORI JOHNSON-124 E. 630TH ST, GIRARD, KS 66743 AT LARGE
USD 346
MAX KRULL-307 W KANSAS AVE, BLUE MOUND, KS 66010 POSITION 3
BRENT PADDOCK-6360 INGRAHM RD, MOUND CITY, KS 66056 AT LARGE
The Bourbon County Democrats met on Sunday, September 15, and elected Kate Emmett-Sweetser as their new county chairwoman.
The previous chairwoman, Kathy Dancer, had resigned in August when she accepted a job overseas.
Other officers are Vice-Chair Clint Walker, Treasurer Shirley Palmer, and Recording Secretary Jacki Prettyman.
The Bourbon County Democrats will hold their monthly meeting on Sunday, October 20, at 2:30 pm.
The location will be at the Brewhaus on the corner of Wall and National Avenue. All Democrats, Liberals, and Progressives are welcome to attend.
The Democrats are collecting coats and other winter garments to donate to charity. Those wishing to participate should bring their item(s) to the meeting on Sunday.
In three weeks voters will be electing government representation.
In addition, there will be a question to consider on the ballot.
In the November 5, 2019, General Election you will be asked to approve removing a census count adjustment.
“The amendment question seeks to do away with a census count specifically for college students and military personnel to be counted where they come from and not where they are at the time of their vote,” according to a report on KSN TV, Wichita, Oct. 14, 2019. For the whole report click below:
Following is how the amendment will appear on the ballot, followed by the Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab’s explanation of the question.
This is how it will read:
Constitutional Amendment
Vote Yes or No
Explanatory statement. The
purpose of this amendment is to
eliminate the adjustment of
the census taken by the United
States census bureau regarding
nonresident military personnel
and nonresident students when
reapportioning the Kansas senate
and house of representatives.
A vote for this proposition would
eliminate the adjustment of
the census taken by the United
States census bureau regarding
nonresident military personnel
and nonresident students when
reapportioning the Kansas senate
and house of representatives.
A vote against this proposition
would continue in effect the
requirement for the adjustment of
the census taken by the United
States census bureau regarding
nonresident military personnel
and nonresident students when
reapportioning the Kansas senate
and house of representatives.
Shall the following be adopted?
1. Reapportionment of
senatorial and representative
districts. (a) At its regular session
in 1989, the legislature shall by
law reapportion the state
representative districts, the state
senatorial districts or both the
state representative and
senatorial districts upon the basis
of the latest census of the
inhabitants of the state taken by
the authority of chapter 61 of the
1987 Session Laws of Kansas. At
its regular session in 1992, and at
its regular session every tenth
year thereafter, the legislature
shall by law reapportion the state
senatorial districts and
representative districts on the
basis of the population of the
state as established by the most
recent census of population taken
and published by the United
States census bureau of the
census. Senatorial and
representative districts shall be
reapportioned upon the basis of
the population of the state
adjusted: (1) To exclude
nonresident military personnel
stationed within the state and
nonresident students attending
colleges and universities within
the state; and (2) to include
military personnel stationed within
the state who are residents of the
state and students attending
colleges and universities within
the state who are residents of the
state in the district of their
permanent residence. Bills
reapportioning legislative districts
shall be published in the Kansas
register immediately upon final
passage and shall be effective for
the next following election of
legislators and thereafter until
again reapportioned.
(b) Within 15 days after the
publication of an act
reapportioning the legislative
districts within the time specified
in (a), the attorney general shall
petition the supreme court of the
state to determine the validity
thereof. The supreme court,
within 30 days from the filing of
the petition, shall enter its
judgment. Should the supreme
court determine that the
reapportionment statute is invalid,
the legislature shall enact a
statute of reapportionment
conforming to the judgment of the
supreme court within 15 days.
(c) Upon enactment of a
reapportionment to conform with
a judgment under (b), the
attorney general shall apply to the
supreme court of the state to
determine the validity thereof.
The supreme court, within 10
days from the filing of such
application, shall enter its
judgment. Should the supreme
court determine that the
reapportionment statute is invalid,
the legislature shall again enact a
statute reapportioning the
legislative districts in compliance
with the direction of and
conforming to the mandate of the
supreme court within 15 days
after entry thereof.
(d) Whenever a petition or
application is filed under this
section, the supreme court, in
accordance with its rules, shall
permit interested persons to
present their views.
(e) A judgment of the supreme
court of the state determining a
reapportionment to be valid shall
be final until the legislative
districts are again reapportioned
in accordance herewith.
KEY POINTS
The following is provided by Bourbon County Clerk Kendell Mason, who sent info from the Kansas Secretary of State to explain the amendment.
Kansas is the only state in the nation that adjusts its census numbers.
Adjustment is estimated to cost $835,000 in 2020.
In the 2010 adjustment, approximately 13,000 people, out of 2.9 million, were affected.
Eliminating the adjustment would give lawmakers an additional legislative session to complete redistricting.
Legislative and State Board of Education districts would be drawn using the same numbers as congressional districts.
The Legislature supported eliminating the adjustment with bi-partisan super majorities.
Summary:
A Proposition to amend section 1 of article 10 of the constitution of the state of Kansas.
In 2019, the Legislature passed a constitutional amendment (SCR1605) with a bipartisan super majority to eliminate a provision in the Kansas Constitution requiring Kansas to adjust census numbers for military personnel and college students. Intended to slow the impact of urban migration from rural Kansas to the more populated, eastern half of the state, the requirement has, historically, had the opposite effect by marginally increasing population numbers for urban areas.
The adjustment is antiquated, burdensome and expensive because it requires the Secretary of State’s office to contact every college student and member of the military residing in Kansas to determine their official residence. Keep in mind, the U.S. Census Bureau is responsible for counting individuals where they reside in the United States. They expend significant resources in communicating with Americans on the importance of the Census. Kansas is essentially asking students and military personnel the same question – at a cost of at least $835,000 – in a manner contradictory to what is asked by the Census Bureau.
Former Lt. Governor Tracey Mann Announces Candidacy for Congress Mann announces his campaign to bring conservative values
and a voice for Kansas agriculture to Washington
(SALINA, KS) – Former Lt. Governor and fifth generation Kansan, Tracey Mann, today announced his candidacy for Kansas’ First Congressional District.
“America faces urgent threats to our freedom. While President Trump is doing his best to right the ship, too many Washington politicians want to redefine our founding values and ideals. Socialism is on the rise. Efforts to impose government-run health care, increase taxes, restrict religious freedom and erode the Second Amendment are part of the same agenda. America needs leaders who will stand up to meet this challenge and fight to protect our founding beliefs,” Mann said.
“I was raised by wonderful parents on our family farm where I learned the values of hard work, perseverance and service. I recognize that to whom much is given much is required. When I served as Jerry Moran’s first intern I never imagined I would be the 50th Lt. Governor of Kansas. I believe that every generation of Americans has a responsibility to leave our country better off and stronger than how we found it. This is our moment to step up and serve,” Mann said.
Tracey Mann plans to run on a platform of bringing Kansas values and a voice for Kansas agriculture to Washington. The father of four beautiful children, Tracey is strongly pro-life and pro-Second Amendment. Raised on a family farm in Quinter, Kansas, Tracey learned first-hand the value of hard work and how important it is that Washington stays out of the way of Kansas producers. Tracey supports President Trump’s efforts to build the wall and curb illegal immigration.
“I will fight to restore fiscal discipline in Congress and will support sound agricultural policy. My experience in agriculture and business has taught me that politicians don’t create jobs; risk-takers and entrepreneurs create jobs. In Congress, I will do everything in my power to help job creators succeed. But above all, I will put Kansans and our Kansas values first.”
Tracey Mann served as the 50th Lt. Governor of the great state of Kansas. A fifth generation Kansan, he was born and raised on his family farm just south of Quinter.
He attended Kansas State University where he studied Agricultural Economics and was elected Student Body President. After college, Tracey started a career in commercial real estate.
Tracey has served on the Board of Directors of many Kansas organizations including: Kansas Agriculture and Rural Leadership (KARL), Kansas Chamber of Commerce, and The City Teen Center in Salina.
Tracey and his wife Audrey live in Salina with their 4 children (Quincy, Austin, Whitney and Elise).
