NOTICE OF AND AGENDA FOR REGULAR
MEETING OF FORT SCOTT CITY COMMISSION
City Hall Commission Room – 123 S. Main Street, Fort Scott, KS 66701
December 23, 2024 – 6:00 P.M.
Tim VanHoecke, Matthew Wells, Dyllon Olson, Kathryn Salsbury, Tracy Dancer
III. Pledge of Allegiance
Action Items:
VII. Adjourn
Bourbon County Core Community exists to help with solving poverty in Bourbon County.
“We are a donor-supported 501(c)3 organization that offers an effective, data-backed program that walks people who are struggling in poverty through a 22-week course that helps them learn the mindset of poverty, the mindset of middle-class, and the steps it takes for them to move from one to the other,” said Deana Betts, the community liaison for the organization.
Bourbon County Core Community is hosting a fundraising event called Reza Live! on February 8th at 7 p.m. at the Ellis Fine Arts Center on the campus of Fort Scott Community College.
About REZA
“More than a magic show, Reza infuses stage of the art production elements, masterful comedic timing, and numerous interactive & inspirational moments, allowing the audience to experience the magic first hand, according to a press release fron Core Community. Perhaps Reza’s greatest secret is his uncanny ability to communicate his performance art on such a personal level.”
Tickets are on sale now and available at rezalive.com.
“All proceeds will be used to fund our efforts to help people of Bourbon County move out of poverty,” Betts said.
About the program
“We meet every Tuesday night, begin with a donor-provided meal, and eat together as families. The children then move onto their programming while the adults work through class content, set goals met with their Core Friends (volunteers from the middle-class who help them and encourage them), etc.” she said.
Volunteers with Core Community provide meals, childcare, speak on specific topics, and be Core Friends.
If you are interested in getting involved, please contact Deana Betts 785-488-8411.
Kansas Renewal Institute now owns the former Mercy Hospital.
Shanda Stewart, spokesperson for KRI, said that as of December 19, 2024, KRI purchased the building from Legacy Health and is its new owner.
“We look forward to Freeman Health System coming to Bourbon County and working closely with them,” she said. “We are currently serving 54 children all from the state of Kansas and have 110 employees.”
About KRI
Kansas Renewal Institute is dedicated to helping young people renew their lives and regain power over their mental health issues, according to their website. We understand that struggling does not equate to weakness or moral failing, and we are determined to provide a safe and supportive environment for individuals to heal and grow. Our behavioral health treatment center in Fort Scott, Kansas, offers comprehensive and personalized services for mental health treatment. To learn more about Kansas Renewal Institute, call us at 888.306.4718 today. We believe everyone deserves care and respect, and we are here to guide our clients on their path toward healing.
Fort Scott City Manager Brad Matkin came up with an idea to create a community dance party in the town’s Memorial Hall, 1 East Third Street several times in 2025.
“I thought having a quarterly dance party with a disc jockey playing music would be a good idea to give our citizens and others from out of Bourbon County, the opportunity to come dance, listen to music, visit with friends, meet new friends, while eating/drinking from our local flavors.”
“We will be changing the type of music that will be played each quarter ranging from Disco to Country, to Rock and Roll,” he said. “We are planning on giving people the opportunity to dress up to the era of the music being played (an example would be dressing in 70’s Disco outfits or Rock and Roll outfits). The cover charge will be $5 per person.”
The first 2025 community dance is on Saturday, January 18 from 7 to 10 p.m.
This dance will be from every music era and genre.
Local restaurant, Aunt Toadies, will provide food and drinks for sale during the dance.
At the recent USD234, Fort Scott School District Board of Education meeting, an agreement was signed with Kingbird Solar Energy LLC that will benefit the district for years.
Kingbird Solar Energy LLC is a Delaware limited liability company.
Kingbird Solar Energy approached the district regarding the agreement, Terry Mayfield, Assistant Superintendent said.
“Kingbird Solar intends to construct and operate a solar energy project in Bourbon County,” Mayfield said. “According to Kansas Statute, property used to produce and generate electricity using renewable energy resources (including solar) is exempt from all property or ad valorem taxation for a period of 10 years. The developer, as a new member of the local business community, wishes to demonstrate good citizenship by providing financial contributions to the district during the 10-year exemption.”
“The financial contribution begins with the commencement of construction by the developer,” Mayfield said. “There will be one initial payment of $300 per megawatt AC upon commencement of construction and for the following 9 years there will be an annual contribution of $450 per megawatt AC.”
“It is estimated that the contribution could be as much as $135,000 per year,” Mayfield said.
“It’s my understanding that for the 10-year exemption period that no taxes will be assessed on these solar farms, however, the developers still wish to make a financial contribution. Once that exemption period is over, the solar farms then become taxable and local entities would then receive tax revenue for any solar farms that are located within that entity’s boundaries (county, school district, etc.”
“The district is agreeing to accept the financial contribution from them,” Mayfield said. “By accepting this contribution, the district does not express support for or opposition to the establishment of solar farms in Bourbon County. The district remains neutral on this matter. By remaining neutral, the district can avoid taking a side in a debate that might involve conflicting viewpoints.”
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Here’s a more detailed explanation of the current situation that Mayfield provided:
“Delayed Possession of the Building: The district was able to take possession of the building in September, but this was later than expected because the previous tenants did not vacate the property until then. This delay in occupancy pushed back the initial timeline for starting renovations.
Demolition and Fire Sprinkler System Installation: The first phase of the project involves significant work, including the demolition of the first floor and the installation of a fire sprinkler system. To move forward with this, the district is working with Crossland Construction, which is responsible for managing the bidding and contractor selection process. This phase is taking time because:
- Bid Development: Developing comprehensive and detailed bid specifications is a complex task, as the district needs to ensure that all demolition and safety requirements are thoroughly defined.
- Advertising and Contractor Selection: The district must go through the formal process of advertising the bids, reviewing proposals, and selecting qualified contractors. This process ensures that the contractors meet all the necessary requirements and can complete the work within the budget and timeline.
Renovation Phase: Once the demolition and fire sprinkler installation are completed, the next phase of the project will involve the renovation of the first floor to create classrooms and office spaces for the preschool program. Like the demolition phase, this will require issuing new bids, selecting contractors, and ensuring that all construction meets safety and educational standards. This phase, too, will take time to execute properly.
Funding and Budgeting Considerations: The project is being financed through the district’s capital outlay budget. This requires careful planning and allocation of funds to ensure that sufficient resources are available for each phase of the project. Additionally, capital outlay funds must be managed responsibly to cover not only construction costs but also unexpected expenses that may arise during the project.
Revised Timeline: Due to the delays in obtaining possession of the building and the time needed for proper bid preparation and contractor selection, the project timeline has shifted. The district now anticipates that the facility will be ready for use at some point during the 25-26 school year. Work will continue throughout the 24-25 school year, with the goal of completing the facility’s construction and renovation in time for the preschool program’s operation in the 2025-2026 academic year.”
“The district met recently with Crossland Construction on the next phase for the preschool building to move forward with plans at the building on Horton Street,” Mayfield said. “Drainage issues do not seem to be a concern, so our next steps will be to move forward with demolition of the interior of the first floor and to install the fire sprinkler system.”
“Once the construction management agreement is in place, they can then begin to put cost estimates on the demo and fire sprinkler system.”
” Crossland Construction will be putting out requests for bids for the demolition and for the fire sprinkler system. They plan to get the demolition started soon after the first of the year. They will be taking interested contractors through the building prior to the bid dates. Once we know these costs, we can then plan to move forward with this phase and then plan for and budget and get cost estimates on the next phase of renovation.”
The current wait list for becoming a student at Fort Scott Preschool is three children.
The current enrollment at the school is 111, Mayfield said. “We are expecting approximately 18 more students to transition to preschool before the end of the school year.”
Currently, there are four early childhood special education classroom teachers, one intervention teacher and 11 paraprofessionals, Mayfield said.
Nick Johnson is the principal of the preschool.
To view the prior story:
Fort Scott Preschool Will Get Bigger Facility in 2025
The Fort Scott Area Community Foundation (FSACF) is excited to announce that their 2nd annual Match Day raised $50,121 in community donations to 11 FSACF funds!
FSACF and other CFSEK affiliate foundations raised over $155,000. In total, community donations along with matching funds resulted in over $650,000 raised through Match Day, which will benefit Southeast Kansas communities.
Since 2023, FSACF has raised over $100,000 through Match Day to help increase endowments for area nonprofits. Endowments with FSACF are meant to ensure each agency has access to guaranteed funds every year, forever. This year, thanks to the Patterson Family Foundation FSACF was able to offer $25,000 in matching funds.
“Our community truly gave with their hearts during our 2024 Match Day,” said Becky Tourtillott, FSACF Chair. “We are incredibly grateful for every donation, and those donations combined with the matching dollars, are key to us funding projects that meet real needs in Bourbon County.”
The generosity of the Fort Scott community (and beyond) makes Match Day so impactful. The FSACF board would like to thank all the Match Day donors for their continued generosity this Match Day!
Several downtown Fort Scott businesses have opened recently on Mondays to serve their community.
Bartelsmeyer Jewelry
Bartelsmeyer Jewelry, 22 No. Main Street, is now open Mondays until Christmas, during the store’s normal business hours of 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Saturdays, they are open 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Owners Wyatt and Krista Hulbert have several pieces on sale and there is a coupon on the back of the current sales flyer for a sterling silver and diamond necklace that will go to someone whose name is drawn.
Brickstreet BBQ
Brickstreet BBQ, 3 W. Oak, has recently started opening its doors on Mondays as well.
“We are starting to open on Mondays to see how it goes,” said Trisha Query, a shift leader at the restaurant.
The owners are Carissa and Alex Bowman.
Hours of the business are Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the winter.
Outpost 13 West
Outpost 13 West, 13 W. Oak Street, is a build-your-own burrito-bowl-taco restaurant just west of Brickstreet BBQ that this month started to have Monday hours of operations.
Hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, closed on Sunday.
Owners are John and Cindy Bowman, son, Alex Bowman, and his wife, Carissa.
