Category Archives: Fort Scott

FS City Commission Special Meeting Feb. 22

There will be a Special Meeting of the Fort Scott City Commission held at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 22nd, 2022.

Discussion will be the Airport Runway project.

There will be a work session immediately following the special meeting to discuss the prioritization of Lake Fort Scott projects.

These meetings will be held at 123 S. Main Street in the City Commission meeting room and will be broadcast on the City’s you tube channel. These meetings are open to the public.

What’s Happening in Fort Scott!

What’s Happening in Fort Scott!
February 18th Weekly Newsletter
So much fun coming up in Fort Scott,
share with your friends & family!
UPCOMING CALENDAR OF EVENTS
________________
2/18 ~ National Drink Wine Day, Crooner’s Lounge featuring 1/2 price bottles all evening, and new wine menu Click here for more info. on their FB page.
2/19 ~ ESSER III FUNDING COMMUNITY CONVERSATION: Hosted by USD 234
8am at FS Middle School, 8am, 1105 E. 12th St. Give your input to identify needs for our schools. See flyer below for more info.
2/19 ~ Jr. Duck Stamp Art Contest: Hosted by Fort Scott National Historic Site
Jr. Duck Stamp Art Contest in cooperation with the Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge. All art supplies provided. More info on the
2/19 ~ Legislative Update Coffee hosted by the Chamber at Empress Event Center, 10-11:30am, Breakfast Refreshments served. Public welcome for an update by Kansas Senators Richard Hilderbrand and Caryn Tyson and Representatives Ken Collins and Trevor Jacobs.
2/20 ~ Open Mic Afternoon: Hosted by Gordon Parks Museum. 2pm at The Ellis Fine Arts Center – Fort Scott Community College
The Gordon Parks Museum will host an open mic for any poets, rappers, musicians, or artists of all ages to read their work. Bring your friends, your poetry, your instruments, your beats, your inspirations, your creativity, and your talent! No sign-up necessary, just hop on the mic when you’re ready!
2/20 ~ Film Screening at the Gordon Parks Museum of “Many Fires This Time: We the 100 Million” an award-winning documentary film that received the Gordon Parks Black Film Excellence Honorable Mention Award at the Tallgrass Film Festival in Wichita, KS, 3:30pm.
2/25 ~ Friendship Soup Lunch hosted by First United Methodist Church 11:30am – 1pm
First United Methodist Church will host a
drive-through soup lunch. A variety of soups including potato, vegetable beef, and chili will be served along with a dessert for a free-will offering. The soup lunch will be sponsored by the Mission Committee at FUMC
301 S. National
2/26 ~ Kansas Rocks – 26th AnnualFrostbite This is a great way to open up your season’s wheeling. Great food, great fun, and great friends make this event warm all over.
Click here for more details.
Kansas Rocks – 2051 130th St. Mapleton, KS
3/1 ~ Annual Pancake Feed hosted by the Fort Scott Kiwanis Club. Two times 11am-1:30pm and 4-6:30pm at First United Methodist Church. DRIVE-THRU ONLY!
SAVE THE DATE:
3/5 ~ 1st Annual Marsha Fest featuring Disco Dick & the Mirror Balls at Liberty Theater, 8-11pm, $35/ticket, purchase here!
Click here for the FB event.
SHOPPING ~ SUPPORT LOCAL!
Boutiques-Antiques-Flea Markets & more!
Clickhere for Chamber member
specialty shopping & other retail in
Downtown & other areas of the community.
Fort Scott Area
Chamber of Commerce
620-223-3566
In This Issue
Chamber Highlights
Click here for our
Membership Directory.
We THANK our members for their support! Interested in joining the Chamber?
Click here for info.
Thinking of doing business in or relocating to Fort Scott?
Contact us for a relocation packet, information on grants & incentives, and more!
Seeking a job/career?
We post a Job of the Day daily on our Facebook page, distribute a monthly job openings flyer, and post jobs on our website.
Many opportunities available!
Housing needs?
Click here for a listing of our Chamber member realtors.
Click here for our rental listing.
Esser III Funding Community Conversation
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE COFFEE
OPEN MIC AFTERNOON
A Film Screening of
Many Fires This Time: We The 100 Million
Pancake Feed
SEEKING VOLUNTEERS FOR
FUTURE NOW FINANCE AT FSHS
FORT CINEMA SHOW SCHEDULE THIS WEEKEND
CELEBRATING 16 YEARS IN FORT SCOTT!
THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS!
THANK YOU TO OUR CHAMBER CHAMPION MEMBERS!
Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce
231 E. Wall Street
Fort Scott, KS 66701
Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce | 231 E. Wall Street, Fort Scott, KS 66701
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Legislative Update Coffee Tomorrow at the Empress Event Center

The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce
is hosting a Legislative Update Coffee
Tomorrow ~ Saturday, February 19, 2022
10:00-11:30am
PLEASE JOIN US ~ ALL ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND!
Empress Event Center
7 N. Main St.
(Coffee, juice, and light breakfast refreshments will be served)
Kansas Senators Caryn Tyson and Richard Hilderbrand and Representatives Trevor Jacobs and Ken Collins have been invited to give an update on the current session as well as address any issues or questions presented by the audience.
Thank you to our Chamber Champions members for all of their support

High School Career Exploration Program Needs More Mentors

Lewis Dunkeson, Communities in Schools Site Coordinator, speaks to the group on Feb. 8. Submitted photo.
The Fort Scott High School Career Exploration Mentoring Program needs a few more volunteers.
The program is a partnership of the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce, the City of Fort Scott and the school district, USD234, according to the Chamber website.
Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Lindsay Madison told the weekly Chamber Coffee attendees on Thursday that two more female mentors are needed for the students.

“The Chamber’s motivation for organizing the program is related to Workforce Development,” Madison told fortscott.biz. “Our goal is to help the students be on a path to success, but also develop a funnel of employees for our manufacturers and other businesses by exposing students to local career opportunities available.”

“Students may be ready to start working directly after high school or college, or may move away for several years and return to Bourbon County in the future,” she said. “By being part of the mentor program they will be more aware that Fort Scott truly is a great place to live, work and raise a family.”

“Working at a local manufacturer does not exclusively involve assembly line work as students may perceive, there are many great positions to be held in accounting, sales, engineering, welding and other areas that we try to expose them to,” she said.

“Some students are more interested in health care, law enforcement or other fields and mentors will work to set up job shadows or question/answer sessions with people in those careers” Madison said. “Each student’s needs are differently related to their educational goals or career exploration and while we bring the mentors and students together monthly as a group, the mentors work individually with the students they are paired with to build connections and make a positive impact towards their success.”

Currently, there are 14 students enrolled in the program, Madison said.
Once per month a group activity, speaker or tour is organized by the Chamber.
On February 8 at Fort Scott High School, Assistant Principal Alex Specht was the keynote speaker. Submitted photo.
At least one other time per month the student meets with their mentor one-on-one to talk about personal goals, pertinent topics or other issues that the student might have.
Attendees at the Feb. 8 mentoring program at Fort Scott High School. Submitted photo.

The program is funded in part by the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation, she said.

Bill Michaud, the owner of Sleep Inn Hotel and Chamber member,  helps with the program, working with the mentors. Lewis Dunkeson, Communities in Schools Site Coordinator, helps recruit high school students and keeps them informed of meetings, Madison said.

It is an extra-curricular activity, and the high school staff are “very supportive” by allowing extra time at lunch for the meetings, Madison said.

Community members interested in being mentors, and students interested in the program, may contact the Chamber of Commerce at 620-223-3566 or email [email protected].

If you are interested in being a mentor to a high school student please complete the following, which is found on the Chamber website:

Background check authorization.

Mentor Profile Form.

Email: [email protected]; or fax 620-223-3574.

Here are several of the education modules used by mentors for discussion topic ideas for one-on-one visits with the students: basic vehicle maintenance, cooking, driver’s license information, household financing, jobs, and personal health.

The modules listed above were developed by the 2017-18 LEAD Bourbon County class, a leadership program organized by the Chamber.

 

Third USD234 School Funding Community Conversation Tomorrow

Sent on behalf of Chamber member USD 234
Join the ESSER III FUNDING CONVERSATION
Saturday (Tomorrow), February 19th, 8am at
Fort Scott Middle School Community Room
1105 E. 12th St.
(Community Room entrance is on the south side of building)
Please fill out the community survey below.
If you would prefer a hard copy paper survey,
please contact Ted Hessong or Gina Shelton at
USD 234 Board Office
424 S. Main St.
Fort Scott, KS. 66701
620-223-0800
Thank you to our Chamber Champion members for all of their support

Methodists Reschedule Soup Lunch Until Feb. 25

 

NOTICE – Due to the weather, the soup lunch that was scheduled today has been cancelled and rescheduled for next Friday, February 25.

The Soup Luncheon has been rescheduled for NEXT Friday, February 25 from11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. This is a to-go meal that can be picked up under the covered entrance off of National Avenue. A variety of soups including potato, vegetable beef, and chili will be served along with a dessert for a free-will offering. Sponsored by the Mission Committee.

 

Fort Scott City Special Meeting Today Feb. 18

There will be a Special Meeting of the Fort Scott City Commission held at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, February 18th, 2022.

An Executive Session.

Discussion of the sale of Lake Fort Scott properties, and the Airport Runway project.

This meeting will be held at 123 S. Main Street in the City Commission meeting room and will be broadcast on the City’s you tube channel. The meeting is open to the public, but the Executive Session is not.

Grant Money to Aid City’s Wastewater Collection System

Fort Scott City Hall.

Governor Laura Kelly announced last week that 40 rural Kansas communities will receive Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) totaling more than $17.6 million to help support critical community development projects.

The City of Fort Scott received a $700,000 award grant to help revitalize the wastewater system infrastructure.

The awards are administered by the Kansas Department of Commerce and granted from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Small Cities CDBG program. Eligible CDBG public improvement projects help fund water and wastewater projects, housing rehabilitation, and other community facilities and services, according to a press release from the governor.

The $700,000  grant will be put with the $425,000 that the city will provide of the projected total cost of $1,125,000 for wastewater system infrastructure improvements.

Kelley Zellner. Submitted photo.

“The project is set to be solicited in the next few weeks, ” Fort Scott City Manager Kelley Zellner said.  “And a contractor will be selected. Once the contractor is chosen for the job, the contractor decides the order of completion of the project using their ‘Means and Methods.'”

“The city’s wastewater collection system is in need of attention in certain areas and some of the equipment at the sewer plant will need to be looked at for upgrades in the next several years,” Zellner said.

“This particular improvement project,  to the citizens of Fort Scott is a small portion of the need improvements to the overall collection system and a small step in the direction of a healthy infrastructure legacy for our children and grandchildren’s sake!” he said.

 

News Release From USD234

NEWS RELEASE

 

Monday, February 14, 2022

 

Members of the USD 234 Board of Education met in the Fort Scott Middle School Commons on Monday, February 14, 2022, for their regular monthly meeting.

President James Wood opened the meeting.  The board approved the official agenda.  The board also approved the consent agenda as follows:

 

A.    Minutes

B.    Bills and Claims

C.    Payroll – January 20, 2022 – $1,629,877.81

D.    Financial Report

E.     Activity fund accounts­­­­­­

F.     Fundraiser application

G.    Extended trip application

H.    Sale of old middle school uniforms, bottoms, and warm-ups

 

The board recognized teachers who received U-Benefit Grants from OFG Financial, Security Benefit, and KNEA.  Brenda Hill, Fort Scott KNEA President, presented the grant awards to Sydney Cullison, Jennifer Hartman, Jamie Rogers, Becky Tinker, and Trisha Whitehead.

Kellye Barrows, Vice-President, presented a report on the Summit on Professional Learning Community at Work in Phoenix, AZ.  Written reports were shared by principals.  In addition, the board heard reports from Dalaina Smith, Academics Director; Ted Hessong, Superintendent; and Gina Shelton, Business Manager/Board Clerk.

The board approved contracts for Provision of Educational Services – Low Incidence and Audiology and a Memorandum of Understanding with Communities in Schools.

The board approved Gary Billionis, board member, to sit in on legal mediation claims.

Superintendent Hessong gave an ESSER III update.

Board members shared comments and then went into executive session to discuss matters relating to employer-employee negotiations.  The board returned to open meeting and then went into executive session to discuss personnel matters for nonelected personnel and returned to open meeting.   The board approved the following employment items:

A.    Resignation of Shelly Sanborn, middle school special education teacher, effective at the end of the 2021-22 school year

B.    Resignation of Eileen Strakel, Eugene Ware cook, effective February 11, 2022

C.    Leave of absence request from Elizabeth Rose, preschool paraprofessional

D.    Employment of Cole Claypool as a middle school paraprofessional for the remainder of the 2021-22 school year

E.     Employment of Dylan Goucher as a Eugene Ware/Fort Scott Preschool Center custodian for the remainder of the 2021-22 school year

F.     Employment of Angie Kemmerer for middle school PDC chairperson

G.    Employment of Angie Bin as the high school fine arts team leader for the 2021-22 school year

H.    Employment of administrators for the 2022-23 school year

I.      Employment of district directors for the 2022-23 school year

J.      Employment of Gina Shelton, Business Manager/Board Clerk, for the 2022-23 school year with a change in title from Business Manager to School Finance Director/Board Clerk

K.    Stipend for Bryce Daly, Technology Coordinator/Technician, to video board meetings

L.     Employment of Katren Rienbolt and Josh Hudiburg as high school assistant track coaches for the 2021-22 school year

M.   Retirement of Debbie West, high school secretary, effective June 30, 2022

N.    Termination of Brooke Senkevech, Eugene Ware paraprofessional and middle school intramural coach, effective February 14, 2022

O.    Employment of Connie Harper as a Eugene Ware paraprofessional for the remainder of the 2021-22 school year

 

The board adjourned.

Bourbon County Local News