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“Dangerous” Doug Harper will take the stage at 7 p.m. for the Friday Night Concert at the Heritage Park Pavilion at 1st and Main streets.
Harper is a returning musician, bringing many songs he’s written himself. A native of Nevada, Mo., Harper has been singing and playing guitar for many years. His career began with playing in bands, and toured through 38 states with Nevada’s Marci Mitchell, before Harper went solo in 2012.
Harper writes “modern folk songs,” but also performs some traditional songs. He calls his genre “subferior” because he said it’s “kind of country, kind of rock and kind of folk, which means there’s less instruments.”
Currently he performs in many nursing homes and coffee shops and said he likes the close connection to his audience.
Harper self-produces a couple of albums a year. When he’s not working in the theatre department at Cottey College as a technical director, he also produces a podcast, “Lunch With Doug” and a magazine, “Local Ear,” which can be picked up in 12 states.
“We welcome Doug back to the stage,” concert organizer Ralph Carlson said. “It’s always a pleasure to have local musicians bring their original music.”
The concert is free and seating is limited, so bring a lawn chair. In the event of inclement weather or extreme heat, the concert will moved to Common Ground Coffee at 12 E. Wall St.
Sound support is provided by Dave’s Music Gear and Jim Butler. The concert series is sponsored by the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce.
NOTICE OF AND AGENDA FOR REGULAR
MEETING OF FORT SCOTT CITY COMMISSION
CITY HALL COMMISSION ROOM – 123 SOUTH MAIN ST.
July 11, 2023 – 6:00 P.M.
I. Roll Call:
T. VanHoecke K. Harrington E. Woellhof M. Guns M. Wells
II. Pledge of Allegiance & Invocation: Led by T. VanHoecke
III. Approval of Agenda:
IV. Consent Agenda:
A. Approval of Minutes of the Regular Meeting of June 20, 2023
B. Approval of Appropriation Ordinance 1339-A — $1,207,831.66
C. Request to Pay – Bennett Construction, Inc. via Earles Engineering & Inspection, Inc. – 2022 CDBG Sanitary Sewer Project – Contractor’s Application for No. 2 – Work done June 10, 2023 – June 25, 2023 – $262,723.50
D. Request to Pay – SEKRPC Grant Admin Services Project 22-PF-016 – Invoice #2 – $4,000.00
V. Public Comment:
Sign up required. Comments on any topic not on agenda and limited to five (5) minutes per person, at Commission’s discretion.
VI. Old Business:
A. Consideration of Phase II Aeration Upgrade to Cell 1B and the Inlet of Cell 2 for Wastewater Treatment Plant – J. Dickman – TABLED FROM JUNE 20, 2023
B. Approval of CORRECTED Ordinance No. 3746 VACATING PORTION OF BARTEAU STREET – Ordinance No. 3745 originally approved February 7, 2023. Error found during recording process at the Appraiser’s Office. Correction made and ordinance renumbered.
VII. Appearances:
1. Rachel French: 1st Colored Infantry Mural – seeking approval from the City Commission
2. Sarah Klassen: Old Fort Genealogy – regarding ADA Compliance of the West Entrance of Memorial Hall
3. Arnold Schofield: Discussion of the Design Review Board
4. Michael Hoyt: House numbering ordinance and expansion of the Municipal Court
5. Kendall Schoenrock: Regarding the DCF Building proposed for Wall Street and National Avenue
VIII. Public Hearing: None
IX. New Business:
A. Consideration to approve purchase of a green’s mower package from Professional Turf Products – $12,720.00 – D. Guns
B. Consideration to close Hospice account – D. Tally
C. Consideration to purchase 2015 Ford F-250 SD 4×4 EX Cab 4DR F250 Utility Bed ¾ Ton for the Collections Department from Evans Motors in Pittsburg, KS – $29,995.00 – S. Flater
D. Consideration of Ordinance No. 3747 ESTABLISHING THE REQUIRED HOOKUPS TO THE CITY WATER SYSTEM FOR THE CITY OF FORT SCOTT, KANSAS – Required by the USDA as part of their funding of the River Intake Project – B. Farmer
E. Consideration of adopting Certified Local Government Program – Design Review Advisory Board option – M. Wells
F. Selection of Commissioner to represent the City on the Land Bank Advisory Board
X. Reports and Comments:
A. City Manager Comments:
B. Engineering Comments:
C. Commissioners Comments:
T. VanHoecke –
K. Harrington –
E. Woellhof –
M. Guns –
M. Wells –
D. City Attorney Comments:
XI. Executive Session:
XII. Adjournment:

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[Message clipped] View entire message
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BUDGET WORK SESSION BEGINS AT 5:00pm (NO AGENDA) AND CITY COMMISSION BEGINS AT 6:00pm AT CITY HALL.
NOTICE OF AND AGENDA FOR REGULAR
MEETING OF FORT SCOTT CITY COMMISSION
CITY HALL COMMISSION ROOM – 123 SOUTH MAIN ST.
July 11, 2023 – 6:00 P.M.
III. Approval of Agenda:
Sign up required. Comments on any topic not on agenda and limited to five (5) minutes per person, at Commission’s discretion.
VII. Appearances:
VIII. Public Hearing: None
XII. Adjournment:

PAWHUSKA, Okla.—When researching Osage history for Wahzhazhe: An Osage Ballet, co-creator Randy Tinker-Smith, founder of Osage Ballet, spoke with around 50 elders. Tinker-Smith is Osage, and she knows that some things are not meant to be shared onstage.
“While doing research for the ballet, I spoke with around 50 Osage elders,” she said. “I did not want to do one thing without permission. I met with some of them numerous times, and by the end of that year we had lost three of them. Now looking back, I am just so thankful that I had that time with them.”
With Martin Scorsese’s film Killers of the Flower Moon being recently filmed in the present-day Osage Nation, Osage history is on the minds of many people. Visitors to Fort Scott, KS have three opportunities to experience 400 years of the rich history of the Osage through artistic dance when Wahzhazhe: An Osage Ballet is presented at Ellis Family Fine Arts Center on the campus of Fort Scott Community College, July 21 and 22.

The production is the work of Osage Ballet, a nonprofit organization which seeks to preserve and share the history of the Osage people through dance.
The first half of the ballet depicts life in the Osages’ ancestral homelands, which encompassed much of the middle of the United States, including the entirety of what is now Missouri. One of the earliest diaries chronicling the Osage people describe them as the “happiest people in the world.” Family and ceremony were at the center of culture and moving with the seasons was a way of life. With the arrival of Europeans, many of the ceremonies and the complex Osage clan system were almost decimated by war and disease. Like many Indigenous people, the mighty Osage were forced west onto smaller and smaller pieces of land. Eventually, the Osage bought their own reservation in Indian Territory and settled there in what is now Osage County, Oklahoma.
Tinker-Smith said her own family’s history was on her mind as she researched.
“When our tribe left Kansas in 1871, there had been so much death because of smallpox and starvation and other diseases,” she said. “The buffalo had been slaughtered. Fences had been put up. Everything had changed drastically. Because of that, the elders put away our ceremonies because they did not have the animals, plants, and implements they needed to do them properly. We are a highly organized people: You have a purpose, you learn how to do it, and you pass it on, but that could not be done anymore. My great-grandfather was born at St. Paul Mission in Kansas. I read a diary that said 600 Osage people died in one week while he was living there. This history touches our family so deeply.”
The first act of the ballet chronicles what was lost, while the second act portrays how the Osage survived and continue to thrive despite so much trauma.
“When I started meeting with these elders, I wanted to have permission about what I could tell in the story,” she said. “As long as I am alive, for example, you will never see our sacred ceremonial ways on our stage, but what you will see are the things we still have: Fire, feathers, water. Songs. There is a lot that we can share, and it is exceptionally beautiful.”
The Osage Ballet, Wahzhazhe was created by a predominately Indigenous team with choreography by Jenna LaViolette (Osage) and original music by Osage composer Lou Brock. Dr. Joseph Rivers, chair of the film department at the University of Tulsa, composed original music and arranged the score. Osage artists Wendy Ponca, Alexander Ponca Stock, and the late Terry Wann, designed the costumes and backdrops. Shawnee Peoria artist Roman Jasinski, Jr. served as artistic adviser. (Jasinski is the son of Moscelyne Larkin, one of five Indigenous ballerinas from Oklahoma to gain international fame in the 20th century.) Professional dancers for the production are from ballet companies around the US. Joining the professional dancers are students of Dance Maker Academy in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, representing 19 Native nations.
For tickets and information on the July 21 and 22 performances in Fort Scott, KS visit their website, www.osageballet.com/events and watch for posts

Melissa Guns, 43, was recently selected to serve on the Fort Scott City Commissioner, replacing Josh Jones, who moved outside the city limits.
She was sworn in directly after being selected on June 18.

“The duties of the position include working with other council members to make fiscally and ethically sound decisions, closely reviewing and monitoring the budget and expenditures, creating the budget, passing ordinances that will benefit the greatest number of citizens possible, ensuring city policies do not harm vulnerable populations, bringing concerns and needs regarding the day-to-day operations to the attention of the City Manager, listening to citizens’ concerns and viewpoints, passing policies that will help the growth of the city’s economy, working to reduce or minimize the tax burden of citizens whenever possible, and collective oversight of the City Manager,” she said.
Citizens may contact Guns with concerns or comments by emailing mguns@fscity.org or calling City Hall and leaving a message with the City Clerk.
Background
Guns graduated from Barnesville High School in 1998, then earned a Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Science in 2005 and Master of Education in 2012, both through Wilmington University, New Castle, DE
She is currently employed as a Program Evaluator at Greenbush Education Service Center in the Research, Evaluation and Grants Department.
“In my current role, I have written three grants for 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) all of which were funded for $500,000 each over five years.”
She evaluates and writes grants. These grants provided funding for improving literacy by providing training for teachers, access to books, etc.
Guns is part of the Kansas Prevention Collaborative (KPC) evaluating for the Kansas Prevention Collaborative and other coalitions who have received prevention grants from the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services (KDADS).
She also evaluates the Kansas Prevention Collaborative trainings, events, and workforce.
“I also build surveys and other evaluation tools, most recently supporting the State Opioid Response, Certified Community Behavioral Health Centers, Community Mental Health Centers, Assisted Outpatient Treatment, and the KS Heart Program, and has also written smaller grants outside of Greenbush.
Prior to moving to Kansas in 2016, she was an administrative assistant for Bradco Services, a small construction company, putting together bids and familiarizing herself with the International Building Code Standards, learning federal payroll compliance, developing marketing and media to promote the business.
In her youth, she taught Bible classes to younger children, went on mission trips within the U.S. and Honduras, cared for the elderly at an assisted living home, and participated in AmeriCorp/VISTA as a Volunteer Coordinator for a summer reading and nutrition program in Parkersburg, WV.
Philosophy
Guns believes good citizenship is a duty.
She loves the area in Ohio where she grew up and learned first-hand that there is a need to have ” a broad enough industry to provide jobs to people from all walks of life and education levels. I believe that if a town is not moving forward to ensure jobs, housing, infrastructure, and financial stability it will slowly die.”
“I want to ensure Fort Scott retains small town values while expanding enough that no matter what path our children take when they graduate high school, Fort Scott is a thriving desirable community where they will not have to choose between making their own homes in Fort Scott or having to move away in order to have a job in their chosen profession,” she said.
“The choices we make now will determine the future,” she said. “It is imperative that Fort Scott makes sound fiscal decisions, grows economically, and repairs infrastructure in a way that supports future maintenance and expansion, while retaining the City’s rich history. That is the reason I submitted my letter of interest for the open position. I want to help Fort Scott achieve these goals and believe my experience will allow me to examine the decisions that need to be made from multiple perspectives to determine the best course of action.”
“I am working on creating a public Facebook page by which citizens may also contact me,” she said. “Please note that the ability to post on my page will be limited as this is meant to be a method of contact and not a public forum. Any questions, information, or issues that are appropriate for the City Manager to handle will be forwarded to him. I will respond to let you know the issue has been brought to his attention and any actions that are taken as a result. If citizens would like to share their viewpoint on an issue, I am happy to listen. I will not and cannot comment regarding personnel issues or instruct city personnel, as the only city employee under the direct purview of the committee is the City Manager.”
“Issues or concerns regarding employees other than the City Manager should be directed to Brad Matkin,” she said. “I will however, listen to and confer appreciation and accolades for city staff. ”
Family
Doug and Melissa have five children. Doug Jr. lives in Virginia. Their son Zander and daughter Emma attend Fort Scott High School, son John attends FSMS, and youngest son Lincoln attends Winfield Scott Elementary School.

Not Your Grandma’s Quilting Class! |
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You’re invited to work with textile artist Liberty Worth to give new life and artistic outcomes to old fabric scraps. We will be “painting” (no paint involved) with fabric to create new objects d’art. Class will be held July 8th 10am-12pm & 1-3pm! |
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You’ll Need…a creative spirit, and an iron! That’s it! |
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For more of Liberty check out her social! |
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Local Woman Wins 23rd Friends of Tri-Valley Foundation Annual Truck Raffle Drawing
After 23 years, the Friends of Tri-Valley Foundation Truck Raffle Drawing has a Kansas Winner. The Foundation is proud to announce the winner of the 23rd Annual Friends of Tri-Valley Foundation Truck Raffle Drawing: Gwen Martin. Gwen’s ticket was drawn from 1,659 entries on Friday, June 23rd at 1:30 pm by TVDS Financial Specialist Christie Fritch. Gwen was notified immediately and was both surprised and excited to hear that she had won. Gwen came on Wednesday, June 27th to collect her prize. She is from Woodson County and as such is familiar with the services Tri-Valley provides and has been a proud supporter in the past. She is from now the proud owner of a 2023 Ford F150 Platinum Edition Truck, purchased from Steve Faulkner Ford in Chanute, KS.
Thank you to everyone who participated in this year’s raffle drawing. This year’s raffle drawing raised $10,000 which will go to provide quality and affordable housing as well as aid in the delivery of services for our neighbors with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (I/DD). Since 2001, the Foundation has built six houses as well as acquired eight houses and one duplex. These fifteen houses are home to 66 individuals with I/DD that reside in the SE Kansas counties of Allen, Bourbon, Chautauqua, Elk, Greenwood, Neosho, Wilson, and Woodson. The Friends of Tri-Valley is licensed through the State of Kansas for this raffle (RAF000005).


The Fourth of July celebration will continue Friday at the Heritage Park Pavilion – folk style.
The Prairie Sunflower Strings will perform several patriotic songs beginning at 7 p.m. at 1st and Main streets.
The musical group plays traditional folk music and has put together a collection of patriotic music for the season. A few traditional songs will also be added into the mix.
Members of the group are Jean Strader and Cherry Nelson on mountain dulcimers, Marilyn Adcock on autoharp and vocals, Sandy Hemphill on guitar, violin and vocals, and Jack Hemphill on guitar. The musicians have been playing together for about five years.
“This is a group of very talented musicians and vocalists who are always a delight to hear,” concert-series organizer Ralph Carlson said. “Their sound is unique and gets to the heart of what local music is about.”
Sponsored by the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce, Friday Night Concerts are free. Bring lawn chairs as seating is limited. In the event of rain or extreme heat, the concert will be moved to Common Ground Coffee Co., 12 E. Wall St.
Sound support is provided by Dave’s Music Gear and Jim Butler. The concert series is sponsored by the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce.