Category Archives: Fort Scott

FSCC Business Expo Is August 20

Sending on behalf of Chamber Member

Fort Scott Community College…

Fort Scott Community College Business Expo

2108 South Horton, in Bailey Hall

Your Business/Organization is Invited to have a Booth!

Tuesday, August 20th, 8-11am

Help welcome new & returning students!

Show them what’s available in Fort Scott for:

Jobs Shopping ~ Retail

Restaurants

Healthcare

Banking

Churches Activities Recreation & Entertainment

Volunteer Opportunities

& More!

If interested in having a FREE booth, preferred method is to complete this Google doc.

Contact Tanya Potthoff at FSCC with any questions or to sign up by email or phone: Click here to email,

Call 620-223-2700 x-3530,

Or, scan the QR code below.

~ ~ ~

Fort Scott Community College is planning for their annual Business Expo to welcome returning and new students to the campus and community, and would like to invite businesses and organizations to have

a FREE booth!

The Business Expo is planned for Tuesday, August 20th, with set up at 7:30am and the Expo from 8-11am. You can expect to have approximately 200-300 students come through during that timeframe. You can set up and provide anything you would like as far as a display, brochures, job applications if you are hiring, coupons, giveaways, etc.

Click here for the FSCC website.

Click here for the FSCC Facebook page.

Thank you to our Chamber Champion members below for their year-round premium support of the Chamber!

Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce | 231 E. Wall Street | Fort Scott, KS 66701 US
 

Bike Repair Stations Installed in Riverfront Park Donated by the Fort Scott Rotary Club

 

Riverfront Park, North National Avenue, past the orange bridge over the Marmaton River.

Riverfront Park has slowly been transforming from the unmaintained area it once was to a public space for concerts, weddings, and other gatherings and also beautiful tree-lined walk/bike trails.

Along the trails are resting areas and as you go under the Hwy. 69 Highway, some colorful historic murals have been painted by  local artist, Stephen Toal.

City workers install the bike repair station that was donated to Riverfront Park by the Fort Scott Rotary Club. Submitted photo. Pictured during installation were city employees Norman Mackley and Chris Tourtillott.

 

Recently another enhancement has been added to the park.

“Due to the increased bicycle traffic, the need for bicycle repair and the ability to air tires has been met by the Fort Scott Rotary Club,” said Jerry Witt, president of the Riverfront Authority, which oversees the area. “Two bicycle repair stations have been added to the park. One station has been installed on the Belltown Walking trail on the north side of Marmaton River and a second station has been installed on the south River Loop Road.”

One of the new bike repair stations at Riverfront Park.

 

“The concrete foundations were funded by the Riverfront committee at a cost of $2,400.,” he said. “The repair stations consist of a bike rack, air pump, and various tools  and were funded and donated by the Fort Scott Rotary Club.”

What’s Happening in Fort Scott

What’s Happening in Fort Scott! August 2nd Weekly Newsletter

Trolley Tours every Friday and Saturday on the hour.

Fridays 11am-3pm, on the hour, last tour leaves at 2pm

Saturdays 10am-3pm, on the hour, the last tour leaves at 2pm

$6 adults, $4 children 12 & under

UPCOMING CALENDAR OF EVENTS

________________

Fort Scott National Historic Site

Guided Tours on Sat & Sun: 10am & 1pm

Currently closed Wednesdays & Thursdays

until further notice.

Visit your National Park!

Click here to see all the FUN classes at The Artificers, classes for ALL ages!

BINGO hosted by the American Legion Post 25 every 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month unless it falls on a holiday. Doors open at 6pm and Bingo starts at 7pm at Memorial Hall. (Taking the month of August off for BINGO & will start again in September)

Farmers’ Market at the Gathering Square Pavilion, Tuesdays 4-6pm and Saturdays 8am-12pm!

8/2 ~ First Friday at The Artificers, 8 N. National Ave., 6-9pm, stop by and say hello! Visit their FB page for more info.

8/2 ~ Live Music @ Holmtown Pub featuring Brit Stokes, Nashville Singer/Songwriter, 9pm, see flyer below!

8/1, 2, 3 ~ Bourbon County Community Theatre performs Holy Mother of Bingo!, Ellis Fine Arts Center on the campus of FSCC, tickets are $12 for adults/$10 for children and Senior Citizens, click here for more information and to order tickets.

8/3 ~ Farmers’ Market, 8-12pm, Gathering Square Pavilion.

8/3 ~ Postponed until cooler weather: Ride for Lils at Fort Scott Munitions, food trucks and other great things happening, 9:30am, click here for more information.

8/3 ~ BINGO hosted by the Mapleton Fire Dept., everyone welcome, 7pm, click here for info.

8/3 ~ 2nd Annual Bourbon County REDI Gala, dinner/live entertainment/online auction/live auction, all proceeds will be dedicated to providing scholarships for local students, single ticket/$50 and table of 8/$375, click here to purchase tickets and for more information.

8/2-4 ~ Sales Tax Holiday Weekend – Shop Local in Fort Scott, receive a 9.4% discount at participating locations click here for info., shop local promotion organized by Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce.

8/8 ~ Chamber Coffee hosted by Fort Scott Community College – John Deere School, 23rd & Horton, 8am.

8/9 ~ Burlington Recreation Travel Group Daytrip to Fort Scott, over 14 guests. Welcome!

8/9 ~ Family Pajama Party @ Common Ground Coffee Co. co-hosted by Sunshine Boutique, 6pm, click here for FB event.

SAVE THE DATE!

8/16-18 ~ Sunflower Ride at Kansas Rocks Recreation Park, raffle items/BBQ lunch/vendors, click here to pre-register and for more info.

8/17 ~ Pen and Ink Class with Philip Ortiz at The Artificers, 10am-12 or 1-3pm, click here to register or for more information.

8/20 ~ Fort Scott Community College Business Expo in Bailey Hall, 8am-11am, contact Tanya Potthoff if your business/organization would like to participate, see the flyer below for more info.

8/31-9/1 ~ Alumni & Friends Weekend at Fort Scott Community College, alumni social/hall of fame induction dinner/activity and athletic team/so much more, click here for more info.

8/30-9/2 ~ Uniontown Old Settler’s Picnic, car show/horseshow pitching/parade/vendors/food trucks, street dance begins at 7pm, click here for more information.

_________________

SHOPPING ~ SUPPORT LOCAL!

Boutiques-Antiques-Flea Markets & more!

Click here 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

Calendar of Events

Special Event Features

THANK YOU Chamber Champion members!!

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.

Live Music, Holmtown Pub, Friday, Aug. 2nd, 6pm

First Friday @ The Artificers, 6-9pm, stop by!

Some great classes coming up, click here!

Bourbon County REDI Gala, Liberty Theatre,

Saturday, August 3rd, click here for info. & tickets!

Sales Tax Holiday Weekend – Retailers & Restaurants below pay the tax for you! Save 9.4%! Shop Local, Shop Fort Scott!

Upcoming Movie Schedule @ Fort Cinema

THANK YOU TO OUR CHAMBER CHAMPION MEMBERS!
Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce
231 E. Wall Street
Fort Scott, KS 66701
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Fire Department Training Facility To Be Completed In September

 

A1 Towing and Recovery LLC provided manpower and equipment to stack the containers for the future FSFD Training Center. Submitted photo.

Regular training helps firefighters build competence in emergencies.

The Fort Scott Fire Department has never had its own training facility, crews have trained in the station bay areas, online,  and in a small storage shed area near the Hawkins Public Safety facility, FSFD Deputy Chief Mike Miles said in a press release.

“New recruits need better training opportunities, with real-life situations translating to better service when an emergency happens,” Miles said. He believes it will help with retention, morale, more opportunities to go train on new skills or different skills, and will relieve frustration to have better training opportunities.

“Regular training in a dedicated facility helps firefighters build confidence in their abilities and competence in handling emergencies,” Miles said in the press release. “This confidence translates into better performance and decision-making during real incidents, ultimately leading to a more effective emergency response and better outcomes.”

The FSFD has planned a site that is currently open space on the southwest corner of the Hawkins Public Safety Facility at 17th and Judson Streets. It is unused currently.

Judson and 17th Street corner is the site of the new Fort Scott Fire Department Training Center. Seen in this photo on the left, is the new training center in progress.

“We are hoping to have it completed by the end of September,” he said.  ” We still have concrete to pour for work areas and then we will go inside and start to construct the layouts we desire for training purposes.”

He said the rooms will be set up like living rooms, bedrooms, kitchen, entanglement areas, etc. where search and rescue skills can be practiced.

Miles has sought to let the neighborhood know of the plans the department has.

He sent letters to surrounding neighbors to invite them to the station to answer questions and discuss the plans for the training facility. He said positive feedback was received from that endeavor with a “couple of concerns of smoke.”

“We want to be good neighbors, training times will be during the daytime hours… nontoxic smoke…always mindful of the weather conditions before considering any burn…maybe a couple of times a year with actual live fire,” he said.

He said they did look at other areas for the location of the facility, but didn’t find a suitable location or landowner contacting them back.

“Having the training center on-site at the FSFD gives us more flexibility,” he said “If we get called out during a training evolution we can leave the site and not worry about our gear. Water, bathrooms, and all the equipment are already on site.”

The Fort Scott Police, Bourbon County Emergency Medical Service, and other agencies will also be able to use this facility as a training opportunity, he said.

“This will be a major benefit to the service FSFD provides to the community and only make us stronger,” he said. “The capital improvement budget set forth by Fire Chief Dave Bruner allows for this project to be completed.”

A1 Towing and Recovery LLC provided manpower and equipment to stack the containers for the future FSFD Training Center. Submitted photos.

A1 Towing and Recovery LLC volunteered company time, equipment, and employees to help with the project.

“It’s exciting to see the Fort Scott Fire Department wanting to continue practice/training to stay at the peak of their skills that our community depends on,’ said A1 owner, Robert Coon.

Agenda for the Fort Scott City Commission on August 6

 

NOTICE OF AND AGENDA FOR REGULAR

MEETING OF FORT SCOTT CITY COMMISSION

City Hall Commission Room – 123 S. Main Street, Fort Scott, KS 66701

August 6, 2024 – 6:00 P.M.

 

  1.     Call to Order
  2.     Roll Call

Tim VanHoecke,   Matthew Wells,   Dyllon Olson,   Kathryn Salsbury,  Tracy Dancer

III.       Pledge of Allegiance

  1. Invocation
  2. Approval of Agenda
  3. Consent Agenda
  4. Approval of Appropriation Ordinance 1365-A – Expense Approval Report – Payment Dates of July 10, 2024 – July 31, 2024$2,311,545.74
  5. Approval of Minutes for July 16, 2024, Regular Meeting and July 29, 2024, Special Meeting
  6. Request to Pay – Earles Engineering, Inc. – Project No. 06 KA-6898-01 – Invoice No. 17392 – Billing Statement No. 3 – Payroll for Earles Engineering – June 2, 2024 – June 29, 2024 – KDOT CCLIP – $91,352.17
  7. Request to Pay – Heck & Wicker, Inc. – EEI Project No. 24-414 – Horton Street & 6th Street Improvements Contractor’s Application for Payment No. 1

 

VII.    Public CommentSign up required before the beginning of the meeting on register at the entrance of the Commission Room. Public Comments are for any topic not on the agenda and limited to five (5) minutes per person, at the Commission’s discretion.

VIII.     AppearancesMust be scheduled with the City Clerk at least (1) week prior to the meeting             

              you wish to address the Commission. You will be scheduled on the agenda to speak on your topic.

  1. Thomas Metcalf Jr. – Sons of American Legion Car Show – Temporary Street Closure of 3rd Street between National Ave. and Main St. – September 7, 2024 – 8AM-2PM

 

  1. Unfinished Business
  2. Consideration of Proposals for Repairs to Memorial Hall Facade Kruger

Tabled from July 16, 2024.

  1. Consideration to Approve Ordinance No. 3769 – Golf Cart Ordinance VanHoecke – Tabled from July 29, 2024.
  2. Consideration of Change Addendum No. 1 – WWTP Change in Infrastructure Permit EEI File: 23-306 – Earles Engineering & Inspection, Inc. – Original Contract $7,500.00 – Additional Service Fees – $5,000.00 – J. Dickman – Tabled from July 16, 2024

 

 

  1. New Business

            Action Items:

  1. Consideration to Pay KDOC – Legal Fees for a Preliminary Visitation Study for the Feasibility Study Regarding the Star Bond Project $10,000.00 – B. Matkin
  2. Consideration to Approve Change Order No. 3 – Hofer-Hofer & Associates – B. Matkin
  3. Request to Pay – Hofer-Hofer & Associates – Application No. 5 – Gunn Park Shower House$3,726.00 – B. Matkin
  4. Request to Pay – Hofer-Hofer & Associates – Application No. 6 – Gunn Park Shower House $10,500.00 – B. Matkin
  5. Consideration of Resolution No. 18-2024 Adopting the Kansas Homeland Security Region H Hazard Mitigation Plan – B. Matkin

 

  1. Reports and Comments
  2. City Manager Comments
  3. Engineering Comments
  4.  Commissioners Comments
  5. City Attorney Comments

 

 

XII.      Executive Session

 

XIII.     Adjourn

FSHS Tiger Newsletter August 2024

A message from Pam Hutchison:
And so it begin

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A message from Pam Hutchison:
We are so excited about the new school year!

Tax Holiday This Weekend in Fort Scott

Join us THIS weekend for a Sales Tax Holiday Weekend Downtown & Around Fort Scott!
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce announces an opportunity for shoppers to save money this weekend, August 2nd-4th!

With no “official” Sales Tax Holiday weekend in the State of Kansas, we have our own holiday here where these local retailers pay the tax for you!

Save 9.4% this weekend at participating businesses around Fort Scott!

Participating businesses will be announced on the Chamber Facebook or fortscott.com.

These stores offer a variety of merchandise including apparel, home furnishings and décor – both new and repurposed, school supplies and much more!

There is no need to cross the border during this

No Sales Tax Holiday Weekend.

Save money, shop local, shop Fort Scott!

Thank you to our Chamber Champion members below!

Facebook  X  Instagram
Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce | 231 E. Wall Street | Fort Scott, KS 66701 US
 

New USD 234 Teachers: Oxholm, Prine, Jones

This is part of a series of new teachers in USD 234 School District, Fort Scott. There are 24 new teachers and two new administrators in the district.

School starts for students on August 16.

There are five campuses in the district:

  • Fort Scott Preschool Center (serving pre-kindergarten students ages 3+)
  • Winfield Scott Elementary School (serving kindergarten through through second-grade students)
  • Eugene Ware Elementary School (serving third through fifth-grade students)
  • Fort Scott Middle School (serving sixth through eighth-grade students)
  • Fort Scott High School (serving ninth through twelfth-grade students)

According to its website, the district has nearly two thousand students enrolled within the district and over 350+ staff members.

 

Submitted photo. Chris Oxholdm.

Chris Oxholm , 34, is a new Fort Scott High School Special Education teachers.

He earned degrees from the Mass. College of Liberal Arts (BA), and Colorado Christian University (MEd) and has four years of teaching experience.

In his spare time, “You can catch me with Ashley and the kids down at the Pool! We are new to Kansas but we love this cool town so far!”

They have been married since September 3, 2016, and have three children; Charles (6), Frannie (4), and little Emma (2).

“We also live with our Nanny, Miss Dana, and our two Standard Poodles, Fenway and Wrigley. “

“The best part about being an educator, for me, is seeing progress in students that have worked on something that they struggle with.”

“My biggest challenge as an educator has been maintaining the same energy all day.”

Amanda Prine. Submitted photo.

Amanda Prine, 37, is a new 2nd-grade teacher at Winfield Scott Elementary School.

She has a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Missouri Southern State University and a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Northwest Missouri State University.

She is entering her 14th year in education.

“During that time, I have worked as an elementary teacher and as the director of an early childhood center.”

She is a parishioner of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Nevada, MO, where her family resides, and has recently finished a term serving on her local Parks and Recreation Board.

She and her husband, Lee, have two daughters, Aubrey and Lynleigh “as well as three dogs and two cats.”

” Aubrey will be entering her senior year in Nevada this school year and Lynleigh will be joining me in Fort Scott as she enters first grade!”

She said the best thing about being an educator is making a positive impact on our students and getting to witness the moment that learning concepts click for them as they learn something new.

For her the most challenging thing about being a teacher is “managing our time so that we can best meet the needs of each student while accounting for different levels of learners and learning styles.”

Taylor Jones. Submitted photo.
Taylor Jones, 23, is a new Spanish teacher at Fort Scott High School.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts, Modern Languages; emphasis in Spanish language and culture  from Pittsburg State University class of 2023 and is a 2019 FSHS graduate.
“I am in the Transition to Teaching program through Fort Hayes State University, which will take me from a restricted teaching license to a professional teaching license while also getting my Masters of Science in Education,” she said.
Her community involvement includes volunteering with Core Communities in Fort Scott since November of 2023.
“I enjoy watching a variety of sports, music, and theatre events at the high school and college level. I also have been going to the Pittsburg Presbyterian Church since college, singing in the choir, playing instruments, and helping with the tech team.”
She is the eldest child of Joshua and Karen Jones and has a twin sister, Madison, and a younger brother, David.
“The best thing about being a new educator is the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on students’ lives while continuously learning and growing in the profession,” she said.
“One challenge of being a new teacher is balancing the various student needs while learning the ins and outs of the job.”

Public Service Announcement: Don’t Remove Cones/Barricades AND Bring Back The Sign

Taken from the City of Fort Scott’s Facebook page.

Public Service Announcement: If there are cones or barricades blocking a work site please go around the block or go a different direction. Please do not remove the cones and drive through the worksite. All you are doing is tearing up the work and most of the time it has to be redone by City of Fort Scott Public Works crews. We have a citizen on video doing just this and will be looking for the person responsible.

I am personally trying to do the best I can to communicate to citizens daily about road closures, water outages, detours, or anything else that goes on; either on Facebook, the radio, or other media outlets, but it takes help from the citizens also. Please communicate to your neighbors.

We have a lot of projects going on right now in Fort Scott and maybe you are not used to this, but it is called progress. This progress is what the citizens of Fort Scott deserve. Remember, we pay a special 1/2 cent sales tax for street repairs, so every time you see someone tearing up work that was done by the city, and it has to be done again. It is taxpayers’ money being wasted.

I will continue to update citizens on things you need to know, and our staff/crews will do our best to eliminate any inconveniences that are caused by progress. Please help us by following the law.

The citizens of Fort Scott deserve better streets and infrastructure, but it will take time to get you what you deserve. It did not crumble overnight, and it will not be fixed overnight. Progress will continue and improvements will be made! We are not perfect so there will be mistakes along the way, but I can ensure you we will work hard to get things done.

Also, if you see our dang sign, bring it back!!!

if you have any questions please write me an email. [email protected].

Brad Matkin
City Manager
City of Fort Scott

 

Brad Matkin

City Manager

City of Fort Scott

Fort Scott, Kansas 66701

620-223-0550 ext. 210

 

Special Meeting Today at City Hall

NOTICE OF AND AGENDA FOR SPECIAL MEETING

OF THE FORT SCOTT CITY COMMISSION

City Hall Commission Room – 123 S. Main Street, Fort Scott, KS 66701

July 29, 2024 – 5:00 P.M.

 

  1.     Call to Order
  2.     Roll Call

Tim VanHoecke,   Matthew Wells,   Dyllon Olson,   Kathryn Salsbury,  Tracy Dancer

III.       Pledge of Allegiance

  1. Invocation
  2. Approval of Agenda

 

  1. New Business

            Action Items:

  1. Consideration of Approval for Healthy Bourbon County Action Team (HBCAT) to apply for the Our Town Grant (a 1/1 match grant), a Letter of Cash Commitment of $16,780.00 to be drawn from the Parks Fund, and $29,720.00 of in-kind services from the City, to be used for the proposed project at Nelson Park – Rachel Carpenter/Executive Director of HBCAT.

 

  1. Consideration of Bids for the Investment of $1,500,000.00 in Certificates of Deposit to drawn from the fund and redeposited with earnings to the same fund – B. Matkin

 

  1. Consideration to amend Golf Cart Ordinance – T. VanHoecke

 

  1. Reports and Comments
  2. City Manager Comments
  3.  Engineering Comments
  4.   Commissioners Comments
  5. City Attorney Comments

 

 

XII.      Executive Session

 

XIII.     Adjourn

USD 234 Meeting Minutes from July 29

Unified School District 234

424 South Main

Fort Scott, KS 66701-2697

www.usd234.org

620-223-0800   Fax 620-223-2760

 

DESTRY BROWN    

   Superintendent                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              


BOARD OF EDUCATION REGULAR MEETING

NEWS RELEASE

Monday, July 29, 2024

 

Members of the USD 234 Board of Education met at 7:30 a.m. on Monday, July 29, 2024, for a special meeting at the board office.

 

President David Stewart opened the meeting.

 

The Board approved Resolution #24-06 for Supplemental General Budget Percentage.  It will be published in the Fort Scott Tribune Wednesday, July 31, 2024.

 

PERSONNEL REPORT – APPROVED

July 8, 2024

 

RESIGNATIONS/TERMINATIONS/RETIREMENTS:

 

Graham, Jenna – Resignation – Paraprofessional – Middle School

Lewis, Bert – Resignation – Social Science Teacher – High School

Palmer, William – Resignation – Preschool Van Driver

Pryor, Kyra – Resignation – Paraprofessional – Eugene Ware

 

LEAVE OF ABSENCE:

 

Bowles, Kendall – 8/30/24-10/11/24

 

TRANSFER:

 

Feeback, Brennen – Special Education Teacher to Social Science Teacher – High School

Herring, Jennifer – Maintenance II to Cook – High School

Rackley, Karen – Ticket Clerk (Winfield Scott) to Ticket Clerk (Middle School)

Sharp, Frances – Food Service (Middle School) to Ticket Clerk (Winfield Scott)

 

EMPLOYMENT:

Certified Recommendations for the 2024-25 school year:

 

Regan, Nikki – Special Education Teacher – High School

Torres, Cynthia – ELA Teacher – High School

 

Classified Recommendations for the 2024-25 school year:

 

Bowers, Chelsie – Paraprofessional – Winfield Scott

 

Supplemental Recommendations for the 2024-25 school year:

 

Barrows, Nick – Assistant Football Coach – High School

Robertson, Tom – Assistant Girls Golf Coach – High School