Category Archives: Fort Scott

Entertainment, Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

Friday Night Free Concert: Wood Family

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Ralph Carlson introduces the Friday Night Concert musicians May 2019.

This week’s Friday Night Concert will be presented by family trio Kevin and Kathy Wood from Prescott, and their daughter Leah Maxfield. The program will feature country and bluegrass gospel. Musician Sandy Hemphill will also join the trio on guitar.

 

“The Wood family started singing in church about twenty years ago. Kevin also plays guitar,” concert-series organizer Ralph Carlson said. “We appreciate the opportunity to promote our local musicians and provide wholesome concerts for the whole family.  Bring a couple of friends and join us a fun evening.”

 

The one-hour concert begins at 7 p.m. at the Heritage Park Pavilion at First and Main streets. The event is free and open to the public. Dave Oas and Jim Butler provide the sound each week. Due to limited seating, attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.

 

In the event of inclement weather, the concert will be moved to The Loading Dock at  Common Ground Coffee Co., 12 E. Wall Street.

Fort Scott, Government

Lisa Lewis: New Fort Scott City Clerk

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Lisa Lewis is the new Fort Scott City Clerk, as of Oct. 1, 2022.

Lisa A. Lewis, 56, is the new Fort Scott City and Municipal Court Clerk, as of Oct. 1, when Diane Clay retired.

Lewis and husband, Tony, are new to Fort Scott. The Lewis’s came in 2021, having lived in Chicago and raised their four children there.

From 2019 to 2021 they lived in Queen Creek, AZ but  decided they liked Midwest living better than the desert, so decided to move to Kansas, she said.

She started working at the city of Fort Scott as administrative support in January of 2022 working with Jackson Tough and Tourism as well as City Hall.

“My son in Spring Hill, KS was the one responsible for us all moving to Kansas,” she said. “We wanted to come back Midwest, where our heart is, but never back to Illinois. He played baseball for Wichita State University and then minor league for the Chicago White Sox. My husband also played minor league for the San Diego Padres and was sold on Fort Scott because of the LaRoche Stadium, where he currently works, so he is enjoying life here too and hoping to make more opportunities for the city with that aspect.”

“We wanted to move to a small town, from the big cities of previous years, and start to slow down,” she said. “I began working at City Hall but opportunities came fast and furious that changed all of that. Diane Clay took me under her wing and brought me along. She truly is amazing and someone I look up to. I hope to make her proud. I most certainly have a lot to learn in order to represent like she did, but I will get there. I believe I bring a lot of life experiences, I have dabbled in many of the pertinent professional areas over the years. I also have the passion and mindset to be an integral part of a team to help this charming little town be all it can be and more.”

“I come from big towns, and I know how to live ‘big town’, however, I have quickly come to love the charm and pace of small town living; but it is a definite learning curve,” she said. “I hope the residents will afford me that necessary grace period to learn all about Fort Scott and its needs, because my intentions are nothing but good. I am enjoying getting to know everyone. People are friendly here even though I am an outsider. Residents and my co-workers have been extremely gracious, welcoming and patient to date. I am used to being surrounded by shopping and services galore. Now I realize that if Wal-Mart doesn’t have it, we may not really need it anymore…that’s a good thing.”

With her husband of 33 years, Tony,  they raised four children.

“My daughter (32) is married with one child and one on the way,” she said. “She lives in Shawnee, KS and  her husband works for Johnson County Corrections. Our son (30) lives in Chicago, IL and is a general manager for Menards. He plans to move to Kansas in the near future. Our son (26) is married with one child on the way and lives in Spring Hill,  where he is a deputy sheriff for Johnson Co. Sheriff’s Office. Our daughter (16) is a junior at Fort Scott High School and found her passion in the theater there.”

Her work experience includes: Chicago Sun-Times Editorial Graphic Designer (20 years), Illinois DCFS Case Aide /Court Liaison (9 years), worked in healthcare as a CNA, Phlebotomist and Lab Clinical/Clerical Assistant (7 years).

Contact info for the city clerk:

The office is located at 123 S. Main St.

Fort Scott, KS 66701 and the phone number is

(620) 223-0550. FAX:  (620)-223-8100

or email  [email protected]

 

The clerk’s office hours are Monday-Friday 8AM-5PM.

Fort Scott City Hall.

 

 

Fort Scott

Tips to Affording Health Insurance for Women

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Dare to Dream Women’s Entrepreneurship Event
Tips and Tricks to Affording Health Insurance
Next Wednesday, October 5th
5-7pm
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER TODAY!
We are here to help connect you with women leaders to learn from their successes and failures–and to develop relationships into mentoring!
Please note-one registration per person to help us with registration!
Keynote Speaker: Mitzi Davis
Mitzi Davis is a Small Business owner who specializes in Medicare, Health and Life Insurance. She has owned 2 small businesses previously and for the last 10 years has owned a Small Health & Life Insurance Brokerage. Mitzi has seen and lived the need for creative ways to add benefits to your small business to attain and retain your employees.
Mitzi can help form a plan to help individual small businesses offer benefits like health insurance to employees so they are not in constant turnover of staff.
Let Mitzi help you form an individual plan to make your business more profitable and allow you to focus on generating income and growing your business instead of constantly struggling with employee retention.
Additional Speakers: Don Doherty & Lindsay Madison
Registration required for FREE childcare!
Dinner is sponsored and catered by Perry Pork Rinds and Country Store! Dinner will be Bourbon Street Chicken and Rice and samplings of Mama K’s Fudge!
Networking and dinner from 5-5:30; the program will begin right at 5:30!
Funding for this event is being provided by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas as part of Bourbon County Pathways to a Healthy Kansas grant and the USDA Rural Business Development Grant.
We are an equal opportunity organization.
Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

What’s Happening in Fort Scott Sept. 30 Newsletter

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What’s Happening in Fort Scott!

September 30th Weekly Newsletter

Fall Fun in The Fort!

UPCOMING CALENDAR OF EVENTS

________________

TROLLEY TOURS,

ON THE HOUR FROM THE CHAMBER!

Friday 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm

Saturday 10am, 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm

$6 adults, $4 children 12 & under

50-minute narrated tour of Historic Fort Scott!

Fort Scott National Historic Site

Daily Tours: 10am & 1pm

9/30 ~ Elks Lodge Taco Bar by Free Will Donation, 5pm-close, click here for info.

9/30 ~ Football Homecoming for both Fort Scott Tigers and Uniontown Eagles!

9/30 ~ Friday Night Concert in the Park, music by the Hemphill Family, Heritage Park Pavilion, 7-8pm

9/30-10/2 ~ Pioneer Harvest Fiesta—Quilt Show, Corn Husking/Shelling, Oat Threshing, Straw Bailing, Rock Crushing, Sawmill Operation, Free Bean Feed with paid admission, click here for more info.

10/1-10/2 ~ Live music all weekend at the Pioneer Harvest Fiesta, click here for music schedule.

9/30-10/31 ~ 5th Annual Scarefest Haunted House, Clark Street Lights Opens for the Halloween Season, 753 Clark St., Fridays & Saturdays 7-10pm, click here for their FB page.

10/1 ~ Farmers’ Market, Skubitz Plaza in front of the Fort, 8am to noon.

10/1 ~ Growing Towards Self Sufficiency Gathering, BBCO Fairgrounds, 9am, click here for more info.

10/1 ~ Distribution of Food & Household Essentials, Saturday, October 1st: 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM – Food & Household Essentials distribution from Fort Cinema Theater for the first 75 families courtesy of Flag Church.

10/1 ~ Storytime at Hedgehog.INK! Bookstore, 10:30am

10/1 ~ Michael Jeffers Memorial Bullriding

10/2 ~ Annual Life Chain, First Southern Baptist Church, 1:30pm

10/4 ~ Downtown Meet & Greet, hosted by the Chamber at City State Bank, 202 Scott Ave, 8:30-9:30am

10/5 ~ Dare to Dream Women’s Entrepreneurship Event, 5-7pm, Healthy Bourbon County Action Team

10/6 ~ Chamber Coffee hosted by Gordon Parks Museum, 8am

10/6-10/8 ~ The 19th Annual Gordon Parks Celebration, click here for more info.

SAVE THE DATE:

10/13 ~ Downtown Fall Fest – shopping, hot cider, pumpkin snacks, and a chance to win $100 Chamber Bucks, 5-8pm

10/25 ~ Election Candidate Forum, hosted by the Chamber, Ellis Fine Arts Center, doors open 5:30pm, forum begins 6pm.

_____________

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.

Hedgehog,INK! is hosting storytime!

Downtown Meet & Greet hosted by the Chamber at City State Bank, Downtown Location!

Downtown Fall Fest hosted by the Chamber ~ Come out and enjoy fall in Fort Scott!

Election Candidate Forum, Tuesday, October 25th
FORT CINEMA SHOW SCHEDULE THIS WEEKEND
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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Church news, Food, Fort Scott

FLAG Church Hosts Food Distribution on Oct. 1

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Fort Cinema,224 W 18th St, Fort Scott is the  Family Life Assembly of God Church distribution site for free food.
Family Life Assembly of God, Fort Scott Campus, is hosting a  free food distribution for the community from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Fort Cinema parking lot, 224 W. 18th Street, on Saturday Oct. 1st.
Participants will have to be in a vehicle and come through the Fort Cinema parking lot, according to Pastor Grady Proffitt.
FLAG workers help distribute food in an earlier distribution. Submitted photos.
“We have resources to supply food and essential household items to 75 family units,” Proffitt said. “There will be a fruit and vegetable box, along with bread, and other foods and essential household items.”
Workers hand out food in a prior food distribution.
Convoy of Hope, Springfield, MO, is the sponsor source of this distribution.
Workers in a prior distribution. Submitted photos.
“Our mission is to help with essential needs of families in our community,” Proffitt said. “We are blessed to have many partnerships within our church, and we want to use those to the best of our abilities. Our church mission is to help people love God and love others. We choose to use what God gives us so others may be blessed.”
Fort Scott Family Life Assembly of God Church meets in Fort Cinema. Submitted photos.
The church has been established in Fort Scott for about one month, meeting in the Fort Cinema movie theater.
Fort Scott Family Life Assembly of God in worship. Submitted photos.
” We had 91 people attend our launch Sunday, and have been blessed since,” he said. “FLAG Church has been commissioned to plant a campus in Fort Scott. We aim to not steal or take away from other churches here in town, but add to the Church by reaching those who do not have a church home. We want to encourage others that already have a church home to keep going. There are many great churches in Fort Scott! We are excited to be a part of what God is already doing here in this community.”
The church mission is led by four core beliefs: Salvation, Baptism of the Holy Spirit, Divine Healing, and the Second Coming of Jesus, Pastor Proffitt said. To learn more about their beliefs: https://www.flagchurch.com/about.
“Within the pursuit of our mission, God has done many miraculous works throughout our gatherings,” Proffitt said. “Since the beginning of August, on Thursday nights, we have seen five physical healings on those in attendance. We seek to gather, connect, and pray for more of God’s miraculous signs and wonders just as He did in Acts 2. God is truly doing something amazing!”
The sermon is broadcast from the Pittsburg Family Life Assembly of God Church. Submitted photos.
  Sunday morning service is from 10:00 a.m. -11:30 a.m. and includes live worship, corporate prayer, kids services, and a Gospel centered message.
A gathering at Common Ground Coffee Co.. Submitted photos.
They also host a Campus Gathering at Common Ground Coffee Co. every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
 
Pastor Grady Proffitt and wife, Jacque Proffitt. Submitted photos.
FLAG Fort Scott is led by Pastor Grady and  and his wife, Jacque Proffitt.
“We moved to Fort Scott in June,” he said. “We have had seven years of ministry experience and are thankful we can be a part of this great community! FLAG Fort Scott is definitely a place you want to check out!”
 

To contact Proffitt:

Entertainment, Food, Fort Scott, History

Pioneer Harvest Fiesta Kicks Off This Evening with a Parade

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The 66th Annual Pioneer Harvest Fiesta, a celebration of rural America’s technology of the past, starts tonight with a parade of antique, and classic farm implements and much more.

The  parade will be on Main Street through Fort Scott’s historic downtown on Thursday, September 29th at 6 PM.

Then Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 30 through Oct. 2, the Bourbon County Fairgrounds on south Horton Street, will be a scene of educational and historic exhibits, entertainment, vendors, food and arts and crafts.

Quilts displayed during the Pioneer Harvest Fiesta 2015.

New this year is a large model train display with little people in villages, according to Craig Shikles, president of the PHF board. It will be there at 9 a.m. on Saturday throughout the day. Other officers of the board: Larry Richard, Delphine Parks and Betsy Readinger.

Over 320 local students will be coming to the fiesta on Friday, according to Del Parks. “They will be able to do some hands-on stuff, she said.

There will be drag saw demonstrations, Baker fan demonstrations, tractors, gas engines, straw baling, wheat thrashing, corn husking/shelling, rock crushing, and saw mill operations on display.

The full weekend admission is only $5 per person and includes a collector button and Friday Bean Feed at 5 PM. Hours the fiesta is open: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

Children under age 12 are free, however free admission does not include button. Prior year Collector Buttons available, $1.

There will be many food vendors including a chicken and noodle dinner provided by the First Southern Baptist Church, chili dogs provided by the local Eastern Star organization and biscuits, gravy and coffee will be sold at the information tent for breakfast at the Eddy Street entrance to benefit the PHF organization.

On Saturday evening, there will be a bull riding and mutton busting event to enjoy, although it is not a part of the fiesta, it will be located on the Bourbon County Fairgrounds.

Music to Enjoy

Ralph Carlson and Floyd Feezell have organized a great lineup of talent for the music entertainment at the fiesta.

On Saturday at 10 a.m. a band including Larry and Judy Snow, from Mound City, will be performing. The Snows play for dances and concerts in this area. At 11 a.m., the Hemphill Family Band will be performing. Jack, Sandy, Brad, and Kristen also perform in the area. They play different styles of music, but they do lots of country pieces.

At noon, there will be an open mike session. People who wish to perform may bring CDs with which to sing or bring their own instruments and/or voices to participate. The sound system will be controlled by David Oas.

At 1 p.m., a string group, The Prairie Sunflower Strings, will perform. The group consists of mountain dulcimers, autoharp, fiddle, guitar, and bass guitar. Members of the group who are local are Jean Strader, Marilyn Adcock, Joyce Love, Sandy Hemphill, and Jack Hemphill. Cherry Nelson, from Columbus, also performs in the group on the dulcimer. This group will also play at 3 p.m.

David Prickett, a local guitar player,will perform at 2 p.m. He plays and sings a wide variety of music. The music should conclude at approximately 4 p.m. on Saturday.

On Sunday morning, there will be a church service under the same tent. Rev. Joel Crippen, minister at the First Southern Baptist Church, will be leading the service.

Following the church service, there will be another open mike session. All are invited to attend and/or perform.

The community is encouraged to come out and listen the music while looking at all of tractors and enjoy shopping at the vendor booths both Saturday and Sunday.

Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

Pioneer Harvest Fiesta Starts Sept. 29

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The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce
invites you to come out this weekend for
the Pioneer Harvest Fiesta!
Activities for everyone, all weekend long…
See flyer below for the show schedule.
The Fiesta kicks off with the parade,
Thursday, September 29th at 6pm, Downtown!
For a printable copy of the schedule, click here.
To visit the Pioneer Harvest Fiesta website, click here.
Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce | 231 E. Wall Street, Fort Scott, KS 66701
Church news, Entertainment, Fort Scott, History

Older Adults: Adventures In Learning Starts Oct. 14

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Christopher Eshelman is pictured with his wife, Robin. Submitted photo.

Fort Scott’s First United Methodist has made plans to provide educational and social opportunities that bring older adults together for personal growth.

Shepherd’s Center is a program to counteract the negative effects of loneliness and isolation by connecting older adults to empowering programs that foster friendships, according to a press release from the church.

The program in Fort Scott will begin on Friday, October 14th, with a session from 11:30 to 3:00 p.m. at the United Methodist Church at Third and National Avenue.

This kickoff event is free to attend.

Pre-registration is required in order to receive a free lunch from Marsha’s Deli. One can preregister by calling or visiting the church, during office hours: Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m. to noon or visit www.firstumcfsks.org/shepherdscenteroffortscott to register online. The church phone number is 620.223.1950.

Shepherd’s Centers of America is a network of interfaith community-based organizations designed by, with and for older adults, according to https://www.shepherdcenters.org/shepherds/#history

The  Adventures in Learning program is the signature program of Shepherd’s Centers that supports personal growth and discovery with courses, cultural enrichment workshops, hobby, and recreational opportunities, according to the press release.

Subjects often cover a wide range of topics: computer and technology, finance, literature, music and art appreciation, world religion, “how-to,” politics, current events, historical events and figures, foreign languages, hobbies, and so much more. Most class instructors are retired older adults, with a number of special interests presented by community experts.

“We got enrolled in the Healthy Congregations program through our church conference and we were going through our assets and needs assessment processes here and we kept seeing loneliness, isolation as concerns… and unused space in our building as an asset,” Pastor Christopher Eshelman said. “It clicked. We made some contacts and found the Wichita, Topeka, and National organizations very helpful in getting us started here in Fort Scott.”

The inaugural Fort Scott event features keynote speaker Patty LaRoche with a presentation entitled “Aged to Perfection.”

Patty LaRoche. Submitted photo.

Afternoon sessions to choose from:

Cathy Werling  will present on the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes and how it has inspired her.

Cathy Werling. Submitted photo.

 

Larry Shead will present on using technology to connect with family and friends.

Larry Shead. Submitted photo.

 

Ronda Hassig will be discussing her book “The Greatest Test of Courage.” Copies will be available for purchase.

Ronda Hassig. Submitted photo.
Brief introductions on each of the speaker’s talks are on the registration page: https://www.firstumcfsks.org/shepherdscenteroffortscott

In between these sessions, there will be snacks and plenty of time to connect with other attendees.

The event will close  with Eshelman facilitating a discussion of future plans for our Shepherd’s Center / Adventures in Learning program.

“Your ideas for topics and presenters will be welcome as we shape this program to meet local needs and interests,” he said.

The next session will be March 10, 2023 and with a plan to offer three or four total events in 2023, then continuing to expand in years to come.

This program launch is being made possible by First UMC’s participation in the Great Plains UMC Conference’s Healthy Congregations program which provides grants to help churches identify needs and work to improve spiritual, physical, social, and emotional health in their congregations and communities.

​”I served on staff at both East and West Heights United Methodist Churches in Wichita and both hosted similar Shepherd’s Center programs,” Eshelman said. “I wasn’t directly involved, but the energy in the building on the days of their sessions and the way the programs so clearly helped older adults both in the church and from the community as a whole, stay active and connected to one another really stuck with me. So many memories of smiling faces and great conversations.”

“We are delighted to offer this resource to the Fort Scott community and excited to see the program grow,” he said.

 

Shepherd’s Centers are celebrating their 50th anniversary this year after being founded in Kansas City in 1972.

 

Business, Fort Scott

COUNTRY PLACE® SENIOR LIVING REBRANDING TO CREDO SENIOR LIVING

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Fort Scott, KS – Tuesday, September 27, 2022 – Country Place Senior Living and Country Place Memory Care are set
to rebrand to Credo Senior Living and Credo Memory Care on October 1, 2022. The company, which will maintain
the same corporate and local teams, has worked hard over the past two years to make significant changes to the
management team, support services, and deliverable services to local residences. One of the major changes was
adding a Director of Nurse Managers to increase the attention and support to local Lead Residence Nurses. The
adoption of a new resident care software program, Point Click Care, has enabled all locations to address all resident
care in a more efficient and timely manner. A new partnership with PayChex, a nationally recognized Human
Resources partner, has allowed the company to better serve their employees and continue the standard of service
that residents have come to expect over the past 20 years. Moving forward, a new emphasis is being placed on
activities and food service. Activity programs will be expanded, and work has begun with national food vendors to
create fresh new menu items. The company is thankful to its many Kansas communities for supporting Country Place
Senior Living and Country Place Memory Care for the past 20 years and look forward to the next 20 as Credo Senior
Living and Credo Memory Care.
While Credo Senior Living and Credo Memory Care will continue to improve care and services for existing residences,
expansion is also on the horizon. The first project, which is scheduled to begin at the end of September, is to add
Memory Care services to the Basehor, Kansas location. Two newly constructed 16-suite buildings with luxuries
sometimes not available in other Memory Care facilities will include a private bath in each suite, an oversized patio
and walking paths for residents. Several other Credo Senior Living locations may also add Memory Care services in
the near future.
Credo Senior Living has seven Senior Living campuses across the state. All residences including those in Basehor,
Belleville, Chanute, Fort Scott, Hoisington, Independence, and Seneca provide Independent Living and three levels
of Assisted Living care. Credo Memory Care is also available in Chanute, Fort Scott, Hoisington and, as mentioned,
coming very soon to Basehor.
To learn more, please call Assistant Director, Betty Allen at 620-223-1822 or Marie Jensen, Marketing Coordinator at
913-638-0377, visit us at www.countryplaceliving.com or on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/countryplacefortscott
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Entertainment, Fort Scott

Friday Night Free Concert: The Hemphill Family Bank

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Ralph Carlson introduces the Friday Night Concert musicians May 2019.

On Friday night, September 30th at 7:00 PM, the Chamber of Commerce Concert in the Park series continues with the performance of the Hemphill  Family Band. Members of the band include Jack Hemphill on keyboard and vocals, Sandy on fiddle and keyboard, Brad on guitar and vocals, and Kristen Hemphill Weeks on drum. Floyd Feezell will be singing songs of Ray Price with the band.

The Hemphills have performed at the Pavilion at First and Main many times in the past. They play classic country music including a little Hank and Lefty and a lot of Merle Haggard. They will also play a variety of other songs during the concert.
Come out and enjoy the fall weather and music this Friday at the Pavilion at the corner of First Street and Main Street. Bring a chair since seating is limited. In case of bad weather, the concert will be moved to Common Ground Coffee Shop.
Fort Scott, Government

FS Planning Commission Meets Oct. 3

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The Fort Scott Planning Commission will meet on Monday, October 3rd, 2022 at 4:00 p.m. at City Hall, 123 S. Main Street, Fort Scott, Kansas.  This meeting will be held to consider the following:

 

A change of zoning from R-1 (Residential) to C-3 (Commercial) and consideration of a Conditional Use Permit to allow an animal kennel for the property located at 205 Arthur Street.

 

This meeting is open to the public. This meeting will be made available via the City’s you tube channel at City of Fort Scott.