At a Feb. 1 meeting, the newly formed Fort Scott Land Bank voted on the acquisition of 10 N. National Ave.

“This first acquisition marks a historic step for the Fort Scott Land Bank,” City Manager Jeremy Frazier said.  ” It is important to note that this could not have been possible without the visionary leadership of the city commission and the hard work of many key employees such as Community Development Manager Allison Turvey and many others.”

Frazier’s first official day on the job as city manager was Feb. 1.

“The city would also like to express its appreciation to the principal owners of J&S Properties and Earth Always for allowing the Fort Scott Land Bank to acquire this property,” he said. ” When asked why the acquisition was allowed to proceed, the owner noted that first, he felt that this would be the best way to preserve the historic building on behalf of the community of Fort Scott, its residents, and the downtown business community. Second, he expressed that he had great faith and optimism in the current city commission and myself to make the best use of this acquisition in a way that would benefit and improve the community.”

The owner donated the property.

“His generosity has breathed life into the Fort Scott Land Bank which was once only a plan and now is reality,” Frazier said.  Thank you J&S Properties and Earth Always. We have high hopes for this building and its location in the future.”

The Fort Scott Land Bank is an independent instrument of the city with the responsibility to efficiently buy, hold, manage,  and transform surplus city properties and other underutilized or distressed properties to turn these properties into productive use, according to Allyson Turvey, the newly appointed manager.

The Land Bank Board is comprised of Joshua Jones, Mayor of Fort Scott; Kevin Allen, City Commissioner, Pete Allen, City Commissioner; Randy Nichols, City Commissioner; Lindsey Watts, City Commissioner; Jim Harris, Bourbon County Commissioner;
Gregg Motley, Bourbon County Economic Development Board, Inc. Director; Turvey, LandBank Manager, and  Susan Bancroft, LandBank Treasurer

“At our next meeting  (Feb. 9)I will be giving a presentation on the processes and objectives of the Land Bank,” Turvey said.  “We will also be discussing priorities for acquisition of property.”

Turvey provided the following on the Fort Scott Land Bank:

The Fort Scott Land Bank focuses on the conversion of vacant, abandoned, tax-delinquent, or otherwise underused properties into productive use.

Vacant, abandoned, tax-delinquent, or otherwise underused properties are often grouped together as “problem properties” because they destabilize neighborhoods, create fire and safety hazards, drive down property values, and drain local tax dollars.

The Fort Scott Land Bank was created to strategically
acquire problem properties, eliminate the liabilities, and transfer the properties to new, responsible owners in a transparent manner that results in outcomes consistent with community-based plans.

These opportunities are a collection of parcels owned by the Fort Scott Land Bank.

Every transfer of property from the Fort Scott Land Bank will be accompanied by a development agreement, outlining the final use of the property as well as accompanying timelines. The purchase price
for Land Bank properties will be negotiated based on the cost to acquire the property as well as the details in the development agreement. The Fort Scott Land Bank Board of Trustees will approve the final agreement and purchase offer.

The city clerk added the approval of the bond sale, approval of an ordinance providing for the issuance of the General Obligation Refunding Bonds, and approval of the Resolution for the issuance of the General Obligation Bonds to the previously published agenda.

NOTICE OF AND AGENDA FOR
MEETING OF
FORT SCOTT CITY COMMISSION
CITY HALL

CITY COMMISSION MEETING ROOM

123 SOUTH MAIN STREET
FEBRUARY 2, 2021
6:00 P.M.

Call to Order

1. Roll Call:

K. Allen P. Allen R. Nichols L. Watts J. Jones

II. Flag Salute:

3. Invocation: Led by: Steven Cole, First United Methodist Church

4. Approval of Agenda:

5. Proclamations/Recognitions:

6. Consent Agenda:

1. Approval of minutes of the regular meeting of January 19^th, 2021 and special meeting minutes of January 19^th, 2021.

2. Approval of Appropriation Ordinance 1281-A totaling $345,26816.

3. Certificate of Appropriateness – 6 N. Main – Paint color approval

4. Request to Pay – Suez Treatment Solutions, Inc. – Water Treatment Plant – $15,784.70

3. Public Comment:

(Sign up required. Comments on any topic not on agenda and limited to five (5) minutes per person, at Commission discretion)

3. Interim City Manager Reports and Comments

3. Director Reports: Doug Guns

3. Old Business: None

3. Appearances: None

3. New Business:

1. Approval of Notification of Bond Sale (General Obligation Refunding Bonds Series 2021-A)

1. Approval of bid

2. Approval of the Ordinance No. 3573 providing for the issuance of the G.O. Bonds

3. Approval of Resolution No. 4-2021 prescribing the form and details of and authorizing the directing the sale and delivery of G.O. Refunding Bonds

2. Consideration to solicit Aquatic Center Cleaning Bid

3. Consideration of Alley Construction Policy

4. Consideration of Assessment Waiver Policy

5. Consideration of Assessment Policy for County Tax Sale

6. Consideration of Kansas Municipal Utilities Training Program for 2021

7. Consideration to accept C.FA.P. Grant for $1,317.00.

8. Discussion of Charter Ordinance for replacing vacant Commissioner position

XII. Reports and Comments:

B. Commissioners Reports and Comments:

C. City Attorney Reports and Comments:

XIII. Executive Session – If requested, (please follow script in all motions for Executive Sessions)

XIV. Adjournment:

There will be a meeting of the Fort Scott Land Bank held on Monday, February 1^st, 2021 at 5:30 p.m. in the City Commission meeting room at 123 S. Main Street, Fort Scott, Kansas. This meeting will be held to discuss the building at 10 N. National Avenue. There will be a majority of the City Commissioners present, but no City Commission business will be conducted.

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

There will be a meeting of the Fort Scott Land Bank held on Tuesday, February 9^th, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. in the City Commission meeting room at 123 S. Main Street, Fort Scott, Kansas. There will be a majority of the City Commissioners present, but no City Commission business will be conducted.

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