Storm Sirens will be tested today at 1:00pm.
Brad Matkin
City Manager
City of Fort Scott
Fort Scott, Kansas 66701
620-223-0550 ext. 210
Category Archives: Fort Scott
11 East First Street Public Parking Lot Will Be Closed For a Month in Fort Scott
The public parking lot located at 11 E. 1st Street will be closed starting tomorrow morning to allow the City of Fort Scott Public Works department to work on concreting this parking lot. These repairs will last for the next month. Sorry for the inconvenience during this time of repairs. Thank you,
Brad Matkin
City Manager
City of Fort Scott
What’s Happening in Fort Scott April 4 Edition
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Rogers Body Shop Closed Its Doors: Couldn’t Find Workers
Larry Rogers said he “always figured that they would be taking me from my shop to the undertakers”, and that he would continue the auto repair shop work he had done for 37 years until he died.
But he couldn’t find workers to do the jobs that needed to be done.
“With what we do, put vehicles back to pre-crash conditions, we have to have people that can follow directions and come to work,” Rogers said. “Getting people to show up was a problem, more for younger applicants.”
“It wasn’t something we planned on doing, it was the turn of events,” he said.
“There should be five workers in the building, it ended up just Ryan and I,” he said.
“We had hired and trained workers, but not for over one year.”
His son, Ryan, has worked with him for 17 years.
“He was going to take over, but decided he’d go to work for someone else and let them have the headaches (of not having enough workers).”
Rogers quit taking on more auto body repair work at the end of October 2024 and had enough work on the books until the end of January 2025.
“I’ve talked to plumbers, mechanics, electricians, and they also couldn’t find anyone willing,” he said. “Things were tough before COVID-19. After COVID-19 we didn’t have many applicants. It used to be you’d have people stopping in to ask if we were hiring.”
“There used to be tech schools to train people on auto body repair…a lot of them have closed down.”
Nationwide
It is a nationwide problem, according to an article from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Workforce participation remains below pre-pandemic levels. The United States is missing 1.7 million Americans from the workforce compared to February 2020, according to https://www.uschamber.com/workforce/understanding-americas-labor-shortage
According to the article
Employers are facing unprecedented challenges trying to find enough workers to fill open jobs. Right now, the latest data shows that there are 8 million job openings in the U.S. but only 6.8 million unemployed workers.
If every unemployed person in the country found a job, we would still have millions of open jobs.
Some of the factors for this, according to the article are:
Early retirements and an aging workforce
Net international migration to the U.S. is at its lowest level in decades
Lack of access to child care.
Some opened their own businesses.
Increase in savings: higher-income and savings bolstered people’s economic stability.
Future for Rogers
“I’m not retired, said Rogers, who is 63. “I still own the Alignment Service, east of this building.”
Ryan went to work for a car dealership in Olathe in March, doing bodywork.
“I am basically trying to get ready for an auction, probably in June,” he said. “Trying to sort out and clean out the building. After 37 years in the business, there is a lot of stuff. The building will be for sale.”
“I don’t know what I’ll do after that,” he said.
Rogers bought the business from Frank Burchett in 1987 on East Wall Street. The building isn’t there now because of the new Highway 54 route. He built the current building at 120 W. 19th and opened his business in July 2003.
Government/Education Entities Updates at Community Connection on April 9
COMMUNITY CONNECTION PANELIST LUNCHEON
Wednesday, April 9th, 2025
11:45am to 1pm
Empress Event Center
7 N. Main St.
_____
An event to connect the community to happenings in the
City, County, School Districts, Community College, and more!
7-minute updates from each of the following entities,
ending with Q&A:
City of Fort Scott
Bourbon County Commission
FSCC
USD-234
USD-235
Lunch may be ordered on fortscott.com/events by Monday, April 7th, 10am.
Sandwich lunch for $10, choice of ham, turkey, or roast beef ~ gluten free available.
Sponsored by: Davis Accounting, Inc.
Town-Wide Rummage Sale is May 2-3
CHAMBER ANNOUNCES THE SPRING TOWN-WIDE GARAGE SALE IN FORT SCOTT
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce announces the Spring Town-wide Garage Sale will be held Friday and Saturday, May 2nd and 3rd. The Chamber encourages the community to register garage sales to be included on the official listing and map and to save the date to hunt for bargains on clothing, home décor, tools, and more.
The deadline to register a garage sale is 1pm, Tuesday, April 29th which can be done online at fortscott.com/events, calling the Chamber at 620-223-3566 and paying over phone by credit or debit card, or stopping by the Chamber office at 231 E. Wall St.
The cost to register a sale is $12. The Chamber also sells display ad spaces on the map to help make the sale possible, and those are $35 for a business card-sized ad or $25 for a smaller ad.
Starting Thursday, May 1st at 10am, copies of the official garage sale map may be found at the Chamber office as well as local stores 5 Corners, Bids & Dibs, Casey’s, Don’s Smoke Shop, and all Pete’s locations. The map may also be found on the Chamber website fortscott.com or on Facebook on the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce page.
Contact the Chamber for more information at 620-223-3566.
CHAMBER PREPARES FOR ANNUAL DINNER & AWARDS CELEBRATION TO BE HELD THURSDAY, APRIL 24th
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce will hold the 2025 Annual Dinner & Awards Celebration Thursday, April 24th at The River Room, 3 W. Oak St. The evening will be a “70’s Disco” themed event with a message of “We Are Family, Come Together and Celebrate Community”. All are welcome to attend as Chamber members, guests, and the community come together to recognize businesses, organizations, and individuals who contribute greatly in different ways to benefit Fort Scott and Bourbon County.
The Chamber is now accepting nominations for awards to be presented that evening. Links to both online and printable nomination forms may be found on fortscott.com on the event link. Hard copy forms may be picked up at the Chamber. Nominations are due by Thursday, April 10th.
Awards to be presented include Large Business of the Year, Small Business of the Year, New Business of the Year, Agri-Business of the Year, Businessperson of the Year, Community Spirit, and Young Professional of the Year. Additional awards to be presented include the Keystone award, selected by the Chamber Board of Directors, the Mayor’s Citizenship Award selected by the Mayor and City of Fort Scott.
The Annual Dinner is one of the primary fundraisers for the Chamber to fulfill their mission to serve members and the community, and donations of silent or live auction items would be greatly appreciated. Chamber members are also invited to decorate a table at the event in coordination with the theme which is great advertising and promotion for the business or organization. One of the fun awards presented at the event is for the best decorated table.
The Annual Dinner event will start with the social hour and silent auction at 5:30pm, followed by dinner, awards, and a live auction at 6:30pm. Reservations are $40 for individuals, and table pricing and sponsorships are available. Those wanting to attend may contact the Chamber at 620-223-3566 or email [email protected]. by Friday, April 18th.
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Fort Scott High School Football Booster & Athletes: Fundraiser “Egg My Yard”
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Downtown Meet and Greet on April 1: Many Activities Are Happening
Downtown business owners and other interested attendees met on April 1 at the Kitchen Collective + Collaborative’s event center called The Parlour by Eighteen65, to learn about happenings in the downtown area.
The Quarterly Downtown Meet and Greet is facilitated by the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce to share the happenings of the businesses located there.
Rachel French, co-owner and general manager of the Kitchen told the group there are cooking classes coming, including some for kids. She said there will also be pop-up restaurants coming to the venue, featuring several area restaurants.
“A pop-up restaurant is a provisional event designed to showcase … culinary talents at a temporary location. This includes everything from an exclusive one-night food event to a public rooftop food tent open for a few months,” according to
https://squareup.com/us/en/the-bottom-line/reaching-customers/pop-up-restaurant
French said, “Think of us when you need a ready-made breakfast, lunch, or dinner.” In addition, the venue can be rented as a commercial kitchen, or an incubator kitchen, for $20 per hour for food businesses. The Kitchen is located at 12 S. Main and can be reached at 620.644.0064 or [email protected] or thekitchencc.com
Other news from the meet and greet:
As part of Fort Scott’s Community Concert Series, this Friday, April 4 there is a FREE concert at Memorial Hall featuring Ty Ellis and the Flatliners, with special guest Nathan Ast. Enjoy food from Care to Share Cancer Support Group/The Sharing Bucket, and drinks from Holmtown Pub.
Fort Scott High School’s Prom is this Saturday at the River Room above Brickstreet BBQ.
The downtown splash pad has new shade structures and a new grant-funded restroom.
Storefronts are being produced for the building under construction across from Lowell Milken Center on Main Street. The building is owned by Ward-Kraft, a local print industry.
The old J&W Sports Store at 20 N. Main has been remodeled and is rented by NextStar Energy for an office. The upstairs is being remodeled into an apartment that will be a vacation rental with a view of the Fort Scott National Historic Site.
On April 5 from 9 a.m. to noon, the Easter Bunny will be at the Bids and Dibs Consignment Store for parents to take photos with their children.
April 5 is the Home, Sport, Farm, and Garden Show at Fort Scott Community College’s Arnold Arena, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
April 9 is a Community Connection event that will provide presentations from local school districts and government entities from 11:45 a.m.- 1 p.m. at the Empress Event Center.
Find the Golden Egg Shopping Event is April 18-19. Find eggs in stores and around downtown after 10 a.m. on the 19th.
The Easter Bunny will be at Hedgehog.INK, downtown, on April 19 at 10 a.m.
April 24 is the Annual Chamber Dinner and Awards Celebration at the River Room Event Center.
May 1 is the yearly downtown cleanup, facilitated by the Chamber of Commerce, with Kate Freeman as the chairperson. Submit project ideas to [email protected]
May 2-3 is the town-wide garage sale, list a sale on the map at the Chamber.
On May 13, Freeman Advantage Travel Group, Joplin, will be in town.
June 6-7 is the Good ‘Ol Days Festival in downtown Fort Scott. The parade is Friday at 6 p.m. and parade entries are being taken now by the Chamber.
June 25-27 is the Fort Scott High School All-School Reunion, Rhonda Dunn is the contact. The Chamber will be selling FSHS signs to honor alumni.
Advertising opportunities: downtown map, rack cards, and Veteran’s flag/plaque on Skutbitz Plaza.
Grants available to business owners: E-Community and Grow KS.
For more information, contact the Chamber office at 231 E Wall St, Fort Scott, KS 66701 or
Phone: (620) 223-3566
Fort Scott Swim Pass Scholarship Applications Are Available
The Bourbon County Coalition would like to announce that the 2025 Family Swim Pass Scholarship Applications are ready to pick up. They are located at the Beacon and Buck Run Community Center. They can be filled out and returned to either location. Any questions can be pointed to our email, bourboncountycoalition@
Submitted by Travis Wilcoxen
To apply:
Upper Floor Housing Grants Available For Main Street Communities
Commerce Offers Funding Opportunities for Upper Floor Housing in Main Street Communities
TOPEKA – Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland announced today $250,000 is available under the Residential Opportunities on Main Street (ROOMS) grant program to support new upper-floor housing in commercial buildings in Designated Kansas Main Street communities.
“Last year’s initial round of ROOMS funding resulted in 34 new housing units across the state and nearly $6 million in total investment,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “Another year of funding allows for us to continue breathing life into communities across this state and growing economic opportunities for generations to come.”
Upper-floor investments play an important role in addressing the affordable and quality housing shortage, which regularly is identified as a major issue throughout Kansas. Upper-floor housing enhances the overall livability and functionality of downtowns. It also can lead to increased investment, improved infrastructure, a positive cycle of economic growth, a stronger tax base, and a greater sense of place and community identity.
“The Kansas Main Street program has worked to help communities build their capacity in developing upper-floor housing in downtown buildings,” Kansas Main Street Director Scott Sewell said. “Housing in these historic buildings downtown helps generate excitement and vitality in the area while restoring buildings to maximize their full use. ROOMS grants help these types of projects become reality.”
ROOMS funds will be available to applicants within active Designated Kansas Main Street communities for projects that can be shown to lead directly to housing creation or retention in upper floors of existing buildings in downtown areas. Projects must incorporate Main Street design standards and follow local ordinances and codes for improvements.
More details about ROOMS can be found here. For more information about the Kansas Main Street program, click here.
About the Kansas Department of Commerce:
As the state’s lead economic development agency, the Kansas Department of Commerce strives to empower individuals, businesses and communities to achieve prosperity in Kansas. Commerce accomplishes its mission by developing relationships with corporations, site location consultants and stakeholders in Kansas, the nation and world. Our strong partnerships allow us to help create an environment for existing Kansas businesses to grow and foster an innovative, competitive landscape for new businesses. Through Commerce’s project successes, Kansas was awarded Area Development Magazine’s prestigious Gold Shovel award in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, and was awarded the 2021 and 2022 Governor’s Cup by Site Selection Magazine.
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News Release From the USD234 Board Meeting on March 31
Unified School District 234
424 South Main
Fort Scott, KS 66701-2697
620-223-0800 Fax 620-223-2760
DESTRY BROWN
Superintendent
BOARD OF EDUCATION REGULAR MEETING
NEWS RELEASE
Monday, March 31, 2025
Members of the USD 234 Board of Education met at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, March 31, 2025, for a special meeting at 424 S Main.
President David Stewart opened the meeting.
The board approved the official agenda.
The Board went into an executive session for personnel matters.
President David Stewart adjourned the meeting.
PERSONNEL REPORT – APPROVED
March 31, 2025
RESIGNATIONS/TERMINATIONS/RETIREMENTS:
Anderson, Mikiah – Resignation – Paraprofessional – Preschool
Blackburn, Brendon – Resignation – 8th Science Teacher – Middle School
Blackburn, Brendon – Supplemental Resignation – Head Football Coach – Middle School
Blackburn, Brendon – Supplemental Resignation – Assistant Wrestling Coach – Middle School
Blackburn, Brendon – Supplemental Resignation – Assistant Wrestling Coach – High School
Blackburn, Brendon – Supplemental Resignation – Summer Conditioning Coordinator
EMPLOYMENT:
Certified Recommendations
Hendrickson, Elanor – Special Education Teacher – High School
Karleskint, Amanda – 2nd Grade Teacher – Winfield Scott
Madison, Kendall – Special Education Teacher – Winfield Scott
Simas, Kiel – Physical Education Teacher & Weights – Middle School
Staton, Shanna – Special Education Teacher – Winfield Scott
Supplemental Recommendations for the 2025-26 school year:
Cavin, Brent – Assistant Football Coach – Middle School