The City Commission and Bourbon County Commission will meet for a work session at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 14th, 2021 at City Hall in the City Commission meeting room at 123 South Main Street, Fort Scott, Kansas. This meeting will not be open to the public due to the number of people involved.
This meeting will be broadcast on the City’s You tube channel.
The City Commission will meet for a special meeting at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 14th, 2021 at City Hall in the City Commission meeting room at 123 South Main Street, Fort Scott, Kansas. The City Commission will meet to consider financial transfers and to consider a Bourbon County contract.
This meeting will be broadcast on the City’s You tube channel. This meeting is open to the public.
The Lake Fort Scott Advisory Board will meet on Saturday, January 16th, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. at the City Hall Commission Meeting Room at 123 S. Main Street, Fort Scott, Kansas. This meeting is open to the public.
This meeting will be broadcast on the City’s You Tube channel.
The City of Fort Scott City Administrative Offices will be closed on Monday, January 18th, 2021 in observance of the Martin Luther King Day holiday. The offices will reopen on Tuesday, January 19th, 2021.
NEWS RELEASE
Monday, January 11, 2021
Members of the USD 234 Board of Education met at the Fort Scott Middle School Commons on Monday, January 11, 2021, for their regular monthly meeting.
President David Stewart opened the meeting. The board approved the official agenda. The board also approved the consent agenda as follows:
A. Minutes
B. Bills and Claims
C. Payroll – December 18, 2020 – $1,425,514.45
D. Financial Report
E. Activity Fund accounts
Board members heard reports from building principals and Dalaina Smith, Director of Academics.
In addition, Superintendent Hessong gave a KSDE update, discussed vaccine distribution, negotiations update, the USD 234 COVID-19 Attendance Dashboard update, and recognized school board members for their service for January School Board Recognition Month.
Gina Shelton, Business Manager/Board Clerk, presented a report on CARES funds, quarantine and COVID-19 leave, payroll and finance work, and upcoming negotiations.
Board members approved the following items:
· Health insurance rates for 2021
· A resolution to establish election of school board officers
· A resolution to set board meeting dates for 2021
· Board policy updates
Board members shared comments and then went into executive session to discuss personnel matters for nonelected personnel and returned to open meeting
The board approved the following employment matters:
A. Early retirement request from Kyle Parks, high school vocational agriculture teacher, effective at the end of the 2020-21 school year
B. Early retirement request from Martha Clements, middle school history/geography teacher, effective at the end of the 2020-21 school year
C. Early retirement request from Patricia Giltner, middle school language arts/reading teacher, effective at the end of the 2020-21 school year
D. Early retirement request from Ronda Peterson, middle school math teacher, effective at the end of the 2020-21 school year
E. Early retirement request from Donna Davis, Winfield Scott special education teacher, effective at the end of the 2020-21 school year
F. Early retirement request from Leslie McDonald, Winfield Scott counselor, effective at the end of the 2020-21 school year
G. Early retirement request from Lois Herman, Eugene Ware technology teacher, effective at the end of the 2020-21 school year
H. Retirement of Sondra Ruhl, Eugene Ware special education teacher, effective August 1, 2021
I. Resignation of Mariela Rico, athletic trainer, effective January 24, 2021
J. Leave of absence for Brooklyn Newell, Winfield Scott kindergarten teacher
K. Adjustment of work schedule for Judy Warren, Eugene Ware paraprofessional, from five days per week to two days per week; employment of Laura Gulley as a Eugene Ware paraprofessional for three days per week
L. Termination of Allison Nighswonger, high school paraprofessional, effective December 15, 2020
M. Employment of Baylee Newman as a Eugene Ware paraprofessional for the 2020-21 school year
N. Employment of Lucretia Olsen as a high school paraprofessional for the 2020-21 school year
O. Employment of Aaron Shockley as a mentor teacher for the 2020-21 school year
P. Employment of Mary Jo Harper as the high school musical music director; employment of Taylor Qualls as a high school second play assistant; removal of the high school after-school choir position; employment of Whitley Chesney for the high school vocal presentations position for the 2020-21 school year
Q. Removal of the middle school after-school choral club position for the remainder of the 2020-21 school year
R. Employment of Whitley Chesney for the middle school vocal presentations position for the 2020-21 school year
S. Extension of Superintendent Hessong’s contract through the 2022-23 school year
T. Retirement of RoAnn Blake, Eugene Ware third grade teacher, effective at the end of the 2020-21 school year
The board adjourned.
The Star Emporium Downtown General Store, 17 S. Main, a new grocery store offering specialty and private label products, will open on January 18 at 7:30 a.m., according to Bill Michaud with BAJA Investments.
Michaud is the owner of the business.
“One week is left before we introduce ourselves to the public,” Michaud said. “We’re excited too, although it’s tough to tell because we’re all growing tired due to the long hours and many tasks that we see still between us and being ready to open.”
The hours of the store will be 7:30 a.m. – 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, on Sunday hours are from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
“We are going to try to carry as many products as feasible to give shoppers as much variety as we can,” Michaud said.
“We are going to open with about 2/3 as many items as we expect to have down the road,” he said. “We will grow our offering in the next several months to meet the needs of our regular customers.”
The store will feature a salad bar and deli that utilizes many fresh local ingredients, he said.
“The salad bar and deli will also open on the 18th,” he said. “The deli will offer build-your-own deli sandwiches with our unique selection of deli meats and cheeses and a variety of bread alternatives. The salad bar will have about 30 salad topping and ingredient options including signature house ranch and vinaigrette dressings.”
Currently, the store has 62 feet of freezer space, a basic selection of dairy and cheese items, produce, along with both fresh and frozen meats,” Michaud said.
The store general manager is Travis Patrick. He said 10 employees are needed and eight have been hired currently.
The phone number of the store is (620) 644-4414. For more information see its’ Facebook page.
BAJA Investments was granted SPARK funds in the amount of $450,000 for the project. SPARK grants were a part of the monies given Kansas from the federal government to help with the on-going effects of COVID-19.
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Peerless Products, Inc. , 2403 S. Main, is currently working on an expansion of its Fort Scott facility.
Fort Scott is not only the home office of Peerless Products, but where the company was founded in 1952, according to Allyson Turvey, Fort Scott Community Development Director.
“Our most recent employment numbers, which were updated in Dec. 2019, show Peerless had a total of 410 employees in Fort Scott,” Turvey said. This makes Peerless the city’s largest employer.
“The impending expansion here in Fort Scott just goes to show their continued commitment to our community,” she said.
” We don’t have a lot of details at this time,” Turvey said. “Over the last couple of months, they have been working on rezoning and annexing… lots into city limits.”
The rezoning of the property was on the Fort Scott Commission agenda for Jan.5, 2020, and was approved. The business expansion required rezoning from commercial to industrial.
One parcel is to be annexed into the city limits, one is outside the city limits, according to the request for commission action presented at the commission meeting and provided by Turvey.
“(Fort Scott Economic Director)Rachel Pruitt has been working closely with Peerless on this project and has helped facilitate the rezoning and annexation of the property,” Turvey said. “This expansion has been on the horizon for several years, and she has helped every step of the way.”
The Bourbon County Commission approved the zoning change on Dec. 8, 2020.
The Fort Scott City Commission will meet on Tuesday, January 12th, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. in the City Hall Commission Meeting Room at 123 S. Main Street, Fort Scott, Kansas to hold a work session to discuss the 2021 Capital Improvements and Financial Resources available. This meeting is open to the public, but no action will be taken.
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Gordon Parks Museum at Fort Scott Community College in Fort Scott, KS will host “Free Did Not Mean Welcome,” a presentation and discussion by Carmaletta Williams on Monday, January 18 at 12:00pm virtual on Zoom.
Members of the community are invited to attend the free Zoom online program. Registration is required. To register for the free webinar Zoom event go to: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_8vOjMtI4QuWHcPs6IsMz3g.
Contact the Gordon Parks Museum at 620-223-2700 for more information.
The program is made possible by Humanities Kansas.
Millions of African Americans walked away from the South after Emancipation looking for freedom. For some it meant a journey to Kansas, a “free state.”
Discover how many realized that for Black people in Kansas “Free” did not necessarily mean “Welcome.”
Also learn more about “Systemic Racism” that still exist in today’s world and how it impacts our daily lives and also what we can do as a society to help to eliminate it.
Carmaletta Williams is a former professor of English and African American Studies at Johnson County Community College. She is now the Executive Director of The Black Archives of Mid-America.
“Free Did Not Mean Welcome” is part of Humanities Kansas’s Movement of Ideas Speakers Bureau, featuring presentations and workshops designed to share stories that inspire, spark conversations that inform, and generate insights that strengthen civic engagement.
For more information about “Free Did Not Mean Welcome” contact the Gordon Parks
Museum at 620-223-2700 ext 5850 or visit http:www.gordonparkscenter.org/
About Humanities Kansas
Humanities Kansas is an independent nonprofit spearheading a movement of ideas to empower the people of Kansas to strengthen their communities and our democracy.
Since 1972, our pioneering programming, grants, and partnerships have documented and shared stories to spark conversations and generate insights. Together with our partners and supporters, we inspire all Kansans to draw on history, literature, ethics, and
culture to enrich their lives and serve the communities and state we all proudly call home. Visit humanitieskansas.org.
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