CITY OF FORT SCOTT CITY COMMISSION MEETING
Minutes of February 12, 2025 Special Meeting
A special meeting of the Fort Scott City Commission was held at 5:30PM in the City Commission Meeting Room at City Hall, 123 S. Main Street, Fort Scott, Kansas. The meeting was streamed live on YouTube.
The meeting was called to order at 5:30PM (0:54) by President of the City Commission Kathryn Salsbury who facilitated this meeting. Dylan Olson, Matthew Wells, Tracy Dancer, and Kathryn Salsbury were present with Mayor Tim Van Hoecke (via Teams).
In Attendance – Brad Matkin/City Manager, Lisa Dillon/Housing & Community Development Coordinator, Lisa Lewis/City Clerk, Sonia Gugnani/FSCC Vice President of Academic Affairs, Rory Chaplin/FSCC Assoc. Dean of CTE and Workforce Development.
SALSBURY led the Pledge of Allegiance and OLSON said a prayer asking God for guidance for the City, the citizens, and our Government and City officials.
Action Items: (2:20)
Consideration to support FSCC in their pursuit of the FRAME Grant – MATKIN explained that he called the Special Meeting because Fort Scott Community College representatives came to the City to talk about a grant they are pursuing with a deadline of Friday, February 14, 2025.
GUGNANI stated the FRAME Grant was announced for technical and community colleges in the state of Kansas through the Kansas Department of Commerce. FSCC decided to apply because it fits with their mission. It is a construction trade grant for construction trade students. The maximum amount available is $2 million with the awards being in the range of $250,000 to $1 million to whoever is qualified for the grant. The grant requires that (4) houses be built within the next (2) years; the timeframe is August 1st – May 31st . The first (2) houses must be either renovated or new construction within the next year. The proceeds from the sales of those houses would be used to build the next (2) houses the following year. The grant cannot be used to buy the land, and they are here to ask that the City support their mission by donating a piece of land. The first (2) homes will be between 1100 – 1500 sq. ft. with (3) bedrooms and (2) bathrooms. They looked at the Bourbon County Housing Assessment that was done by REDI in 2022 which indicated a need for these kinds of houses in Fort Scott. The students would work on the houses alongside the contractors providing both hands-on experience as well as giving back to the community they live in. The grant is a (1) time award but
CHAPLIN stated that the grant opened in December of 2024, but originally, they were focusing on pursuing infill lots. The houses will be in the $185,00-$225,000 range so they decided to pursue land for a subdivision instead. With the longevity of the project, they hope to include infill lots, however the constraints of the grant prohibit infill properties due to the lack of clear titles. They hope to sustain the grant and continue building more homes and pursuing rehab projects as well.
The homes must be sold within (180) days of completion.
Discussion was had regarding working with Land Bank.
Discussion was also had about the potential and FSCC’s goals with the program. With the subdivision model, their hope is to create a spurring on of additional builds from other contractors and investors.
Land options and required infrastructure were discussed. MATKIN stated it was his understanding that the City would purchase land (if no City property is suitable) and gift it to the college and do the infrastructure.
MATKIN suggested committing to a dollar amount as required support. The grant does not require the land to be named in the application.
Further discussion was had on what is being requested of the City for the project and the application and the costs verses the benefits.
The price point of the homes was a topic of brief discussion along with acreage options and steering back to the use of Land Bank properties.
GUGNANI stated the ask for tonight is a letter of support from the City committing to 2-acres of land and infrastructure in order to submit the application for the FRAME Grant. Currently they have asked REDI, Bourbon County Foundation, and USD 234 for Letters of Support. They have not talked to the Bourbon County Commission, but she does plan to talk to them to instill collaboration.
MOTION: WELLS moved to offer up at least $30,000 from the Economic Development fund to be able to purchase land to donate to the school in order to get this program going. OLSON seconded.
OLSON and WELLS voted yes. SALSBURY, DANCER and VAN HOECKE voted no.
MOTION FAILED 2-3.
MOTION: DANCER moved to create a letter of support only if there were a stipulation that the acquisition of the land and the sale excludes the offer of the Neighborhood Revitalization Program Tax Rebate. To clarify he stated that he would include infrastructure, but not a dollar figure for acquisition of property.
DANCER retracted his motion.
DILLON addressed the Commission to express her concerns about the desperate need for housing. She stated that the most current new housing was built in 2000. She asked that they take the time to consider that the community has expressed that they are looking for some new options to be able to stay here in Fort Scott. Our population is continually declining. If we don’t make some changes, or some sort of move in some direction, she is afraid that the decline will still continue.
Discussion was had on what the Commission could agree on to put in a letter of support without using a dollar amount.
MOTION: WELLS moved that the City write a letter of support saying that we will donate land for the building of the (4) houses and help with the infrastructure that is needed to get the grant. OLSON seconded.
WELLS, OLSON and SALSBURY voted yes. VAN HOECKE, DANCER voted no.
MOTION CARRIED 3-2.
MOTION: OLSON moved to adjourn the meeting at 6:28PM (58:10). DANCER seconded.
FEBRUARY 12, 2025, MEETING ADJOURNED AT 6:28PM.
Submitted by Lisa A. Lewis, City Clerk
