Category Archives: Government

Bourbon County, Government

Bourbon County Commission Minutes of June 9, 2020

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June 9, 2020 Tuesday 9:00 am

The Bourbon County Commission met in open session with all three Commissioners and the County Clerk present on the front east lawn of the Courthouse.

Also present were Kim Simons and Mary Pemberton, Mark McCoy was present for a portion of the meeting.

Jim Harris met with the Commissioners; he said they have been ditching near the Fort Scott Lake and installing driveway culverts on the Lake Road. They did work on 165th and did the first two miles on Birch Road. Jim said they will overlay one block on Andrick for the City of Fort Scott, (Jim said he recommended that the City do a compaction test on the road prior to the overlaying). They finished the concrete work at the Landfill and should finish the entrance in the next few days. Jim said they have done the prep work and are getting ready to overlay Native Road (near KOA Campground). Nick asked Jim to let him know when they start putting oil down there so he can notify KOA of this. Jim said they have chemicals they can use on vehicles that get oil on them from the County roads. Jeff questioned if there was room for a bike path on this road; Jim said yes, he said he would measure the road and see what could be done.

Jim said the overlay equipment is ready for the season. He said they got chips from the Thomas Quarry and plan to blast at the Blake Quarry next week.

Jim said that the City of Bronson has a pothole that they want cold patch for; Lynne told Jim to fix the pothole and then they will see what the City and County could trade for the repairs. Jeff said they needed to establish rates for this work so that the cost is consistent for all entities.

Nick reported that Jason Allen questioned when a culvert would be done for him near Limestone and Slick Rock Road.

Lynne reported a drainage issue on Reeder hill going north to Range Road.

Jeff discussed having evening meetings and having the paving program discussions for public input during the meetings as well as having the budget hearings during the evening meetings. No date was discussed for the next evening meeting.

Jeff said he met with City officials regarding the Fort Scott Lake; he said the City maintains that the County Commissioners are the sewer board, Lynne said they needed to review this with Justin Meeks, Jeff said it would make sense to set it up with the idea of appointing or amending the board so it’s not the County’s responsibility, but transferring the board to the people that live in the Sewer District.

Lynne reported the overtime for the payroll that was paid on 6/5/2020; the County Attorney’s office had 7.50 hours, the Sheriff’s department had 26 hours and the jail had 13.25 hours.

Mark McCoy questioned (due to COVID-19) if the usual polling places would be used for the upcoming elections; Kendell said yes we plan to use the same locations, the State is providing safety equipment to be used during the elections to help keep the poll workers and the voters safe. Kendell said it may be necessary to have advance voting in the Courthouse in the Commission room (due to the need to social distance) instead of the Clerk’s office. The Commissioners were ok using the Commission room for advance voting if necessary.

Lynne made a motion to approve the 2019 annual summaries, Jeff seconded and all approved.

Jeff questioned why the transfer of funds ended between Fire District #5 and Fire District #3; Kendell and Lynne told him to discuss this with the fire districts.

Lynne made a motion to approve the 2020 firework permits for the following stands, Jake’s Fireworks at Wall and Goodlander, Jake’s Fireworks at 2322 S. Main, Crazy Debbie’s Fireworks at 2500 S. Main, Hale Fireworks at 2409 S. Main and Jubilee Fireworks LLC at 2400 S. Main, Jeff seconded and all approved, and Lynne and Kendell signed the permits.

Economic Development Director Jody Hoener met with the Commissioners to discuss the CDBG Grant; she said she had applied for $300,000 worth of funds and was rewarded $132,000 (Jody said she used the social media to help identify the needs for the grant, she included the City of Bronson and the City of Uniontown with the County’s application, but said the City of Fort Scott applied for their own funds). Jody said this is the first time the County has been a CDBG grant. She is working with the Southeast Kansas Regional Planning Commission for them to be the grant administrator. Lynne made a motion that he be allowed to sign the direct deposit form for the funds, Nick seconded and all approved and Lynne signed the form. Lynne made a motion that he sign the contract for the CDBG grant, Nick seconded and all approved and Lynne signed the contract. Lynne made a motion that he be allowed to sign the authorized signature request for payment form, Nick seconded and all approved and Lynne signed the form. Lynne made a motion that he be allowed to sign the addendum agreement (decreasing the administrative fees since the full application amount had not been awarded), Nick seconded and all approved and Lynne signed the form. Jody presented a draft document of the point system for priority ranking she has been working on for the distribution of the grant funds; she said businesses that hadn’t been awarded other grant funds, are a part of the food system and have year round employees will receive a higher priority for the funds than others. She said that farmers and ranchers would not be eligible for this grant since there are other grants they can apply for through the USDA.

Jeff made a motion to go into a 15 minute executive session for confidential data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations, partnerships, trusts and individual proprietorships, Nick seconded and all approved, (the session included the Commissioners and Jody Hoener). No action was taken.

The Commissioners discussed re-opening the Courthouse; Lynne made a motion that on 6/15/2020 the north lobby of the Courthouse be opened and business be conducted at the direction of the elected officials, Jeff seconded and all approved. The Clerk’s office will do business through a window in the office; the Treasurer’s office will do business by appointment. The lobby will be marked for social distancing. On the South side of the building the Register of Deeds and the Appraiser’s office will do business by appointment. Lynne will notify the Court’s that the north lobby will be open.

The 6/16/2020 Commission meeting will be held in the Commission room with 6’ distancing and a maximum amount of people attending.

The Commissioners received the Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center’s 2021 budget request; they requested $100,786.

At 10:40, Nick made a motion to adjourn, Jeff seconded and all approved.

THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
OF BOURBON COUNTY, KANSAS
(ss) Lynne Oharah, Chairman
(ss) Jeff Fischer, Commissioner
(ss) Nick Ruhl, Commissioner
ATTEST:
Kendell Mason, Bourbon County Clerk
June 16, 2020, Approved Date

COVID-19, Government, Kansas

Kansas Fiscal Budget 2021

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Governor Laura Kelly’s SPARK Taskforce Approves Resolution, Budget for Fiscal Year 2021

 

TOPEKA – Today, Governor Laura Kelly’s Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) Taskforce Executive Committee approved proposed operating expenditures for the Recovery Office and SPARK Taskforce for the 2021 fiscal year.

 

“Kansas communities and businesses are hurting from the COVID-19 Pandemic,” Governor Kelly said. “We must get these resources to Kansas counties as quickly as possible. To do that, we need an office infrastructure that’s prepared to administer these funds efficiently and effectively.”

 

The FY21 budget, as approved, accounts for roughly 0.25% of the state’s overall allocation of the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF). The proposal will now advance to State Finance Council for consideration and final approval on Thursday, June 25.

 

“Today’s Executive Committee decision will ensure the Recovery Office has adequate resources to develop the necessary framework and structure for administering the state’s portion of the CARES Act’s Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF),” Executive Director Cheryl Harrison Lee said.

 

The Executive Committee also approved a resolution stipulating compliance with all federal guidance that must be adopted by counties receiving funding in Round 1 prior to drawing down CRF funds.

 

 

COVID-19, Government, Kansas

Governor Addresses Claims For Unemployment Insurance

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Governor Laura Kelly Takes Immediate Action to Address KDOL’s Unemployment Insurance Caseload

 

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly today announced multiple actions she will be taking to address the issues impacting the Kansas Department of Labor’s (KDOL) ability to handle the volume of claims for Unemployment Insurance (UI).

 

Governor Laura Kelly accepted KDOL Secretary Delía García’s resignation and the Governor’s Deputy Chief of Staff Ryan Wright will serve as acting Secretary of Labor until a permanent candidate is nominated for appointment. Governor Kelly will also bring in specialists to look for ways to improve response times for Kansans applying for UI, implement new processes to manage the caseload, and mitigate future backlogs and errors that have occurred while attempting to deliver payments.

 

“As Governor, I’m responsible for KDOL’s handling of unemployment claims. I am taking immediate action to ensure Kansans who are out of work, through no fault of their own, are getting the assistance they need,” Governor Kelly said. “I want to thank Secretary García for her service to Kansas. While states around the country have struggled to manage unemployment claims during the worst public health crisis in a century, Secretary García inherited an agency that had its funding, its technology, and its staff gutted by the previous administration.”

 

On June 10th, duplicate payments were made to more than 4500 claimants of Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) and some Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) claimants for a total of about $7 million. Without consulting Governor Kelly, on June 18th, KDOL began attempting to reverse the duplicate payments in a process known as a “clawback.” The clawback caused some PUA and FPUC recipients’ bank accounts to be overdrawn.

 

KDOL is working with its partner banks to identify and reimburse any PUA or FPUC recipient whose account was overdrawn because of the clawback. KDOL will also create a special hotline and an email for Kansans who have been impacted.

 

“These last few months have been unusually stressful on everyone. State government employees in Kansas and around the country have been asked to deal with an unusually high volume of activity. We have a responsibility to the people we represent to get it right. And when we don’t, we’ll make the changes needed to fix the problem,” Governor Kelly said. “I will use every resource at my disposal to ensure that we improve our response time to Kansans and build an infrastructure at KDOL that will be prepared in the event of further economic impacts from COVID-19.”

Government, Kansas

Use of right of way limited to highway purposes

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The Kansas Department of Transportation wants to remind the public that according to state law, all rights of way on state highways are to be used exclusively for highway purposes. KDOT has jurisdiction over all interstate, Kansas and U.S. routes on the state’s 9,500-mile system.

 

The violation that occurs frequently is the placement of various signs that are removed and taken to local KDOT offices. However, it is also unlawful for any persons to display on highway right of way outside the city limits any goods, wares or merchandise for sale.

 

One exception to this is the sale of farm or garden products, but these sales must be made exclusively at the entrance to the farm or garden where they were produced as long as the sales are conducted a safe distance from the traveled way.

 

Any other location of these sales violates state law and will be removed by KDOT and/or law enforcement.

Bourbon County, COVID-19, Government, Health Care

Bourbon County Has New COVID 19 Cases

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SEK Multi-County Health Departments

Allen, Anderson, Bourbon, and Woodson Counties

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

June 22, 2020

Allen County

Current Positive Cases 0
Current Recovered Cases 2
Total Positives Since Testing 2
Deaths 0

Anderson County

Current Positive Cases 2
Current Recovered Cases 1
Total Positives Since Testing 3
Deaths 0

Bourbon County

Current Positive Cases 2
Presumptive Cases 1-listed on KDHE website, tested negative
Current Recovered Cases 10-includes presumptive case
Total Positives Since Testing 11
Deaths 1

Woodson County

Current Positive Cases 0
Current Recovered Cases 6
Total Positives Since Testing 6
Deaths 0

Recovered cases are based on dates of onset of symptoms, not on day testing results are received.

Entertainment, Fort Scott, Government

FS Swimming Pool Opens June 22

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The Fort Scott Aquatic Center will open at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, June 22nd, 2020.

Due to COVID-19 and extra precautions put into place, there will be NO pool passes sold in 2020.

There will also be NO locker rental.

Credit card purchases will NOT be allowed.

Gift card purchases will NOT be allowed.

Daily passes and concessions will be sold on a cash basis ONLY.

There will be NO flotation devices allowed.

There will not be any deck chairs set out.

Patrons of the pool may bring their own deck chairs for their use and take with them when they leave.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Please call City Hall at 223-0550 if you have questions.

Government, Kansas

U.S. Supreme Court Decides to Uphold DACA

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Governor Laura Kelly’s Statement on the U.S. Supreme Court’s Decision to Uphold DACA

 

The following statement is from Governor Laura Kelly on the United States Supreme Court’s decision Thursday to uphold the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program:

“Today’s decision by the United States Supreme Court to uphold protections for Dreamers was the right one. Dreamers have contributed much to our communities and to our economy, and ending DACA would have cost our state more than $335.9 million every year.

“There are more than 6,000 DACA recipients in Kansas — they serve in our military, work in our hospitals, teach our kids, and pay taxes. They were brought here as children, this is their home, they belong here.”

Business, Government, Kansas

KCC Investigates Evergy Agreement with Eliot International

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Out of concern for customers, KCC launches an investigation into Evergy’s deal with asset management company Elliot International

TOPEKA – This morning, the Kansas Corporation Commission voted to open a general investigation into an agreement between regulated utility, Evergy, and asset management company Elliot International. The agreement, reached in February, requires the utility to consider cutting costs or pursuing a merger transaction in order to increase shareholder profits.

KCC staff petitioned Commissioners to launch the investigation out of serious concern that the agreement could negatively affect Kansas electric customers.

“Staff is very concerned that Elliott’s focus on increasing shareholder value will place Evergy’s customers at a high risk of paying higher rates or receiving lower quality service in order to support an increase in shareholder value,”  the KCC filing said.

By opening an investigation, the Commission, stakeholders and customers will be fully informed of the analysis and rationale of Evergy’s decisions relating to the Elliott agreement.

Staff’s report outlines an extensive number of issues that present a challenge to Elliot’s shareholder enhancement concept. Those include:

  • Merger commitments made in 2018 when the Commission approved the merger of Westar and Kansas City Power & Light into one company now known as Evergy.
  • KCC Staff and Evergy rate studies that point to extensive capital expense investments and reduced sales as major drivers of the increases in Evergy’s rates.
  • Legislative efforts to reduce Evergy’s rates to become more regionally competitive.
  • The economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Evergy will be required to file a report addressing questions posed by KCC staff no later than two weeks after its board makes a decision whether to pursue a cost reduction plan or a merger transaction. The deadline for that vote is August 17.

Today’s order can be viewed at http://estar.kcc.ks.gov/estar/ViewFile.aspx?Id=509dd85d-5964-4d3c-923d-1f2ba1811834

Government, Kansas

Driver’s License Renewal Made Easier

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Governor Laura Kelly Announces Executive Order Extending Relief from Online Driver’s License Renewal Age Restrictions

 

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly today announced she signed an Executive Order Monday that will help make renewing driver’s licenses easier for people across the state.

 

Executive Order #20-46 offers temporary relief from age restrictions that prohibit applicants 50 years of age or older from applying to renew their driver’s license online. Under the new order, all drivers under the age of 65 are permitted to use the online renewal system.

 

“Providing every opportunity for Kansans who are at a higher risk of COVID-19 to conduct business virtually is crucial in our efforts to safely get Kansans back to work and back to school as quickly as possible,” Governor Kelly said. “This order is one of several actions my administration is working on to help Kansans return to normal while making sure we protect the health of our of seniors and others who are at higher risk in this pandemic.”

 

The order will remain in place until rescinded, until July 31, 2020, or until the statewide State of Disaster Emergency expires, whichever is earlier.

 

To view Executive Order #20-46, click here.

COVID-19, Government, Kansas

Kansas Quarantine List Changes

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KDHE adds states to travel quarantine list, removes others

 

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has added three states to the quarantine list: Alabama, Arizona and Arkansas, and removed six states from the list: Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island. This is effective for persons returning today, June 17, and moving forward. The state will review/update this list on July 1.

 

A comprehensive list of those individuals in Kansas needing to quarantine for 14 days includes those who have:

 

Traveled to:

  • Maryland on or after May 12.
  • Alabama, Arizona and Arkansas on or after June 17.
  • Been on a cruise ship or river cruise on or after March 15.
  • International travel on or after March 15.

 

Others needing to continue quarantining:

  • Received notification from public health officials (state or local) that you are a close contact of a laboratory-confirmed case of COVID-19.

 

Please note these quarantine orders do not apply to critical infrastructure sectors needed to continue operations during this pandemic. Public health, including hospitals, clinics, law enforcement, meatpacking supply, etc. need to have the staffing resources to continue serving Kansans. While KDHE strongly recommends these quarantine restrictions for everyone, we do recognize that services need to continue. KDHE encourages facilities to ensure they have updated their Emergency Preparedness Plans and implement protocols to ensure that no employee comes to work symptomatic.

 

For more information on COVID-19, please visit the KDHE website at www.kdhe.ks.gov/coronavirus.

Government

Census Results Affect Government Representation, Funding and Community

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Why The Governments Asks The Census Questions

Census results affect your voice in government, how much funding your community receives, and how your community plans for the future.

The 2020 Census is easy. The questions are simple.

Responses to census questions provide a snapshot of the nation.

When you fill out the census, you help:

Determine how many seats your state gets in Congress.

Inform how more than $675 billion in federal funding is distributed to states and communities each year.

Create jobs, provide housing, prepare for emergencies, and build schools, roads and hospitals.

The 2020 Census will ask for the following information:

Number of people at address

We ask this question to collect an accurate count of the number of people at each address on Census Day, April 1, 2020. Each decade, census results determine how many seats your state gets in Congress. State and local officials use census counts to draw boundaries for congressional districts, state legislative districts, and school districts.

Any additional people living or staying there

Our goal is to count people once, only once, and in the right place according to where they live on Census Day. Keeping this goal in mind, we ask this question to ensure that everyone living at an address is counted.

Owner/Renter

We ask about whether a home is owned or rented to create statistics about homeownership and renters. Homeownership rates serve as an indicator of the nation’s economy and help in administering housing programs and informing planning decisions.

Phone number

We ask for a phone number in case we need to contact you. We will never share your number and will only contact you if needed for official Census Bureau business.

Name

We ask for names to ensure everyone in the household is counted. This also helps us to keep ancestry records. Listing the name of each person in the household helps respondents include all members, particularly in large households where a respondent may forget who was counted and who was not.

Sex

We ask about the sex of each person to create statistics about males and females. Census data about sex is used in planning and funding government programs, and in evaluating other government programs and policies to ensure they fairly and equitably serve the needs of males and females. These statistics are also used to enforce laws, regulations, and policies against discrimination in government programs and in society.

Age and date of birth

We ask about age and date of birth to understand the size and characteristics of different age groups and to present other data by age. Local, state, tribal, and federal agencies use age data to plan and fund government programs that provide assistance or services for specific age groups, such as children, working-age adults, women of childbearing age, or the older population. These statistics also help enforce laws, regulations, and policies against age discrimination in government programs and in society.

Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin

We ask about whether a person is of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin to create statistics about this ethnic group. The data collected in this question is needed by federal agencies to monitor compliance with anti-discrimination provisions, such as the Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act.

Race

We ask about a person’s race to create statistics about race and to present other statistics by race groups. The data collected in this question is needed by federal agencies to monitor compliance with anti-discrimination provisions, such as the Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act.

Whether a person lives or stays somewhere else

Our goal is to count people once, only once, and in the right place according to where they live on Census Day. Keeping this goal in mind, we ask this question to ensure individuals are not included at multiple addresses.

Relationship

We ask about the relationship of each person in a household to one central person to create estimates about families, households, and other groups. Relationship data is used in planning and funding government programs that provide funds or services for families, people living or raising children alone, grandparents living with grandchildren, or other households that qualify for additional assistance.

For more information, visit:
2020CENSUS.GOV

Government

Shape Your Future. Start Here.

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The Census Counts Everyone Living in the United States

What is the U.S. Census?

Since 1790, every 10 years, we count everyone who lives in the country, as required by the U.S. Constitution. We collect basic information, such as age, sex, and race, for every person in every household. Starting in the spring of 2020, everyone will be asked to complete the 2020 Census online, by phone, or by mail.

Why is the 2020 Census important for you?

The 2020 Census is much more than just a head count. It also gives you an opportunity to shape the future for yourself, your family, and your community

. Data collected through the census:
Provides a picture of our nation and its communities and helps determine where to build new schools, hospitals, and businesses.
Informs the allocation of more than $675 billion in federal funding to states and communities each year for programs that support education, housing, health facilities, transportation, emergency services, food assistance, and more.

Determines how many representatives
each state will have in Congress.

Census responses also help your community in other ways. For example, the information can be used to help protect civil rights laws and determine when services should be provided in other languages. The information can also attract businesses that cater to communities with diverse populations. It can help employers better understand the local talent pool and provide new job opportunities.

Who is counted in the 2020 Census?

The 2020 Census counts every person living in the United States on April 1—no matter where they are from, why they are here in the United States, and whether or not they are documented. This includes temporary workers, international students, and workers on assignment from overseas.

Will my information be kept safe?

Yes. The U.S. Census Bureau is bound by law to protect the privacy and confidentiality of everyone who responds to the census. These protections ensure the personal information you provide cannot be used against you in any way.

The Census Bureau combines your responses with other responses to produce statistical summaries. It is against the law for the Census Bureau to disclose or publish any identifiable information about an individual or household. The penalty for violating this law is severe: a fine of up to $250,000, imprisonment for up to 5 years,
or both.

By law, your personal information cannot be used against you or against anyone else by any government agency or court—and it can’t be accessed by the police department, DHS, ICE, FBI, or CIA.

The Census Bureau encrypts all responses submitted online and stored in its computers.

Shape your future by completing the 2020 Census.
For more information, visit:
2020CENSUS.GOV