Category Archives: Government

Fort Scott, Government

Fort Scott City Commission Agenda Nov. 6

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The agenda for the Fort Scott City Commission for the Nov. 6 meeting at City Hall, 123 S. Main.

I. ROLL CALL:

ADAMSON BARTELSMEYER NICHOLS PARKER MITCHELL

II. FLAG SALUTE

III. INVOCATION: Pastor Matthew Hunt, Faith Christian Center

IV. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS:

V. CONSENT AGENDA:

  1. Approval of minutes of the regular meeting of October 16th, 2018.

  1. Approval of Appropriation Ordinance 1226-A totaling $467,651.58.

  1. Parade Permit – Veteran’s Day Parade – November 10th, 2018

VII. APPEARANCE/COMMENTS/PUBLIC HEARING:

  1. APPEARANCE:

B. CITIZEN COMMENTS (Concerning Items Not on Agenda – 3 minute limit per citizen)

C. PUBLIC HEARINGS/COMMENTS:

6:00 p.m. Vacation of alley – Michael & Megan Rogers, 3RK LLC, and Robert & Patricia Love, and Stuart & Haley Troutman – Alley between Lots 7, 9, 11, 13 & 15, Block 4 and Lots 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, Block 4, McDonald’s Addition – Approval of Ordinance No. 3540

6:15 p.m. – Resolution 42-2018 – directing the repair or removal of an alleged unsafe and dangerous structure and accessory structure located at 302 S. Lowman Street

6:15 p.m. – Resolution 43-2018 – directing the repair or removal of an alleged unsafe and dangerous structure and accessory structure located at 421 W. 5th Street

6:15 p.m. – Resolution 44-2018 – directing the repair or removal of an alleged unsafe and dangerous accessory structure located at the Vacant Lot south of 711 S. Barbee Street

6:15 p.m. – Resolution 45-2018 – directing the repair or removal of an alleged unsafe and dangerous structure and accessory structure located at 1110 Scott Avenue

VIII. CONSIDERATION:

  1. Consideration of Bid – Cutting of Waterway – 23rd Street to Highway 69

  1. Consideration of Fort Scott Public Library appointment

  1. Consideration to waive bid process for the purchase of three sets of bunker gear for the Fire Department

  1. Presentation of preliminary Energy Audit by CTS Energy Group

  1. Consideration of quotes to replace windows at the Water Treatment Plant

  1. Consideration to replace service truck for Water Treatment Plant

  1. Consideration to solicit RFQ’s for Scope of Services for 2018-2019 for Water Treatment Plan Evaluation for our drinking water

  1. Consideration to change membership section of the Employee Council Bylaws.

IX. COMMENTS:

  1. Director Updates: Larry Gazaway

Dave Bruner

Kenny Howard

  1. Commission:
  1. City Attorney:
  1. City Manager:

      1. Change of time of December 4th, 2018 City Commission meeting to 4:00 p.m. due to Downtown Christmas Parade

EXECUTIVE SESSION:

I MOVE THAT THE CITY COMMISSION RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE

SESSION FOR ________________________________ IN ORDER TO

(see below justification)

DISCUSS ______________________________________. THE

EXECUTIVE SESSION WILL BE ___________ MINUTES AND THE OPEN

MEETING TO RESUME AT ________________.

Justifications for Executive Sessions:

  • Personnel matters of non-elected personnel

  • Consultation with an attorney for the body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship

  • Matters relating to employer-employee negotiations whether or not in consultation with the representative or representatives of the body or agency

  • Confidential data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations, partnerships, trusts and individual proprietorships

  • Preliminary discussions relating to the acquisition of real property

X. MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT: ROLL CALL

Government, Kansas

Drivers License Office In New Location

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Driver’s License Office, 108 W. Second. October 2018.

The Fort Scott Kansas Driver’s License Office recently moved from the Bourbon County Courthouse to 108 W. Second.

The new office is directly behind the courthouse at 2nd and Judson Streets.

This follows the reconfiguration of the courthouse to allow for easier public access to the Bourbon County Commission Room, the Bourbon County Treasurer’s Office, and the Bourbon County Clerk’s Office. These offices were moved to the north wing of the courthouse, following the Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office and Correctional Facility to move to its new building at 293 E. 20th.

Hours are from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday through Friday. Testing must be completed by 11 a.m. in the morning and 2:45 p.m. in the afternoon.

The phone number is 620-223-6319.

Formerly the hours were Thursday and Friday only from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The hours are posted in the lobby of the office at 108 W. Second.
This sign is posted on the door of the new Driver’s License Office at 108 W. Second.
Government, Kansas

DCF Announces New Child Welfare Providers

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TOPEKA – Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) Secretary Gina Meier-Hummel is pleased to announce the new child welfare grantees. The new Case Management grant was divided into eight catchment areas, whereas in the current structure, there are only four catchment areas. The new Case Management providers are:

  • Catchment Area 1—Saint Francis Ministries (previously known as Saint Francis Community Services)
  • Catchment Area 2—Saint Francis Ministries
  • Catchment Area 3—KVC Kansas
  • Catchment Area 4—TFI
  • Catchment Area 5—Cornerstones of Care
  • Catchment Area 6—KVC Kansas
  • Catchment Area 7—Saint Francis Ministries
  • Catchment Area 8—TFI

 

The Family Preservation grant catchment areas will continue to align with the four DCF Regions—West, Wichita, Kansas City and East. The new Family Preservation providers are:

  • West Region—Eckerd Connects
  • Wichita Region—Eckerd Connects
  • East Region—Eckerd Connects
  • Kansas City Region—Cornerstones of Care

 

Currently, there are two providers providing both Case Management and Family Preservation services to the entire state. Moving forward, there will be four Case Management providers and two Family Preservation providers.

DCF posted the child welfare RFP’s May 31, which included substantial changes from the current child welfare contracts. DCF developed the improved child welfare grants to address known issues within the Kansas foster care system after receiving input from the public, legislators and stakeholders.

“The new child welfare grants include substantial changes—we are putting Kansas children and families first and emphasizing contractor accountability and oversight,” DCF Secretary Gina Meier-Hummel said. “We carefully designed the new grants to positively change the landscape of child welfare in Kansas, and just as purposefully, we chose providers we believed would best serve the needs of children and families.”

DCF awarded the new child welfare grants following an extensive and robust review process. Two internal DCF teams, consisting of DCF staff from across the state, analyzed and blind-scored each bid submission offsite for three days at the end of August. The agency then entered negotiations with bidders in September, and continued internal discussions into October.

As part of the bid process, each applicant was required to submit a six-month transition plan in order to establish a seamless changeover and continuity of services for Kansas children and families. In addition, DCF has formed internal oversight teams to help support the current and future providers as they transition. The agency is also seeking feedback, both internally and externally, from those who have experienced a contract change before to ensure a smooth transition. To share suggestions, concerns or thoughts, visit http://www.dcf.ks.gov/Agency/pubcomments/Pages/Child-Welfare-Grant-Transition.aspx.

“I am confident that services to Kansas children and families will improve with the new child welfare grants because we have removed conflicts of interest and increased competition, bringing more providers to the table to provide quality, timely services,” Governor Jeff Colyer said. “These new grants will serve as the foundation for enacting true reform in Kansas child welfare.”

Transitions will start January 2019 and the new providers will begin serving Kansas children and families July 1, 2019.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Government, Kansas

Future Of Water In Kansas Nov. 13-14

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Governor’s Water Conference Deadline Fast Approaching

The Conference Agenda Has Been Posted on the Kansas Water Office Website

 

The Governor’s Conference on the Future of Water in Kansas will be Tuesday, November 13 and Wednesday, November 14, at the Hilton Garden Inn Conference Center in Manhattan, Kansas. Registration price increases after November 1.

 

This is the seventh year for the conference and building off last year’s success, there will be keynotes in the morning on Day 1 including Tom Kula, Executive Director of North Texas Municipal Water District, Tim Hardman, World Wildlife Fund and breakout sessions in the afternoon.

 

The conference topics include:

  • Reservoir Management to Meet Growing Demands
  • Market Forces That Influence Conservation and Management Practices
  • Infrastructure for the Future
  • Water Technology Farms and Ogallala Aquifer Impacts
  • Kansas Water Vision Implementation
  • Why Does Navigation Matter to Kansas

 

The fourth Water Legacy Award will be presented at the conference Tuesday morning and ‘Be the Vision’ nominees will be recognized as well.

 

To view the brochure for a current list of speakers and panelists visit: www.kwo.ks.gov

 

Day two will build on the water policy, funding and vision implementation discussions from the previous day with technical presentation talks and posters. Graduate and undergraduate students will also present their research.

 

Anyone who has an interest in our state’s water resources, legislators, water managers, state, federal, city and county officials as well as scientists, organizations and agricultural producers are all welcome and encouraged to attend.

 

Registration is available online at www.kwo.ks.gov. The deadline for regular pricing is November 1! Conference details, brochure, speakers, sponsors and hotel information can be found online as well.

 

The Governor’s Conference on the Future of Water in Kansas is hosted by the KWO, K-State /Kansas Water Resource Institute. Major sponsors for the event include Black & Veatch, Burns & McDonnell and Great Lakes Dredge & Dock.

 

If accommodations are needed for persons with disabilities, please notify the KWO, (785) 296-3185, at least five working days prior to the meeting.

Government, Kansas

Latest Kansas Revenue Report

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Fiscal year tax collections exceed previous year by $183.49 million

 

 

TOPEKA—Fiscal year tax collections have exceeded previous year’s totals by $183.49 million according to data from the latest revenue report released Thursday.

 

Fiscal year 2019 tax collections so far total $2.20 billion, exceeding estimates by $105.60 million.

 

October tax collections were up $10.71 million, or 2.14 percent over last year. October’s tax collections exceeded expectations for the month by $6.99 million.

 

Individual income tax collections in October totaled $242.29 million which is $12.88 million or 5.61 percent above the same time last year. October sales tax collections fell short of last October’s collections by $3.88 million.

 

Government, Kansas

Mobile Driver’s License Renewals Launch

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Governor Colyer highlights the successful launch of KanLicense, mobile driver’s license renewals

 

TOPEKA—Governor Jeff Colyer, M.D. on Wednesday congratulated the Department of Revenue and its partners on the extraordinarily smooth rollout of two new interfaces to serve Kansas driver’s license and ID holders.

 

Kansas is now the first and only state in the country to offer driver’s license renewals through a mobile application. Mobile renewals join other already existing services like vehicle registration renewal and vital statistics on the iKan application available for iOS and Android.

 

“My vision for Kansas is to make as many services accessible through phones and computers and this is a huge addition. Most everyone has to renew their license and now many of them can do it without ever stepping foot in an office,” Governor Colyer said. “Congratulations to KDOR and its partner PayIt on getting this fantastic service out the door and ready for use.”

 

The availability of mobile renewals was made possible by the launch of a different system, KanLicense, the new secure interface used by driver’s license examiners to issue licenses and IDs.

 

“This launch was incredibly smooth with minimal interruption to service for Kansans,” Governor Colyer said. “The modernized system now in place empowers faster customer service, plus ease of use for examiners—two critically important factors for a better experience for Kansas drivers at the office.”

 

Web access to iKan services like mobile renewal, vehicle registration and more is at ikan.ks.gov.

 

This week, the hours of operation for most driver’s license offices statewide changed to 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Monday through Friday, which brings the addition of a full day of service every week.

Airport, Fort Scott, Government

Seth Simpson Hired As New Airport Manager

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Seth Simpson, Fort Scott City Airport Manager, as of Dec. 2018.

Seth Simpson has been hired as the Fort Scott Airport Airfield Operation Flight Manager.

His hiring was announced at the airport Monday afternoon.

The Fort Scott Airport entrance at 187th and Indian Road.

A 2002 Fort Scott graduate, Simpson, 35, has worked at Elgin Air Force Base, Florida for six years as an Air Force Air Traffic Controller.

He then entered the Air National Guard and served in Stillwell, OK; Manhattan, KS; Montgomery, AL; Biloxi, MS, and most recently St. Joe, MO.

Simpson is married to the former Amy Cozens and his parents are Scott and Becky Simpson, Fort Scott. They have three children: Lydia, Maylie, and Alex.

“Five people applied,” said Kenny Howard, the current airport director, who will be retiring in  December 2018.

“We selected Seth because of his experience in aviation, plus he was a local boy,” Howard said.

“He will be training one day, every other week, until December 21,” when Simpson will become fulltime and Howard will step down, Howard said.

“I will be in charge of air traffic control, airfield operations, and landing systems maintenance,” Simpson said.

Simpson will continue in the Air National Guard one weekend a month, two times a year, he said.

 

 

Bourbon County, Government

The Bourbon County Commission Agenda for Oct. 30

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Agenda

Bourbon County Commission Room

1st Floor, County Courthouse

210 S. National Avenue

Fort Scott, KS 66701

Tuesdays starting at 9:00

Date: October 30th, 2018

1st District-Lynne Oharah Minutes: Approved: _______________

2nd District-Jeff Fischer Corrected: _______________

3rd District-Nick Ruhl Adjourned at: _______________

County Clerk-Kendell Mason

9:00-9:10-Justin Meeks-Executive Session-Personnel matters of non-elected personnel

9:10-9:55-Jim Harris

10:00-Patty Love-Executive Session

11:00-12:00-Justin Meeks

11:00-11:30-Executive Session-Privileged in the attorney-client relationship

11:30-12:00-Tables for Taste of Fort Scott

Tax Sale

Excess property from moves

Property Evaluations

12:00-1:30-Commissioners gone to lunch

1:30-1:45-Future of Bourbon County Health Care Update/Ambulance Update

1:45-2:15-NRP

2:15-2:25-Executive Session-Confidential data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of a individual proprietorship

2:30-3:00-Business Accelerator

Justifications for Executive Session:

          Personnel matters of individual non-elected personnel

          Consultation with an attorney for the body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship

          Matters relating to employer-employee negotiations whether or not in consultation with the representative(s) of the body or agency

          Confidential data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations, partnerships, trusts and individual proprietorships

          Preliminary discussions relating to the acquisition of real property

          Matters relating to the security of a public body or agency, public building or facility or the information system of a public body or agency, if the discussion of such matters at an open meeting would jeopardize the security of such public body, agency, building, facility or information system

Government, Kansas

Flags At Half-Staff For Shooting Victims

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Governor Jeff Colyer Orders Flags to be Flown at Half-Staff for Victims of Pennsylvania Shooting

 

Topeka – In accordance with Executive Order 10-12, and following the proclamation of President Donald J. Trump, Governor Jeff Colyer has ordered flags to be flown at half-staff from now until sunset, October 31, 2018, as a mark of solemn respect for the victims of the terrible act of violence perpetrated at The Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

 

“We express our deepest condolences to the families who lost loved ones in this terrible tragedy,” said Governor Colyer. “This was a terrible act of violence perpetrated against innocent victims with every right to peaceably observe their religious beliefs. We grieve for those suffering as a result of this crime, and pray they will find peace and comfort in the days ahead.”

To receive email alerts when the Governor orders flags to half-staff, please visit http://governor.ks.gov/subscribe-to-flag-honors.

Area News, Government

Hwy. 69 Expansion Pushed Into December

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These signs mark the closed Eagle Road, Oct. 25. Workers were busy all along Hwy. 69 on the expansion project.

The 69 Hwy. expansion project from Fort Scott to Arma doesn’t have a November completion date anymore, according to Priscilla Petersen, with the Kansas Department of Transportation.

In an interview, Petersen said the November completion date of the U.S. 69 expansion has been pushed back.

“We plan to have this project open to four-lane unrestricted traffic by Dec. 21, 2018,” she said.

All work on the active U.S. 69 expansion in Bourbon County will be completed in April 2019. ”

“The active Bourbon County expansion project is approximately six miles long, starting south of Fort Scott and ending at the Bourbon-Crawford county line,” Peterson said.

“The Crawford County expansion project has not been let. The tentative letting date is the fall of 2020.”
 

It seems KDOT ran into more extensive excavation of the stretch of highway than originally thought.

“During the grading phase of the expansion our contractor encountered a lengthy section of the old highway that had not been previously removed,” Petersen said. “The removal of the old mainline and bridges required extensive excavation. In addition, the discovery of the old roadway greatly reduced the amount of dirt available for the earthwork. We found it necessary to add a second borrow-waste area to supply the material.”

A KDOT crew work on a section of Hwy. 69 Thursday morning near the Garland exit.

“Current project activity includes concrete paving on the mainline and guardrail installation on the bridges,” Petersen said.

Government, Kansas

Water Technology Farms

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Water Technology Farm Interest for 2019 Growing Season

Initial Notice of Interest for Water Technology Farm Needed by December 1

 

Water Technology Farms are an action item of the Long-Term Vision for the Future of Water Supply in Kansas to help address Kansas water issues. The program began three years ago with three farms and currently there are 10 farms on more than 30 fields.

The Kansas Water Office plans to add a limited number of new technology farms and is currently accepting initial notice of interest for the 2019 growing season. The deadline for initial interest is December 1.

 

These three-year pilot public-private partnerships demonstrate irrigation technology, research and management techniques. They have been valuable in expanding the conversation and education of producers and decision makers on water conservation in areas overlying the depleting Ogallala Aquifer and water quality protection in the Equus Beds Aquifer region.

 

Water Technology Farms are eligible statewide. Farms in a Water Conservation Area or a Local Enhanced Management Area as well as other documented conservation programs will be prioritized for consideration. Access to land as well as data records are required as part of this effort.

 

Those interested or wanting more information, please contact Armando Zarco at [email protected] or 620-276-2901. To learn about the existing farms, visit www.kwo.ks.gov