City of Fort Scott Water Distribution Department
2nd Street from National Avenue to Judson Street will be closed beginning Monday, August 20th, 2018 to repair a water main. Please adjust your route accordingly.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact City Hall at 223-0550.
“Count the Kicks” goal is to save 60 Kansas babies every year, reduce stillbirth rate by 26 percent
TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) announced today that it has partnered with Count the Kicks, a proven stillbirth prevention public health campaign. Kansas vital statistics show that 232 stillborn babies are born each year in our state. The introduction of Count the Kicks in Kansas has the potential to save 60 babies every year if Kansas’ stillbirth rate decreases by 26 percent, as has happened in neighboring Iowa where the campaign began.
Count the Kicks teaches the method for and importance of tracking fetal movement in the third trimester of pregnancy. Scientific studies show that expectant moms should track their baby’s movements once a day in the third trimester and learn how long it normally takes their baby to get to 10 movements. Moms will start to notice a pattern, a normal amount of time it takes their baby to get to 10. If “normal” changes during the third trimester, this could be a sign of potential problems and an indication to call their provider.
“We are excited to provide physicians, partners and pregnant women across the state full access to Count the Kicks materials,” said Rachel Sisson, KDHE Bureau of Family Health Director. “KDHE’s Bureau of Family Health remains committed to collaborative efforts to support the healthiest outcome for mothers and infants.”
Through KDHE, maternal health providers, birthing hospitals and social service agencies throughout Kansas can order FREE Count the Kicks educational materials at www.countthekicks.org to start using these materials in their practices right away. Moms everywhere can download the FREE Count the Kicks app, which is available in the Google Play and iTunes online stores. The app, available in English and Spanish, allows expectant moms to monitor their baby’s movement, record the history, set a daily reminder, count for single babies and twins. The app already helped save seven Iowa babies in the past year.
This project is supported by KDHE with funding through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), under grant number #B04MC31488 and title Maternal and Child Health Services.
Agenda
Bourbon County Commission Room
2nd Floor, County Courthouse
210 S. National Avenue
Fort Scott, KS 66701
Thursday starting at 9:00
Date: August 16th, 2018
1st District-Lynne Oharah Minutes: Approved: _______________
2nd District-Jeff Fischer Corrected: _______________
3rd District-Nick Ruhl Adjourned at: _______________
County Clerk-Kendell Mason
10:00-Canvass for the 2018 Primary Election
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
Drought Declarations Updated in Kansas Counties
The Governor’s Drought Team examines declining surface water conditions
Topeka – While there have been some recent rains, drought conditions for many areas of the state, especially eastern Kansas, continue to worsen.
Declining livestock water and feed supply continue to be reported. This has resulted in emergency status being added in eastern Kansas for any county with a U.S. Drought Monitor Severe Drought (D3) status, contiguous counties and reported issues. This now moves 10 counties into Emergency status from a Watch and 12 into Emergency from a Warning. Below are the counties listed in Bold indicating these changes.
Drought Watch counties (18): Cheyenne, Cloud, Decatur, Gove, Graham, Jewell, Logan, Mitchell, Norton, Osborne, Phillips, Rawlins, Republic, Rooks, Sheridan, Sherman, Smith, Thomas
Drought Warning counties (15): Allen, Chautauqua, Elk, Ellis, Greeley, Lane, Ness, Rush, Russell, Scott, Trego, Wallace, Wichita, Wilson, Woodson
Drought Emergency counties (72): Anderson, Atchison, Barber, Barton, Bourbon, Brown, Butler, Chase, Cherokee, Clark, Clay, Coffey, Comanche, Cowley, Crawford, Dickinson, Doniphan, Douglas, Edwards, Ellsworth, Finney, Ford, Franklin, Geary, Grant, Gray, Greenwood, Hamilton, Harper, Harvey, Haskell, Hodgeman, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Kearny, Kingman, Kiowa, Labette, Leavenworth, Lincoln, Linn, Lyon, Marion, Marshall, McPherson, Meade, Miami, Montgomery, Morris, Morton, Nemaha, Neosho, Osage, Ottawa, Pawnee, Pottawatomie, Pratt, Reno, Rice, Riley, Saline, Sedgwick, Seward, Shawnee, Stafford, Stanton, Stevens, Sumner, Wabaunsee, Washington, Wyandotte
Counties in emergency stage are eligible for emergency use of water from certain state fishing lakes. They also become eligible for water in some Federal reservoirs.
Individuals and communities need to contact the Kansas Water Office (KWO) for a water supply request prior to any withdrawals from lakes. They will in turn be referred to the appropriate office to obtain the necessary permit to withdraw the water.
The Governor’s Drought Response Team will continue to watch the situation closely and work to minimize the effects the drought has on Kansans.
For more detailed information about current conditions, see the Kansas Climate Summary and Drought Report on the KWO website at: www.kwo.ks.gov.
Note to Editor: The Americans with Disabilities Act, (42 U.S.C. 12101), requires the Kansas Water Office to print the reasonable accommodations messages.
Agenda
Bourbon County Commission Room
2nd Floor, County Courthouse
210 S. National Avenue
Fort Scott, KS 66701
Tuesdays starting at 9:00
Date: August 14th, 2018
1st District-Lynne Oharah Minutes: Approved: _______________
2nd District-Jeff Fischer Corrected: _______________
3rd District-Nick Ruhl Adjourned at: _______________
County Clerk-Kendell Mason
9:00-9:45-Jim Harris
Consideration of agreement between BNSF Railway Company
Report on Inspection and Analysis of Off System and RS Bridges
10:00-11:00-Commissioners to discuss County Health Insurance
11:00-11:15-Executive Session-Privileged in the attorney-client relationship
11:15-Handbook
11:20-NRP
11:00-12:00-Commissioner to work on 2019 Budget
12:00-1:30-Commissioners gone to lunch
1:30-Lora Holdridge-Executive Session-Justin and the Commissioners
2:00-2:15-Bobby Reed-Parking on north side of Courthouse
2:15-4:30-Commissioners to work on 2019 Budget
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
Governor’s Chief Counsel Issues Legal Opinion Regarding Counting of Provisional Ballots
Topeka- This morning the Governor’s chief counsel issued the following opinion, which was sent to all county election officials.
LEGAL OPINION FROM
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF COUNSEL
The Governor has requested that I issue this legal opinion regarding interpretation of Kansas election law provisions concerning unaffiliated primary voters casting of provisional ballots.
Kansas law provides that an unaffiliated voter must be permitted to affiliate with a party on primary election day and vote in a party’s primary. K.S.A. 25-3301(c). However, sometimes when an unaffiliated voter seeks to affiliate and vote in a party primary, a poll worker (often a volunteer) simply instructs the unaffiliated voter to fill out a provisional party ballot rather than a party affiliation statement. Kansas law requires canvassers to look to the intent of the voter to correct this technical error by the poll worker and count the primary vote.
Specifically, Kansas law expressly provides that such poll worker errors should be disregarded by the county canvassing board: “No ballot, or any portion thereof, shall be invalidated by any technical error unless it is impossible to determine the voter’s intention. Determination of the voter’s intention shall rest in the discretion of the board canvassing in the case of a canvass.” K.S.A. 25-3002(b)(1). This guiding principle has special importance in elections for governor: “[Even though] provisions of law may not have been fully complied with in noticing and conducting the election . . . the real will of the people may not be defeated by any technical irregularity of any officer.” K.S.A. 25-702(b).
Accordingly, Kansas law requires that provisional ballots cast by unaffiliated voters in a primary election be construed as evidence of voter intent and must be counted. Canvassers should look not to the technical statutory requirement of a party affiliation statement, but rather to the intent of the voter, as is compelled by other statutory law.
___________________________________
Brant M. Laue
Chief Counsel
Office of the Governor
Issued: August 13, 2018
I want to thank everyone who voted and participated in the 2018 primary election.
It’s an honor and a privilege for us as Americans to show our appreciation and dedication to all who stood up and defended our rights to self-govern and to have a voice in the electoral process.
County Commission District 1 Democrat: Clinton Walker-157
County Treasurer Democrat: write-in 33
County Attorney Democrat: write-in 31
State Board of Education Democrat: write-in 50
House of Representatives District 4 Democrat: Lawrence Forbach-445
House of Representatives District 2 Democrat: Adam Lusker-31
State Senator 13th District Democrat: Bryan Hoffman-322
Commissioner of Insurance Democrat: Nathaniel McLaughlin-475
State Treasurer Democrat: Marci Franciso-469
Attorney General Democrat: Sarah Swain-481
Governor Democrat: Joshua Svaty-201, Laura Kelly-156, Arden Andersen-78, Carl Brewer-56, Jack Bergeson-21.
U.S. House of Representative Democrat: Paul Davis-463
Winners of the County Commission District 1 Republican:
Lynne Oharah-287, Matthew Crystal-174, Robert Query-87
County Treasurer Republican: Patricia Love- 1,359
County Attorney Republican: Jacqie Spradling-1,246
State Board of Education Republican: Jim Porter-1,235
House of Representatives 4th District Republican: Trevor Jacobs- 1,268
House of Representatives 2nd District Republican: Kenneth Collins-130
State Senator 13th District Republican: Richard Hilderbrand-850
Commissioner of Insurance Republican: Vicki Schmidt-756, Clark Shultz-698
State Treasurer Republican: Jake LaTurner- 1,348
State Attorney General Republican: Derek Schmidt-1,377
Secretary of State Republican: Scott Schwab-516, Craig McCullah-266, Randy Duncan-258, Dennis Taylor-188, Keith Esau-178.
Governor Republican: Kris Kobach-803, Jeff Colyer-517, Ken Selzer-139,Jim Barnett-71, Patrick Kucera-24, Tyler Ruzich-6, Joseph Tutera-6.
U.S. House of Representatives Republican: Caryn Tyson-785, Kevin Jones-310, Steve Watkins-217, Steve Fitzgerald-128, Dennis Pyle-82, Doug Mays-34, Vernon Fields-20
This is the updated Fort Scott City Commission Agenda for the Aug. 7 meeting at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 123 S. Main.
I. ROLL CALL:
ADAMSON BARTELSMEYER NICHOLS PARKER MITCHELL
II. FLAG SALUTE
III. INVOCATION: Community Christian Church Minister
IV. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS:
V. CONSENT AGENDA:
Approval of minutes of the regular meeting of July 17th, 2018.
Approval of Appropriation Ordinance 1220-A totaling $510,652.55.
Approval of Public Dance License – River Room Events, LLC, 3 W. Oak
Certificate of Appropriateness – Improvements at 9 N. Main Street
Resolution 32-2018 and Notice of Hearing with Reference to Alleged Unsafe and Dangerous Structure and Accessory Structure located at 111 S. Little – Public Hearing Date – 9/18/2018 at 6:15 p.m.
VI. SERVICE AWARD RECOGNITIONS:
5 years: (Certificate only)
Chris Anderson, Firefighter, Fort Scott Fire Department
Justin Fisher, Corporal, Fort Scott Police Department
Dustin Fowler, Maintenance II, Woodland Hills Golf Course
Christopher Garrett, Corporal, Fort Scott Police Department
Janet Guilfoyle, Accounting Clerk, City Hall
Blynn Hill, IV, Sergeant, Fort Scott Police Department
Jason McReynolds, Maintenance II, Water Distribution Department
Kenneth Rood, Water Treatment Plant Maintenance
Alex Schafer, Firefighter, Fort Scott Fire Department
Ronald “Trey” Widder, Police Officer, Fort Scott Police Department
10 years: (Certificate and Gift)
Brian Thurston, Detective, Fort Scott Police Department
Chris Tourtillott, Maintenance II, Parks Department
15 years: (Certificate and Gift)
Mike Embry, Supervisor, Wastewater Treatment Plant
20 years: (Certificate and Gift)
Diane Clay, City Clerk/Municipal Court Clerk
Chad Brown, Public Works Director
25 years: (Certificate and Gift)
Daren Hutchison, Captain, Fort Scott Fire Department
Shaun West, Captain, Fort Scott Police Department
VII. APPEARANCE/COMMENTS/PUBLIC HEARING:
APPEARANCE:
B. CITIZEN COMMENTS (Concerning Items Not on Agenda – 3 minute limit per citizen)
C. PUBLIC HEARINGS/COMMENTS:
6:00 p.m. – 2019 Budget Hearing – Adoption of 2019 Budget
VIII. CONSIDERATION:
Consideration of a Conditional Use Permit at 9 N. Main to allow residential living on the 1st floor
Discussion of 1523 E. Wall Street demolition
Discussion of 1601 E. Wall Street demolition
Discussion of 310 N. Cleveland demolition
Consideration of three year agreement with Craw-Kan to install fiber internet at LaRoche Baseball Complex
Consideration of Airport Mower Bid
IX. COMMENTS:
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
There are 12 candidates for governor of Kansas, four spoke at the 2018 Candidates Forum at Fort Scott High School July 31.
The following are excerpts from opening comments that were given:
One spokesperson, Shirley Palmer, did so for Josh Svaty. When Palmer served as a representative, she knew Svaty to be articulate, and “making a difference,” she said. He is a Kansas farmer, married with four children. Savty is able to unify Kansas. “Want to make a change…(and are ready) to move this state forward.”
Arden Andersen: He was a vo-ag teacher initially, is a doctor, and flight doctor, and has served in the military. “I am tired of a broken health care system, I have answers to solve that system…To make health care available to everyone from the least to the greatest.” Additionally “We need to get more money into the classroom for supplies and paraprofessionals.”
Lynn Rogers: He is running for lieutenant governor with Laura Kelly as governor. He is a senator, worked for a farm credit business, married with three children and three grandchildren, was on the Wichita School Board for over 16 years. “Services… are not being performed…roads.. and schools are falling apart.” “We are ready to work for you right away.”
Patrick Kucera: He is an entrepreneurial evangelist. Married 28 years with six children. He is a visionary leader, not a manager.
Ken Selzer: He attended K-State, married 38 years, CPA, business man, Conservative, pro-life, pro-2nd Amendment, and is the current state insurance commissioner. While in office he reduced the size of the office, reduced costs to the state, and improved customer service.
Question 1: The Supreme Court has said legislative funding for education is deficient. How would you propose it be financed?
Andersen: Diversity is needed in the state, other sources, perhaps tourism, getting the economy going. Medical marijuana helps with the opioid crises, he said, as a doctor. There isn’t one thing that will solve all problems. Health care and the prison system need to be overhauled. These are ideas to get more revenue.
Rogers: Legislature did that this year. “We did that through overturning the unfair Brownback tax experiment.” “We had 400,000 people who weren’t paying taxes. We have made it a fairness issue… We balanced the budget this year. As a state, we have begged borrow and stolen from every fund.”
Kucera: He said entrepreneurs create revenue and an evangelist creates a revival and he is creating a revival of revenue. Wants to redefine what revenue is: not taxation. “I’m the agricultural hemp guy in this race. We are an agricultural economy. I believe that revival of revenue is coming from industrial hemp.”
Selzer: Lean in on costs. Operate more effectively. Make Kansas grow. “We have to think more broadly. That will solve some of our funding problems.”
Question 2: What would you do to improve rural Kansas hospitals?
Rogers: Expand Medicaid, it would cover $1.2 million and create thousands of jobs. Another idea: Ark City pays a 1.5 percent sales tax to fund their hospital.
Kucera: “Agricultural, industrial hemp. A plant that can be grown, create jobs, make property tax grow up. That is the answer.”
Selzer: “A natural selection of hospitals…. sometimes yields a better result.” “Some rural hospitals will affiliate with larger hospitals.” “We need to be careful what we do with Medicaid Expansion., it’s incredibly expensive.”
Anderson: Some insurances cost $1,000 to $2,000 per month and with deductibles $5,000-10,000, he said. “you essentially don’t have insurance”. The medical system has to be overhauled and suggested looking at the Australian model.
Question 3: Would you lower the property tax?
Kucera: The state must make more and spend less. The more money you have in your tax, the more the economy will grow. The government should be more entrepreneurial.
Seltzer: Absolutely, we will take a business approach…increase the economy.
Anderson: Pproperty tax is not fair to seniors and lower social economic level.
Rogers: Many weren’t paying taxes, the tax burden was pushed on cities and counties. A county’s biggest expenses are law enforcement and mental health, those costs have been pushed from state to local level and are unfair.
Closing remarks:
Seltzer: He is a successful business man and has a government background. He has improved costs and productivity as the current insurance commissioner. “I have released my tax returns, you need to lead by example.” He has a farm and is connected to rural Kansas.
Anderson:” It’s important to understand there are a number of things we need to overhaul. Health care is the no.1 issue nationwide. It’s important to turn this thing around in three ways: 1) De-privatize, 2) go after drug costs,3) go after radiology and laboratory costs.
Twenty-percent of children have developmental delay in our classrooms, caused by mercury, aluminum, pesticides and industrial chemicals.” We won’t be able to train them…. and who will take care of them when their parents no longer can.”
Rogers: “We will be out in state visiting on a regular basis… Laura Kelley has fought back. Kansas deserves better service. We want to get to work for you as a no-nonsense problem solver.”
Kucera: A change of direction in the state is needed. Hemp can be converted into 50,000 products. Those will create jobs and farmers will have hope again. He is a visionary leader.
