TOPEKA – Phone and internet services are vital to accessing healthcare and community services, finding employment, and calling for help in an emergency. However, the cost to stay connected is out of reach for many Kansans.
In observance of Lifeline Awareness Week, September 8-14, the Kansas Corporation Commission joins utility regulators nationwide in creating awareness of the Lifeline program and encourages those in need of assistance to apply.
Lifeline provides federal and state discounts of up to $17.02 per month to help pay for residential or wireless phone service, internet, or a bundled phone and internet plan. Subscribers living on tribal lands qualify for additional discounts. Currently, nearly 8 million Americans, including 23,000 in Kansas, are enrolled in the program.
Eligibility is based on income (at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines) or participation in certain assistance programs such as:
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Federal Public Housing Assistance (FHPA)
Veterans Pension & Survivors Pension Benefit
Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
Tribally Administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
Head Start Tribal Programs (income based)
The Food Distribution Program on Tribal Lands
More information on income eligibility, participating providers, and the enrollment process is available on the KCC’s website or by calling 800-662-0027.
Fort Scott, Kan. – Friday, September 20, 2024, Fort Scott National Historic Site will host the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration services (USCIS) and the U.S. District Court, Kansas District, for a Special Naturalization Ceremony of 202 new citizens from 57 countries. Check-in for new citizens begins at 9 a.m. and the ceremony will begin at 10:30 a.m. The Honorable Teresa J. James, United States Magistrate Judge for the District of Kansas, will preside over the proceedings on the historic fort Parade Ground.
The ceremony features musical performances from the Fort Scott High School Orchestra, with welcoming remarks by Fort Scott National Historic Site Superintendent Jill Jaworski and Fort Scott City Manager Brad Matkin. A keynote address will be made by Angela Bates, founder, past president, and current executive director of the Nicodemus Historical Society and Museum.
There will be seating for the applicants, but additional seating will be limited. Friends, family, guests, and the public are highly encouraged to bring lawn chairs or picnic blankets for seating. In case of rain or inclement weather, the ceremony will be moved to Fort Scott’s Memorial Hall.
Fort Scott is the story of the growth of our nation, and its fight for freedom. On the same parade ground that the very first African Americans were brought into the Northern Armies to openly fight for their freedom and a better life, these new citizens are starting down their own path of freedom and a better life.
September 17 to 23, the nation observes Constitution Week. The commemoration honors both the signing of the U.S. Constitution on September 17, 1787, (Constitution Day), an observance that began in 1940 as “I Am an American Day,” and Citizenship Day that began in 1952 based on a law signed by President Harry Truman,
Each year, USCIS celebrates the connection between the Constitution and citizenship by reflecting on what it means to be a citizen of the United States and holding special naturalization ceremonies across the country.
We encourage new citizens and guests to share their naturalization ceremony experiences and photos through social media, using the hashtags #NewUSCitizen #ConstitutionWeek, #FortScottNPS, and #FindYourPark.
WHEN: Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, 10:30 a.m.
WHERE:
Fort Scott National Historic Site
1 Old Fort Blvd.
Fort Scott, Kansas, 66701
-NPS-
Credit Photo as: NPS Photo, Naturalization Ceremony at Fort Scott National Historic Site.
ATTENTION: Starting the morning of Monday 9/9/2024, 195th street north of the rearing pond will be shut down to traffic due to work being done on the culvert system. Traffic to the east side of the lake will have to use Hackberry Road to access their properties and the east side of the lake. We are going to use a quick hardening concrete so the road should be open by Thursday if not sooner. We asked the Bourbon County Public Works to add rock and grade Hackberry, which they did, so the road should be much better to use over these three days. Sorry for the inconvenience as we thought we could do one side at a time or lay steel plates over the hole but with the size of the culvert this will not be possible. Thank you for your patience.
Agenda for the City Council of Uniontown on September 10, 2024 at 5.30 p.m.
Personnel interviews followed by regular council meeting.
ORDER AT ________ by _____________________________
ROLL CALL:
___ Jess Ervin ___ Danea Esslinger ___ Amber Kelly ___ Mary Pemberton ___ Bradley Stewart
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS/PROJECTS
Interview non-elected personnel –
Motion by _____________, Second by __________, Approved ______, to enter into executive session pursuant to non-elected personnel exception, KSA 75-4319(b)(1), in order to interview applicants of non-elected personnel, the open meeting to resume at ____________.
CITIZENS REQUESTS
Bill Martin
FINANCIAL REPORT
Charlene Bolinger – Financial reports
APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA
Minutes of August 13 Regular Council Meeting and September 3, 2024 Special Meeting minutes
On Monday 9/9/2024 Harbour Construction from the Kansas City area will be in Fort Scott to start the 2024 Cape Seal Program. Below are the roads that will be getting Cape Sealed this year. I will try and have a better idea of the order of work by Monday, but they will be moving at a fast pace so it may be hard to give out proper notification of what streets they will doing on a particular day. They are saying it will take less than two weeks to complete all work. Harbour Construction will be doing traffic control and will do their best to limit commute issues but please be careful and patient during the next week or two. They will also be putting door hangers on doors to let citizens know they are going to be in a certain area. Any questions please email me at bmatkin@fscity.org. Thank you
TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly announced today that the August 2024 total tax collections were $665.6 million. That is $22.8 million, or 3.5% more than the estimate. Total tax collections are up 4.0% from August 2023.
“While we are seeing collections higher than the estimate, we likely won’t see the impact of the income tax cuts from Senate Bill 1 on monthly collections until the beginning of next year,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “Because of that timing, we must continue to be fiscally responsible for our long-term outlook.”
Individual income tax collections were $329.4 million, which is $19.4 million, or 6.3% more than the estimate and up 10.1% from August 2023. Corporate income tax collections were $20.2 million, which is $9.8 million, or 32.8% less than the estimate and down 19.7% from August 2023.
Combined retail sales and compensating use tax receipts were $294.6 million, which is $12.6 million, or 4.5% more than the estimate and up $2.2 million, or 0.7% from August 2023.
Click here to view the August 2024 revenue numbers.
The Department of Children and Families, National Avenue and Wall Street, August 2024, a new multi-million dollar investment in Fort Scott’s downtown area will open soon.
The new Department of Children and Families building is located at National Avenue and Wall Street and is 13, 642 square feet.
“The new building will include safety features to protect employees and clients such as secure interview rooms, electronic access management system, a video surveillance system and other office renovations to suit the functionality and needs of DCF,” said Anita Cooper, Southeast Regional Director for the Kansas Department for Children and Families.
Taken from X.com
“A more centralized location will make it easier for residents in Fort Scott and the surrounding area to access the service center,” she said. “The new building puts us back in the downtown area where we were originally located. We are excited to be a part of the downtown community! ”
The Kansas Department for Children and Families offers a wide range of programs and services to help vulnerable Kansans.
“As of May 2024 (the most recent report), the total number of households in Bourbon County served by DCF was 878,” Cooper said. “That includes 21 served by the Temporary Assistance to Needing Families (TANF) program, 817 served by food assistance (FA) and 40 served by child care assistance (CC). The Fort Scott office also manages the cases for people living in Linn County. Total households served in Linn County: 419 (5 TANF, 402 FA and 12 CC). In addition, Child Protection Services provides child and family well-being services to approximately 417 families a year out of our Fort Scott office.”
There are 29 staff members based out of the Fort Scott office with hours of operation are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The new building is located at 10 S. National Ave., Fort Scott. The phone, fax, etc. will all remain the same numbers when they move in, in the next month.
“We are leasing our current office location at the Fort Scott Professional Building, 710 W. 8th St. We’ve been in this location since 2009. The new building will be leased as well through SilverRock Ventures, LLC based out of Junction City,” Cooper said.
Kendall Schoenrock, of SilverRock Ventures, is the
owner and builder of the building.
Submitted graphic.
“We will own it and it is leased to the State of Kansas Department for Children and Families,” Schoenrock said. “The State will look to take occupancy (of 10 S. National Avenue) in the next four weeks or so.”
Schoenrock purchased the property on August 31, 2023, which was originally known as the Downtowner Hotel building.
“This project will get a lot of people for downtown businesses,” he said. “They will eat downtown, shop downtown, etc.”
The demolition was done by Skitch’s Hauling and Excavating, Inc.
After demolition was completed, his team got to work putting the building on the south side of the lot, with parking on the north.
“Many people helped make this happen,” he said. “Bailey Lyons with Lyons Realty Group, Rob Harrington with Bourbon County Regional Economic Development and Brad Matkin and Matthew Wells, with the city. And Arnold Scholfield with the Fort Scott Design Review Board provided good, solid feedback for the project.”
“They should be praised,” he said. “Fort Scott has been very supportive. I couldn’t have asked for more support from the city. That’s what is needed to spur development.”
Name In Stone
There is a name in stone on the north facade of the new building in honor of a SilverRock employee who died on this job site this year.
Mike Anders. Submitted photo.
“Mike Anders was a long-time employee and close friend,” Schoenrock said. “Sadly he passed away on the job site on April 4th, 2024. It was not work-related.”
City Hall Commission Room – 123 S. Main Street, Fort Scott, KS 66701
September 3, 2024 – 6:00 P.M.
Call to Order
Roll Call
Tim VanHoecke, Matthew Wells, Dyllon Olson, Kathryn Salsbury, Tracy Dancer
III. Pledge of Allegiance
Invocation
Approval of Agenda
Consent Agenda
Approval of Appropriation Ordinance 1367-A – Expense Approval Report – Payment Dates of August 15, 2024 – August 2024 – $1,831,904.90
Approval of Minutes for August 6, 2024, Regular Meeting – August 20, 2024, Regular Meeting.
Request to Pay – Earles Engineering, Inc. – Invoice No. 17444 – Project No. 24-414 – Horton St. & 6th Improvements – $33,805.45
Request to Pay – Heck & Wicker, Inc. – Payment No. 2 – $282,995.42
Request to Pay – Olsson – Project #021-06610 Fort Scott KS Rehabilitate Runway and Taxiway – AIP Project No. 3-20-0022-021 (Design) AIP Project No. 3-20-0022-023 (Construction) Summary No. 17 – Professional Services rendered through May 4, 2024 – Invoice No. 497880 – $5,735.07
Request to Pay – Olsson – Project #021-06610 Fort Scott KS Rehabilitate Runway and Taxiway – AIP Project No. 3-20-0022-021 (Design) AIP Project No. 3-20-0022-023 (Construction) Summary No. 18 – Professional Services rendered through June 8, 2024 – Invoice No. 501825-Final – $16,815.60
Request to Pay – Emery Sapp & Sons, Inc. – Project #021-06610 Fort Scott KS Rehabilitate Runway 18/36 and Taxiways (Asphalt Overlay) – AIP Project No. 3-20-0022-023 (Construction) – Invoice No. 4 – Work Completed through May 3, 2024 –$154,949.84
VII. Public Comment – Sign up required before the beginning of the meeting on register at the entrance of the Commission Room. Public Comments are for any topic not on the agenda and limited to five (5) minutes per person, at the Commission’s discretion.
VIII. Appearances – Must be scheduled with the City Clerk at least (1) week prior to the meeting
you wish to address the Commission. You will be scheduled on the agenda to speak on your topic.
James Wood/Owner of Holmtown Pub – 206 N. National – Temporary Street Closure –September 9, 2024 – 4:00PM to 9:00PM – Pine Street from National to alley Special Event: ‘Straight Outta Clarksdale’
Diane Striler – Update on Downtown Ice Rink MOU
Unfinished Business
Consideration to Approve Ordinance No. 3770 – Land Bank Board of Trustees – Appointment – Terms – Dissolution – Tabled from August 20, 2024 – D. Olson
Update of 118 E. Wall – Kruger
New Business
Action Items:
Consideration of Proposed Change of Zoning Regulations – Article 20: Supplemental District Regulations – Section 7: Accessory Uses – Storage Containers – Kruger
Consideration of Resolution No. 19-2024 – Demolition Proceedings for 1721 E. Wall
Consideration of Resolution No. 20-2024 – Demolition Proceedings for 323 W. Wall
Consideration of Resolution No. 21-2024 – Demolition Proceedings for 1619 E. Pine
Consideration of Resolution No. 22-2024 – Demolition Proceedings for 1105 Scott
Consideration of Resolution No. 23-2024 – Demolition Proceedings for 402 S. Lowman
Consideration of Resolution No. 24-2024 – Demolition Proceedings for 418 S. Couch
Consideration of Resolution No. 25-2024 – RHID – Housing Needs Resolution – A RESOLUTION MAKING CERTAIN FINDINGS AND DETERMINATIONS AS TO THE NEED FOR HOUSING WITHIN THE CITY FOR FORT SCOTT, KANSAS AND SETTING FORTH THE LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF REAL PROPERTY PROPOSED TO BE DESIGNATED AS ONE OR MORE REINVESTMENT HOUSING INCENTIVE DISTRICTS WITHIN THE CITY – G. Herrmann
Consideration of Change Order No. 1 – Project No. 22049 Horton St. & 6th Improvements – Contract No. 6 U-2455-01 – Heck & Wicker, Inc. – Additional Inlet Protection, Concrete Pipe Encasement, Sanitary Sewer Service, Extra Pothole Work at 8th & Horton, Tree Removal at 7th & Horton – $4,810.00 – J. Dickman
Brick Street Policy Revisions Discussion – B. Matkin
Consideration to research legal requirements and estimated legal costs for the City of Fort Scott to annex southward from the currently southernmost City limits along Jayhawk Road and eastward to envelop the Fort Scott Municipal Airport, Lake Fort Scott, and City-owned land adjacent to Lake Fort Scott – T. Dancer
Public Hearing: 2025 Budget Hearing
Consideration of Resolution No. 26-2024 – A RESOLUTION TO EXCEED THE REVENUE NEUTRAL RATE – Hart
