Uniontown’s Rural Renting Housing, Inc. has received a $40,000 grant to update bathrooms for the residents of Cottonwood Estates, located in the 200 block of Fifth Street.

The funds will be used to continue phase two of the rehabilitation process of the 12-unit housing complex.

“The first round of grant money we received was $25k,”  Jennie McKee, site manager, said. “The funds received were to make ADA accessibility improvements to the bathrooms. This would include the zero threshold showers, adding grab bars, ADA height toilets, etc.. It was originally estimated that we could get 6 bathrooms completed for that amount but with the increase in materials we hope to get 5 bathrooms completed for the $25k. With the additional $40k in grant money we will be able to complete the remaining 7 bathrooms.”

“These walk-in showers will be very helpful for many of the tenants,” said McKee.

Tenants must be 62 years old or receiving disability, SSI, from the government. Currently there is a waiting list for the units.

“We began the process one and a half years ago with a $25,000 grant through USDA,” she said. “We were hoping that would do the cost of the walk-in showers, but it didn’t. SEKRPC applied for a second round of grants.”

“The first round was tiled with zero threshold, the rest will be pre-made,” she said.

SEKRPC helps individuals, companies, and government agencies with finance packaging, advice, and procedures, according to its website. It’s resources are available for community improvement, economic development, and other urgent needs.

Three shower updates that were started with the first round of grants are nearing completion. They were empty units, waiting for new tenants

“They should be done before the end of the year,” McKee said.

“It took a long time for Rural Development to distribute the funds,” McKee said. “Contractor issues led to the project starting in September 2022.”

SG2, Uniontown, was the contractor following the bidding process.

When work begins in the second round of the shower project, the tenant will be displaced for about five days per apartment while the bathroom is remodeled.

A hospitality room in a nearby church will be utilized for that tenant while the remodel is underway.

Funds won’t be available until late winter or early spring 2023, she said.

“Rehabs of older properties are not usually given grants,” McKee said. “It’s usually new builds.”

This grant required no match from the grantee.

The Uniontown Rural Rental Inc. board is comprised of Ron Eldridge-president, Larry Jurgensen-vice president, Lucille Ward-secretary and treasurer and other members: Matt Noll, Dan Ramsey, Susan Karleskint and Brenda Gleason.

In normal years, the board meets twice yearly and more if needed.

McKee can be contacted at 620.756.1000.

Bourbon County is set for a tax sale on  October 13, 2022 at 10 a.m. in the lobby of the Bourbon County Courthouse at 210 S National Avenue, Fort Scott, Kansas.

“The purpose of the tax sales is to get the properties into the hands of taxpayers that will pay the (property) taxes,” Bourbon County Treasurer Patty Love, said.

“There are a total of 68 properties on the list at this time,”  she said.

There is a process to hold the tax sale.

“The Bourbon County Counselor, Justin Meeks, files the tax sale in court, Love said   “Justin works with the County Appraiser, Matt Quick, to provide the maps and pictures the day of the tax sale to show property for sale.  The treasurer collects the revenue from the tax sale and applies it to the property taxes.  The Register of Deeds Lora Holdridge’s office, will type the new deeds.”

“At the prior tax sale held in January 2022, there were 50 properties that sold for a total of $129,408.40,” Love said.  “The 14 properties that didn’t sell were properties inside the city of Fort Scott that had a minimum bid which was a total of the Special Assessment levied against the property by the City for mowing and demolition.  Those properties that didn’t sell have now been transferred to the Fort Scott City  Land Bank.”

The following is a description of the Fort Scott Land Bank from a prior news release:

“The Fort Scott Land Bank focuses on the conversion of vacant, abandoned, tax-delinquent, or otherwise underused properties into productive use.

Vacant, abandoned, tax-delinquent, or otherwise underused properties are often grouped together as “problem properties” because they destabilize neighborhoods, create fire and safety hazards, drive down property values, and drain local tax dollars.

The Fort Scott Land Bank was created to strategically
acquire problem properties, eliminate the liabilities, and transfer the properties to new, responsible owners in a transparent manner that results in outcomes consistent with community-based plans.

These opportunities are a collection of parcels owned by the Fort Scott Land Bank.

Every transfer of property from the Fort Scott Land Bank will be accompanied by a development agreement, outlining the final use of the property as well as accompanying timelines. The purchase price
for Land Bank properties will be negotiated based on the cost to acquire the property as well as the details in the development agreement. The Fort Scott Land Bank Board of Trustees will approve the final agreement and purchase offer.”

“The money from the Land Bank is distributed to the various taxing entities at the time of the next distribution,” she said.  “County Distributions take place in January, March, June, September and October.”

Here is a list of the properties and their owners that will be sold at the tax sale:

TAX SALE OCT2022

More info can also be obtained on the Bourbon County Facebook page, or by contacting the Bourbon County Treasurers Office, 620.223.3800.