Fort Scott, KS – It is with great pleasure that the Board of Trustees announces the appointment of Dr. Jack Welch as the President of Fort Scott Community College, effective June 30, 2025.
Dr. Welch brings to our college a distinguished background in higher education leadership and experience with FSCC and the community of Fort Scott. With his deep understanding of student success, community engagement, and academic excellence, he is exceptionally well-suited to lead our institution into its next chapter.
In this role, Dr. Welch will oversee all aspects of the college’s operations and strategic direction, working closely with faculty, staff, students, and community partners to ensure that our mission of accessible, high-quality education continues to thrive.
We are confident that he will bring vision, dedication, and collaborative leadership to Fort Scott Community College, and we look forward to the opportunities ahead under his guidance.
There will be an opportunity for faculty, staff, students, and the community to meet and talk to Dr. Jack Welch at a later date. Thank you.
Executive Summary
The Business Retention and Expansion Survey (BRES) was
conducted by HBCAT in collaboration with the City of Fort Scott
to assess the local business climate. The survey gathered 34
responses and six in-person interviews, reflecting ongoing
challenges in the region due to business closures.
Key Findings:
• Industry Composition: The largest sectors represented were Services (37.1%), Retail
Trade (22.9%), and Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate (14.3%).
• Employment Trends: 24% of businesses reported employment growth, 59% remained
stable, and 18% experienced declines.
• Workforce Challenges: 73% of respondents struggled with recruiting and retaining
workers, especially unskilled (38%) and semi-skilled employees (35%).
• Business Expansion & Financing: 18% of businesses plan to expand within two years,
while 15% reported forgoing expansion due to lack of financing.
Business Information Needs
Local businesses expressed a strong desire for more information on:
• Small business and entrepreneurial support resources tailored to the needs of startups and
local business owners.
• Workforce and job training programs to improve access to skilled labor and reduce hiring
challenges.
• Local market matching programs to connect businesses with regional suppliers,
customers, and partners.
• Access to capital and financing to support expansion, equipment upgrades, and working capital needs.
• Improved communication between local and state governments and businesses, to increase transparency and responsiveness.
Possible Actions Local Government Could Take:
1. Improve Marketing of the City – Increase promotional efforts to attract new residents, visitors, and businesses by showcasing Fort Scott’s assets, events, and opportunities.
2. Enhance Communication – Create clearer, more consistent communication channels between the City and the business community, including regular updates and outreach.
3. Develop Incentive Programs – Introduce or expand financial and regulatory incentives for new and existing businesses looking to launch or grow in Fort Scott.
4. Increase Workforce Development Efforts – Collaborate with HBCAT and other partners to create stronger pipelines for skilled labor and job training programs.
5. Address Housing as a Critical Need – Prioritize policies, partnerships, and development strategies that expand housing options for workers and families to support long-term
economic stability.
Next Steps for The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team:
1. Launch an Employer Learning Collaborative – Convene local employers to clarify their workforce needs, discuss shared challenges, and identify specific skill gaps, particularly around unskilled and semi-skilled labor. HBCAT may host panel discussions
and is seeking facilitation support to guide this effort.
2. Engage High School Students Through Mentorship and Incentives – Partner with high school business classes to connect students with the RCP Mentorship Program and Community Health Workers, and link them to financial incentives available through the
City’s small business grant program and local community college resources.
3. Explore Soft Skill Curriculum Implementation – Evaluate the existing soft skills curriculum used by SEK KANSASWORKS in other districts to determine cost and feasibility of implementing it in Fort Scott schools, with the goal of aligning with local employer expectations.
TOPEKA – Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland encourages jobseekers and employers searching for available talent to take part in this month’s Virtual Statewide Job Fair, hosted by KANSASWORKS, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, June 25.
“As businesses continue to expand and invest across every region of our state — we are seeing more career opportunities than ever before being created here in Kansas,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “Anyone seeking a new role or looking to jumpstart their career is encouraged to attend and connect with some of Kansas’ best companies — and learn about the wealth of opportunities out there right now.”
The Virtual Job Fair format allows anyone searching for a state position to fill out applications, chat live and interview virtually with participating employers.
This month’s Virtual Statewide Job Fair portal features helpful information such as a jobseeker training video, a list of participating agencies and channels for attendees to register and log in. Jobseekers are encouraged to dress professionally, as they might be asked to engage in an interview.
Candidates can participate through any digital device. Any individual with a disability may request accommodations by contacting their nearest workforce center at (877) 509-6757 prior to the event.
Registration is required to participate in virtual job fairs, regardless of previous participation. To register, click here.
About the Kansas Department of Commerce:
As the state’s lead economic development agency, the Kansas Department of Commerce strives to empower individuals, businesses and communities to achieve prosperity in Kansas. Commerce accomplishes its mission by developing relationships with corporations, site location consultants and stakeholders in Kansas, the nation and world. Our strong partnerships allow us to help create an environment for existing Kansas businesses to grow and foster an innovative, competitive landscape for new businesses. Through Commerce’s project successes, Kansas was awarded Area Development Magazine’s prestigious Gold Shovel award in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, and was awarded the 2021 and 2022 Governor’s Cup by Site Selection Magazine.
The Fort Scott Community College Board of Trustees will hold four special meetings in the Hedges Administration Building during the following dates and times. After calling the meeting to order, the Board will immediately adjourn to executive session for the purpose of discussing non-elected personnel as they conduct interviews of four presidential finalists. No action is expected to follow any of these special meetings.
Sandy Haggard is the new Southwind K-State Nutrition, Food Safety, and Health Agent, who has an office out of Iola.
Haggard has been employed in the current Kansas State University Research and Extension, Southwind District since April 14
She felt this job was a good fit.
“I’ve often had a position where I coordinated a program or gave presentations, so I was looking for a position where I could use those skills. Also, at Neosho County Community College, I had been working in the same four counties with older adults who volunteered at non-profits, so I’m able to keep in touch with several of the same contacts. I had attended several K-State Research and Extension programs during the eight years I’ve lived in Kansas, so I was excited to work alongside the agents I’ve known for years. I’m looking forward to giving presentations on nutrition and health and getting to know more people in our four-county area.”
The job is multi-faceted.
Her duties include leading the development, implementation, and evaluation of research-based educational programming related to nutrition, food safety, and health.
This includes nutrition through the life cycle, supplemental nutrition education, food security, consumer and food handler food safety, local food systems, physical activity promotion, and chronic disease prevention.
She will be covering four counties: Allen, Bourbon, Neosho, and Woodson.
In the next year, she hopes to have programs for ServSafe food handling, Dining with Diabetes, Food Preservation, and Basic Nutrition, she said.
She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and Secondary English from Northwest Missouri State University, Maryville, MO, and Adult Education from Prescott College, Prescott, Arizona.
She taught internationally as a Middle School English teacher at Morrison Academy in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and was a part of the English Faculty at Meiho University, Neipu, Taiwan.
Most recently, she has been the RSVP Director with AmeriCorps Seniors at Neosho County Community College (NCCC) serving Allen, Bourbon, Neosho, and Woodson Counties.
Larry Rogers said he “always figured that they would be taking me from my shop to the undertakers”, and that he would continue the auto repair shop work he had done for 37 years until he died.
But he couldn’t find workers to do the jobs that needed to be done.
“With what we do, put vehicles back to pre-crash conditions, we have to have people that can follow directions and come to work,” Rogers said. “Getting people to show up was a problem, more for younger applicants.”
“It wasn’t something we planned on doing, it was the turn of events,” he said.
“There should be five workers in the building, it ended up just Ryan and I,” he said.
“We had hired and trained workers, but not for over one year.”
His son, Ryan, has worked with him for 17 years.
“He was going to take over, but decided he’d go to work for someone else and let them have the headaches (of not having enough workers).”
Rogers quit taking on more auto body repair work at the end of October 2024 and had enough work on the books until the end of January 2025.
“I’ve talked to plumbers, mechanics, electricians, and they also couldn’t find anyone willing,” he said. “Things were tough before COVID-19. After COVID-19 we didn’t have many applicants. It used to be you’d have people stopping in to ask if we were hiring.”
“There used to be tech schools to train people on auto body repair…a lot of them have closed down.”
Nationwide
It is a nationwide problem, according to an article from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Employers are facing unprecedented challenges trying to find enough workers to fill open jobs. Right now, the latest data shows that there are 8 million job openings in the U.S. but only 6.8 million unemployed workers.
If every unemployed person in the country found a job, we would still have millions of open jobs.
Some of the factors for this, according to the article are:
Early retirements and an aging workforce
Net international migration to the U.S. is at its lowest level in decades
Lack of access to child care.
Some opened their own businesses.
Increase in savings: higher-income and savings bolstered people’s economic stability.
Future for Rogers
“I’m not retired, said Rogers, who is 63. “I still own the Alignment Service, east of this building.”
Ryan went to work for a car dealership in Olathe in March, doing bodywork.
“I am basically trying to get ready for an auction, probably in June,” he said. “Trying to sort out and clean out the building. After 37 years in the business, there is a lot of stuff. The building will be for sale.”
“I don’t know what I’ll do after that,” he said.
Rogers bought the business from Frank Burchett in 1987 on East Wall Street. The building isn’t there now because of the new Highway 54 route. He built the current building at 120 W. 19th and opened his business in July 2003.
KANSASWORKS Highlights Available State Agency Jobs at March Job Fair
TOPEKA – Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland encourages jobseekers and employers searching for available talent to take part in this month’s Virtual State Agency Job Fair, hosted by KANSASWORKS, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 19.
“Our state agencies have provided thousands of Kansans with fulfilling careers in public service,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “For those who are beginning the search for a professional career or those looking for a change of scenery — I encourage you to consider a purpose-driven role at one of our many departments and see what the State of Kansas has to offer.”
There are nearly 500 open agency positions located all across the state that range from entry to senior level careers. The virtual job fair format allows anyone searching for a state position to fill out applications, chat live and interview virtually with participating agencies.
This month’s Virtual State Agency Job Fair portal features helpful information such as a jobseeker training video, a list of participating agencies, and channels for attendees to register and log in. Jobseekers are encouraged to dress professionally, as they might be asked to engage in an interview.
Candidates can participate through any digital device. Any individual with a disability may request accommodations by contacting their nearest workforce center at (877) 509-6757 prior to the event.
Registration is required to participate in virtual job fairs, regardless of previous participation. To register, click here.
About the Kansas Department of Commerce:
As the state’s lead economic development agency, the Kansas Department of Commerce strives to empower individuals, businesses and communities to achieve prosperity in Kansas. Commerce accomplishes its mission by developing relationships with corporations, site location consultants and stakeholders in Kansas, the nation and world. Our strong partnerships allow us to help create an environment for existing Kansas businesses to grow and foster an innovative, competitive landscape for new businesses. Through Commerce’s project successes, Kansas was awarded Area Development Magazine’s prestigious Gold Shovel award in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, and was awarded the 2021 and 2022 Governor’s Cup by Site Selection Magazine.
About the KANSASWORKS:
KANSASWORKS links businesses, job candidates and educational institutions to ensure that employers can find skilled workers. Services are provided to employers and job candidates through the state’s 27 workforce centers, online or virtual services KANSASWORKS is completely free for all Kansans to use. Learn more at KANSASWORKS.com. State employment opportunities can be found at jobs.ks.gov.
FORT SCOTT, Kan. – In preparation for the much-anticipated opening of Freeman Fort Scott Hospital, Inc., a job fair will be held in early February.
Scheduled from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm, the fair will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 11, at the future hospital’s location, 401 Woodland Hills Blvd.
It’s an opportunity for Freeman to recruit and for individuals to explore what job opportunities are available. There are currently 60-plus openings for the new Freeman hospital. These positions include:
RN – Acute Care
RN – Emergency Department
Social Worker
Respiratory Therapist
Nurse Tech – Acute Care
Nurse Tech – Emergency Department
Network Engineer
Desktop Support Specialist
Administrative Assistant
Courier
Supply Chain Technician
Admissions Representative Specialist
Monitor Tech
Medical Technologist
Medical Laboratory Technician
Laboratory Medical Assistant
X-Ray/C-T Technologist
Vascular Sonographer
Pharmacist in Charge
Pharmacy Tech
Hiring managers will be available during the job fair and will have additional information about various openings.
Freeman Health System, the region’s largest provider of healthcare services, is in the process of seeking licensure to open and operate a 10-bed hospital and 24-hour emergency department with licensed physicians and trained nursing staff. Support for the emergency department includes laboratory, radiology, computerized tomography and an inpatient pharmacy. Opportunities to have outpatient lab, radiology and CT services will also be available to the community from the hospital.
Mercy Hosptial Building is now owned by Kansas Renewal Institute. Freeman Fort Scott Hospital will soon be housed in the facility.
The emergency room operations has been assumed by Freeman Health Systems.
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About Freeman Health System
Locally owned, not-for-profit and nationally recognized, Freeman Health System includes Freeman Hospital West, Freeman Hospital East, Freeman Neosho Hospital and Ozark Center – the area’s largest provider of behavioral health services – as well as two urgent care clinics, dozens of physician clinics and a variety of specialty services. In 2024, Freeman earned dozens of individual awards for medical excellence and patient safety from CareChex®, a quality rating system that helps consumers evaluate healthcare providers and their experiences. U.S. News & World Report named Freeman Health System one of the Best Hospitals for 2022. With more than 320 physicians on staff representing more than 90 specialties, Freeman provides cancer care, heart care, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopaedics, children’s services, women’s services, and many others for all of the Four State Area. Freeman is also involved in numerous community-based activities and sponsored events and celebrations. Additionally, in the Joplin/Pittsburg areas, Freeman is the only Children’s Miracle Network Hospital in a 70-mile radius. For more information, visit freemanhealth.com.
Danea Esslinger is the new Uniontown City Clerk, as of December 5.
Esslinger has been on the Uniontown City Council for 13 years and lived in Uniontown for 29 years. Both of her children, Breanna and Brenton, graduated from Uniontown High School. She is the daughter of David DeWayne and Deana Fuhrman of Bronson.
Danae Esslinger. Submitted photo.
She graduated from Garnett High School and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Business, with an emphasis in management from Pittsburg State University.
Recently, the council has had difficulty finding a new clerk to replace Sally Johnson who wants to retire from that position.
That’s when Esslinger decided to apply for the job.
At last month’s Uniontown City Council Special meeting, she resigned from her council position and applied for the job.
“I am wanting to do some things that make the city even better,” Esslinger said.
Duties of the Clerk
From a prior interview with Sally Johnson, retiring city clerk, she told of the duties of the Uniontown City Clerk.
“The Clerk position entails performing all duties as defined by Kansas State Statute and City Ordinances: receive and disperse monetary funds and maintain financial records; complete various administrative reports; grant applications & administration; prepare, mail and apply payments of monthly customer utility billing; assist residents via phone or walk-in; attend and record minutes of all city council meetings, write monthly community newsletter; maintain city website; other duties as required.”
New Treasurer
Sally Johnson is retiring as Uniontown’s City Clerk.
Sally Johnson is the new treasurer of the council, following the resignation of Charlene Bolinger, which was effective Nov. 13.
This part-time job is to “do bank reconciliation and make sure the clerk is getting things done correctly,” Johnson said.
Mackenzie Kaemmer, 26, is the new Youth Services Supervisor at Fort Scott Public Library.
“The beginning of my journey here at the Fort Scott Public Library has now begun, I could not be more grateful for this opportunity,” she said. “A big part of my position will be planning, scheduling, and coordinating regular and special programs for preschool, elementary children, and teens. There are many exciting programs underway; once active, such programs and services will be posted on the library website, and Facebook page, and displayed in the library. We are currently taking part in a program, Grow your Heart with Reading, in which everybody can try to win a festive Grinch tree or a giant snuggly Grinch by reading a book or donating items to our local pantry. Every contribution will get your name into the drawing on December 20th!”
Kaemmer with the Grinch Tree at the Fort Scott Public Library. Submitted photo.
Her job responsibilities are to acquire new materials and remove or discard unneeded items for youth, catalog library materials, plan regular and special programs for preschool, elementary
children and teens, participate in the statewide summer reading program for youth, outreach to area schools, preschools, and daycare facilities, develop book displays and other art forms in the children’s area, create publicity flyers for youth programs, assist patrons, instruct youth and parents on how to use the internet at the library, assist with the library’s website and social media, spearhead new library technology, maintain program statistics and submit monthly reports to the director.
Kaemmer attended Pittsburg State University and received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology with an Emphasis in Developmental Disabilities.
“Prior to university, I spent a summer as an instructional assistant at Kansas State School for the Blind (KSSB),” she said. “During my time at Pittsburg State University, I was the head graduate assistant for the University Testing Center. Under this, I was also given the opportunity to instruct a college-level General Psychology course.”
She hails from Overland Park, Kansas, and attributes her family—parents Bobby and Suzanne Kaemmer and siblings Kassidi, Cody, and Cooper—with helping her along life’s way.
“Before attending college, I knew I wanted a profession in which the directive was to provide aid for the community; I knew I wanted to help others. Growing up I underwent around ten surgeries, while there were plenty of hardships there was also time to reflect. I wanted to apply my experiences and what they have taught me towards spreading such lessons to others in hopes of enabling a better experience and strengthening an optimistic outlook on the past, present, and future.”
About The Library
The Fort Scott Public Library is open Monday through Friday 9:00 am-6:00 pm and Saturday from 9:00 am-2:00 pm; holidays may differ.
“On November 27th we close at 12:00 pm, and we are closed on November 28th, 29th and 30th. We will reopen as normal on Monday, December 2nd at 9:00 am,” she said.
Fort Scott Public Library, 201 S. National Avenue.
Natalie Peitsmeyer is a new Park Guide at Fort Scott National Historic Site. She began employment in this month.
She is a 30-year retired science teacher.
“During that time, I taught life and physical science classes (grades 8-12). Prior to teaching, I was a lifeguard, swim instructor, and summer day camp counselor,” she said.
She attended the University of Colorado at Denver and completed a bachelor’s degree in biology, a Master’s in Secondary Science Education, and a Doctorate in Leadership for Equity in Education.
With the new Park Ranger title, comes a variety of duties.
“I open the buildings and exhibits for visitor access. In the visitor center, I provide information about navigating around the National Park site, as well as history significant to the National Park site.”
“I have always loved National Parks,” she said. ” I grew up in an Air Force family and was fortunate to have lived in a variety of places such as Florida, Okinawa and Colorado. I love the outdoors and appreciate uncovering history. The history of Fort Scott National Historic Site is unique to no other National Park. I look forward to sharing its stories, researching its history, visiting with visitors, developing lessons and tours.”
Filling Vacant Positions Has Been Ongoing
Carl Brenner.
“We had an advertisement to fill our two vacant Park Ranger positions that closed last Friday,” said Carl Brenner. Program Manager for Interpretation and Resource Management
Fort Scott National Historic Site (www.nps.gov/fosc)
“We are hoping to have them onboarded before Rob (Holmes New FSNHS Ranger: Robert Holmes) leaves in January. Our goal with Natalie and Rob here is that we will be able to have the buildings open seven days a week once she is trained in the next week or so.”
Robert Holmes, a Fort Scott National Historic Site Ranger. Submitted photo.
Robert Holmes is a new Park Ranger at Fort Scott National Historic Site.
“We had an advertisement to fill our two vacant Park Ranger positions that closed last Friday,” said Carl Brenner Program Manager for Interpretation and Resource Management for
Fort Scott National Historic Site (www.nps.gov/fosc).”We are hoping to have them onboarded before Rob leaves in January.”
Holmes is here on a temporary assignment.
“While I am here, I will be a supervisory ranger working to hire and train new staff members for the park as well as all being part of all of the daily operations, educational programs, and special events.”
“Since I am here for a detail (temporary assignment) and not as a permanent staff member, I arrived on the 23rd of September and will be here until sometime around the middle of January,” he said.
“I have worked with the National Park Service for almost nine years; at the Springfield Armory National Historic Site, Minuteman National Historical Park, Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial, the National Mall and Memorial Parks, Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, and Kings Mountain National Military Park.
He earned his education from Lycoming College, with a Bachelor of Arts, and from Villanova University, with a Master of Arts Degree.
Holmes is doing this temporary assignment to gain experience and travel to the Midwest.
“I applied for the detail at Fort Scott NHS because I have not done a lot of this sort of work in the past, so I wanted to get the experience. I also like forts and had never been to this part of the country before,” he said.
Fort Scott National Historic Site
Ongoing Construction Projects
The park has had several construction projects this year.
Carl Brenner.
“Our roofing project is complete, though they have a couple more gutters to install,” Brenner said. Our fire suppression system replacement is almost complete and far ahead of schedule. They began in February and were expected to work for a year and a half. Nine months later they are working on the final building.”
“After the remaining elements of touch-up, a lot of cleaning, and bringing the museum objects back to the park and resetting the displays, the final buildings should reopen.”
“We are hoping that the West Infantry Barracks and theatre will reopen by early November and Officer’s Quarters #1 will be reopened in early 2025. These are estimates. The Dragoon Barracks rehabilitation has just begun. This rehabilitation is due to a water line break that released approximately 1,500 gallons of water into the building. Currently, we do not have an estimate for the completion of the work, fabrication and installation of the new exhibits, and reopening of the remaining portions of the building.”
