Patty LaRoche. 2023. Author: A Little Faith Lift…Finding Joy Beyond Rejection www.alittlefaithlift.com AWSA (Advanced Writers & Speakers Assoc.)
Years ago, a major league draft coordinator sent out a message to all professional baseball employees. He used the scripture “You are the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13a) to encourage them not to become lazy but to understand their purpose. As a Christian and a person who chooses salt over sugar every time, I find this metaphor intriguing.
This past Christmas, I received rechargeable salt and pepper shakers. Just push a button and out comes the salt or pepper. Automatic. Easy. On top of that, they are pretty, so they became a centerpiece on my kitchen table. Of course, they are of no use if they just sit there and do nothing. They must be poured out to be of any good at all.
Matthew 5:13 reminds us of how salt is to be used: “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.” Salt, left in its shaker, is a waste of…well, salt.
When I was four years old, my mother was unable to wake me up. I was rushed via ambulance to K.U. Medical Center where I was diagnosed with a “calcium deposit on my adrenal gland.” To this day, I have no idea what that means except for years after, I craved salt. My favorite snack was a glass of ice cubes covered in salt. I even gave that up for Lent one year…and thought I would die. Addictions are like that.
So, why does Jesus talk about salt? Think of its functions. Most importantly, it adds flavor. If you, like me, have ever made cookies or oatmeal and forgotten to add salt, you know what I mean. Just a teaspoon full makes all the difference. As a Christian, I am to add flavor. Sometimes, I do. Other times, not so much. Being a teacher reminds me that some days that objective is easier than others. Yesterday was that kind of day.
A student decided he “couldn’t” do the assignment. He just needed “to walk.” And “talk.” At first, I thought it might be his way of dealing with the recent death of one of his classmates. Everyone grieves in a different way, and the administration had asked that we be understanding towards students who might be suffering, but when he became disruptive, I explained that his work was due at the end of the hour, so he needed to sit still, be quiet and complete it. He admitted he had not taken his A.D.D. meds. Instead, he had enjoyed three energy drinks. Other students, trying to concentrate, were frustrated with him.
This was not a grieving student; it was an annoying one. As the minutes passed, I lost any desire to add metaphorical salt to the situation. Instead, I “peppered” him with warnings (not effective teaching, I admit). He continued his behavior into his next class where he was removed from the room.
Jesus never wasted words. In his day, salt was valuable as a preservative. Roman soldiers sometimes were paid with salt rations, hence the expression, “they are not worth their salt.” We are valuable…but not by ourselves. Salt is not the meal. It flavors the meal. So it is for the Christian. We are the salt; Jesus is the food. We exist not for ourselves, but to add something to others’ lives. If we are not making the Christian life appear flavorful, desirable, we have lost our purpose.
And get this–we don’t have to be obnoxious in sharing our faith. A little bit goes a long way. The trouble is, too many Christians are not willing to give even that much.
Marsha Ann White passed away on November 22, 2025 at her residence in Belton, MO. Marsha was born Juloy 24, 1944 to the late Thomas Beauford and the late Lora Irene New of Mound City. Born in Fort Scott to a farm family of three brothers and five sisters, Marsha was very much a caring and compassionate soul. She was know for her warm heart, wittiness, and the kindness she showed to everyone she met. Marsha graduated from Mound City High School and later lived in Pleasanton, Olathe, and Melton, MO.
She is preceded in death by her parents, two brothers (JB and Wilbur), and two sisters (Alberta Murray and Janet Keating). She is survived by her children: Bobby Smith of Belton, MO; Danny (Jenny) Smith of Olathe; and Mark (Jessica) White of Olathe, along with her six dear grandchildren and three great-grandchildren; siblings: Charolote Dunavan of Pleasanton, Charles (Dorothy) New of Kansas City, Sandra (Bobby) Snow of Pleasanton, Joetta (Darin) Marti of Manhattan, and brother-in-law Ed Keating (Janet) of Bucyrus. Additionally, there is a long list of nieces and nephews who will cherish her memory always.
A Celebration of Life is being planned of immediate family in the spring.
The north wing, east side of the Bourbon County Courthouse.
The Bourbon County Commission gained one new member this week, with another on the way. Citizens of Bourbon County had voted to change the county from a three-commissioner district to a five-commissioner one. In the fall of 2025, Greg Motley was elected to district 4 and Mika Milburn to district 5. Milburn was already serving as the old district 3 commissioner, which lead to an interesting situation.
Oaths of Office
Prior to taking the oath of office to serve as commission of the new fifth district, Commission Mika Milburn officially resigned her position as commissioner of the third district of Bourbon County.
County Clerk Susan Walker administered the oath of office to Greg Motley as commissioner for district 4, and Mika Milburn for district 5.
Chair of the Bourbon County Republican party, Kaety Bowers thanked Motley for his willingness to serve and Milburn for her service in 2025. She then read an excerpt from President Theodore Roosevelt’s “The Man in the Arena” speech.
The Republican Party will appoint another commissioner to serve for district 3. Those who live in the district and want to serve in this way should contact Bowers.
Reorganization of Board
Appoint Chairman: 2025 Chair David Beerbower nominated Samuel Tran. Milburn seconded and the nomination passed, Tran abstaining.
After discussion the commissioners will serve as follows:
Beerbower serves on the SEK Mental Health and SEK Health Department boards.
Milburn serves on the Fair Board and Soil Conservation Board.
Motley will serve on the SEK Regional Planning Commission and the Juvenile Detention Center board.
Tran serves on the SEK Mental Health Board, Bourbon County Senior Citizens, and SEK Area on Aging.
When the new commissioner is appointed for district 3, he or she will take board positions as well.
Liaison Assignments
David Beerbower: Public Safety including EMS, Sheriff/Corrections, Emergency Management
Samuel Tran: Public Works
Mika Milburn: Courthouse
Greg Motley: Finance
Motley said his vision is to get the commission off to an early start and keep them on schedule regarding creating a budget for 2027. He said he would want to identify the county’s priorities via work sessions early in the year and then put numbers to them closer to the end of the year.
Motley pointed out that tying the county’s priorities to its budget helps keep continuity of purpose within the county.
Beerbower suggested putting the fifth commissioner onto an economic development and grant writing liaison possition.
Motley then suggested that he work on the grant writing and economic development and the courthouse liaison position get split into two parts, one to deal with the building and the departments it contains and the other to liaise with the vendors who serve the county.
Milburn said she isn’t clear how to divide those positions out right now.
Tran suggested they keep everything the same for now, adding economic development with the new commission.
Milburn formalized the decision with a motion and the motion carried.
Public Comments
Mark McCoy is the community emergency response team (CERT) leader in Bourbon County. He spoke with the commission about the importance of having an Emergency Manager in place. Reasons a manager is needed include: emergencies don’t happen on a shared schedule; preparedness is a full-time mindset, not an occasional task; liabilities and legal exposure; the manager has the ability to lead, guide, follow, and assist throughout the county. Disasters don’t wait. Volunteers need official plans and connections with entities facilitated by the Emergency Manager.
Beerbower said that the part-time position of Bourbon County Emergency Manager is posted on the county website.
County Clerk Susan Walker showed the commission the program HeyGov for making meeting agendas. She demonstrated it for the commission. It creates the minutes from the YouTube video as well as linking to the county’s website. The program allows the commissioners to work on the agenda without violating the Kansas Open Meetings Act (KOMA). It can also be used by other boards in the county such as the building commission. The cost is about $1,100 per year.The commission voted to purchase the program.
Old Business Handbook Review
Beerbower said he received his copy of the revised handbook the day of the meeting at noon. Motley said he hadn’t received a copy yet.
Jennifer Hawkins, County Treasurer, spoke to the commission, expressing concerns with several parts of the handbook including the handling of complaints, who qualifies as full-time, definitions of longevity, vacation and leave policy, and dress code.
Tran said he wanted to have another work session before approving the handbook. Milburn said they received the changes everyone requested last week.
Sheriff Bill Martin joined the conversation, saying elected officials should have an opportunity to see the changes before the commission votes on the new handbook. He said that military leave and take-home cars aren’t addressed. He was concerned with the time crunch the commissioners put on the other elected officials regarding their feedback on the proposed new handbook.
Milburn said that the process of updating the handbook was started in 2022 and never completed.
Terry with EMS said that the department heads haven’t seen the updated copy yet.
Susan Walker, County Clerk, said that the department heads should be in on the discussion to make changes to the handbook. “Right now, I don’t feel like we have a voice,” she said.
Beerbower and Motley both said that a work session with the other elected officials and department heads seemed like a good idea.
Tran said that a meeting will not lead to a 100% consensus, as we don’t live in a perfect world. The handbook is intended to be a guide, but is not written in stone.
“You’re not going to get everything you want,” he said.
He then moved to have a special meeting to include elected officials and department heads on Jan. 13 at 4:30 with a 2 hour limit.
“It’s going to be better than what we had and we’re going to keep improving upon it,” said Tran of the upcoming new handbook.
New Business
Kansas Public Employees Retirement System
The commission appointed its executive assistant, Laura Krom, as the KPRS designated agent, with Mika Milburn as her alternate.
Kansas Department of Labor and Unemployment
Milburn said that the unemployment claims need to go to the HR department, Dr. Cohen, who will contact their department heads. This only applies to employees of the county working for the commission, not those working for other elected officials.
Disposition of Body K.S.A. 22a-215
Susan Walker, County Clerk, said that no next of kin could be found for an individual who died in Bourbon County last summer, so the county paid for the body’s cremation. Next of kin have since been found, but are on a fixed income and have asked for a waiver of the policy that they should pay cremation costs in order to recover the body.
The commission was in favor of waiving the fee.
November 2025 Financials
Susan Walker said she and the county treasurer have run into issues with past entries that were made in the county’s books. They will have a quarterly report ready at the end of Jan. The county’s audit is the last week of February.
Build Agenda for Following Meeting
Motley asked to plan to set work sessions for the budget and strategic planning in the first quarter of the year.
Milburn also asked to add a first quarter meeting with the City of Fort Scott.
Commission Comments
“I’m going to need each and every one of you to assist me as I chair the helm,” said Tran. He then thanked Beerbower for his work as chairman in 2025 and Milburn for her work on the commission as well. He welcomed Greg Motley aboard and adjourned the meeting.
The north wing, east side of the Bourbon County Courthouse.
After approving the agenda, minutes, and payroll, the commission opened with public comments.
Derek Ranes: Noise Complaint
Ranes handed out an official document to the commission to voice his complaint to EvoTech, and a document of the decibel readings he was getting at his house.
When he asked when the resolution would go into effect, Commissioner David Beerbower said they would follow the proper procedure per the new noise resolution, including a letter to EvoTech, followed by further action as necessary.
County Clerk Susan Walker said that the resolution hadn’t been published in the newspaper yet, but it will go into effect after publication.
Lora Holdridge – Register of Deeds
Holdridge spoke with the commission about the return of property to the county from the hospital, per a previous agreement. She said that the current county counselor had contacted them numerous times with no result. She then created the deed, mailed it to the hospital, and got it back within a week.
It is now “of record,” giving back to EMS the east building next to the EMS that they have been waiting for for more than two years.
“I know that it’s not my responsibility to do some of that but after two years it’s time to stand up and do what needed to be done two years ago,” she said.
County Counselor Bob Johnson congratulated her on getting the deed done.
Holdridge addressed Commissioner Samuel Tran’s stated desire to build a team amongst the county departments. She said they are a team, but the current and previous commissions have made it hard for the county officials and department heads to work with them.
Holdridge also brought up a judgement against Waldrop Wireless. The county paid for a tower and repeater but the company didn’t provide the repeater, and the county was awarded a judgement as a result. Half of the money for the repeater was paid from the Register of Deed’s tech fund. She asked the commission to work to get the money back.
Holdridge also wanted to formally address concerns regarding space allocations within the courthouse and actions that have interfered with the execution of essential public duties. She said that on multiple occasions both the Register of Deeds and the County Clerk have advised the commission that they need to have dedicated space to properly house essential equipment to perform the required functions of their offices. This has still not been adequately addressed.
Commission Mika Milburn moved Holdridge from Room 12, changing the locks.
Milburn advised Holdridge not to continue to conversation in the public meeting, saying that things were taken from that room that shouldn’t have been taken, including an IT computer.
Holdridge said there was no problem until Shane started working in her space.
Beerbower said that the commission will discuss the use of space in the courthouse in a future meeting, but the details of untangling the current situation cannot be handled in this meeting. He also supported Milburn as the commission’s liaison to offices housed in the courthouse.
Milburn told Holdridge the conversation was over.
Smith
Mr. Smith spoke to the commission about his concern regarding the proposed resolution for designating Bourbon County as a Rural Opportunity Zone (ROZ), questioning the county’s ability to pay it and the legality of an irrevocable resolution.
Susan Walker said that the resolution is created by the Department of Commerce. It allows rural businesses to partner with the state to get help paying student loans of individuals they many hire. Section seven shows the county allocates $0 per year, which County Counselor Bob Johnson said relieves it of any liability. He said the county is just a conduit for the program and he doesn’t have any concerns about it based on past experience. He did offer to talk to the state and get a report from him.
Smith also addressed the 125 plan, saying that it was being pushed before the department heads and elected officials have had a chance to review it, “Putting the cart before the horse again.”
Smith is concerned that the county is now doing things to support television shows if they approve the signing of a letter of support for the Lawrence Welk Show. He called it a waist of time.
Ben Hall- Discussion Bitcoin Mining & Evotech
Hall owns property at 80th and Willow Road. Evotech approached him this summer about leasing a gas well on his property. They didn’t want to pay what he was asking.
The well has not been used since 2014 and the previous owner asked the state to plug it.
Last week a rural water department employee who was working on Hall’s property met a contractor for Evotech who claimed he had the right to access the property. Hall spoke to him on the phone and told him not to trespass on the property. He then made a report to the sheriff’s department about it. The sheriff’s department had already heard from the Evotech contractor, who had presented him with paperwork saying Evotech has rights to the well. That was the first Hall had heard of it.
He wanted to make the commission aware of what he called the bullying and harassment that EvoTech is committing. He lives one mile east of the other EvoTech gas well and cryptomine.
He also mentioned a statute that says that it is illegal to run machinery from direct pressure from a gas well. It must go into a tank or regulator first.
Bob Johnson suggested Hall look up the original lessee and see if they had allocated the lease to someone else. He said a simple affidavit of non-production does not always cancel a lease. The original term of the lease may affect that. He also suggested Hall talk to a lawyer.
The commission then conducted three executive sessions, one for attorney/client privilege and two for non-elected personnel. They returned to session with action: The commission voted to allow Milburn the authority to work with the newly hired executive assistant to get her set up in her new job.
Old Business
Handbook Review
Dr. Cohen, Bourbon County HR, said he had received only comments from Public Works regarding the handbook.
One had to do with wearing shorts. Tran said he wanted them to be safe when operating heavy equipment, and doesn’t approve of shorts.
Regarding take-home vehicles, Tran said the director and assistant director of public works should take home county cars so they can answer calls when off-duty.
Jennifer Hawkins said she submitted her questions and suggestions to Cohen’s office on Dec. 24. She pointed out some spelling and formatting errors.
Susan Walker said that several departments sent her their suggestions and she forwarded them to Dr. Cohen. The commission asked her to resend the suggestions, including the commissions in the message.
Hawkins also said there’s not bereavement or jury duty leave in the manual.
Set Public Hearing Date for Road Closure – Daniels
Date was set for Jan. 26th
Sanitation Violation Update – County Counselor Bob Johnson
KDHE emailed the county counselor and he spoke with the county sheriff and county attorney. There’s a reluctance to pursue criminal charges.
“What we can do is file a violation of the KAR based on the filings,” he said. He has heard from the owner and will contact her again. Civil court is the route the county should take.
New Business
Website – approval of access – Milburn-Kee
Approved adding the new executive assistant as an administrator to the county’s website.
Milburn said the new assistant, Laura Krom, is doing very well and diving right in. “So she’s doing wonderful,” said Milburn.
Letter of Support Request (Scott Wheeler)
Wheeler is attempting to get congress to acknowledge the contribution of the Lawrence Welk Show.
Beerbower expressed admiration for Wheeler’s mission.
The commission voted to sign the letter.
Resolution 01-26 Section 125 Cafeteria Plan Document, allowing county employee benefits to be deducted pre-tax
Susan Walker, County Clerk, said the county offers insurance benefits to retirees. Historically, retirees have used dental and vision, but not health insurance through the county because of the high cost of health insurance. They are only eligible until they can receive Medicare.
The county designated Laura Krom as administrator of the plan.
Resolution 02-26 Holidays and Paydays
Beerbower voted against it because he wanted a separate resolution for the landfill employees.
Resolution 03-26 GAAP Waiver
Tran asked why they need a waiver. Walker said that many municipalities don’t use GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Practices) because it is cost-prohibitive.
Greg Motley said that GAAP accounting would be worthless to the county.
Resolution was approved.
Resolution 04-26 Designation of Depositories and Official Publication Carrier
Resolution was approved.
Resolution 05-26 ROZ participation
Rural Opportunity Zone participation is a regular part of county business.
Resolution was approved.
Resolution 06-26 Meeting Date, Location and Time
Resolution was approved.
Resolution 07-26 Moratorium on Industrial Development
This moratorium came at the request of the planning commission. It would put new development on hold for 180 days and allow for an extension as needed. It would disallow any new development of utility scale power, crypto mining, data centers, or waste disposal operations. It’s not without possible contest, but it’s not uncommon.
Does not pertain to Tennyson Creek Solar LLC, Tennyson Creek Solar 2 LLC, or Hinton Creek Solar LLC.
Carolyn Sue Wenderott, age 89, resident of Fort Scott, KS passed away Tuesday, December 23, 2025, at Credo Senior Living in Fort Scott.
Funeral services will be held at 11:30 AM Tuesday, December 30th, at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Burial will follow in the U. S. National Cemetery, Fort Scott. The family will receive friends from 10:30 AM until service time Tuesday at the funeral home. Words of remembrance may be submitted online at cheneywitt.com.
Cindy Marie Vann-Green, age 68, resident of Fort Scott, KS, passed away Friday, December 5, 2025, at her home. A Celebration of Life will be held at 1:00 PM, Saturday, December 13, 2025, at the Watson Memorial COGIC, 2215 Appleton, Parsons, KS. Words of remembrance may be submitted online at cheneywitt.com.
Sue Ellen Hoskin, a former resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, and more recently of Olathe, Kansas passed away Thursday, Dec. 4 at Olathe Medical Center surrounded by loved ones. She was born on Feb. 28, 1941, to Jessie Ellen Ford Harris and James Harris in Greenfield, Missouri. As a young girl, she moved with her family to Ft. Scott, Kansas where she lived the majority of her life. Sue was the youngest of six children and the first in her family to graduate from high school. She graduated from Ft. Scott High School in 1959. Sue valued education but more than that she strived to reach the goals she set for herself. She passed on this combination of moxie and grit to her daughters, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. As a teenager, Sue met and fell in love with David Hoskin, of Ft. Scott. They married on Oct. 7, 1961, after he returned to the United States from service abroad in the Army.
Sue and David had four daughters, eight grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren. Her family was the most important thing in her life. Sue worked at The Western, Whitesides East, and Ace Hardware before retiring at age 65. Later in life she discovered a love of travel taking trips with her husband, children, and grandchildren. Sue also loved to play cards, bake pumpkin bread, and find discounts. She was an avid reader. Faith was an important part of Sue’s life. She and David were charter members of West Park Church of the Nazarene and the two later attended the First Baptist Church. Sue carried her faith with her until the end.
Survivors include three daughters, Shelly Henry (Larry) and Melissa Hoskin, all of Olathe, Kansas, and Marla Miller (Kirk) of Nevada, Missouri. Also surviving are eight grandchildren, Lerin Combs, Taylor Rodriguez, Arley Hoskin, Tempest Lane, Breanna Morrison, Amory Maley, Payton Miller, and Jansen Lang, and nine great-grandchildren, Aidan, Tristan, Landon, Brynlee, Halle, Roman, Althea, Ryder, and Breckan. Sue was preceded in death by a daughter Micah Denise Hoskin, her husband David Hoskin, as well as her parents and siblings David Harris, Leroy Harris, John Harris, Emma Hall, and Katherine Rector.
There was cremation. Chaplain Dave Armstrong will conduct a memorial service at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 12 at Cheney Witt Chapel. The family will receive friends on Friday from 10:30 a.m. until the funeral service starts. Burial will follow in the U.S. National Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the Alzheimer’s Association and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, Kansas 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.
The Kansas Department of Transportation has continued to improve enhancements to its KanDrive road and weather website/mobile app. KanDrive is a one-stop gateway for current highway and weather conditions that are available 24/7.
“Informed drivers can make better decisions about which routes are best for them,” said Shari Hilliard, KDOT Project Manager. “Upgrades to the KanDrive app, such as sending and receiving alerts hands-free, are timely and useful benefits for travelers as we head into winter and the holiday season.”
The KanDrive features were first introduced in 2024 and have been fine-tuned for a better user experience. They were developed as part of the U.S. 83 Advanced Technology Project, which extends from the southern Finney County line to the northern Thomas County line. While some KanDrive enhancements are corridor-specific to U.S. 83, most are available for use statewide.
Some of the new features include:
Ability to report incidents in Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
Hands-free voice incident reporting through Apple CarPlay
The KanDrive website has served motorists since 2009. It provides real-time travel information such as road conditions, closures, construction updates, camera/video feeds and detour information.
Since the first round of enhancements were released in December of 2024, KanDrive has logged 3.7 million sessions and nearly 75,000 app downloads on iOS and Android.
KDOT encourages motorists to plan ahead and “know before you go,” by visiting the KanDrive website at KanDrive.gov or downloading the app in the App Store or Google Play.
Commissioner Mika Milburn brought up a dispute with the cost of a new firewall for the sheriff’s department. Commissioner Samuel Tran said it was “mission creep,” that the commission hadn’t approved. Sheriff Bill Martin addressed the commission, saying that the quotes for new phones and a firewall were approved in the Sept. 25, 2025 meeting, to be paid for from the jail sales tax.
Commissioner David Beerbower moved to table the issue for a week to iron out the disputes as to when the approval was given.
There was also a dispute about which fund should pay for the mapping services needed to redistrict Bourbon County to 5 districts.
Beerbower said it needed to be paid for regardless of where it comes from. Milburn said she wants to be sure the commissioners’ fund doesn’t get spent without the commission’s direct order. They decided to pay for it from the general government fund.
The remainder of the consent agenda was approved.
Emerson and Co. regarding longevity, insurance
Emerson, County Clerk Susan Walker, and Dr. Cohen addressed the commission.
Emerson addressed the need for the commission’s approval of a quote for COBRA administration, FSA, and HSA. The commission so voted.
Emerson also said that they need to address when the new insurance deduction amounts should be collected from the employees. Until now the process has been to collect them the month prior to their due date in order to have the funds on hand to pay at the beginning of the following month. However, with the new employee navigator integration, funds will not be collected in advance, and the start date of the deductions will be the first payroll in January. Manual deduction entries will need to be added in December, 2025. Emmerson recommended making the change.
Blue Cross Blue Shield requires the county to pay a month in advance, per County Clerk Susan Walker. She said that if they don’t do the deductions in the previous month, the county may not be able to pay for their premiums. She said the county had already planned to manually enter everything by the cutoff date of Dec. 3. She said this problem will come about each December.
She said that employee navigator doesn’t allow for automated employer contributions, so they have to be manually entered.
The clerk also said that they would have to change benefits availability to 30 days after first hire date for county employees. Tran and Cohen both said that is standard industry policy. Tran said he had no problem with that.
Emerson recommended finding out what the cash flow amount shortage would be. The clerk told the commission that the amount needed is approximately $8,800.
Milburn moved to follow Emerson’s recommendation. Tran seconded with a discussion.
Handbook — Dr. Cohen
Cohen brought his current copy of the handbook. He asked for the commissioners’ individual input, then plans to take it to the elected officials and department heads, receive their input and comments, and make changes, then bring a final document to the commission for approval by the first of the year.
Cohen also brought a recommendation to the commission to have them fund an administrative assistant position for the commission. That assistant would cover matters related to personnel, records, benefits, and more.
“It’s become abundantly clear that you need a person that’s accountable to you and you only,” he said. He also said that the funding for that position would come from existing funds currently allocated elsewhere.
Milburn said that up until 2025, the commission had that person in the position of county clerk.
Tran does not oppose the position but has concerns about how they would pay for the person.
Beerbower said funding is the number one issue as well. Cohen said he thought they could find the money and that the commission should approve the decision to fill the position contingent upon finding the funding.
The motion was passed to move forward with recruiting for the position, pending funding.
Tran said they should look at the inmate housing fund to pay insurance for employees and for the commission’s administrative assistant.
Beerbower said he was not willing to do that.
Longevity pay — Dr. Cohen
Cohen addressed bridging, which is when an employee leaves and then returns. He recommended not giving them longevity pay, per his recommendation. He said that if the bridged time is shorter, continuing longevity pay may be a good idea, so long as they return to their original position. He recommended that as a consequence for employees who leave and want to come back.
Beerbower, Milburn, and Tran agreed with Cohen. They agreed that if an employee leaves and is paid out, they cannot come back at the same level they left.
Victory Foronberry, from county corrections, asked about a problem with longevity pay. Tran and Beerbower spoke to her. One of the problems was that a funding stream they voted to use to cover it was contested.
Longevity pay approved by previous commission was put into each department’s budget, but most departments didnt have it in their budgets for this last paycheck.
Tran said they did what they thought was best at the time, but within 72 hours of the commission’s decision, the revenue source was contested.
Davis asked the commission to leave the longevity as is and pay it to the employees. He said that their decision to add a new position, although it is pending the ability to find funding for it, was a terrible decision and makes the entire commission look like they put county employees second.
Sheriff Bill Martin said he doesn’t know who would contest using the inmate housing revenue to pay the employees their longevity.
Another audience member asked the commission to use the inmate housing fund to pay employees what they were promised.
Janet Harper, who works in the appraiser’s office, said that the money sent out on that stub, which was not paid by the county, was her grandchildren’s Christmas.
Tran moved to pull the inmate housing fund and put it into the general fund. Milburn gave a second with discussion.
Sheriff Bill Martin said he came to the commission offering them a 60/40 split a couple of months ago, and they wouldn’t take it. Asking to take all of it is an insult to the sheriff’s office. He said they should only take out what it costs to meet longevity pay requirements.
Clerk Susan Walker said that her projections show that a lot of the inmate housing money will be needed for the sheriff’s budget amendment, and the commission should speak with his financial advisor before moving the money.
“Everytime we try to do something, we’re getting our legs chopped off,” said Tran.
Tran then amended the motion to pull $200,000 from the inmate housing fund. Motion carried with Beerbower voting against.
Tran proposed that they take $55,100 from the general fund to pay for the longevity pay.
Beerbower moved to leave 2025 longevity as it has been and make the changes in 2026.
“We didn’t create this mess. We’re trying to fix this mess,” said Tran.
The motion to pay longevity through the end of 2025 carried, Milburn opposing.
Sheriff Martin said that his 2025 budget was created by two other individuals without input from him. The outgoing commissioners at the time told him his budget was “screwed.”
He asked why Tran made the comment about him choosing to sue the commission. Tran replied that he knew Martin had been “done dirty,” in the past and he wanted to help him. However, Martin’s continuous referral to the requirement that the county give his department what it needs to function seemed like a threat of suing the commission.
Tran said that as an executor for the county, he will take care of the county, and give the Sheriff’s department what it needs, but maybe not what it wants.
Sheriff Martin said the conversation should have happened in his office one-on-one. He told Tran that they (the commission) are confusing everyone with the numbers game. He said he appreciated Tran’s honesty.
Tran and Martin each accused the other of not reaching out to communicate about their issues outside of an open meeting.
Lines of Communication – Susan Walker, county clerk
Walker told the commissioners she needs direction from them about how they intend to communicate with her.
“I’m having trouble getting responses, and it’s very difficult for me to do my job,” she said. “It is very hard for me to do my job as clerk if I cannot get a hold of you,” she said.
Walker said she can’t set up meetings if she can’t get a hold of anyone. She asked for clarification about expectations.
“For the most part, I think that communication works well, especially by the email,” said Beerbower.
Solar Litigation
Beerbower said that the commission has been in litigation with solar developers over agreements signed with the 2024 commission. They are working to find a solution outside of court via mediation.
Next week, the commission will be voting on resolutions to change the moratorium that will exempt these two companies from moving forward with their projects. They will also vote to amend the development agreement, including setbacks for battery systems and emergency training.
There have also been some settlements on pilot money that include settlements totaling about $320,000 per year paid to the county for the next ten years.
Counsel will send to the clerk the needed information for the resolutions, which will be voted on in the December 8th meeting.
Jackie Demott with the appraiser’s office spoke to the commission. She said that while folks have issues with solar, bringing businesses into Bourbon County will help solve the county’s funding issues.
“Maybe you need to start thinking about, not just what is best for each individual, but what is best for the county. What’s going to bring this revenue in?” she said. She suggested they form a committee to bring businesses into the county.
Planning Commission — Bob Johnson
County attorney Bob Johnson attended the new Planning Commission meeting before Thanksgiving. They discussed the procedure going forward, as well as hiring a part-time individual who has helped neighboring counties with their planning commissions.
District 3 Vacancy — Bob Johnson
The Kansas Secretary of State’s legal team has said the commission can either have the replacement for the District 3 come from the old district, or from the newly created District 3, which is preferable and makes more common sense, but either option passes statutory guidance.
The commission passed a resolution for the correct political party to appoint a commissioner for the new district 3 when current district 3 commissioner, Mika Milburn, becomes the commissioner for district 5 in January 2026. That commissioner will hold office until January 2027 with the person elected in November of 2026 is seated on the commission.
