PRESS RELEASE

Landmark National Bank to Acquire Citizens Bank, National Association

Expands Landmark presence in eastern Kansas and adds approximately $195 million to assets

(Manhattan, KS, August 1, 2013) Landmark National Bank, the wholly owned bank subsidiary of Landmark Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: LARK) (“Landmark Bancorp”), and Citizens Bank, National Association (“Citizens Bank”) today jointly announced a definitive agreement under which Landmark National Bank will acquire Citizens Bank from First Capital Corporation (“First Capital”), the privately-held holding company of Citizens Bank.  The transaction will merge Citizens Bank into Landmark National Bank, increasing Landmark National Bank’s assets by approximately 30 percent and adding a sizeable customer base in several eastern Kansas communities. The transaction is subject to standard closing conditions, as well as the approval of the appropriate regulatory agencies.

Under the agreement, Landmark National Bank will pay an amount in cash to First Capital that will be determined at the time of closing based upon the deposit accounts and value of certain real estate held by Citizens Bank. Immediately prior to the transaction, Citizens Bank has agreed to distribute certain loans and other assets to First Capital, which will remain an independent entity following the transaction.  The acquisition is expected to be completed during the fourth quarter of 2013.

Landmark National Bank has approximately $640 million in assets as of June 30, 2013, and operates 22 locations in 17 communities across Kansas.  Citizens Bank operates eight locations in seven communities in eastern Kansas.  Landmark will be acquiring approximately $195 million in assets from Citizens Bank.  In addition, Landmark Bancorp, Inc. has agreed to assume the trust preferred security obligations of First Capital.

“We are very excited about this opportunity to expand Landmark’s strong presence across Kansas by adding Citizens Bank customers in several more communities in the eastern parts of our state. Clients of Citizens will find a high level of commitment from Landmark to serve their financial needs and to benefit the communities where we do business,” commented Patrick L. Alexander, Chairman and CEO of Landmark National Bank. “For Landmark, this transaction represents a significant step forward in a disciplined approach to building the scale of our banking franchise. We are adding value for our shareholders and for our bank customers across Kansas.”

H. Dean Mann, Chairman of Citizens Bank, stated, “We are pleased to be able to partner with a community-oriented institution like Landmark National Bank.  The community and customer focus for which Landmark is well known fits very nicely with the community banking services that Citizens Bank has delivered to its customers.  Landmark is a strong organization whose values, products and solid performance will allow our customers to continue to enjoy a great relationship with a Kansas-based, community-focused financial organization.”

Landmark Bancorp, the holding company for Landmark National Bank, is listed on the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol “LARK.”  Headquartered in Manhattan, Kansas, Landmark National Bank is a community banking organization dedicated to providing quality financial and banking services.  Landmark National Bank has 22 locations in 17 communities across Kansas: Manhattan (2), Auburn, Dodge City (2), Fort Scott, Garden City, Great Bend (2), Hoisington, Junction City, LaCrosse, Lawrence (2), Louisburg, Osage City, Osawatomie, Paola, Topeka (2), Wamego and Wellsville, Kansas. Visit www.banklandmark.com for more information.

Citizens Bank is the wholly owned subsidiary of First Capital Corporation, a privately-owned bank holding company headquartered in Fort Scott, Kansas.  Citizens Bank is a full-service community bank, offering a wide variety of loan products and savings deposits to its clients through its locations in Fort Scott, Iola, Kincaid, Lenexa, Mound City, Overland Park and Pittsburg, Kansas.

Special Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 with respect to the financial condition, results of operations, plans, objectives, future performance and business of Landmark Bancorp, Inc. (the “Company”).  Forward-looking statements, which may be based upon beliefs, expectations and assumptions of the Company’s management and on information currently available to management, are generally identifiable by the use of words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “intend,” “estimate,” “may,” “will,” “would,” “could,” “should” or other similar expressions. Additionally, all statements in this press release, including forward-looking statements, speak only as of the date they are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any statement in light of new information or future events.  A number of factors, many of which are beyond our ability to control or predict, could cause actual results to differ materially from those in our forward-looking statements.  These factors include, among others, the following: (i) the strength of the local and national economy; (ii) changes in state and federal laws, regulations and governmental policies concerning our general business; (iii) changes in technology and the ability to develop and maintain secure and reliable electronic systems; (iv) changes in interest rates and prepayment rates of our assets; (v) increased competition in the financial services sector and the inability to attract new customers; (vi) the economic impact of armed conflict or terrorist acts involving the United States; (vii) the loss of key executives or employees; (viii) changes in consumer spending; (ix) unexpected outcomes of existing or new litigation; (x) changes in accounting policies and practices; (xi) the ability to manage credit risk, forecast loan losses and maintain an adequate allowance for loan losses; (xii) declines in the value of our investment portfolio; (xiii) the ability to raise additional capital; and (xiv) declines in real estate values.  These risks and uncertainties should be considered in evaluating forward-looking statements, and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements.  Additional information concerning the Company and its business, including additional factors that could materially affect the Company’s financial results, is included in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

As a result of recent Kansas State legislation, Bourbon County has been designated a Rural Opportunity Zone. The legislation creates opportunities for individuals who move to Bourbon County from out of state, including Kansas income tax exemption under certain qualifications and a set amount of college tuition reimbursement in participating counties. However, the availability of the latter half of the program will depend on Bourbon County’s decision to opt in or opt out of participation in Student Loan Assistance.

According to the Kansas Rural Opportunity Zone Program FY2012 Guidelines, an individual must have moved to Bourbon County by or after July 1, 2013 and before January 1, 2016, have lived outside of Kansas for 5 or more years immediately prior to application, and earned less than $10,000 from sources in Kansas in that 5 years. The applicant must also have lived in Bourbon County during the “entire taxable year” for which the individual has applied for credit.

In addition, the guidelines set down similar requirements for tuition reimbursement. However, potential applicants should note that Bourbon County has not yet opted in to this part of the program. Each county that is designated a Rural Opportunity Zone is allowed to decide whether or not it will participate in tuition reimbursement. If the county were to do so, applicants would be required to have established residence in Bourbon County on or after July 1, 2013, and prior to the county’s opt in for the Student Loan Repayment program. The applicant must also have completed an associates’ degree, bachelor’s degree before applying for the program, and have “a current outstanding student loan balance,” according to the guidelines.

According to city Economic Development Director Heather Griffith, the ROZ legislation benefits the area in that it “gives [workers] a little more incentive” to move to the area, and may help to “bring in a workforce we may not currently have.”

At the August 2nd Bourbon County Commissioners’ meeting, Craig VanWey, Regional Project Manager at the Kansas Department of Commerce, added his explanation of the ROZ program. “The focus of this program is to try and reverse some of the population decline in these counties,” VanWey said. VanWey explained that the original 50 counties that were designated ROZs were selected because they had experienced a “double digit period of decline” from 2000-2012.”There is a lot of interest from some of the surrounding counties,” VanWey said. VanWey also mentioned that 45% of the people enrolled in the student loan repayment portion of the program are in the healthcare and education fields.

VanWey explained that if the county were to opt in, it would need to set aside money to support its half of the reimbursement payment. “Most counties have opted in at either 1,500 to 6,000 per year,” VanWey said. He explained that the state had set aside funds to match every county’s investment up to $20,000. “We don’t see many counties give $20,000 per year,” VanWey said.

VanWey said that there exist three different ways to fund the student loan repayment: devoting county funds to ROZ program, garnering local employers’ contributions, and funding through individual donations. For county or donation funded repayments, the allocation is first come first serve, but if funded by an employer, that employer can “earmark who that money goes to,” VanWey said. VanWey explained that some companies are beginning to use the student loan repayment program as a recruiting tool to reach employees from outside their respective counties. “The employer sponsorship . . . is gaining traction,” VanWey said.

Of the perfect scenario for an applicant, VanWey said “This program is ultimately going to increase school enrollment, increase your tax base.” However, VanWey indicated that this was not always the case.

According to Greenwood County Economic Development Director Cindy Pereira, 4 people are currently enrolled in the tuition reimbursement program in Greenwood County, which has also been designated a Rural Opportunity Zone. In addition, Chris Harris of the Kansas Department of Commerce Business and Community Development Division reported that the state had received 912 applications total for the student loan repayment program, and that 518 of those had already been approved. Of the applications the state has received, Harris said the paperwork coming in had been “very consistent and very sustained.” Harris also mentioned that the applicant pool had not just been traditional college-aged students. “It’s been diverse,” Harris said. “1/4 of them were working in healthcare, another in education, another quarter in finance, engineering, manufacturing and agriculture.

Though the ROZ program is beneficial, it is not a quick fix for population decline.

When asked what kind of impact the program has had on ROZ communities, Harris said “It does take a while to see an impact. In these little communities . . . the impact increases in scale over time.” According to Harris, 68% of everyone who applies said that the ROZ was important to them in their decision to move to the community, and 300 of 912 applicants for tuition repayment have been out-of-state applicants. Harris also mentioned that the Department of Commerce has seen applicants from 40 different states, which indicates the program’s reach is beyond just the immediate area surrounding Kansas.

Several Bourbon County officials reported heavy damage to gravel roads in the area, especially in the southwestern portion of the county. Public Works Foreman Marty Pearson said that he is currently running 7 trucks to facilitate timely repair of the damaged roads. “I’ve got trucks running out of Hammond and trucks running out of the George quarry,” Pearson said.

Commission Chairman Allen Warren, who drove the roads recently, said “We’re better off than Crawford County,” which Warren explained had sustained significant water damage. Warren displayed several pictures of the damage to those present at the commissioners’ meeting, including some from Grand Road near the Blythe Ranch. Two 6 ft. culverts were overwhelmed by the influx of water from rainstorms this week. Part of the road visible in one photo showed erosion that had washed away part of the road. “That’s not a 1/2 inch of water that had eaten that out over there,” Warren said. “It’s running enough water across it that it’s taking all of the gravel with it.”

According to Warren, local resident Joe Ludlum reported that this was the first time he had seen water jump over the two large culverts under the road. “This is taking our gravel with it every time,” Warren said. Pearson pointed out that rocky soil near the area does not hold moisture, which contributes to the problem. “I have made an educated guess that we’re going to haul 10 loads of shot rock and gravel to fix it this time,” Warren said. “It’s really something, the damage it’s doing. The fence is right up against the road, so you really can’t get a ditch in there.” According to Warren, the landowner is willing to move back fences on either side of the road to allow the county easement in which to work. Warren said that the owner did not currently have cattle in the pastures adjacent to the road, and that this would be a good time to work on the road and ditches in that immediate area.

As a solution to the problem, Commissioner Harold Coleman and Warren suggested that Pearson put in an additional 6 ft. culvert to increase water flow under the road. Warren said to Coleman, “After I looked at it, I came to your conclusion–put another tube in there [to increase] capacity.”

Pearson reported that it would take 3-4 weeks to have a new culvert ordered and delivered to the county barn. “We can’t do anything immediately other than block [the road] off or put in more shot rock,” Warren said. We need to get it barricaded.” Pearson replied, “I had it fixed last week–it was about as bad last week.” Pearson and the commissioners agreed that the area needed to be repaired to allow safe travel for citizens while the culvert addition is in progress.

Of the expense of the culvert, both Warren and Pearson agreed that in the long run, the culvert was the most economical choice. “Once we know how many loads of gravel are taken and man hours are involved . . .” Warren said. “It’s going to be a lot more than a culvert,” Pearson agreed. Commissioner Barbara Albright agreed that fixing the issue permanently would be the correct course of action.”I don’t want to be two years from now having a lot of problems out there,” Albright said.

County Emergency Manager Terri Coop reported on the state’s assessment of the flood damage from the storm. “The state is asking for submission of cost on this flash flooding,” Coop said. Coop said that she and Pearson are working on numbers to submit to the state in order to ask for a disaster declaration from damages, “especially since we have 9 more days of it forecast,” Coop said. “We missed luckily what was forecast for today.”

In other business:

• Peggy Hall requested that the county inspect the road at 1685 Indian Road to ensure the blacktop was not being weakened by water damage.
• Undersheriff Bill Martin announced a going away reception for Sheriff Ron Gray, who has served in Bourbon County law enforcement for over 20 years. The reception will be held on the first floor of the courthouse from 2-4PM Thursday August 8th. According to the press release from the Sheriff’s office, the public is invited “to share memories or thoughts with Sheriff Gray.”
• County Appraiser Judy Wallis brought 2014 budget information to the meeting. “I was able to lower overtime for personnel,” Wallis said. “Of course, we’ve paid most of the overtime when we were doing valuation notices at the beginning of the year.” Wallis also reported that she was able to lower the amount of overage for GIS/Mapping from $9,000 to $7,355, and office supplies from $5,000 to $4,000. “My biggest concern is the postage,” Wallis said. Wallis explained that her postage costs do not come out of the general fund, but instead have to be included in her budget. Wallis said that her office does plenty of mailing of valuation notices during the year.
• County Treasurer Susan Quick brought 2013-2014 budget information in order to go over publication expenses. “I have $10,000 in my budget for publications in the Tribune,” Quick said. Quick mentioned that publication would be free for the rest of the year, which would reduce the expense. Warren pointed out that some of that money would still be needed in order to advertise for open county positions should they arise. Quick estimated that $2,500 had been spent so far, leaving $7,500 for the remainder of the year.
• County Emergency Manager Terri Coop estimated that she would, barring an emergency situation, come in under budget for 2013. “Basically I see my budget coming in at about 10% under,” Coop said. Coop said that she had been able to “take a pretty big bite” out of contractual services for her department.

Citizens Bank, N.A., a prominent local financial institution, has announced its merger with Landmark National Bank, which is headquartered in Manhattan, KS. However, changes observed by customers, according to recent reports, should be minimal.

According to Becky Tourtillot, Director of Communication at Citizens Bank, N.A., the daily operations of the bank should remain fairly constant as compared with those before the merger, at least for the present. “At this point, we have a process to go through, which requires regulatory approval,” Tourtillot said. “For the current time, customers will not see any changes until that whole transition process is complete.”

According to Tourtillot, one factor that will allow daily operations to continue running smoothly involves the bank’s electronic operations. “We use the same vendor [as Landmark],” Tourtillot said. “That’s another reason we expect minimal disruption.”

Tourtillot said that once the transition is complete, the bank will operate under Landmark’s name.

Chief Judge Richard Smith met with Bourbon County Commissioners this morning to discuss alternative sentencing for inmates in specific cases, as well as courthouse security. Smith, who presides over Lynn, Miami and Bourbon County courts, brought suggestions and ideas to the table in order to help reduce overcrowding in the Southeast Kansas Regional Correctional Center (SEKRCC).

Smith commented that at one time, the SEKRCC had plenty of room, and people were farming out prisoners to be housed in Bourbon County’s jail. “It was a whole different ballgame,” Smith said.

“We’ve done some things in Lynn County to cut back” on costs involved in housing prisoners, Smith said.  “We have kind of an information screening, the jailer and the judge. If we think someone is a candidate for House arrest, we are doing electronic monitoring on some of those folks.”

Smith also mentioned use of the Owner Recognizance (O.R.) Bond, in which a defendant unable to produce a bond signs an agreement to appear in court. According to the Oklahoma County Court Services website, in the interest of public safety, only inmates whose history has been examined and who have been deemed eligible are able to obtain an O.R. Bond.

County Attorney Terri Johnson asked if Smith had written guidelines on the O.R .program and house arrest. Smith replied that he did have written guidelines in place for the O.R. program, but that the house arrest option for prisoners was decided on a case-by-case basis.

Smith said that the two main issues faced by the area are “substance abuse” and issues with cognitive decision making. “It is a problem, because here is the issue, to be blunt. What we need is programming for [inmates]. There really is an issue here about the number of interventions provided,” Smith said. “The problem is the lack of programming dollars . . . to help these people succeed.”

Smith also brought up recent legislation that has made a difference in violations in other states. Kansas House Bill 2170 allows for a change in the incarceration process in certain cases. According to the summary of legislation for the bill, if a defendant waives the right to a hearing and the court has not “specifically withheld the authority of court services,” the defendant may be put in prison immediately by a probation officer or other court services authority for a short term of 2-3 days, but may only be held 6 days total per month in a 3 month period if incarcerated under this process. Smith said that this practice had been used successfully in other states. “The effect in Georgia and North Carolina was a radical drop in jail time,” Smith said. “It’s the immediacy of reprimand,” Commissioner Barbara Albright said.

In addition, Smith discussed courthouse security  with the commissioners during a 30 minute executive session. Commissioner Harold Coleman moved to go into executive session with Chief Judge Richard Smith, County Attorney Terri Johnson, Undersheriff Bill Martin and the commissioners present. No action was taken.

“It’s really the public that’s the concern,” Smith said of courthouse security. Everyone talks about the criminal cases—that’s not the problem. It really isn’t.” Smith explained that more routine type of cases, such as divorce cases, could cause a security concern. The remainder of the conversation concerning security matters was held the executive session.

In other business:

• Joey Collins reported that pavement on 205^th Street had been damaged by heavy equipment. Collins said that a silver dually truck pulling a trailer had unloaded a rubber-mounted piece of heavy equipment onto the freshly paved road, in the process cutting through the newly deposited asphalt. Citing a message from Public Works Foreman Marty Pearson, Albright said, “The ramps of the backhoe trailer cut into the asphalt about a ½ inc. For right now they are going to try to patch it in the spots.”

• Frank Miller came to talk to the commissioners about Daryl Brown signing tickets on his account at the landfill. As long as it’s Miller’s bill, he can sign,” Commission Chairman Allen Warren said.
• Commissioners considered bids for a vehicle for the County Road and Bridge Director/Coordinator, who will start work for the county August 12th. Bids received for the vehicle were submitted from a Pittsburg-area dealership which bid $28,381, and from Shepherd Team Auto Plaza, which bid $28,337 for a 2013 GMC Sierra. Warren moved to accept the low bid from Shepherd Team Auto Plaza.
• County Attorney Terri Johnson brought a revised version of the agreement from Wray Roofing to the meeting. “I suggest to you that we wait,” Johnson said of signing the contract. Johnson said that the current contract price reflects sales tax. County Clerk Kendell Mason said that she had filed to the state for tax exemption on the roofing work, and that she was still waiting to receive the exemption.
• County Emergency Manager Terri Coop reported on storm damages from July 29th. “We have about 200 miles of gravel road severely damaged,” Coop said. “I didn’t see any specific bridges that were structurally damaged.” However, Coop did say that bridges had collected debris. That’s where all Marty’s gravel is—on the bridges,” Coop joked. Coop said that KDEM (Kansas Division of Emergency Management) had asked if the county were going to file to the state concerning the damages. Coop has been working to start the process, and asked commissioners to pass a resolution to start the process on a damage declaration report. Commissioners approved Resolution 23-13 to start the process.Coop also reported that her budget would be coming in, “barring emergency,” between 5-8% below the amount allotted for 2013. 

   

   

August 2nd-4th the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a Sales Tax Holiday to promote shopping at local businesses. Customers will benefit from an 8.65% discount up to a purchase of $300 on merchandise. Businesses participating in the event include the following local retailers:

• Bartelsmeyer Jewelry
• Bids & Dibs
• Common Ground Coffee Co.
• Country Cupboard
• Everything Pets
• Flowers by Leanna
• Iron Star Antiques & Such
• J&W Sports Shop
• life+style
• Main Street Gallery and Gifts
• Miss Jamie’s Sweet Treats and More
• Radio Shack
• Redbud Farms & Nurseries
• Ruddick’s Furniture
• Sekan Occasion Shops
• Shirt Shack
• Vintage Junk Trunk

Conversation at this morning’s Chamber Coffee at Niece Products of Kansas revealed another Fort Scott company’s request for fast, reliable internet services on the business level. Al Niece, founder and president of Niece Products of Kansas, NIEMCO and Niece Equipment, explained that the company often sends products overseas and conducts business on the web.

“There’s a 20,000 gallon tank out here going to the Ivory Coast,” Neice said. Neice went on to say that the company will be sending two of these tanks to the Ivory Coast, and another two to Australia. Pat Flanagan, Operations Manager/Partner at Niece Products of Kansas, said the company’s tanker trucks are “rolling service stations,” and that the products are used for a variety of services in construction, but that they are also used to help fight fires. Flanagan also mentioned that a plan was in the works to offer rental of equipment “to service the  Midwest.”

The announcements from Niece and Flanagan revealed that the company is forward-thinking with regard to technology, and actively involved in the community. “We hire a bunch of high school kids during the summer,” Flanagan said. Niece added that the company has hired several college students at a Texas location to work on electronic versions of blueprints. “These younger guys and gals just fly through this stuff,” Niece said.

Flanagan spoke of the company’s need for high-speed internet to effectively conduct business operations and allow the company to grow, and City Manager Dave Martin stepped forward in agreement. “High-speed internet,” Martin said, “is the key to moving this community forward. We are making efforts to try to get this.” Flanagan added that though the city is leading the efforts to obtain high-speed internet for the city, it will take the involvement of the entire community to attract an internet service provider that offers these services. “If we work and plan to show them this is a viable market, they’ll come,” Flanagan said.

In other news:

• J.D. Ettore, Athletic Director at Fort Scott Community College, announced that athletes for several sports would be reporting in soon, “which means my summer is over,” Ettore joked, but clarified that he was happy to see the students returning for the upcoming semester. Ettore mentioned that Greyhound Athletics would be selling season passes, which are available at Ettore’s office in the Arnold Arena building.
• Dr. Clayton Tatro, President of Fort Scott Community College, announced that the college would be holding tours of the college facilities for community members. “It’s not our college, it’s the county’s college,” Tatro said, inviting the community to come and view their “Return on Investment” in the college. Tatro said that tours would be held at 4:30PM and 7:00PM on Wednesday August 7th, and again on August 8th. In addition, Tatro announced the addition of a walking/running trail to Ellis Park, which makes the community’s total investment in the park $250,000.
• Matt Casner of Redlogic Communications, Inc. announced the addition of Red Team Racing to his company’s operations. Red Team Racing times foot races with disposable time chips to more efficiently keep track of runners’ times. “We are working right now with Mercy,” Casner said, explaining that the company will be timing the Mercy Days 5K and Half Marathon runs in September.

As with any volunteer-run organization, dedicated volunteers are needed to support the day-to-day operations of the organization. Lee’s Paws and Claws Animal Shelter is no exception.

According to Volunteer Coordinator Barbara Ritter, the shelter has only 3 regular volunteers working during the week. “We desperately need volunteers.  We currently have one volunteer on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 10-2, one on Tuesday, and two on the weekends.  It would be nice to have a few more volunteers working with our current ones,” Ritter said.

Ritter explained that the duties volunteers perform range from cleaning to cuddling with the dogs and cats that call the shelter “home.” “The duties are varied in nature and time,” Ritter said. Duties include “cleaning the dog runs, cleaning the cat rooms, sweeping/mopping, laundry, washing feeding bowls, walking dogs or just spending time with the animals.”

The age of volunteers varies, but Ritter said that the “greatest need though is for adults who can volunteer during the week.” Ritter said that volunteers should be above 12 years of age, but that the shelter has two 12-year-old girls who stop by a few times a week to play with the cats.

Ritter reminded those who would like to support the shelter to attend Shelter Night at La Hacienda. The restaurant, which is located at 22 S. Main Street in downtown Fort Scott, hosts a fundraiser for the shelter every Tuesday evening. Ritter also mentioned the adoption days held at Shepherd Team Auto Plaza from 10AM-2PM the last Saturday of every month.

Those interested in volunteering at the shelter should contact Barbara Ritter at 620-223-2888 and/or visit the shelter at 721 240th Street between 10AM-2PM.

Though Gunn Park has been a staple for entertainment and activities for Fort Scott for many years, it continues to evolve in response to the needs of the community through the work of the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism. Many citizens who frequent the park may have noticed the nearly empty 2nd lake.

According to city officials, the lake is slated to undergo improvements in the future. The improvements to be made to the lake include putting three piers out into the lake 40 feet long 20 feet wide, as well as excavating to make the lake less shallow. The lake is currently drained in preparation for the improvements that are to be done, but recent rains have made the lake bed too wet to get machinery in or out without getting mired down and possibly stuck in the mud.

According to Don George, Fisheries Biologist for the Kansas Department of Parks and Wildlife, the “grant is through Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism’s Community Fisheries Assistance Program (CFAP). Since our division ( Fisheries) is funded by licenses and funds from the sale of fishing tackle, these grant funds are really money from anglers to improve angling opportunities,” George said.

George mentioned that the lake had to be dewatered for spillway and dam repairs the city put into effect, and that the priorities for improving the lake were to “[deepen] the lake basin, construct several earthen piers, a boatramp, a parking lot [and] improve shallow and mid depth habitat.”  “The old fishery was not productive and the lake will be restocked with desirable species,” George said.

When asked when the lake will reopen, George said that before that can happen, the lake will have to be rewatered and restocked, and that it would not be open to fishermen for another 2 years. “I hope to get started soon,” George said.

In addition, George answered the question many citizens may have about the disappearance of the city’s fishing permit requirement. “The CFAP project pays the City each year a dollar amount equal to what the city used to generate in fishing permit sales.  Now when people want to fish in any of the water in Ft Scott all they need is a state fishing license.  No more running around to find a city permit vendor, and the city does not have to enforce this action or keep track of the funds.  In turn the City uses this money to buy fish food, mow grass and collect trash around the lakes, etc.”

Bourbon County Commissioners announced the candidate selected for the Bourbon County Road and Bridge Coordinator position at Monday’s meeting. Commission Chairman Allen Warren moved to hire Jim Harris at a yearly salary of $44,000. Commissioner Harold Coleman seconded the motion. Harris’ past work history includes employment at Berry Tractor, Bourbon County Public Works, and the City of Fort Scott.

At today’s county commissioners’ meeting, Bobby Reed of the SEKRCC brought forward numbers he had crunched on jail expenses at Commissioner Albright’s request in an attempt to solving the problem of rising jail expenses. Unfortunately, a permanent solution to the problem seems elusive.

Reed, Undersheriff Bill Martin, and SEKRCC Security Director Julie Miller all presented data that pointed to probation violators as the source of much of the expense, including out-of-county housing. Reed presented reports gathered from the past 19 months. “We may fluctuate a day here or a day there, but until the 26^th, we had 45 in and 29 out,” Reed said of the past month. Reed said the number of inmates housed out in the past had been as high as 34. As of today, 32 inmates are housed out of county, according to Reed.

“We have bed space for 52 inmates, but we have to leave a 15% of the 52 open for influx and so forth,” Reed said. Reed explained that jail administration had made a choice last year to house inmates out of county when the number of inmates housed in the county rose to 56, 4 above the maximum.

When asked about the possibility of reducing the jail population, jail officials explained the difficulty of carrying out that request. “The majority [of inmates] are probation violations, and they have to sit there and serve their time,” Miller said. Miller estimated that approximately 75% of inmates are probation violators, and explained further that many of the violators are repeat visitors to the jail. “For a county of 15,000, the population of our jail is outrageous,” Commissioner Harold Coleman said.

“They’re all the same people—it’s a revolving door,” Miller said. Miller explained the process for probation violation, which becomes a cycle for some inmates. “We can only do so much,” Reed said. Miller said that probation violators often “sit for a month” before they go to court because of backlog. “That inmate can sit down there until the judge is ready to see them,” said Martin.

According to Undersheriff Martin, Bourbon County GIS Director Shane Walker is working with the company that created the office’s computer program to help generate more data. The department hopes to generate exact figures on the amount of inmates returning on probation violations.

Commissioner Albright brought up the fact that the national average stay for 75% of inmates is approximately 72 hours. “What’s it going to take to get it down to the national average?” Commission Chairman Warren said. To these queries, Reed responded that many of the arrest warrants that he deals with are “no-bond,” which contributes to the high jail population. Reed estimated that this type of warrant comprises 80% of the warrants he sees.

“We’re not the only county with these issues,” Martin said. “They’re facing the same problems,” Martin explained, and pointed out that eventually housing out of county may not be an option.“If we sift it all out, length of stay is the issue,” Albright said. “What are we doing for effective intervention?” Gray said that there were free programs available and probation counselors whose efforts were directed at preventing probation violations. “It’s the responsibility of the individual,” Martin said of inmates attending counseling and free programs to help inmates fight addiction. “They have to take it upon themselves to stay out of the system.”

With regard to working out a solution, County Attorney Terri Johnson told commissioners that Chief Judge Richard Smith would meet with the commissioners Friday, August 2nd.

Other expenses that commissioners and jail officials considered today were overtime, inmate meal and medical expenses, and supplies.

Commissioner Harold Coleman called the overtime being paid in the Sheriff’s office “staggering.” Coleman said that he had calculated 423.2 hours in the past two weeks. Reed explained that many officers were coming in on their days off in order to transport inmates.

When asked the cost for inmate meals, Reed reported the current cost per inmate per day is only a few cents above $3.00. Gray added that this was reduced from the former cost of $12.00 per inmate per day.

With regard to medical costs, Miller said that the bill for prenatal care for inmates is footed by the SEKRCC budget, as well as any other bills, such as ER visits, that inmates incur while incarcerated. “All these doctor’s bills—they should be repaid by the offender,” Miller said.

In a final query concerning expenses, Warren asked about the recent $1,000 spent on supplies for the jail. “One of the things I think we really need to look at is what are we buying in the way of supplies,” Warren said. Warren said that there had been $1,000 spent on training videos, to which Gray replied that inadequate training leaves the department open to a federal lawsuit.

“Everything we buy is an absolute necessity,” Miller said. Miller explained that she had been sewing to keep materials together and avoid purchasing new materials. “We just need to be looking, always, for ways we can reduce our expenses,” Warren said. “I’d like for the suggestions to come from you.”

In other business:

• Tina Rockhold, Mercy Regional Marketing/Communications Manager, came to the meeting to ask the commissioners for their help in blocking off several roads for the Mercy Day half marathon run. “It’s growing in popularity,” Rockhold said of the run.“We’re adding the 1 mile this year.” Of participation in the event, Rockhold said that around 40 runners participated each of the past two years the event has been held.
  Rockhold asked permission to block off parts of Grand Road and Indian Road to “alleviate any traffic problems and keep our runners safe.” She explained that event officials would want to block off the roads by 6AM, and that most runners would be out of the area by 9AM. “It would be just those early morning hours,” Rockhold said. The commissioners gave permission, but asked Rockhold to send a reminder email the week of the event.
• Dwayne Neil, whose bid was accepted for the haying of land at Elm Creek, came to the meeting to request more time to complete the job. “Praise the Lord for the rain, but . . . I’m not going to have it done by the first of August. Your rocks cause problems,” Neil joked, and explained that recent rains had prevented him from haying the land. Neil said that he had gotten about 130 bales out of the land last year, but that last year had been unusually dry. “It is much better this year,” Neil said. Commissioners agreed to extend the deadline to August 10th.

A drive down National Avenue in the past month may have had residents wondering what was going on behind the Mercy Convenient Care location at 1624 S. National. To accommodate a recent expansion in Occupational Medicine services, Mercy needed additional building space to match.

According to Mercy Regional Marketing/Communications Manager Tina Rockhold, construction on the expansion was completed Friday, July 19th, and staff moved in over that weekend. “Since Tuesday, July 23, Mercy Occupational Medicine has already provided six job assessments on potential co-workers for a local business,” Rockhold said of use of the facility and services. According to a recent Mercy press release, the new addition, which spans 1,2oo square feet, “is dedicated for job ‘fit’ assessments to test workers on their functional skills.”

Of the services that the new expansion makes possible, Eric Baldonado, Mercy Director of Rehabilitation Services said in a recent press release that “Occupational medicine is focused on prevention,” and that Mercy “works side by side with employers to test a potential co-worker on their ability to meet the physical expectations of the job, and that’s just the beginning.” Baldonado also mentioned in the press release that Mercy’s occupational medicine services do contract work with “business and industries to tailor fit occupational medicine needs that will reduce injuries in their specific work environment.”

Mercy Hospital Fort Scott President Reta Baker stated in the press release that Mercy determined the need for the occupational services after holding “conversations with several business leaders in the community.”

According to the press release, services offered at the new location include “medical evaluations such as pre-employment physicals and Fit for Duty’ testing (urine analysis, drug screens and pulmonary function tests)’ therapy services and nationally recognized Work Well TM services. Additional services include on-site vaccinations such as flu shots, job site analysis, education programs and development of functional job descriptions.” Baker said that Mercy had “taken time to assemble a skilled and hughly trained staff to oversee the occupational medicine program,” and that the “team will coordinate care with Mercy Clinic physicians and specialists, registration, lab, imaging and therapy services to provide the full spectrum of occupational medicine services.”

According to Rockhold, the providers and co-workers who comprise the Mercy Occupational Medicine Team are James L. Jordan, MD, Team Consultant, P.K. Gugnani, MD. Medical Director, Jan Boge, APRN, Pamela Moyers, APRN, Leigh Scharff, APRN, Jamie Johnson, PT, Eric Baldonado, PT, Whendi Martin, Admitting Representative, Michelle Bruner, Mercy Clinic Director, Monica Dikeman, PTA and  Meghan Woodrum, Radiology Tech, Phlebotomist, Medical Assistant.

Entities interested in contacting Mercy Occupational Medicine should call Whendi Martin at 620-223-8428.