During the Fort Scott City Commission meeting Tuesday evening, commissioner Lucas Cosens announced that he will resign from his position by the end of the month as his family prepares to move to Cleveland, where he will continue his education in medical school.
“It’s been an honor to serve all of you,” Cosens said when announcing that his final day would be March 22nd, with his last meeting being later this month.
For about three and a half years, Cosens has served the city of Fort Scott as a city commissioner, and fulfilled a dream of government involvement that began while he was in college and developed when he served as an intern in the State House in Topeka.
“I’m interested in helping people,” Cosens said in an interview with FortScott.biz after the meeting, saying that desire inspired his medical career and his position on the city commission of his hometown. “To fulfill a lifelong dream at a young age has been an honor.”
Cosens, a local chiropractor, said he has always had a desire to pursue traditional medicine and will pursue that goal by attending medical school at Kent State University, but said he hopes to one day again have the opportunity to serve a community as a commissioner or another role.
“We’re sorry to see you go but we’re excited for your future,” Mayor Cindy Bartelsmeyer said.
The commission approved the appointment of retired Dr. Randy Nichols to the commission upon Cosens departure. City Manager Dave Martin said Nichols had been approached and expressed his interest in the position as well as his understanding of it.
Other business of the meeting included naming the second lake of Gunn Park after the Gunn family, naming it Gunn Lake. The commission also approved giving $2,000 to help fund trees to be planted in the city.
Police Chief Travis Shelton also gave a report on the city’s municipal pound, reminding city residents to register their dogs so they can be returned easily if lost. Shelton also put to rest rumors that the pound has a high kill rate, saying the rate is low and the option is used only as a last resort. The pound—different from a shelter because it will not accept cats—will also go through some renovations to improve its appearance and efficiency.