Friday Night Concert: First Southern Baptist Church

The Friday Night Free Concert in the Park series is sponsored by the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce.
The concert this Friday will be moved to the First Southern Baptist Church on South Main Street at 7 p.m.
Featured musicians are The Hemphill Family Band, The Prairie Sunflower Strings and Ryan and Amber Goodbody.
“I am particularly happy to have this lineup of talent,” said Ralph Carlson, event coordinator. “This is a special performance that you should not miss.”

The International Music Day 2019 is a celebration of music all over the world, Carlson said.
“Celebrated yearly on this day, it is a time to enjoy music of all kinds and a chance for community to come together with a common love for music,” he said.  “This is our First Annual International Music Day Concert event.

Fort Scott Commission Minutes of June 4

CITY OF FORT SCOTT

CITY COMMISSION MEETING

Minutes of June 4, 2019 Regular Meeting #10

The regular meeting of the Fort Scott City Commission was held June 4th, 2019 at 6:00 p.m. in the City Commission Room, 123 S. Main, Fort Scott, Kansas.

ROLL CALL:

Commissioners Adamson, Bartelsmeyer, Mitchell, and Nichols were present with Mayor Parker presiding.

INVOCATION: Pastor Norman Tillotson, First Baptist Church, said a prayer asking God for guidance for the City, our Government and City officials.

AUDIENCE IN ATTENDANCE: Rhonda Dunn, Robert Uhler, Rachel Pruitt, Darrell Parker, Deb Needleman, Norman Tillotson, Deb McCoy, Dianna Morris, Brian Allen, James Wood, and representing the press, Jason Silvers of the Fort Scott Tribune.

PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS: None were present.

Introduction of Tiana McElroy, City Prosecutor

Introduction of Adam Harrison, Codes Enforcement Supervisor

Introduction of Lyle Brittain, Codes Enforcement Officer

Recognition of Randy Ballweber, Codes Enforcement Officer

APPROVAL OF MINUTES AND APPROPRIATIONS/CONSENT AGENDA:

  1. Approval of minutes of the regular meeting of May 21st, 2019 and special meeting of May 28th, 2019.

  1. Approval of Appropriation Ordinance 1239-A totaling $273,183.61.

Mitchell moved to approve the Consent Agenda. Adamson seconded. All voted aye.

APPROVED CONSENT AGENDA.

APPEARANCE/COMMENTS/PUBLIC HEARING:

  1. APPEARANCE: James Wood – Closure of alley for events at Holmtown Pub – Mr. Wood thanked JoLynne Mitchell, Dave Martin, Mike Embry, Michael Mix, and Chad Brown. They had an issue behind their building last week and they reacted very quickly and found a solution. They have two upcoming events the next two weekends. They are fundraisers. They would like to utilize the north side of their building weather permitting. He asked to close Pine Street from National to the alley to utilize this area for the events. He asked for it to be closed from 12:00 noon on June 8th through the evening and also on June 15th.

Bartelsmeyer moved to approve to close Pine Street from National to the alley on June 8th and June 15th, 2019 for their two upcoming events. Nichols seconded. All voted aye.

APPROVED TO CLOSE PINE STREET FROM NATIONAL TO THE ALLEY ON JUNE 8TH AND JUNE 15TH, 2019 FOR TWO UPCOMING EVENTS FOR HOLMTOWN PUB.

B. CITIZEN COMMENTS (Concerning Items Not on Agenda – 3 minute

limit per citizen) – None

  1. PUBLIC HEARINGS: None

CONSIDERATION:

  1. City Surplus Auction Update – Rhonda Dunn, Director of Finance, gave the Commission an update on the City’s surplus auction that was held on May 10th, 2019. The total of the auction was $14,738.50. The auctioneer, Lance Anderson’s commission was 15% which totaled $2,210.78, advertising was $437.16; amounting to a net proceed of $12,090.56. Part of this went to the general fund and then a part of it went to the Police forfeiture fund as there was a vehicle that was seized and sold from the Police Department. She thanked Chad Brown and Tom Coffman and all the departments for their hard work.

  1. Consideration to approve extension of the Flood Fill Permit for Golden Arrow Corporation – Rhonda Dunn, Director of Finance, informed the Commission that she has a request from Golden Arrow Corporation, which is Greg Schick, for the property at 520 E. Wall. He has requested from the State and now from the City for a one year extension of his permit. Rhonda told him that she would not make a recommendation for a one year extension. We need to find a timeline to complete this project. We have waited three years. He is working on it. The property has changed and some of the building materials are gone. He is working with AG Engineering on compacting the fill. He is raising the property 12” from the flood plain. The permit expires on July 1st, 2019. The Commission can condemn this after this date if so desired. She has asked him to come up with a plan on this property.

Commissioner Adamson asked about the vehicles that are being placed there.

Rhonda said that she has spoken with him about the vehicles. He does own the old Red Barn property also. She has talked with the State and he does not have any kind of permit to place the vehicles there. He is asking the County for a permit to move materials west of the Red Barn. He prepares these vehicles for the scrap yard and brings a big truck in and hauls them off.

Rhonda asked them to look at this property in the next two weeks.

COMMISSION/STAFF:

  1. Director Updates: Rachel Pruitt appeared on behalf of Lindsay Madison, Chamber of Commerce, regarding the First Impressions invitation. You are all invited to hear the results tomorrow night at the Empress at 6:00 p.m. The group was here a year ago and will present their thoughts at this event.

  1. City Commission:

Adamson – Remarked that all the changes for Good Ol’ Days were good – the crowds were great.

Nichols Thanked all involved in the Good Ol’ Days for their hard work.

Bartelsmeyer Thanked all the City staff for their hard work this past weekend for Good Ol’ Days.

Mitchell Said she heard positive feedback on the weekend’s events.

Parker – Thanked all the staff for their efforts and hard work to put on this event.

  1. City Manager: Nothing to report.

ADJOURNMENT:

Mitchell moved to adjourn the meeting at 6:21 p.m. Bartelsmeyer seconded. All voted aye.

ADJOURNED MEETING AT 6:21 P.M.

The next regularly scheduled meeting is to be held on June 18th, 2019 at 6:00 p.m.

RECORDED BY:

DEB NEEDLEMAN

HUMAN RESOURCE DIRECTOR

Fort Scott Commission Agenda for June 18

AGENDA

FORT SCOTT CITY COMMISSION

FORT SCOTT CITY HALL

COMMISSION ROOM

123 SOUTH MAIN

JUNE 18, 2019

6 p.m.

I. ROLL CALL:

ADAMSON BARTELSMEYER MITCHELL NICHOLS PARKER

II. FLAG SALUTE

III. INVOCATION: Pastor Steve Cole, First United Methodist Church

IV. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS:

Recognition of Dave Bruner, Certified Fire Protection Specialist

Introduction of Adam Harrison, Codes Enforcement Supervisor

Introduction of Lyle Brittain, Codes Enforcement Officer

Recognition of Randy Ballweber, Codes Enforcement Officer

Recognition of Fort Scott Fire Department firefighters

V. CONSENT AGENDA:

  1. Approval of minutes of the regular meeting of June 4th, 2019.

  1. Approval of Appropriation Ordinance 1240-A totaling $538,657.58.

  1. Certificate of Appropriateness – 118 E. Wall Street

  1. Certificate of Appropriateness – 120-122 E. Wall Street

  1. Fireworks Waiver – July 4th, 2019

  1. Parade Permit – Burke Street Parade – July 4th, 2019

VII. APPEARANCE/COMMENTS/PUBLIC HEARING:

  1. APPEARANCE:

B. CITIZEN COMMENTS (Concerning Items Not on Agenda – 3 minute limit per citizen)

C. PUBLIC HEARINGS/COMMENTS:

VIII. CONSIDERATION:

  1. Consideration of Bids – Electric Vault Building – Airport
  1. Consideration of amendment to Tobacco Ordinance
  1. Discussion of Golden Arrow Property – Greg Schick
  1. Consideration of street closure for Flicks on the Bricks – Skubitz on Main Street and all traffic south of Main to Wall

IX. COMMENTS:

  1. Director Updates: Dave Bruner – EMS Update
  1. Commission:
  1. City Manager:

EXECUTIVE SESSION:

I MOVE THAT THE CITY COMMISSION RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE

SESSION FOR ________________________________ IN ORDER TO

(see below justification)

DISCUSS ______________________________________. THE

EXECUTIVE SESSION WILL BE ___________ MINUTES AND THE OPEN

MEETING TO RESUME AT ________________.

Justifications for Executive Sessions:

  • Personnel matters of non-elected personnel

  • Consultation with an attorney for the body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship

  • Matters relating to employer-employee negotiations whether or not in consultation with the representative or representatives of the body or agency

  • Confidential data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations, partnerships, trusts and individual proprietorships

  • Preliminary discussions relating to the acquisition of real property

X. MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT: ROLL CALL

A Salvage Job by Pastor James Collins

Pastor James Collins

A Salvage Job

And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned? Nehemiah 4:2

For the past several weeks, I have been remodeling our house. Amanda and the kids are supposed to be helping me. Instead, they usually find something else to do.

The other day, they went to the fairgrounds to work in the 4-H Building. When they left, Amanda said, “We will be back around lunchtime.” Thinking that they would be back soon to help me, I started a big project of ripping out old carpet. They came home around dark.

I looked at them and said, “I am going to start calling you all ‘blisters.’” The kids looked at me funny. One of them said, “Why are you going to call us ‘blisters?’” I said, “Because you show up when the work is done!”

Amanda and I purchased an old house when we moved to Fort Scott. It is a unique Victorian House that was built in 1887. We really loved the character of the old house. As we have been remodeling, we really wanted to salvage as much of the original parts of the house as possible. Instead of putting in new doors, we are cleaning up and re-oiling the pocket doors. Instead of putting in new floors, we are sanding and refinishing the old hardwood floors. Instead of putting in new windows, we are cleaning up and repainting the old windows.

Have you ever tried to build anything with salvage materials? It is much easier to use new materials than to salvage old materials. In the process of remodeling, I have pulled nails out of warped 2 x 4s. Then I have tried to straighten out and re-use those old nails and boards. I have pulled up linoleum flooring. Then I have scrapped glue off the hardwood floors, so they could be sanded and refinished. I have taken off door hinges and hardware. Then I have cleaned the layers of paint off the old hinges and hardware, so I could reuse them. It would have been much easier to use new materials.

About 2,500 years ago, God sent Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. When Nehemiah rebuilt the walls, he didn’t have nice new materials. He had to rebuild the walls out of the old burned up materials. He had to rebuild the walls out of trash. He had to rebuild the walls out of rubbish.

This Sunday, I would love for five, nice, tithing, soul-winning, families who got saved when they were kids to walk in the door of our church and say, “We’re here to join the church!” But that is not the way God works. Instead, we might have a woman who is living with a man who is not her husband. We might have some guy who is on drugs. We might have some drunk. We might have somebody who is going through a divorce. We might have someone who is addicted to pornography. That is who the Lord will send. But God can build a church with those people. He can “revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish.”

The point is: The Lord Jesus Christ is in the salvage business. I don’t know about you, but I am a salvage job. I was as lost as a snake in tall grass. I was lost in my sin, and I was going to bust the gates of hell wide open and sizzle like a sausage. But Jesus Christ saved my soul, and He can save yours too!

Jesus Christ is in the salvage business. Let Him remodel your life into something beautiful.

Pastor James Collins serves at Fort Scott’s First Southern Baptist Church. He can be reached at (620) 223-2986 or through the webpage www.thepointis.net.

Obituary of Hudson Bagnall

Hudson Crew Bagnall, 16 day old son of Nathan and Lisa Bagnall, passed away Thursday, June 13, 2019, at the Overland Park Regional Medical Center.

He was born May 28,2019, in Overland Park, Kansas.  Survivors include his parents, Nathan and Lisa Bagnall; his brother, Nathan and three sisters, Ashlynn, Addisyn and Bradleigh.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30 P.M. Wednesday, June 19th at the Cheney Witt Chapel.  Cremation will follow services.  Arrangements are under the direction of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, Ft. Scott, Kansas.  Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

Obituary of Kenna Elliott

Kenna Kay Elliott, age 57, a resident of Ft. Scott, KS, passed away Friday, June 14, 2019, at the Via Christi Hospital, Pittsburg, KS.

She was born March 24, 1962, in Ft. Scott, the daughter of Charles Raymond Wilson and Sharon Kay Simons Miller and George Kepley Miller.

She married Charles Ernest Elliott, Jr. on June 1, 1979, at the Nazarene Church in Ft. Scott. Kenna worked for many years as a nurse and later in life became a homemaker. She enjoyed gardening and maintaining her home and land with Charlie and took great pride in the beauty of their home.

Survivors include her husband Charlie of the home; three daughters, Candace Martin and husband Anthony; Rachelle Smith; and Kayla Hall and husband Dustin, all of Ft. Scott; eight grandchildren, Alyssa Martin, Konner Kim, Logan Smith, Gavin Smith, Mallorie Hall, Libbie Hall, Grayson Hall and MaKenna Martin. Also surviving are two sisters, Jennifer Lemley and husband Jeff, Arlington, TX, and Denise Miller and husband Bryan Baker, Tallahassee, FL; a brother John Miller and wife Lori Reesor, Middleton, WI; and her mother, Sharon Miller and adopted father George Miller.

She was preceded in death by her father, Charles Raymond Wilson; and a brother, Charles Raymond (Poncho) Wilson, II.

Rev. Chuck Russell will conduct funeral services at 1:00 PM Tuesday, June 18th, at the Cheney Witt Chapel.

Burial will follow in the Memory Gardens Cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 5:00 until 7:00 Monday evening at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

Reimbursement Being Sought From Feds For Flooding Damage

The Marmaton River on May 23, 2019, nearing the level of the bridge on North National Avenue.

Governor Laura Kelly sent a request this month to President Donald Trump to ask for a  presidential declaration for public assistance for 63 counties in Kansas following recent months of record rainfall and severe weather causing flooding, flash flooding and tornadoes beginning April 28, according to a press release from the governor.

Bourbon County was one of the counties listed in the request.

“The county declared on the 23 of May,” Will Wallis, Bourbon County’s Emergency Management Director said. “It was orchestrated by the commission with their signatures and mine. It will help the county as far as reimbursement funds to public roads and bridges.”

The federal public assistance program helps pay for the restoration of public infrastructure and associated costs caused by flooding and tornado damage, according to the press release.

“It will pay us back for qualified roads, bridges, culverts, low water crossings and bridges but only if each one of them qualifies,” Wallis said.

“The (federal) government pays back 75% the state (government)10%,” he said. “This is a bare minimum.  If we can get mitigation funds involved, it could be more.”

” We start preliminary damage assessments tomorrow (June 14) that will determine if we have met our county threshold which is $57, 000 dollars,” Wallis said. “We are very sure we will meet the threshold without any problems.”

 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s damage assessment includes the following types of damage: debris needing removed, the number of roads closed, the number of bridges unusable, the number of miles of roads damaged and public building, vehicles and equipment damaged, among others.

In addition, damage to recreation areas are assessed as follows: debris removal, damage to parks and facilities at parks.

An impact statement is included in the assessment: for essential services affected (EMS, law enforcement, fire departments), farmers unable to get in their fields, health and safety issues such as hazardous materials, contaminated water supply, etc.

For the full assessment document click below:

Damage Assessment Questionnaire

 

William Wallis, the Bourbon County Emergency Manager, KCEM, can be reached at

[email protected]

or in person at  210 South National, Fort Scott, Kansas 66701

or by phone: Office # 620-223-3800 ext. 124 or Cell # 620-224-8165

 

Bourbon County Commission Special Meeting at 11:30 a.m. June 14

Agenda

Bourbon County Commission Room

1st Floor, County Courthouse

210 S. National Avenue

Fort Scott, KS 66701

Tuesdays starting at 9:00

Date: June 14th, 2019

1st District-Lynne Oharah Minutes: Approved: _______________

2nd District-Jeff Fischer Corrected: _______________

3rd District-Nick Ruhl Adjourned at: _______________

County Clerk-Kendell Mason

11:30-Signing of a Hemp Letter

Justifications for Executive Session:

          Personnel matters of individual non-elected personnel

          Consultation with an attorney for the body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship

          Matters relating to employer-employee negotiations whether or not in consultation with the representative(s) of the body or agency

          Confidential data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations, partnerships, trusts and individual proprietorships

          Preliminary discussions relating to the acquisition of real property

          Matters relating to the security of a public body or agency, public building or facility or the information system of a public body or agency, if the discussion of such matters at an open meeting would jeopardize the security of such public body, agency, building, facility or information system

Meet The Author: Ronda Hassig, June 25

Join Hedgehog.INK!

for an Author-talk and Book-signing

with Ronda Hassig

June 25, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. in her home at 512 S. Judson,

(former home of Ken and Charolette Lunt)

Ronda Hassig is a retired middle school librarian and author.  She is a 5th generation Kansan born and raised in Lawrence. She has always loved history and she and her husband Rob have traveled the world collecting artifacts from the Civil War, Civil Rights, World War I, World War II, Vietnam, and the Cold War.  

Ronda has a passion for primary sources and uses them in all of her books.

Ronda and her husband have recently moved to Fort Scott.

The Greatest Test of Courage follows Edward Mack during World War II. Stationed in the Philippines, his life changed forever on December 7, 1941.

Learn about Edward Mack’s story and how his ring found in California in 2007, prompted the writing of his story.

Bourbon County Local News