Bourbon County, Business, Fort Scott, Government

Future of Eco Devo In Bourbon County

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Jody Hoener, Bourbon County Economic Development Director. Submitted photo.

The following is a statement from Jody Hoener, the Bourbon County Economic Director, in regards to recent activities of the Bourbon County Economic Development Corporation.

For more info see:

https://fortscott.biz/news/bourbon-county-unification-committee-forms

“Currently, there are three economic developers in our community.  The City of Fort Scott employs two, with community and economic development directors, and Bourbon County employs me as the county-wide economic development director.

 

“Consolidating services between the City of Fort Scott and the County has been discussed in depth with departments like public works, human resources, and economic development.

 

A group of community members researched potential cost savings in addition to best practices as modeled by similar communities.

 

A recommendation was presented to BEDCO to develop a private/public partnership in order to consolidate economic development to one director, under a single entity, with broad representation from each of the six cities, the county, and taxing entities.

 

Bourbon County has committed to funding this position. I believe it is the hope that all entities, including the City of Fort Scott, will see the benefit in this model and participate likewise.

 

While I am fully aware that my current position will be eliminated, and have no preconceived notion that I will be gainfully employed in the new position, I fully support the decisions made by the county commissioners and BEDCO Board.  I have been encouraged to apply for the new position, along with other incumbents in Bourbon County, once it is posted.

 

The move is in the best interest of the entire community and is one step in the right direction toward building a better business climate.

 

Bourbon County

Ft. Scott Area Community Foundation Announces 2020 Grant Recipients

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NEWS RELEASE DATE: October 9, 2020

CONTACT: Carla Farmer, Chair –620-224-6500
Frank Halsey, Marketing Chair – 620-704-2730

FORT SCOTT– The Fort Scott Area Community Foundation announces the recipients of the
12th annual granting cycle. This year, $36,250 is being awarded to 18 non-profits in the
community.

Of the total amount, $5,000 is restricted to youth projects. In total, the Foundation received requests for grants totaling $73,146.

“We have the privilege of seeing the heart and soul of our non-profits through the review of their grant applications. We read their goals to meet the most basic needs of our citizens from food, to
clothing, to just keeping on the lights and heat. And then, we read applications that represent aspirational goals to improve the quality of life we all treasure. It reaffirms to all of us the importance of the work of the Foundation through its granting program”, said Gregg Motley, chairperson of the granting committee.

Applicants were required to provide proof of their 501(c)3 status in order to be considered.

Additionally, applicants responded to questions regarding their programming and how it responds to the specific needs of the community.

They also provided a plan for the sustainability of the project, groups with whom they collaborate, and a budget.

The 18 non-profits receiving grants include

U-234 third grade music program,

City of Ft. Scott
Fire Department safety trailer refurbishing,

Beacon,

KSU Extension Aging with Attitude expo,

Ft. Scott/Bourbon County Riverfront Authority walking trail enhancements,

CASA volunteer training during pandemic,

Lowell Milken Center Ft. Scott Front Line Heroes,

Special Olympics Kansas meals for athletes,

Bourbon County Inter-Agency Coalition rent/utilities assistance,

Fort Scott Community College Martin Luther King celebration.

Other agencies receiving grants are

Care to Share transportation vouchers,

Gordon Parks Museum Learning Tree Film Trail,

City of Ft. Scott/Kiwanis friendship swing at park,

Faith Christian Center school supplies for all Ft. Scott students,

Pioneer Harvest Fiesta fairgrounds seating,

First United Methodist Church Feeding Families In His Name,

U-234 first grade virtual community experience, and

Compassionate Ministries ID and winter warming project.

The funds for these grants are derived from interest earned each year from the Foundation’s unrestricted endowment. Currently, this endowment stands at $650,677.

“It is through the generosity of our community that the unrestricted endowment has grown significantly to where we are today,” said Carla Farmer, FSACF chair. “The principal from this
endowment is never touched allowing the interest to be used in its entirety for grants to our
hardworking non-profits.”

The Good Works Forever Campaign, which begins in November, is the primary way in which citizens can contribute to the unrestricted endowed fund. For more information on how to make a gift to the Campaign call 620-224-6500 or visit fsacf.com.

A complete listing of the grants is available on fsacf.com.
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Bourbon County Sheriff's Office, COVID-19

Confirmed COVID-19 cases at Bourbon County Law Enforcement Center

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Wm K. Martin, Sheriff, Benjamin E. Cole, Undersheriff
Office of the BOURBON COUNTY SHERIFF, 293 East 20th Street
Fort Scott, Kansas 66701
[620] 223-1440 (office) or [620] 223-0055 (fax)

October 9, 2020

Bourbon County announces 33 confirmed cases at the Bourbon County Law Enforcement Center. This includes 24 inmates and 8 correctional officers and one deputy.

Testing for all residents and staff was completed this past Tuesday (October 06, 2010).

The Bourbon County Law Enforcement Center officials has been in consultation with officials from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) on next steps to address these circumstances.

As a result of that consultation with KDHE, the following steps were implemented:
• Outline any movement of residents
• Additional testing will take place as we continue to work to control the spread
• Bourbon County will remain diligent in monitoring other staff and residents for symptoms

The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office will continue to provide services to the public when called.

Fort Scott, Government

Five Openings On Board of Fort Scott Parks Committee

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  • Five openings (Five City residents)

The function of the Fort Scott Parks Board Committee is to provide suggestions to the City Manager and Governing Body regarding all the parks within the City of Fort Scott.

If you have a desire to serve on this board and meet the above requirements, please submit a letter of interest to the City Clerk, Diane Clay, 123 S. Main, Fort Scott, Kansas 66701. The names will be submitted for consideration to the City Commission. All of the boards and commissions serve on a volunteer basis and are not compensated. If you would like more information on this board, please contact Diane Clay, City Clerk at 620-223-0550 or [email protected]. Please submit your letter of interest by October 30th, 2020.

Opinion

After COVID Passes by Patty LaRoche

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Patty LaRoche

After this Covid-19 virus passes, I hope we learn a few things.

Like the importance of saving. Proverbs 21:20 offers advice we cannot discard. The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down. According to Bankrate.com, more than one in five Americans don’t save any of their annual income. For those who do, twenty percent have put back only five percent or less of what they make. What would have happened if our government had not bailed us out? My widowed mother raised three of us on minimum wage. She believed in putting a little money away each month “for a rainy day.” The day she received her paycheck, she set aside her tithe. If she did not have enough money to purchase something, we went without, including a television and a car. We rented until she saved the cash to buy a home. She never had a credit card. Had this virus hit when we were young, we probably would have been much better off than some of my friends’ families…you know, the ones with the impressive homes, the Country Club memberships, and, oh yes, a huge amount of credit card debt.

I am grateful that we live in America where Uncle Sam is looking after us. My Hispanic friend from Mazatlán recently sent an email sharing that, since the Mexican government is doing NOTHING to bail out businesses or individuals, people are figuring out ways to help each other. She shared that fishermen catch fish and offer them to anyone who was hungry. Department stores host giveaways. “If you need something, take it; if you could donate something, leave it.” My friend ended with this: “By my place 3 days ago a lady was passing by, yelling, ‘Tamales, 2 per person for free.’ Senora Patty, this kind of things make my heart feel good.”

We in America could learn from our Southern neighbors.

Proverbs 6:6-8 encourages us to learn our saving habits from the lowly ant: “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.” The Bible has much to say about saving. For one, our money is not ours; it is God’s. In times such as this, how nice would it be to help our neighbors because we had “stored” some provisions and not lived above our means? Instead, I’ve met too many Americans who save only to relax when their working days are over. A leisurely “Retirement” becomes their payoff, yet even Jesus admonished the person whose goal was to save in order to have a comfy life instead of taking care of real needs as a thank-you for God’s provisions given to them.

In Luke 12: 16-21, Jesus shares a parable about a rich man who had so many crops, he tore down his barns and built bigger ones to store his grain and goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” But God said to him, “Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

Christians, saving for retirement should not be self-centered. It should be the time when we devote ourselves to serving others.

Please don’t get me wrong. I am grateful that we live in the United States where businesses can be saved and families can eat because of the bail-out. I just hope that when this virus is over, we all might rethink our financial priorities and learn from the lowly ant…the wise, working, lowly ant.

Bourbon County

American Legion Oratorical Contest

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The American Legion Oratorical Contest exists to develop deeper knowledge and appreciation for the U.S. Constitution among high school students.

The overall national contest winner gets a $25,000 scholarship. Second place takes home $22,500, and third gets $20,000.

The American Legion assigns new topics based on Constitutional Amendments each year and all contestants must use the assigned national topics in their orations.

Your Fort Scott American Legion is seeking Bourbon County students to participate in a program to prepare for the February 2021 Fort Scott oratorical competition.

Interested students must be in grades 9 – 12 and can be enrolled in public, private or homeschooled.

Ideally, each oratorical contestant should be willing to meet one Saturday morning a month through January and present both an 8 – 10 minute prepared oration and a 3 -5 minute assigned topic to three judges, who will evaluate their orations and provide feedback to prepare for their next presentation.

There is no reason why a local Bourbon County student, with preparation, cannot go all the way to National for the top American Legion oratorical prizes.

The American Legion Oratorical competition is unique in that competitors can compete each year until they graduate high school or win the national competition.

Any student who is interested in participating in the local American Legion competition should email American Legion Post Commander Carl Jowers at 620.215.1688 or email him at [email protected] for more information.

 
Bourbon County, Elections

Deadline To Register to Vote is Oct. 13

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Deadline to register to vote in the November National Election on November 3rd, is October 13th.
You can register to vote at the County Clerk’s Office, online at many websites.
BUT if you assistance to register, have any questions or concerns on residency, where to vote, former or pending criminal charges, your registration status – ANY CONCERN YOU HAVE THAT PREVENTS YOU FROM VOTING please call us at 620-222-0075, leave a confidential message with at least a phone number where we can reach you.
TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE but you may also write us at Advocates, P.O. Box 1009, Fort Scott, KS 66701, and we can assist to find answers at NO COST.
This is not legal advice nor is an attorney-client relationship implied. All information will be private and confidential.
Submitted by Michael J. Hoyt
Art, Bourbon County, Business, Elections, Entertainment, Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

What’s Happening In Fort Scott

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UPCOMING CALENDAR OF EVENTS
2020 GORDON PARKS PHOTO CONTEST Sponsored by Merl Humphrey. The Theme “Social Justice, Diversity and Equity” for any amateur photographer. Deadline EXTENDED to 10/26/2020, send submission to [email protected].
GUIDED TOURS OF THE FORT DAILY, 10AM &1PMThe Fort Scott National Historic Site is open daily 8am-5pm for touring on your own, but arrive at 10am or 1pm on any day and take advantage of a guided tour with a park ranger! Guided tour lasts approx. 1 hour.
10/9 – Rotary Krispy Kreme Doughnut pickup! Memorial Hall from 6 to 10am, if you ordered Doughnuts for Dictionaries!
10/9-10/15 –FORT CINEMA Hocus Pocus, Heaven & COCO.
10/9 thru 10/11 – CLARK STREET LIGHTS, HALLOWEEN THEME & SCREAM!
$1 entry from 7 pm -10 pm
10/9 –BOILER ROOM BREWHAUS!  – Come in and drink and sing Karaoke night!
10/9 & 10/10- FORT SCOTT LIVESTOCK
Sale starts as 10am – Sale Barn and Sat. at 7 am
10/10 – FORT SCOTT FARMERS’ MARKET– At Skubitz Plaza in front of the Fort, 8am to noon. American Legion serving Breakfast on the Bricks starting at 8am.
10/10 –CRUISE NIGHT – last cruise night for the season! 6 pm -10 pm, route of 6th St. to 18th!
10/10 –CHC/SEK DRIVE THRU FLU SHOT CLINIC 401 Woodland Hills Blvd. 9 am – 3 pm
10/10 – E3 11U Baseball Tryouts, 11am, Fisher Park, click here for info.
10/10 –BOURBON COUNTY STRONG 4-PERSON SCRAMBLE 401 Woodland Hills Blvd. 9 am – 3 pm. Contact Kayla Stewart – [email protected]
10/10-11 – EKTEC Rodeo, Saturday & Sunday, Bourbon County Fairgrounds, click here for more info.
10/10 – FSHS CLASS OF 2019- HONOR RAYMOND HARPER – 1 -2 pm, Balloon release memorial for classmate Raymond @ FSHS Football Stadium.
10/10- BOILER ROOM BREWHAUS!  Brews & Brushes! 1 – 4 pm. We will be creating a painting that can last through the fall with those gorgeous trees we all love and a cute truck.
10/11 – BOILER ROOM BREWHAUS! Brings back Trivia night for teams of 2 to 6 people, $5 entry
per team, 5-7 pm
SAVE THE DATE!
10/13 ~ PITTSBURG REGIONAL ECONOMIC OUTLOOK CONFERENCE ~ PSU, Overman Student Center, 1701 S. Broadway, Pittsburg, KS 10:30 am – 2 pm. Price $105.
10/15 ~ GENERAL ELECTION CANDIDATE FORUM. ~ Memorial Hall, Meet & Greet at 5:30 pm, and Forum starts at 6 pm
10/15 & 10/16 ~ BLOOD DRIVE – BRCC ~ Buck Run Community Center – Give life! 10/15 from 1-7pm & 10/16 from 9 am -1 pm.
10/16 ~ FREE GOSPEL FRIDAY NIGHT CONCERT First United Methodist Church. 7-9 pm. Blackwood Brothers in Concert singing Southern Gospel. This is a FREE concert!
10/17 FSCC HOSTS COOK’S CLINIC – Head Basketball Coach. Starts at 10 am to 1 pm. Michael Cook and other area High School & college coaches doing various drills and areas on emphasis. Arnold Arena at Fort Scott Community College.Day. $20 per person. Zoom Stream link of Cook’s Clinic available for $15 per viewer.
10/17 THE BOILER ROOM BREWHAUS! Live Music with Damaris at 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm.
Fort Scott Area
Chamber of Commerce
620-223-3566
In This Issue
FSNHS Guided Tours
Gordon Parks Photo Contest
Clark Street Lights-Halloween
Cruise Night
CHC/SEK Drive Thru Flu Shot
The Boiler Room Brewhaus – Karaoke Night, Live Music
Fort Scott Livestock Sale
Chamber Highlights
Click here for our
Membership Directory.
We THANK our members for their support! Interested in joining the Chamber? Click here for info.
Thinking of doing business in or relocating to Fort Scott?
Contact us for a relocation packet, information on grants & incentives, and more!
Seeking a job/career?
We post a Job of the Day daily on our Facebook page, distribute a monthly job openings flyer, and post jobs on our website.
Many opportunities available!
Housing needs?
Click here for a listing of our Chamber member realtors.
Click here for our rental listing.
REGISTER FOR KANSASWORKS VIRTUAL JOB FAIR – NO COST TO EMPLOYERS!
COLOR GUARD NEEDED
Your Fort Scott American Legion Post 25 is being asked to provide funeral honors for more and more Veterans who are being interred not only in the Fort Scott National Cemetery but also in cemeteries in the local area.
As a member of the American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary or Sons of the American Legion you are invited to join American Legion Post 25 Color Guard. Attendance at Legion meetings is not required to participate with the Color Guard. Some time, though, is needed to practice flag folding and presentation and other the other rituals performed by the Color.
As a Color Guard member, you would be contacted to assist in providing funeral honors for an area Veteran. If you are not available, then other Color Guard members would be contacted to assist with the flag presentation.
Sseveral photos are attached to show our Post Color Guard participating in flag presentations for recent funerals.
Remember, any current member of the American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary or Sons of the American Legion can join the Post 25 Color Guard.
If you would like additional information about joining the Post 25 Color Guard, please call Color Guard Commander Darrell Spencer at 620.224.6720 or email [email protected].
Any area resident who may be eligible to join the American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary or Sons of the American Legion, should contact Post 25 Commander Carl Jowers at 620.215.1688 for more information. Once you join the American Legion family, you can then join the Fort Scott American Legion Post 25 Color Guard.
Carl Jowers. Post 25 Commander.
THANK YOU TO OUR BOOSTER MEMBERS!
Obituary

Obituary of Dixie Kalm

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Dixie Lou Kalm, age 72, a resident of rural Arcadia, Kansas, passed away Wednesday, October 7, 2020, at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, Kansas.

She was born February 24, 1948, in Xenia, Kansas, the daughter of Eugene Charles “Curley” Williams and Margaret Frances Russell Williams.

Dixie married Keith Edward Kalm on February 16, 1969.  In earlier years, Dixie had been employed by the Western Insurance Company.

Following the birth of her son, Steven, Dixie became a stay at home mom.  In 2002, she became the secretary of the First Baptist Church in Ft. Scott and remained there until ill health forced her retirement just a few months ago.

She enjoyed crafts of all kinds and often shared her talent with 4-H and Vacation Bible School activities.  She enjoyed feeding the hummingbirds and watching sports of all kinds.  She was a member of the First Baptist Church.

 

Survivors include her son, Steven Kalm and wife, April, of Girard, Kansas; two grandchildren, Austin O’Dell and fiancé, Rikki Falkin and Ashlynn O’Dell.  Also surviving is a brother, Don Williams, of Blue Mound, Kansas and in-laws, Raymond Kalm, of Garland, Kansas; Lewis Kalm and wife, Jeanie, of Frontenac and Kathryn Doerfler and husband, Dave, of Ft. Scott, Kansas and several nieces and nephews.

Dixie was preceded in death by her husband, Keith, on July 4, 2003.  She was also preceded in death by her parents.

 

Pastor Bob Kraus will conduct graveside services at 11:30 A.M. Tuesday, October 13th at the Sheffield Cemetery near Arcadia, Kansas.

The family will receive friends on Tuesday from 10:00 to 11:00 A.M. prior to leaving for the cemetery.

Memorials are suggested to the First Baptist Church and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, KS 66701.  Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

Bourbon County Local News