Bourbon County, Business

Apex Energy/Bourbon County Commission Agreements Signed

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Wind turbines just off  Kansas Hwy. 59 in Allen County.

The controversial wind energy business is coming to Bourbon County.

 

Following a request to Apex Clean Energy, the wind energy company from Charlottesville, Virginia for specifics on the project, the following statement was provided.

 

Apex Clean Energy entered into five agreements with the  Bourbon County Commission last Friday, March 13, according to Helen Humphreys, public engagement manager for Apex.

 

“In addition to setting out how Jayhawk Wind (Jayhawk) will operate in the community, the agreements also empower the county to enforce the provisions and ensure residents’ concerns are addressed both during the construction process and once the project is operational,” according to the press release provided FortScott.Biz.

 

Julianna Pianelli, Apex Project Development Manager, said, “We appreciate the Bourbon County commissioners for their careful, objective review of the Jayhawk Wind agreements. We know that economic opportunity has been a priority for the county, and we are proud that Jayhawk will provide a new source of revenue, new jobs, and new customers for local businesses.”

 

The agreements with Bourbon County Commissioners are unique No other entity or individuals are similarly restricted in the use of county roads and given that Bourbon County does not have zoning restrictions, several of these agreements are entirely voluntary and reflect Apex’s commitment to community engagement, according to information provided by Humpherys.

Standing at the bottom of a wind turbine looking up at the clear Kansas sky.

 

The following was sent from Humphreys regarding the agreements with the Bourbon County Commission.

 

“Decommissioning Agreement

Decommissioning agreements are common in the wind industry and ensure that financial resources are available to remove the turbines and related facilities at the end of a project’s lifespan. The Jayhawk Decommissioning Agreement:

  • Specifies that the turbines, and related equipment, will be removed by the project owner when the project is complete; and
  • Requires that, on the 10th anniversary of the completion of construction, Jayhawk Wind will place a performance bond, letter of credit, or other security acceptable to the county to cover the net removal cost in an amount determined by an engineer selected by the county.
  • To view the document:
  • doc10726320200313102218-c-c-c

Contribution Agreement

The Contribution Agreement details the financial donation Jayhawk will make to Bourbon County if the project enters construction. Kansas law exempts renewable energy projects like Jayhawk from property taxes for the first ten years of operation, just as it does with a property such as farm equipment and other sources of energy production. In place of these taxes, wind developers often propose to donate funds to a county through a voluntary contribution agreement because we believe it is important that a project directly benefits its community.

In the Bourbon agreements, Jayhawk committed to making an initial payment of $407,812.50 to Bourbon County upon receiving notice to proceed with construction. This payment will be followed by nine annual payments of $365,625, and a final annual payment of $182,813.

After 10 years of operation, the tax exemption will expire, and Jayhawk will pay property taxes to the municipalities and school districts in which the project is located. According to the Jayhawk Wind Economic Impact Analysis:

  • Bourbon County will receive annual revenues of $586,380 and a total of $11.4 million over the projected 25-year life of the project;
  • Uniontown Unified School District will receive $387,000 annually beginning in year 11 and a total of $5.8 million;
  • Girard Unified School District will receive $203,000 annually beginning in year 11 and a total of $3 million; and
  • Erie Unified School District will receive $38,00 annually beginning in year 11 and a total of $572,000.
  • To view the document:
  • doc10726020200313102002-c-c-c

Road Use Agreement

The Road Use Agreement (RUA) clearly outlines Jayhawk’s obligation to maintain or improve the county roadways it will use. According to the agreement, the county will prepare a pre-construction road survey and establish an inventory of the roads before construction. These tools will be used to both mitigate project impacts on local traffic during construction and to determine what repairs and improvements will be needed to return the roads to pre-construction condition.

Also, vehicles with a combined weight of 80,000 pounds or more will be required to stay on approved transportation routes.

Jayhawk Wind agrees to return the roads it uses during construction to a condition that is “as good or better” to that existing before construction. Also, Jayhawk will be obligated to make repairs to any roads damaged during construction that create a hazard to the traveling public.

The RUA ensures Bourbon County has the resources needed to oversee the project and details how Jayhawk Wind will coordinate with county officials, by providing:

  • $50,000 for the County to hire outside engineering or added employee costs;
  • $250,000 security provided by Jayhawk before construction begins to guarantee its obligations under the RUA;
  • Proof that Jayhawk shall maintain $3,000,000 in insurance; and
  • That even after Jayhawk becomes operational, larger projects for which Jayhawk must use county roads will require Jayhawk to purchase a bond and ensure damage resulting from its road use is repaired.
  • To view the document:
  • doc10725620200313101557-c-c-c

Development Agreement

While Bourbon County is not a zoned county, Jayhawk voluntarily agreed to a few project design restrictions including:

  • Sound from each turbine shall be less than 50 dBA at any non-participating home;
  • Turbines shall be set no less than 1,400 feet from any non-participating home;
  • Turbines shall be set back no less than 1.1 times the height of the turbine from any non-participating property line;
  • Turbines shall be set back no less than 1.1 times the height of the turbine from any county road; and
  • Turbines shall be tubular towers and lighting shall be by the FAA.
  • To view the document:
  • doc10725720200313101736-c (Signature Edit)-c-c

Complaint Resolution Agreement

Jayhawk agreed to a complaint resolution process that ensures members of the public who make a complaint can have confidence that their concerns will be addressed. Moreover, it empowers the county to order a review of unresolved complaints by an independent engineer. The Development Agreement requires Jayhawk to:

  • Establish a “24/7” single point of contact to take claims or issues and respond to complaints within five business days;
  • Maintain a record of complaints received and resolve any deemed to violate the Development Agreement; and
  • Be bound by the decision of a third-party engineer during dispute resolution between the county and the project.”
  • To view the document:
  • doc10725920200313101859-c-c-c

“Cumulatively, these agreements enable the continued development of Jayhawk while providing certainty for Bourbon County that all residents will benefit either directly or indirectly from the project,” according to the information provided by Humphreys.

The Jayhawk Wind project is expected to be operational in 2021.according to the information from Humphreys. It will produce enough power to supply 70,000 average U.S. homes and will also provide significant economic benefits for the local economy, according to the information.  This includes the creation of more than 115 construction jobs and seven long-term operations positions.

Fort Scott Community College

FSCC COVID 19 Update

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Submitted by Kassie Fugate-Cate on March 19, 2020 – 11:16am

picture of a desk with a laptop on the left, a paper saying "update" in the bottom left corner, a pair of glasses in the bottom right corner, and a cellphone with the FSCC seal on it in the top right corner

Date: March 19, 2020
Time: 11:00 A.M.
RE: FSCC novel coronavirus, COVID-19 update

All Courses Online

ALL FSCC courses will be online for the remainder of the semester. This includes all technical courses/programs taught at CTEC, Construction Trades at La Harpe, Fort Scott John Deere/Welding, Harley-Davidson in Frontenac, Allied Health/Nursing at Burke Street, and Welding, Construction Trades, Criminal Justice, and Allied Health/Nursing in Miami County. All courses (including general education) will resume in the online format beginning March 30th.

 

Internet

For students without readily available internet access, please contact your local area internet service and cellular service providers. Many companies are working with students during this time to ensure access to internet services. If this is unsuccessful, please contact Janet Fancher ([email protected]) or Adam Borth ([email protected]).

Campus Access
FSCC dorms: Closed for the remainder of the spring semester.

 

Bookstore, Library, Computer Labs and Student Success Center: Resume normal hours of operation on March 30. A maximum limit of ten individuals are allowed in those locations, this includes visitors and employees.

 

Campus tours: The admissions office is open and accepting applications, answering questions, and providing information to potential students. Physical campus tours are currently suspended, however, please reach out to the office if you have any questions or inquiries ([email protected] or 620.223.2700, ext. 3510). For more information, please visit the admissions webpage: http://www.fortscott.edu/admissions.

 

Advising and Enrollment: Fall enrollment will open March 30, and advising will be assisting students via phone appointments and email. To schedule an appointment please contact Russ Souza ([email protected]), Ashley Keylon ([email protected]), Quentin Choice ([email protected]), or call 620.223.2700, ext. 3610. When calling, please leave a detailed message, including name, student ID (if applicable), and contact information.

 

Spring Play

The spring play, Space Girl, is officially cancelled.
Working Remotely

Some FSCC employees/departments are working remotely and outside of the traditional hours of operation. FSCC recommends email as the primary method of communication.

 

 

The situation remains very fluid and evolving, please check the FSCC website regularly. Stay safe.

 

Alysia Johnston

 

Government, Kansas

KDHE:new mandates for quarantine and isolation of travelers, close contacts and those being tested

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CLARIFICATION: Please note that these mandates do not apply to critical infrastructures needed to continue operations during this pandemic.

Public health, including hospitals, clinics, etc. need to have the staffing resources to continue serving Kansans.

While KDHE strongly recommends these quarantine restrictions for everyone, we do recognize that medical care needs to continue and no healthcare facility should ever be to a point where it would need to close due to staff being quarantined.

We ask facilities to ensure they have updated their Emergency Preparedness Plans and implement protocols to ensure that no employee comes to work symptomatic.

Other examples of critical infrastructures include pharmaceutical and food supply, along with others defined by the Department of Homeland Security.

 

Fort Scott National Historic Site

FSNHS Modifies Operations

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Fort Scott National Historic Site is Modifying Operations to Implement Latest Health Guidance

 

Fort Scott Kan. – Fort Scott National Historic Site is announcing modifications to operations to implement the latest guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), and local and state authorities to promote social distancing. As of Wednesday, March 18, at 12 p.m., the Fort Scott National Historic Site Parkstore and visitor contact desk area is closed until further notice. The upcoming Spring Civil War Encampment event will be rescheduled for a future date TBD.

 

Where it is possible to adhere to the latest health guidance, all Museum, exhibit areas, and fort buildings (including the Post Hospital) remain open. Rangers will be roving the site providing information and orientation. Outdoor spaces will remain open to provide healthy options for the public such as park walkways, trails, and the tallgrass prairie.

 

Visitors are encouraged to take advantage of the digital tools already available to explore Fort Scott National Historic Site. Please continue to enjoy the park through the park’s mobile app. There are many educational resources available to explore on the Fort Scott National Historic Site webpage to help you stay connected to your national park.

 

The health and safety of our visitors, employees, volunteers, and partners at Fort Scott National Historic Site is our number one priority. The National Park Service (NPS) is working with the federal, state, and local authorities to closely monitor the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) situation. We will notify the public when we resume full operations and provide updates on our website and social media channels.

 

The NPS urges visitors to do their part when visiting a park and to follow CDC guidance to prevent the spread of infectious diseases by maintaining a safe distance between yourself and other groups; washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth; covering your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze; and most importantly, staying home if you feel sick.

 

For high-risk populations, such as the elderly and people with underlying conditions, we ask that they take extra caution and follow CDC guidance for those at higher risk of serious illness.

 

Updates about NPS operations will be posted on www.nps.gov/coronavirus. Please check with individual parks for specific details about park operations.

 

From November 1-March 31, Fort Scott National Historic Site, a unit of the National Park Service, will be open for its winter hours of operation.  The site exhibit areas and buildings are open daily from 8:30 am-4:30 pm. The park grounds are open daily from ½ hour before sunrise until ½ hour after sunset. To find out more or become involved in activities at the Fort, please contact the park at 620-223-0310 or visit our website at www.nps.gov/fosc.

 

Bourbon County, Business

Gordmans Reduces Hours

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HOUSTON (March 18, 2020) – The safety and health of our guests, associates and store communities are our top priority.

 

To better support our associates, serve our customers and slow the spread of COVID-19, Stage Stores and our family of brands (Gordmans, Bealls, Goodys, Palais Royal, Peebles, and Stage) have adjusted our store operating hours.  Until further notice, our reduced store hours are as follows:

  • Monday-Saturday 10am-6pm
  • Sunday 12pm-6pm

 

Additionally, in compliance with local government orders to shut down all non-essential businesses, as well as other location-based factors, select stores are temporarily closed and will not re-open until circumstances improve.

 

Our new store openings continued as planned yesterday, March 17, however new store openings planned for March 31 have been postponed. Events planned in conjunction with store openings, such as ribbon-cutting ceremonies, have been canceled.

 

In addition to our new store hours, we are taking the following actions to help keep our guests and associates healthy:

  • Increasing the frequency of store cleanings, paying special attention to frequently touched objects and surfaces such as register counters, shopping carts, door handles, restrooms, etc.;
  • Reminding our associates of their training on illness prevention;
  • Advising all employees to stay home if they are not feeling well, or if circumstances might advise them to do so, to seek medical attention if they have symptoms.

 

We also encourage our guests everywhere to take the extra precautions necessary to safeguard their health and the health of others. We will continue to monitor the situation closely, and work with public health authorities as required. We will keep you informed if our approach changes and will continue to post updates on stage.com and gordmans.com. We look forward to serving guests in our stores.

 

Government, Kansas

March 18, 2020 Public Update COVID-19

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Situation Overview
KDHE continues to closely monitor an outbreak of a respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID–19). The outbreak first started in Wuhan, China, but cases have been identified around the world including in the United States. The first case in the United States was announced January 21, 2020. Five new cases announced today.
Please visit our website, www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus, for more information and answers to your FAQs. New information is added daily.

For more information: www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus

2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Kansas Test Results
Updated 3/18/20 at 10 a.m.

Total Positive Cases
21
Private Labs
2
Kansas Health and Environmental Lab
19
Deaths (included in above numbers)
1
Out-of-State Resident Positive Cases
(not counted in Kansas numbers)
2

Positive Case Information
County Number
Butler County
1
Douglas County
1
Franklin County
1
Johnson County
11
Leavenworth County
2
Wyandotte County
5
* Ford and Miami Counties reported positive cases in out-of-state residents. Numbers included in cases home states.
2

Government, Health Care, Kansas

State Hospital Restrictions

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KDADS Announces Restrictions for Visitors to State Hospitals in Response to COVID-19
Many State Hospital Activities Also Suspended or Restricted

Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) Secretary Laura Howard today announced that visitation at all four state hospitals has been restricted effective immediately as a measure of precaution to reduce exposure of COVID-19 to residents and staff.

“Restrictions on visitors at state hospitals are a difficult but necessary step in our mission to encourage social distancing and limit exposure to the virus not only for our residents, who are some of the most vulnerable Kansans we serve, but our staff as well,” Secretary Howard said. “To date, there have been no cases of COVID-19 in any of our state hospital facilities and we are making vigilant efforts to continue to provide a safe, healthy environment.”

Consistent with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ guidance recently released for nursing facilities, new restrictions on visitors and non-essential individuals entering the Kansas Neurological Institute, Parsons State Hospital and Training Center, Osawatomie State Hospital and Larned State Hospital are in place:

  • Restricts all visitors, effective immediately, with exceptions for compassionate care, such as end-of-life situations;
    • No one showing signs or symptoms of a respiratory infection, such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, or sore throat is allowed on campus.
    • No one having been in contact with a person with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 is allowed on campus.
    • No one having traveled to countries with sustained community transmission within the last 14 days is allowed on campus. Currently those countries include Italy, Iran, China and South Korea. An updated listing of these countries can be found at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/after-travel-precautions.html.
  • Restricts all volunteers and nonessential health care personnel and other personnel (i.e. barbers);
  • Restricts internal and public group activities or appointments;
  • Implements active screening of residents and health care personnel for fever and respiratory symptoms;
  • Suspends the Foster Grandparent Program (unique to KNI) and volunteer programs;
  • Redirects vendors and deliveries to alternate sites on campuses; and
  • Closes facilities on state hospital campuses to the public.

Parents and guardians of residents at state hospitals are being asked not to come to campuses and instead check with hospital administration about alternative ways to communicate with their loved ones. Each hospital will work to accommodate visitors via telephone or video if possible.

In end-of-life cases, visitors will be equipped with personal protective equipment (PPE) like masks, and the visit will be limited to a specific room only.

“The populations we serve in our state hospitals are in many cases more vulnerable to COVID-19 than others. That, coupled with the rapid spread of COVID-19 in people who are in close proximity to each other on an ongoing basis, make it necessary to restrict, or in some cases suspend, normal day-today activities,” Deputy Secretary of Hospitals and Facilities Scott Brunner said.

For more information on COVID-19 visit the Kansas Department for Health and Environment’s Resource Center at: www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus.

You also can call 1-866-534-3463 (1-866-KDHEINF).

Bourbon County, Elections, Government

Filings for the November 2020 Election in the County

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John Horn votes during a 2017 election at the Bourbon County Courthouse.

The election process has begun and  this year the general election date is November 3,

“Filing deadline is noon, June 1st, 2020,” Bourbon County Clerk Kendell Mason said. “Anyone wanting to run for a local office can pick up the filing paperwork from my office.”

 

The county clerk’s office is located on the first floor of the north wing of the Bourbon County courthouse, 210 S. National Ave.

 

Since the interview, the courthouse has temporarily closed due to COVID 19 prevention measures.

 

“I am checking my emails on a regular basis,” Mason said on March 17. “if someone needs a packet they can email me with their mailing information and we will mail them a packet.  My email address is [email protected].”

 

 

At the county level, there have been some filings for Bourbon County Sheriff and two commission positions, Mason said.

 

So far this year, three men have applied to run for Bourbon County Sheriff:  Derick Burke, Bill Martin and Craig A. Rice

Fort Scott Police Department Officer Derick Burke. File photo. Burke is running for sheriff.

 

Bourbon County Sheriff Bill Martin. Submitted photo. Martin is running for sheriff.

 

Craig Rice. Courtesy photo by Merle Humphrey. Rice is running for sheriff.

 

 

Two Bourbon County Commission seats are up for election:

For Commission District #2 – Jeffrey Fischer and Jim Harris

For Commission District #3 – LeRoy “Nick” Ruhl

Jeff Fischer, District 2 Bourbon County Commissioner. He is running for his current position.
Jim Harris, Bourbon County Public Works Director. Harris is running for District 2 Commissioner.
Nick Ruhl, District 3 Bourbon County Commissioner. He is running for his current position.

 

 

“Elections in even years are in August and November,” Mason said. “A  law changed the odd-year elections from spring to fall.

 

As of last week, there are no amendments received to be put on the ballot,  Mason said.

 

The following is from the Bourbon County website:

Not sure if you’re registered to vote or where to vote?

You may register to vote online, through the Kansas Secretary of State’s website.

Check your voter registration status, the location of your polling place and view a sample ballot at VoterView by the Secretary of State.

Advance Voting is available prior to each election.  You may advance vote in one of two ways:  By mail, by filing an application for a ballot to be mailed to you   OR   in-person, beginning at least one week prior to any election.

 

Bourbon County Local News