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The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports Aug. 22
Work Ready Students Is Goal of New Program: Employers Cooperation Needed
Workers are needed across the state to fill workforce needs.
The Kansas State Board of Education, working with Kansas legislators, are providing the opportunity for juniors in high school, including Fort Scott, to take assessments to help fill those workforce needs.
The title of the program is ACT Work Ready Community and is paid for by Kansas legislators in collaboration with the state board of education.
Students are offered two assessments for the program and can either take the ACT, or ACT WorkKeys, or both.
The program facilitators are hoping to fill job vacancies in Bourbon County.
“An opportunity was seen to provide a connection for local Bourbon County employers to gain understanding of the ACT and the ACT WorkKeys assessment to help fill and build their workforce,” USD 234 Superintendent Ted Hessong said. “The opportunity for juniors to take the ACT assessments will continue this school year and for years to come.”
A career readiness certificate can be earned, after taking an assessment, which will help to evaluate future employees for the workforce skills needed.
The program allows employers to use it as a tool to see if the skills set will work for their need.
“ACT Work Ready Community is a program to provide Bourbon County the distinction of a county where the employers recognize the ACT WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate earned upon completion of taking the ACT WorkKeys assessment, as a tool to evaluate future employees,” Hessong said.
The basis of the certification: current and future workers earn the certificate and the employers recognize the credential.
“Employers can be the fuel to drive successful state and county Work Ready Communities initiatives simply by recognizing the ACT® WorkKeys® National Career Readiness Certificate®. And in doing so, they will have a more qualified workforce ready to fill their jobs,” according to the ACT Work Ready Communities website.
“The foundation of a community’s certification is based on individuals at the county level across the current, transitioning and emerging workforce, earning an ACT® WorkKeys® National Career Readiness Certificate®…and employers recognizing the ACT® WorkKeys® NCRC®,” Hessong said. “(It) is a portable, industry-recognized credential that clearly identifies an individual’s WorkKeys® skills in workplace documents, applied math, and graphic literacy.”
A collaboration of local entities and employers will have two years to start reaching goals for the program.
“The Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with Bourbon County Economic Development, USD 234, Fort Scott Community College, and Bourbon County employers will have two years to attain goals set by ACT Work Ready in order to be recognized as an ACT Work Ready Community,” Hessong said.
For more information: workreadycommunities.org
New FSHS Math Teacher: Bill Hall
William Hall is a new math teacher at Fort Scott High School, whose hometown is Manhattan, KS.
Hall earned a bachelor of science degree in secondary math education from Kansas State University and has previously taught math at Hugoton High School.
His family consists of his father, brother, and sister, who still live in Manhattan, another brother in Las Vegas, and another brother in Sydney, Australia.
” I’ve always been interested in working with students,” he said. And his students inspire him, he said.
Hall is looking forward to getting to know the students at Fort Scott High School, he said.
His greatest challenge in teaching math is working with technology.
“I am what you would call ‘technology challenged,” he said.
American Legion Post 25 Fundraisers
Post 25 is raffling a Taurus G2C 9 mm pistol with two 10 rounds magazines. The money generated on this raffle will support 1 full scholarship for a Boys/Girls State/Cadet Law Program delegate PLUS will cover half the costs of a 2nd scholarship.
Tickets are $10 each or 3 for $25. Only 100 tickets will be sold.
Winner must be legally able to own a pistol and is responsible for the cost of any background checks.
Reply to this email with your phone number and I’ll put a member with tickets in touch with you.
I can also make arrangements to purchase raffle tickets for those persons who live out of town but wish to support Post 25 programs.
We have an opportunity to purchase T-shirts with the Post 25 Legion logo and you can add on the back of the T-shirt your branch of service, name, office held such as Chaplain. Cost per T-shirt is $20 and can be ordered in sizes Small – 2 XL. T-shirts will ordered through a Fort Scott supplier.
These T-shirts are red are the baseball shirts worn by Fort Scott Post 25 baseball team. The shirts can also be worn on to support RED shirt Fridays as well. RED stands for Remember Everyone Deployed.
In order to order T-shirts, there is a minimum order of 12.
If you wish to order a T-shirt, just reply to this email with your name, T-shirt size and lettering on the back, if any.
Photos of the Taurus and the T-shirts are attached.
Don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions you may have,
Carl Jowers. Post 25 Commander.
KCC launches investigation into Hutchinson earthquakes
The Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) is collecting data and analyzing recent injection well activity in Reno County in an effort to uncover the cause of a series of earthquakes in the Hutchinson area. Amid damage reports and a concern for public safety, the KCC is conducting an investigation and will evaluate whether additional action is needed to safeguard Kansans.
In 2015, the KCC issued an order reducing injection rates in portions of Harper and Sumner counties after the number of earthquakes in that area began to trend upward. In 2016, the Commission issued a second order limiting injection in additional areas of Harper and Sumner as well as parts of Kingman, Sedgwick and Barber counties when earthquake activity there started to rise.
The area currently under study in Reno County focuses primarily on Arbuckle Formation depth wells and involves both Class ll oil and gas industry injection wells regulated by the KCC and Class l wells regulated by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE).
Class ll wells are used to inject fluids associated with oil and natural gas production into deep confined rock formations. There are two types of Class ll injection wells: disposal wells and secondary/enhanced recovery injection wells. Disposal wells are used to inject produced fluids into rock formations that do not produce oil or gas. Typically, the injection formations are isolated from usable quality groundwater and are sealed above and below by cementing steel casing into the unbroken and impermeable well bore and rock formations within the well. Secondary/enhanced recovery injection wells are used to inject produced fluids back into formations/reservoirs that contain oil or gas. These formations are also isolated from usable quality groundwater. The injection of produced fluid back into potentially productive formations often allows for the increased recovery of oil or gas reserves.
Class l wells are used to inject hazardous and non-hazardous industrial and municipal wastewater into deep, confined rock formations. Disposal typically occurs thousands of feet below the lower most underground source of drinking water (USDW). Industries that utilize Class I wells include: refining, metal production, chemical manufacturing, pharmaceutical industry, commercial disposal, food production and municipal wastewater treatment.[1] Nearly all Class I disposal wells in Kansas inject into the Arbuckle Formation.[2]
To fully evaluate all injection activity in Reno County, the KCC staff is working with other state agencies to collect information regarding well construction, depths, injection volumes, pressures, maintenance practices and any new injection well activity in the area. This investigation and evaluation process is ongoing and dependent upon the complexity of the evolving fact finding process. Accordingly, a precise timeline for completing the investigation has not yet been determined.
[1] http://www.kdheks.gov/uic/
2 Id.
Burns-Wallace Named Chief IT Officer
Governor Laura Kelly names Secretary DeAngela Burns-Wallace as new Chief Information Technology Officer
Governor Laura Kelly today announced that Kansas Department of Administration Secretary DeAngela Burns-Wallace will be the new Chief Information Technology Officer for the Kansas Office of Information Technology Services (OITS). The appointment is effective immediately, with the OITS duties done in addition to her work leading the Kansas Department of Administration.
“Secretary Burns-Wallace has the leadership skills and executive experience necessary for a successful Chief Information Technology Officer to possess,” Governor Kelly said. “Our state’s computer systems are vulnerable to both domestic and international security threats. Secretary Burns-Wallace understands these threats and will ensure that our state’s infrastructure is prepared to handle them and keep Kansans’ information secure.”
Prior to joining the Kelly administration earlier this year, Burns-Wallace served as vice provost of undergraduate studies at the University of Kansas. Previously, Burns-Wallace was assistant vice provost for undergraduate studies at the University of Missouri. She earned a bachelor’s degree in international relations from Stanford University, a master’s degree in public policy and international affairs from Princeton University and a doctorate in higher education management from the University of Pennsylvania.
“I’m honored to be selected by Governor Kelly to serve in this important role,” Secretary Burns-Wallace said. “I believe in public service and I look forward to working with Governor Kelly, the Legislature and the OITS and Department of Administration teams to serve the people of Kansas. We must ensure that the state has the IT systems in place to conduct its daily business and maintain the safety and security of our data in today’s ever-changing and interconnected world.”
OITS was created under Governor Sam Brownback. Previously, OITS was known as the Division of Information Systems and Communication (DISC) and was a division of the Kansas Department of Administration. OITS is an independent agency, but the two agencies still maintain close operational relationships in several areas because the transition was never completed.
Governor Kelly went on to say: “The relationship OITS has had with the rest of state government has been challenging, and communication between the agency and its customers has been difficult. This was not the fault of the agency’s previous leadership. It is, however, a direct result of the fact that the previous administration split OITS from the Department of Administration and then failed to properly support the move, convey its mission and get buy-in from the rest of state government.”
Burns-Wallace replaces Lee Allen, who has decided to leave the agency.
“I appreciate the work Lee has done for OITS, and thank him for his service to the State of Kansas,” Governor Kelly said.
KDOT requesting comments on STIP amendment
The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) requests comments on an amendment to the FFY 2019-2022 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) document.
The STIP is a project specific publication that lists all KDOT administered projects, regardless of funding source, and includes projects for counties and cities as well as projects on the State Highway System. The list of projects being amended to the STIP can be viewed at http://www.ksdot.org/bureaus/burProgProjMgmt/stip/stip.asp
The approval of the STIP amendment requires a public comment period, which concludes Sept. 4. To make comments on the amendment, contact KDOT’s Bureau of Program and Project Management at (785) 296-2252.
This information is available in alternative accessible formats. To obtain an alternative format, contact the KDOT Office of Public Affairs, (785) 296-3585 (Voice/Hearing Impaired-711).
Tri-Valley Fall Golf Classic Sept. 14
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Shannon Meyer Takes Reins at Lansing Correctional Facility
Familiar Face to Replace Retiring Lansing Correctional Facility Warden
Topeka Correctional Facility Warden Shannon Meyer returning to Lansing
The Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC) announced Tuesday that Topeka Correctional Facility Warden Shannon Meyer will take the reins at Lansing Correctional Facility effective August 25.
Meyer, who began her correctional career at Lansing in 2002, will replace Warden Ron Baker who is retiring after 35 years with the KDOC.
“Shannon calls Lansing her home away from home and is excited to return to Lansing as the first woman to be appointed warden of this facility,” said Corrections Deputy Secretary of Facilities Management Joel Hrabe. “Shannon’s long-time connection and her experience make her the best choice to lead the state’s oldest and largest correctional facility.”
As one of her first major undertakings, Meyer will oversee the ongoing reconstruction project at Lansing which is scheduled for completion in early 2020.
Meyer, who started as a corrections counselor at Lansing, steadily rose through the ranks before joining the agency’s reentry division in Topeka. Beginning in 2006, she served as the division’s assistant director where she was responsible for implementing evidence-based programs and services throughout the state. She was named the director of community corrections in 2011 before returning to Lansing as the East Unit administrator in 2013. Meyer then was named a Lansing deputy warden in 2014. In 2016, Meyer was appointed to her current position as warden at Topeka Correctional Facility, the state’s only correctional facility for women.
Reading Roadmap Program Admin Calls For Misstatement Corrections
Kansas Reading Roadmap Calls for DCF to Correct Misstatements
Citing violation of due process, a grossly negligent report and abuse of governmental authority
The Kansas Reading Roadmap (KRR) today called upon Gov. Laura Kelly and Department for Children and Families (DCF) Sec. Laura Howard to retract statements made on Friday suggesting that Hysell & Wagner, LLC was paid improperly and falsely impugning the program and its results.
On Friday, DCF released details of a draft audit prior to the 30-day period for response by Hysell & Wagner, violating basic due process. These violations generated unsubstantiated and inaccurate news headlines critical of the firm, causing irreparable harm to its reputation and that of the Kansas Reading Roadmap. Trying to attack contracts in the court of public opinion when they cannot prevail in the court of law is a dangerous abuse of governmental authority and subversive of the business environment in the state.
The Kansas Reading Roadmap is an innovative early literacy model that was developed specifically for Kansas schools and provides Kansas taxpayers both the value of a social service as well as educational impact for children. First, it provides core TANF services for low-income families across the state. The Reading Roadmap provides annually nearly one million hours of free, quality school-age childcare services in afterschool and during the summer for low-income working families. In addition, the grants to schools help facilitate 400,000 healthy snacks and meals for children and families. The program employs directly, and through school partners,1,300 Kansans.
The Reading Roadmap provides an educational benefit to each participating child. It combines and aligns afterschool, summer and family support programs with school reading and intervention data. Based on school tests, children reading at grade level increased 26 percent by attending the program compared to their non-participating peers. We have developed curricula that can now be used by any school in Kansas free-of-charge to replicate this successful model.
DCF’s cancellation of the grant means the Reading Roadmap will soon lose its educational impact which helps children become proficient readers as a strategy to break the cycle of poverty. It will hurt the very children the agency is supposed to protect.
Information inappropriately released was from a grossly inaccurate and flawed draft audit. A cursory review of the underlying audit document over the weekend revealed serious errors prejudicial to Hysell & Wagner. The company has referred the matter to its law firm and CPA for further evaluation and in anticipation of potential litigation.
These errors include, but are not limited to:
· A false claim that nearly $1 million in advances of program funds to schools were not proper despite language authorizing advances in the grant award, federal rules allowing advances, DCF’s own process allowing advances and the very fact that the agency advanced funds over multiple years as part of this grant;
· The DCF auditors falsely asserted that Hysell & Wagner did not have an approved indirect cost rate of 9 percent, accounting for $447,520.14 of the contested funds. “Hysell & Wagner, LLC utilizes a 9 percent indirect cost rate that is allowed under the Uniform Guidance” according to the company’s 2015 independent federal audit.
· $278,048.09 in salaries paid to Kansas-based staff were included as contested funds in the audit despite proper timesheets provided by Hysell & Wagner to DCF.
DCF suggested that grant funds were used improperly to travel from the company’s home office to the state of Kansas. No funds were improperly used for travel for company executives. The travel funds were part of the approved budget and federally permissible and were used to travel exclusively into and around the state of Kansas to ensure the efficient and accountable implementation of the grant.
DCF falsely accused Hysell & Wagner of improper payments. The underlying draft audit document does not support what they said. There were no findings of any improper payments or misuse of funds at any time. There were financial errors identified in the 2015 independent federal audit that led to significant changes by the company. As a result, the 2016 audit showed only two procedural errors, of which one was from 2015, and then no subsequent errors in its 2017 and 2018 audits. Today, Hysell & Wagner is releasing all federal audit reports from 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. All of these were previously received by DCF and have been in their possession for several years.
DCF announced Friday morning that it was terminating the grant to fund the Kansas Reading Roadmap. However, every reason DCF asserted to terminate the grant was already known to the agency prior to the FY20 grant renewal signed on June 28, 2019 by DCF. Hysell & Wagner agreed to every change the state agency had requested regarding travel and overhead costs prior to the state’s decision to renew the grant. To substantiate this, the firm is releasing its fiscal year 2020 grant document signed by Secretary Howard on June 28, 2019 that includes an approved budget as well as salary information for its executives.
It is very clear that DCF did not cancel the grant due to the audit or the Reading Roadmap’s overhead costs. Instead, it did so as retaliation for our refusal to sign a subsequent amendment harmful to our schools and program.
The only other event that occurred after the grant renewal on June 28 was Hysell & Wagner’s refusal on August 4 to sign an additional amendment proffered by DCF. This amendment and the response that Hysell & Wagner provided are being released as well.
The amendment included changes to the audited reporting system KRR created in collaboration with DCF to meet federal and state guidelines. The modification of this system would inevitably lead to the clerical problems addressed since the 2015 audit. Further, it would give the agency a way to falsely claim that Hysell & Wagner was not permitted to advance funds to schools under the terms of the grants dating back to 2015.
Most importantly, these proposed changes in the amendment would have put Kansas schools at risk, asking them to bear the costs of running the KRR program upfront. Because Kansas schools operate on a cash-basis according to state law, they cannot spend money they do not have. Many of the smaller, rural districts that the KRR works with do not have the money to float these expenses.
After renewing the grant in June, DCF asked KRR to sign an amendment to the Reading Roadmap grant that would put schools at risk of breaking state law and we said no. Ten days later, DCF cancelled the grant. KRR stands by its decision to not sign that amendment.
KRR calls upon Gov. Kelly to correct the record. KRR’s 56 schools, 1,300 staff, and most importantly the children, deserve it.
Greet Congressman Watkins Aug.22
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