Fort Scott

Tracy Dancer Confirmed as New Rotarian

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Rotary Club of Fort Scott welcomed its newest member, Tracy Dancer at a recent meeting.

Dancer moved to Fort Scott in 1998 while serving on active duty at Fort Leavenworth and has maintained a home here since.

He currently works as a Business Development Manager for a defense contracting firm. Dancer also currently serves as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Reserves.

Rotary is a service organization dedicated to “service above self.” The Fort Scott club meets every Wednesday at noon at the Fort Scott Presbyterian church.

Anyone interested in joining Rotary is welcome to join a meeting or can contact membership coordinators: Lindsay Madison, Melissa Wise, Kathy Dancer, Shirley Palmer, or Janet Braun.

Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

Get Productive Today at 11 a.m.

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REMINDER: CHAMBER TO HOST GOOGLE LIVESTREAM

Wednesday, July 17, 2019
Lowell Milken Center For Unsung Heroes

11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

 The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce would like to remind Chamber and community members that they are invited to a Google Livestream: Get Productive With Google’s Digital Tools, hosted by the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce. The event will take place on Wednesday, July 17, 2019 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Lowell Milken Center For Unsung Heroes, 1 S. Main Street in Fort Scott.

In this free Google Livestream, attendees will learn how to use Google’s digital tools to help them manage everyday tasks more efficiently.

The following topics will be covered:

  • How Google’s office productivity tools (including Gmail, Calendar, Drive and other apps) can boost productivity
  • Tips and tricks for getting more out of the tools, and how to use them most efficiently
  • Creative ways to accomplish a variety of tasks for your professional and personal projects in your everyday life

Whether you’re a student, job seeker, parent, volunteer, an employee, or business owner, digital tools can help you manage everyday tasks more efficiently.

For more information or to register for this free Google Livestream, please visit our website at fortscott.com, or contact the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce at (620) 223-3566.

Entertainment, Fort Scott National Historic Site

Help the Fort Scott Youth Team Search the Fort    

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Fort Scott National Historic Site’s Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) is looking for clues during the Fort’s Junior Ranger Day Saturday, July 20, and ‘Texting and Twitter: 1840s style’ 10 am until 3 pm Saturday, July 27. Both Saturdays are for all ages.

Get clues from dragoon or infantry soldiers, a laundress, or other people from the fort as you search the grounds. The interactive Junior Ranger Day programs are separated into age brackets of 3-5, 5-7, and 8-up. We also encourage the young at heart, and older ‘Jr. Rangers’, to try our new ‘Fort Inspector’ program. This program will keep you on your toes and test your I-Spy skills as you search for items throughout the fort.  Upon completion of your Junior Ranger Program, you will be sworn in as an official Junior Ranger and awarded a Junior Ranger badge. This program runs continuously all day.

‘Texting and Twitter: 1840s style’ will give you clues into historic methods of communication including quill pen and ink well letter writing, deciphering messages in Morse code, and composing a ‘tweet’ for a historic news story.

All programs are free and open to the public. To participate, stop by the visitor center.

The site exhibit areas and visitor center are open daily from 8 am -5 pm daily. The park grounds are open daily from ½ hour before sunrise until ½ hour after sunset.

Business, Entertainment, Fort Scott

Craw-Kan Taking Orders For High Speed Internet

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CRAW-KAN,
Your Community Technology Partner asks:
Hey, Fort Scott –
are you in the zone?
Hey Fort Scott –
are you in the zone?
CRAW-KAN is now taking business and residential orders for fiber optic internet, high definition TV and phone service in the GREEN shaded area on the map above.
Call 620-724-8235 to sign up,
or check out www.ruralfiber.org
for packages and pricing;
then click “I WANT FIBER” and enter your info to have us
contact you!
If you aren’t in the GREEN *yet* please be patient…
We are coming to the east side of town next year!!
Entertainment, Fort Scott

Friday Night Concert at First United Methodist Church: Blackwood Brothers Quartet

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“This Friday night we are excited to bring to you the Blackwood Brothers Quartet,” Ralph Carlson, organizer of the Friday Night Concerts. “This Quartet features some of the finest musicians in Gospel music. We have presented them for several years now and I am particularly pleased to get them back this year.”

This week instead of Heritage Park, downtown Fort Scott, the concert will be moved to the First United Methodist Church at Third Street and National Avenue.

First United Methodist Church and the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce are jointly sponsoring the concert.

Admission is free.

There will be a free-will offering taken and CDs will be available for purchase.

“Come early as the church will be packed,” Carlson said. “You might consider the balcony for the young and able-bodied as the seating is quite good up there and visibility is also good. Come out Friday night and enjoy this very special concert.”

Health Care, Kansas

National Public Radio: Concordia Building A New Hospital to Replace the Old

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National Public Radio Journalist Sarah Jane Tribble has been writing stories of the Mercy Hospital-Fort Scott’s closing in December 2018.

To her NPR Facebook group, she shared this link on the Concordia, KS hospital’s story in dealing with their old hospital.

“Building a new hospital to replace an old one? It’s happening in Kansas,” Tribble wrote in the introduction to the featured link. “The original hospital opened 1951 with 150 beds. The new hospital will be a single story with 14 beds.”

bladeempire.com
Click below to see the story from the local paper, The Concordia Blade-Empire.
CCHC unveils plan to build new hospital with no local tax support
Business, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

Support The Alzheimer’s Association On July 31

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Dine & Donate!
Support the
Alzheimer’s Association
on July 31st at
Papa Don’s Pizza
On Wednesday, July 31st
from 10:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.,
Papa Don’s will donate 10% of your dining bill (dine-in OR carry-out) to
Walk To End Alzheimer’s in
Southeast Kansas.
Please show your support on Wednesday, July 31st!
To register for a team, or to volunteer, or to donate to the “Walk To End Alzheimer’s” cause,
click HERE.
To visit Papa Don’s website,
click HERE.
Bourbon County, Elections

Today is Last Day to Register for 2019 Elections: Candidate Forum July 23

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A larger than average number of residents have signed up to be a candidate in the local elections. A few have filed to run in several contests at once.

Bourbon County elections will be decided on August 6 in the primary election and finalized in the general election on November 5.

There are two contests that have a higher than average amount of people running for positions in local government: Fort Scott City Commission and USD234 Board of Education.

In addition, one candidate Michael Hoyt has filed to run for three different positions: city, school and FSCC.

Josh Jones has filed to run for two positions: city and school.

 

Registration ends today, July 16

Voter registration will be open at the following places during regular business hours until today.

On July 16, 2019 the books for new registrations will close and remain closed until after the election, according to the Bourbon County website.

County Clerk’s Office-Courthouse: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm

City Clerk-Fort Scott City Hall: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm

City Clerk-Uniontown City Hall: 8:00 am – 11:00 am

City Clerk-Bronson City Hall: 8:00 am – 11:00 am

Persons who apply for services at registration agencies may register to vote at the following places during regular business hours:

Department of Motor Vehicles-108 W. 2nd Fort Scott, KS

Department of Social & Rehabilitation Services

The county clerk can be reached at (620)223-3800 ext. 191.

Candidates Forum

The Chamber of Commerce and the Young Professional League are hosting a candidates forum on July 23 at the Ellis Arts Center on the campus of Fort Scott Community College, 2108 S. Horton.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. for a meet and greet with the candidates and the forum will begin at 6 p.m., according to a press release from the Chamber.
Light refreshments will be served.
The public is encouraged to submit questions for the candidates by July 22 to the Chamber in the following ways:
or drop off at the Chamber at 231 E. Wall St., or call them in to 620-223-3566,
Candidates should let the Chamber know prior to the forum whether they will be attending, by e-mailing [email protected] or by calling 620-223-3566.
Candidates

In the Fort Scott City Commission contest, 14 people have filed to run for three possible seats. Three incumbents will run for re-election.

” In 2017 we had four file, in 2015 we had three file and in 2013 we had four file,” for the Fort Scott City Commission election, Bourbon County Clerk Kendall Mason said when asked to compare the 2019 numbers.

Another highly contested race is for USD 234 Board of Education with 11 people who filed, of which three will be selected to serve.

The list of candidates is at the bottom of this feature.

 

Laws for voter registration

A citizen of the United States who is 18 years of age or older, or will have attained the age of 18 years at the next election, must register before he or she can vote. Registration is open until the close of business on the 20th day before the election, according to the Bourbon County website.

When a voter has been registered according to law, the voter shall remain registered until the voter changes name by marriage, divorce or other legal proceedings or changes residence.

The voter may re-register in person, by mail or other delivery when registration is open. Application forms shall be provided by the county election officer or the Secretary of State upon request. The application shall be signed by the applicant under penalty of perjury.

Kansas voters must show an acceptable form of a photo ID when casting their vote.

Per KSA 25-4610, voting machines will be tested on August 1st, 2019 at 2:00 pm at the Bourbon County Courthouse.

 

CANDIDATES THAT HAVE FILED FOR THE 2019 BOURBON COUNTY ELECTION

 

CITY OF BRONSON-CITY COUNCIL (3 COUNCIL POSITIONS)

JAMES E. OLSON

DANIELLE MINOR

MICHAEL STEWART

 

CITY OF FORT SCOTT-CITY COMMISSION (3 COMMISSION POSITIONS)

CHERYL L. ADAMSON

HAROLD (PETE) ALLEN

KEVIN “SKITCH” ALLEN

CYNTHIA BARTELSMEYER

CASEY BOLDEN

TRACY DANCER

BOBBY DUNCAN

BOB FARMER

JOSH JONES

DEB MCCOY

DIANA MORRISS

JEANIE PARKER

LINDSEY WATTS

MATTHEW WELLS

 

CITY OF FULTON (1 MAYOR & 5 COUNCIL POSITIONS)

NO CANDIDATES FILED

 

CITY OF MAPLETON (3 COUNCIL POSITIONS)

NO CANDIDATES FILED

 

CITY OF REDFIELD-CITY COUNCIL (3 COUNCIL POSITIONS)

WILMA K. GRAHAM

JIMMIE JACKSON

L.D. MORRISON

ANGELA HIXON

 

CITY OF UNIONTOWN-CITY COUNCIL (3 COUNCIL POSITIONS)

DANEA D. ESSLINGER

DAVE WEHRY

 

USD 234

JAMES WOOD

DANNY BROWN

MICHELLE HUDIBURG

KELLYE BARROWS

JOE FOULK SR

MICHAEL J. HOYT

JOSH JONES

AARON JUDY

SHAWN GOANS

LYNETTE JACKSON

Bill Michaud

 

 

USD 235

TROY GOODRIDGE

JASON SUTTERBY

JOSHUA HARTMAN

KOLBY STOCK

SALLY JOHNSON

 

FSCC BOARD OF TRUSTEES (3 POSITIONS)

DAVID ELLIOTT

KIRK HART

MICHAEL J. HOYT

CURTIS LEAR

ROBERT NELSON

 

SOUTHWIND EXTENSION DISTRICT (2 POSITIONS)

DIANE BRILLHART

PETE WILEY

 

Bourbon County, Government

Bourbon County Commission Agenda July 16

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Agenda

Bourbon County Commission Room

1st Floor, County Courthouse

210 S. National Avenue

Fort Scott, KS 66701

Tuesdays starting at 9:00

Date: July 16th, 2019

1st District-Lynne Oharah Minutes: Approved: _______________

2nd District-Jeff Fischer Corrected: _______________

3rd District-Nick Ruhl Adjourned at: _______________

County Clerk-Kendell Mason

9:00-9:45- Jim Harris

9:45-10:00-David Neville-Gas Leak

10:00-10:05-Department Head Meeting-Which Commissioner will attend?

10:15-Work Ready Communities Conference

12:00-1:30-Commissioners gone to lunch

2:00-3:00-Justin Meeks

-Executive Session- Attorney-Client Privilege-30 min.

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

Ascension Via Christi, Bourbon County, Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, Health Care, Mercy Hospital

Mercy Foundation Distributes Funds

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The Mercy Health Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) organizaiton, has been working to distribute the assets of the foundation to the community, since the closure of Mercy Hospital-Fort Scott in December 2018.
The following responses are from an interview with the foundation board president, Jared Leek, regarding those distributions.
“Following large contributions to secure Community Health Center-Southeast Kansas($300,000) and Ascension Via Christi Emergency Department ($200,000), the purchase of two transport ambulances, the remodel of the (Bourbon) County’s Ambulance Barn and donations to specific program areas, the remaining Mercy Health Foundation assets will be transferred to the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation an affiliate of the Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas,” Leek said.
Click below for the features on the donations:
A motion was made at the May 24, 2019 foundation board meeting to transfer the remaining balance of unrestricted funds to the community foundation as un-endowed funds.
Funds will be used to support healthcare needs in the community, Leek noted.
“The account with the Community Foundation has been set up and funds should be transferred from the Mercy Health Foundation to the Community Foundation in the near future,” Leek said.
Will the Mercy Foundation be dissolved?
 “The Fort Scott Mercy Health Foundation will not be fully dissolving at this time, but the board has been reduced down to three members.  These three members will be responsible for fulfilling the duties assigned to them until the board can fully dissolve.  The Foundation is the beneficiary of a few annuities and charitable trusts established years ago, and the smaller board has been directed to transfer the funds to the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation once these items mature.”
The current officers of the Mercy Foundation Board are  Leek, president; Bryan Holt, treasurer; and Darcy Smith, secretary.
These three will form the managing board under the umbrella of the Community Foundation Board to manage these funds.
Other members of the foundation board at the hospital’s closing were Jolynne Mitchell, Colleen Quick, Alysia Johnson, Becky Tourtillott, Mark McCoy, Chris Petty, and Bill Michaud. Leek, Holt and Smith remain members.
Corporate Members from Mercy with no voting rights were Jim Barber and Reta Baker.
Recently, the  Gordon Parks Museum received the Parks art collection which was donated to Mercy by Parks in 2002.
” The Fort Scott Mercy Health Foundation was honored to donate our collection of Gordon Parks’ photographs and poems gifted to the foundation.  We hope that the members of the community and tourists will continue to enjoy these works of art for many years to come at the Gordon Parks Museum Foundation.”
The Gordon Parks Museum is located on the campus of Fort Scott Community College, 2108 S. Horton.

Click below for the donation to the local museum:

Exhibit Donated to Gordon Parks Museum by Mercy Foundation

“The transfer of the artwork to the Gordon Parks Museum Foundation stipulates the collection must remain in Bourbon County and be made available to loan out to organizations in Bourbon County based on approval of the Executive Director.”
Bourbon County also received a donation from the Mercy Health Foundation?
 “Bourbon County Commission and Mercy Hospital reached an agreement to transfer/donate/sell the ambulance barn located east of the hospital.  The foundation was not included in this discussion, because the property was not owned by the foundation.  The foundation did agree to assist the Bourbon County Commission with the remodel of the ambulance barn; the board  approved a $26,000 donation to update the ambulance barn.”
Bourbon County Ambulance Service has a station at 405 Woodland Hills, northeast of the Community Health Center building that was donated by Mercy. Also donated were two emergency transport vehicles.

Click below for more information:

New EMS Vehicles Dedicated Feb. 12 At Timken

The newly remodeled emergency medical services facility that was donated to Bourbon County EMS by Mercy Hospital, located northeast of Community Health Center at 405 Woodland Hills.
 ” The $7,527 in the restricted ambulance fund (remaining after the purchase of two new transport ambulances; gifted to Bourbon County) will be moved to the general fund to assist with this funding.” Taken from Mercy Health Foundation Minutes, February 25, 2019.
Leek provided the following as the purpose of the Mercy Health Foundation taken from the Mercy Foundation articles:

“To receive gifts and grants of unrestricted funds, and to use the unrestricted funds in a manner that is recommended by the Member (Mercy Hospital); provided that such use and distributions are for the Corporation’s (board of the Mercy foundation) proper purposes and activities that qualify as exempt under Code Section 501(c)(3) and are proper under the provisions of this Article VI;

“To review and approve of the receipt and acceptance of gifts and grants of restricted funds, and if the restricted funds are approved for receipt and acceptance by the Corporation, to use the restricted funds for their intended purposes; provided that such use and distributions are for the Corporation’s proper purposes and activities that qualify as exempt under Code Section 501(c)(3) and are proper under the provisions of this Article VI;

“To fund health-related capital expenditures using the unrestricted funds as recommended by the Member;

“To coordinate the development of new health programs and services as recommended by the Member, which include funding the ongoing operation of such programs;

“To coordinate health-related educational programs as recommended by the Member;

“To coordinate and conduct health-related research as recommended by the Member.”


Bourbon County Local News