Some of the most interesting historical facts are tied to the every day lives of working Americans. Unfortunately, these people have often been historically marginalized. A recent development at FSCC has brought Fort Scott’s working history (past and present) to center stage with its new exhibit “A Day in the Life of Fort Scott’s Working World,” which is a part of the larger Smithsonian Institute project entitled “The Way We Worked: The remarkable story of the American worker over the last 150 years.” The exhibit will run until June 24th, 2013.

The exhibit is part of the Smithsonian Institution traveling exhibition, and was funded by a partnership grant of $2,000 awarded to the Gordon Parks Museum. Jill Warford, Gordon Parks Center for Culture & Diversity Director, originally wrote for the grant. Thirty-four grant proposals were submitted, but only 6 received the full grant. However, the Institute gave out partnership grants to several other institutions, and the Gordon Parks Museum was one of those recipients.

In order to garner photos of modern workers in Fort Scott, Warford said the museum hosted a “public amateur photo contest.” Warford also mentioned that the museum received 221 entries and chose 31 of those entries to be printed and displayed for the exhibit.

The photos contained in the exhibit represent a wide variety of walks of life, including that of factory workers, working ranch hands, surgeons and auto mechanics. Also shown are photos and historical facts from the early days of several of Fort Scott’s old industries, including the history of the Western Insurance Company and its impact on the city.

For a walk through the past and present, stop by the Ellis Fine Arts Center up until June 24th and enjoy visually stepping into someone else’s shoes.

At today’s meeting, County Commissioners revisited the issue of culvert maintenance and charges related to maintenance and installation of culverts. According to Commission Chairman Allen Warren, the amount that is currently charged to citizens is too low to cover the cost of installation. Furthermore, Warren pointed out that the county replaces culverts in the event that they rust through, and does maintenance work on culverts at no charge. Commissioner Barbara Albright said, “We’ve been losing money, here.”

Warren did the necessary research to compile dollar amounts on the use of a truck and backhoe, as well as the cost of gravel around culverts. According to Warren, it costs $75 per hour in order to run a truck towing a backhoe out to a location in Bourbon County. Depending on the location, Warren pointed out that the better part of that hour might be spent just in reaching the destination and would not include the time taken to actually work on the culvert and surrounding area.

Though citizens putting in a new access point do currently pay a permit fee, Warren pointed out that the costs incurred in the installation and maintenance of the culvert outweigh the permit fee amount. Warren said, “The $225, I can tell you, is not paying for anything more than a 15 inch. culvert.” The Commission Chairman also pointed out that the permit fee is a flat rate, while culverts installed are often bigger and more expensive than the standard 15 inch culvert.

“Your goal isn’t to make money,” said County Attorney Terri Johnson, and Commissioner Harold Coleman agreed, saying “We just want to break even, here.”

Discussion was in progress near the close of the meeting to determine a solution to cover the extra cost of materials and labor that go into installing and maintaining culverts.

In other news, commissioners and Johnson also discussed the wording and content of bid notices for the county. Johnson recommended that the bid notices be reworded in order to reduce confusion over what constitutes a “local business,” explaining that some businesses are locally operated, but are still businesses based out of a corporate office.

Warren, agreed, saying that the commissioners need to be able to defend their choices with regard to all criteria listed in the bid, including what constitutes a “local business.” The reason for concern was that a 5% bid allowance is given to businesses that qualify as being local, and both Johnson and the commissioners wished to be sure that the allowance was being applied equally to all bidders that qualify. In addition, Johnson brought up the issue of the 5% bid allowance and how it would affect a large, expensive project that would be put out for bids. Warren suggested a cap on the 5% allowance, which would prevent the allowance from accumulating to an overly large amount.

Other news:

• The County Commissioners and Public Works Director Marty Pearson are currently in the process of purchasing a retired railroad oil tanker car, which with the ends cut off, will be used as a culvert. Commissioner Coleman said, “It would be [located] almost a mile west of 215th on Yellowstone. It would be closer to 205th.” According to Commissioner Warren, the steel on the car would be a half inch thick. In a recent Farm Show article entitled “Old Railroad Tank Cars Make Great Culverts,” Terry Smith of Diversified Rail Car in Camden, Arkansas explains that old tank cars are make of more durable steel than the average corrugated steel culvert, which makes them easier to install. The article also states that old tank cars are “priced comparably to corrugated culverts, but will last considerably longer.”

Yesterday Lee’s Paws and Claws Animal Shelter served not only as a shelter, but also as a meeting place for the Chamber of Commerce and visitors. Attendees explored the clean, bright facility, which according to Interim Director Ann Gillmore-Hoffman, has been recommended by the state as an exemplary facility.

Gillmore-Hoffman walked visitors through the unique design of the shelter and how it better meets the needs of the animals it houses. The doors on the dog runs, which were designed by Steve Kibble, are designed similarly to hog feeders, Gillmore-Hoffman explained. These doors allow free-will access to the outdoors while remaining durable. “There is really nothing on them that the animals can get to to chew on. They are air-tight. I really think Steve should patent [the design]” said Gillmore-Hoffman. She said the doors are so easy to open that even the smallest puppy can get in and out freely.

Though the shelter has up to 20 acres of area to expand, the existing building is often filled to capacity. Gillmore-Hoffman said, “There are good and bad points to being a no-kill shelter. If we’re full, we’re full” and cannot take in any more animals. However, the shelter has saved many lives in its one year of operation. Lee’s Paws and Claws has taken in 200 animals and adopted out over 130 thus far.

Gillmore-Hoffman also thanked those who had given to support the shelter, including the Lupe family of La Hacienda for hosting “Shelter Night” every Tuesday night, from which a portion of the proceeds goes to support Lee’s Paws and Claws. Gillmore-Hoffman reported that in the past 6 months, La Hacienda had raised $1,800 for the shelter.

Another business organization Gillmore-Hoffman thanked was Shepherd Team Auto Plaza for hosting Adoption Day on the first weekend of every month.

An additional organization that has donated time and skills to the shelter is the Bourbon County Arts Council. The beautiful mural that has been started by the council will serve as a record of donors who have given $1,000 or more to Lee’s Paws and Claws. For each donation of this amount, the donors’ names will be added to a leaf on the tree in the mural.

In other news, Brian Holt of Union State Bank announced that the former Zambian ambassador to the United States, Sheila Siwela, is looking into the process to purchase a building in downtown Fort Scott to house her business operations.

Residents and visitors driving downtown may be met with an unfamiliar sight on the corner at 124 E Wall street in Fort Scott. The Spoiled Brat Salon is a favorite downtown destination for hair and nail care, and the historic building in which it resides is currently reinforced with precautionary supports.

According to Spoiled Brat stylist Heather Engstrom, the prospective issues with the building were spotted by a nearby structural engineer. “The building next to us had some roof problems” Engstrom said. The engineer, Thomas Rewerts of Kansas City, was looking at the adjacent building. Rewerts came over to look at the Spoiled Brat building and was a bit concerned about one of the load bearing walls on the exterior of the building. Engstrom mentioned that the wall in question goes down into the crawlspace and supports weight from the roof, making it a central part of the structure of the building.  In order to take some of the load off the wall in question, a structure has been built on the inside of the building to to support the weight of the roof.

Those who have been inside the salon have seen result of the great amount of time and money the salon owner has put into the building, making it a thriving business location once again. According to Engstrom, they put quite a lot of time and money into the building about 6 years ago and are waiting on insurance to see about repairing the load bearing wall.

Just as many residential areas are slowly recovering from the April hailstorm, the city is also dealing with the assessment and repair of city buildings. Two notable city holdings that were damaged are the Woodland Hills Golf Course and Memorial Hall, Fort Scott’s venerable entertainment venue that once hosted Fort Scott High School’s basketball games and a variety of other entertainment.

According to Airport Manager Kenny Howard, damage at the golf course involved the roofs of several structures. Howard said, “Most of it was roof damage.” Some of the skylights in the metal buildings that have exhaust outlets were perforated by hailstones and will have to be replaced.

Howard also mentioned that the clubhouse roof is a “total loss,” as well as the roofs of the golf cart storage buildings. Screens on the tennis courts were damaged by the storm, and 8 windows in the clubhouse were shattered.

However, the one structure that didn’t meet with any destruction was the old pool house. Howard said of the ability of the structure to withstand bad weather, “I think it took it pretty well.”

Golf Course Superintendent Jon Kindlesparger said that damage to the buildings on the golf course is covered by the same insurance that covers all city buildings, but that the green of the course can only be insured against vandalism and not against weather damage. Fortunately, Kindlesparger indicated that the damage to the green was minimal. He said, “We had a few limbs down–nothing significant.”

When asked about the dollar amount of hail damage to the golf course and other city structures, Howard said, “It’s still up in the air. I’m still waiting to get a report back from the insurance adjustor. I’m hoping to hear back soon.”

In addition to damage at the golf course, Memorial Hall also sustained damage, including 89 windows that were broken and later temporarily patched with duct tape. Howard mentioned that the building’s roof was leaking quite a bit, but that there was a positive side to the storm damage. Howard said, “The good thing is that we will have nice new roofs when it’s done!”

When asked about a timetable for the assessment and repairs on the buildings, Howard said he was told the assessment and repair estimates would take approximately 60 days for the insurance adjustor to compile. He also reported that the adjustor took 2,680 pictures of damage to city structures alone, which indicates the vast nature of repairs to be assessed and done before buildings are in good shape again.

On a positive note, those who visit the Woodland Hills Golf Course will be met not only by friendly staff, but also by the friendly cat the golf course employees have adopted. The cat’s name is Bertie, and Kindlesparger said, “She’s a fixture here.” Bertie’s favorite spot to nap seems to be the soft, covered chairs on the patio. Like any sweet-natured cat, she enjoys being petted and scratched behind the ears. Bertie seems to set a good example for visitors on how to relax and enjoy life.

On a cool, cloudy, Friday morning, chamber members gathered to celebrate the opening of one of Fort Scott’s newest businesses–The Game Cafe. Teens have long lamented the absence of local entertainment stores, and entrepreneur Korey Pearson has created a business in response to the need. Police Chief Travis Shelton said of The Game Cafe, “The 13 year old boys are going to love this!”

Pearson introduced himself to those in attendance and explained exactly what The Game Cafe does: “We buy, sell and trade games, and visitors can play games here for free.” He gestured to a console and large TV screen in one corner of the store. He also mentioned that the store is usually packed at 6:30 on Tuesday nights, which have been designated “game nights” in which anyone can participate.

Aside from selling electronic games, The Game Cafe also sells card games, including the  “Magic: The Gathering” cards, which Pearson says have been very popular. According to Pearson, these cards can range in price from “20 cents to 50 dollars.” When asked what age groups frequent the store, he said, “Anywhere from 6-7 all the way up to 71 years!”

City Manager Dave Martin commended Pearson and his family for starting the business. Martin said, “This young man and his dad have a trait that I do not have–entrepreneurship.” Martin assured Pearson that the Chamber was “here to help” in any way possible, and that Pearson’s vision and work with the young people of Fort Scott is very important.

Commissioner Barbara Albright addressed the concerns of campers at Elm Creek Lake about separate charges for the shelter house and electric outlets. In the past, campers hadn’t been charged fully for both because of a misunderstanding of the caretaker’s. Caretakers in the past allowed access to the shelter for $5 instead of the usual $20 because they knew use of exterior outlets on the shelter could easily trip the old breaker. In order to reset it, campers needed access to the shelter, even if they did not plan to use the shelter, itself.

“It’s just a 20 amp breaker, so it’s going to trip a lot faster than anything newer” said Commission Chairman Warren.

Commissioners discussed the possibility of replacing the 20 amp breaker box in the shelter with a 30 amp breaker box to prevent problems with overload on the breaker at the shelter. However, commissioners decided to start enforcing previously set charges in the meantime. The official costs for using electric hookups at Elm Creek are $10 per outlet per night on the electric poles, $20 per night for the shelter house.

The total cost if all outlets are in use $80 per night. “If they [campers] want access to that breaker box, they need to pay for the shelter” Warren explained. The reasoning behind the choice was that if the shelter were opened without payment, the electrical outlets on the interior of the shelter would be used without charge. Commissioner Barbara Albright remarked, “It just needs to be uniform for everyone.” Commission Chairman Warren indicated that from now on, if the shelter house were not rented, the outlets on the exterior of the shelter would not be turned on.

Albright suggested that the county notify campers in writing on the exact charges when they reserve the area.

Warren also updated Commissioners Albright and Coleman on the situation at the landfill following April’s hailstorm. Warren brought to their attention the increased revenue being generated by the disposal of shingles and other roofing and siding material, but also reminded those in attendance that the landfill had added two new employees and was paying overtime for Saturday work. “In May, we jumped up over 3,200 tons” Warren said.  Warren also mentioned that the bulldozer at the landfill is being used much more than in the past, and that it is old. The commissioners discussed keeping revenue in reserve in case the old bulldozer fails. Warren says that with the huge amount of waste coming in, in the event of the bulldozer failing, the county would need to have reserves of money to rent a bulldozer to keep up with demand at the landfill. According to Warren, the hopper at the landfill also needs work. According to Public Works Director Marty Pearson, the unit has had 1.5 days of welding work done on it to keep it running. “That unit needs to be replaced–that’s all there is to it,” Warren told Pearson. Warren suggested that at the end of the year, the commissioners amend the budget in order to include new equipment for the landfill using revenue generated by increased traffic at the landfill, which has seen an increase in Construction and Demolition (C & D) waste consumers from 122 loads in January to 1,268 loads in May.

“I think it’s working out [well], I really do. We’re keeping up,” Warren said.

Other business

•  At a departmental meeting for the county, Commissioners and attendees also discussed performance reviews. Warren said that performance reviews, once finished, would be administered at the end of the year. Warren said “Right now, [employees] get the same raise as everyone else” regardless of how employees perform. He asked, “Is that fair?” Warren asked that department heads develop a list of 4-5 criteria for performance review for employees. Bourbon County Emergency Manager Terri Coop pointed out that doing these evaluations would have the positive effect of protecting the county from unwarranted unemployment claims and other legal issues.

At today’s County Commissioners’ meeting, commissioners revisited the issue of the landfill filling quickly from storm-related debris. Commissioner Allen Warren estimated the containers full of shingles and discarded roofing materials weigh about 10-12 tons. Warren said, “It’s a mountain–it’s an absolute mountain” in reference to the amount of discarded materials being unloaded each day at the landfill. However, there is room for the extra material on the west side of the landfill between the pit and the fence. Warren encouraged landfill employees to deposit shingles in an area that would not require employees to move piles of shingles with a bulldozer. According to Warren, it would be more efficient fuel-wise not to use the bulldozer to push shingles, which the bulldozer does not do efficiently.

Commissioners also listened as J. R. Stewart presented his concerns involving the 911 system and his address. He explained that fire crews have been misdirected by the system in the past when his barn caught fire, delaying them 20 minutes. Stewart proposed that a section of 235th street be renamed “235th Terrace” in order to eliminate the confusion in the system, and all three commissioners were in agreement.

Other news:

• Commissioners signed three resolutions involving the purchase of the courthouse annex building at 108 West 2nd. Resolution 15-13 approved the purchase of the building, while Resolution 16-13 approved the sale of $190,000 in general obligation bonds.
• Attorney Dan Meara requested the commissioners delay this year’s tax sale in order to allow more properties to be processed before the sale. According to Meara, this action could provide a better number of properties to be presented at the sale and might generate more interest. Meara said, “It’s like any public auction–the more tracts [of land] you have, the more interest you have.”Meara pointed out that at times, the sale costs the county more than it profits from the sale, but Commission Chairman Warren pointed out that it would be good to get the land in question back into the hands of someone that will pay taxes on it, and that the taxes would make up for any money lost.
• Commissioners reviewed bids for fish food to be used at Elm Creek Lake and accepted the low bid from Tractor Supply Co., which was $607.60 per ton.

At today’s Chamber Coffee, chamber members and visitors listened intently as Rhonda Dunn outlined the entertainment to be available at this weekend’s Good O’l Days celebration. Dunn thanked the community and local businesses for their support saying, “We know where our bread is buttered, and we really appreciate it [support from businesses].” Dunn mentioned that the Good O’l Days has never been rained out since its beginnings in 1982, and that the city would have an emergency plan in case of severe weather moving through the area in the next few days.

Fire Chief Paul Ballou stepped forward to give those in attendance an idea of what that plan would be. Ballou said that Memorial Hall would be used as an emergency shelter in the event of severe weather, and that any overflow of people from Memorial Hall would be sheltered in the nearby Methodist Church in downtown Fort Scott. Dunn commented that she was impressed by the quick response of the city in formulating the plan. She said, “All it took was a phone call” to set things in motion.

Other news:

• The Bourbon County Long-term Relief Committee is still accepting donations from contractors and others who have building materials to donate at a location near Trainwreck Tees on North National in Fort Scott. Those interested in donating should text Craig Campbell, Director of Pharmacy at Sisters of Mercy Health System.
• The Fort Scott Idol competition will be held this evening at 6:00PM at Memorial Hall. Tickets ($3, 5 and under get in free) are available at Country Cupboard until 4 o’clock today and are also available at the door. According to Rhonda Dunn, 30 contestants are scheduled to compete.
• A Mercy Hospital Seminar meeting on the Affordable Care Act will be held today from 3:00PM-4:30PM. This seminar is a free service of Greenbush and is open to the public.
• New attractions at the Good O’l Days include a new carnival, Professor Farquar and Polecat Annie, the James Ernest Zydeco band. All of the traditional events, music and vending of past years will also be available to festival goers.

Though most of us are aware of damage done in residential areas of Fort Scott to homes and vehicles, we may not have considered the damage done to other structures within the city. One of the harder hit areas of town seems to be along Burke Street, which is very near one of Fort Scott’s most beautiful attractions–Gunn Park. Though at first glance the park may look undamaged, a closer look reveals some destruction.

Most notably, several of the newer playground structures were damaged, rendering them unusable and unsafe. Thankfully the city quickly took notice of the safety hazard and placed a temporary fence and warning signs around each of the damaged playground areas.

One of the structures by the 2nd lake actually has a large hole in the slide portion of the play area, which shows just how forcefully the hail came down during the storm.

In addition, several shelter house roofs have been damaged, most notably the roof of the Fern Lake shelter house.

The good news is that the city seems to have put new metal roofs on quite a few shelter houses already, including one of the historic shelter houses by the 2nd lake which was built by the Works Progress Administration during the Great Depression.

The photo below shows a plaque commemorating the efforts of the Works Progress Administration and the City of Fort Scott during the Great Depression.

Other familiar sights at the park, such as the old grills, have escaped damage from the storm. Perhaps the old saying, “They don’t make things like they used to” is true in this case!