Kansas Renewal Institute remains committed to supporting rural healthcare and expanding access to quality care in Fort Scott and the surrounding area.
Our ownership shares the vision that brought KRI to this community: to strengthen local healthcare, address unmet needs, and continue growing the services available to the individuals and families we serve. With the support of our ownership, KRI is fully capitalized to continue its operations and carry forward that vision.
Our ownership recognizes the unique combination of services already available at the KRI facility and the opportunity to build a more comprehensive healthcare resource for the region. By bringing together complementary services and pursuing additional mental health and hospital service lines, we see meaningful potential to meet more of the community’s healthcare needs close to home.
The recent ownership transition represents a continued investment in KRI’s future and in the long-term healthcare needs of this region. Any future expansion will follow the necessary planning and regulatory approval processes.
We recognize how much access to dependable healthcare means to this community. We look forward to working with local leaders, healthcare partners, and residents as we move forward, and we will share updates as plans are finalized.
Our commitment is clear: to invest in this community, strengthen rural healthcare, and follow through on the vision we have set forth.
— Shanda D. Stewart, Community Resource Coordinator, Kansas Renewal Institute
Fort Scott City Commission Meeting Agenda – October 20, 2026, 6:00 PM
I. Call to Order
II. Pledge of Allegiance
III. Invocation
IV. Approval of Agenda
V. Consent Agenda
A. Approval of Appropriation Ordinance 1418-A – Expense Approval Report – Payment Dates of September 30, 2026 – October 13, 2026: $674,748.42
B. Approval of Minutes: Regular Meeting of October 6, 2026
C. Request for Payment – Jeff Asbell Excavating & Trucking, Inc. – Davis Lift Station – Application No. 8: $81,845.30
D. Request for Payment – Strukel Electric Inc. – FSK Airport – Runway Grading & Lighting Repair – Payment Application #3: $261,375.18
E. Request for Payment – Earles Engineering & Inspection LLC – Invoice #18866 – EEI Project No. 26-08 Topo Wall St. – Phase 3 – Preliminary 10%: $6,400.00
F. Request for Payment – Earles Engineering & Inspection LLC – Invoice #18867 – EEI Project No. 26-402 Davis Lift Station Extraneous Flow – Wages: $17,545.20
G. Request for Payment – Earles Engineering & Inspection LLC – Invoice #18888 – EEI Project No. 25-12 East National Phase I – Final 100% & Bidding 10%: $3,825.00
H. September Financials
VI. Public Comment
VII. Appearances
1. Casey Brown/SEK CAP Community Engagement Coordinator – Transportation Update
2. Pete Allen – Crawford Street 7-Block Infrastructure Demonstration Corridor
VIII. Unfinished Business
A. Consideration of Solar Panels – Proposal Update – Daniel Zywietz/SEK Solar
IX. New Business
Action Items:
A. Consideration to Purchase Single Axel Vactor 2100i Combination Sewer Cleaner – $558,564.47 – B. Lemke
B. Discussion of Eddy Street – 6th to 8th – T. Coffman
C. Consideration to Approve Ordinance No. 3802 – Codification of Fort Scott Ordinances – First Reading
D. Consideration to Approve Ordinance No. 3803 – Standard Traffic Ordinance (STO) and Ordinance No. 3804 – Uniform Public Offense Code (UPOC) – First Reading
E. Consideration of Sale of Lake Lots – Phase I – B. Matkin
F. Discussion and Consideration of Downtown Park Enforcement – B. Matkin
Public Hearings:
Consideration of Resolution No. 42-2026 – A Resolution Directing the Repair or Removal of an Alleged Unsafe and Dangerous Structure at 507 W. 18th St. – L. Kruger
Consideration of Resolution No. 43-2026 – A Resolution Directing the Repair or Removal of an Alleged Unsafe and Dangerous Structure at 611 W. 5th St. – L. Kruger
Consideration of Resolution No. 44-2026 – A Resolution Directing the Repair or Removal of an Alleged Unsafe and Dangerous Structure at 416 S. Barbee – L. Kruger
Consideration of Resolution No. 45-2026 – A Resolution Directing the Repair or Removal of an Alleged Unsafe and Dangerous Structure at 418 S. Barbee – L. Kruger
A sweet friendship refreshes the soul. Proverbs 27:9
This year, for the first time, selecting our annual, college sorority reunion date revolved around medical issues. Except for our wheelchair-bound friend Diana, the other five of us have been relatively healthy…until, that is, this year when Cathy could not join us because of a serious stomach diagnosis and Keller had to take it easy since she had just been released from I.C.U.
Needless to say, much of our four-day conversations were about health. We found ourselves taking pictures of each other’s medications, just in case we might succumb to our friends’ maladies. Other gab sessions concerned our techniques for eliminating wrinkles, sunspots, hair loss and creaky knees. In the end, we agreed on one thing: we were blessed every day we woke up able to breathe, move and talk, knowing that many did not have that fate.
What I love about this group is our lack of maturity. This picture shows the five of us at our Dolly Parton bash. We spent the day in our Dolly wigs, singing and dancing to the legend’s songs.
Notice the glasses we are holding, each with our caricatures and names inscribed. Etched under that is this: “No one will ever be as entertained by us as us.” We think we are funny.
We play dominoes with a $5 kitty, and this year, Diana added “Family Feud,” only we were on our own—no “family.” Di was the narrator but refused to tell us the year her card game was made, so our 2026 answers failed to meet her (apparent) 1996 edition. (Seriously, “Elvis” instead of “Dolly”?)
This year, Keller took us down Memory Lane with a video she created of the past 20 years we have vacationed together. Set to music, we were shocked to see how young (and skinny) we once were. We watched the video three times, asking ourselves, “What happened?”
Pictures of grandchildren were passed around the table, each with a story of accomplishment or goofiness. In spite of all the laughter we share, we are a prayer team for each other. There are narratives of in-law battles, sibling rivalries, children choices, husband frustrations, neighbor nightmares, financial concerns and, of course, health problems. We are not short on prayer requests.
Six personalities, all willing to overlook the annoying idiosyncrasies we all have, thankful that we all pitch in to help cook and clean, that we all choose to be unselfish and yield to each other rather than have our way. Have we had disagreements? You betcha. None of us is guilty of having no opinion. We will not discuss politics and respect each other’s religious viewpoints. We allow healthy discourse on topics such as Covid injections and childhood vaccinations while honoring Romans 12:10: Honor one another above yourselves.
If you are blessed with this kind of friendship, the kind that refreshes the soul and endures, you know that it is a gift from God. It is to be cherished.
Fort Scott Fall Boutique Crawl + Fall Fest Set for Saturday, October 17th
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce invites everyone to enjoy the Fort Scott Fall Boutique Crawl + Fall Fest this Saturday, October 17th!
Spend the day shopping at participating boutiques and local businesses throughout Fort Scott, featuring unique finds, fall arrivals, and more. Participating boutiques include Better in Bourbon, Eternal Grace Boutique, Blissful Meadows Boutique, Sunshine Boutique, Midwest Runway, Laree + Co., and Be the Light Boutique.
Additional shopping locations include Common Ground Coffee Co., The Market at 23 Main, Shirt Shack, Hedgehog Books, and Lu’s Ice Cream.
From 1 to 4 p.m., enjoy Fall Fest activities in downtown Fort Scott, featuring Painted Memories, Bougie Bites Treat Co., Parkway Church Kettle Corn & Caramel Apples, Tri-valley Mums & House Plants, Yummy Good Cotton Candy, and Tiger Ice.
Come shop, explore, and enjoy a fun fall Saturday while supporting local businesses!
For more information, contact the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce at (620) 223-3566 or visit fortscott.com.
Norma Jean Orr, formerly of Fort Scott, Kansas, passed away July 31, 2026 in Lenexa, Kansas. Norma was born September 23, 1932, in Fort Scott, the daughter of Michael and Francis Morrow McDonald. She married Roger Dale Orr on April 20, 1952; he preceded her in death in 2004 after 52 years of marriage.
She is survived by two sons, Michael Orr of Plymouth, California and John Orr of Overland Park, Kansas. In addition to her husband, Roger, she was preceded in death by a son, Matthew Orr, and a daughter, Teresa Schaniel.
Graveside services for Norma will be 11:00 a.m., Friday, October 23, 2026, at the Fort Scott National Cemetery, under the direction of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home, 15 W. Wall Street, Fort Scott, Kansas.
The Fort Scott Community College Board of Trustees will meet for a Special Board Meeting on October 16, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. in the Ellis Fine Arts Building.
As flu season begins, the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas (CHC/SEK) encourages everyone aged six months and older to receive their yearly influenza vaccine to protect themselves and their loved ones.
“It’s important to get the flu vaccine annually because each year’s version includes the viruses expected to be most common,” said Dr. Linda Bean, CHC/SEK Chief Medical Officer. “Getting vaccinated now allows time to build immunity before flu season peaks in the winter.”
CHC/SEK offers flu vaccinations on a walk-in basis at all clinics in Kansas and Oklahoma. No appointment is necessary, and financial assistance is available.
In addition to receiving the annual vaccine, everyday habits such as frequent handwashing and avoiding close contact with people who are ill can help reduce the risk of getting the flu.
The Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas (CHC/SEK) serves as a healthcare hub for communities in Kansas and Oklahoma. CHC/SEK delivers quality, integrated care to nearly 90,000 patients each year with a goal of improving health, sustaining rural communities, and providing purpose-driven work to 950 staff members. Beyond healthcare, CHC/SEK finds innovative ways to improve lives by focusing on education, housing, and transportation. Regardless of income or insurance status, CHC/SEK ensures everyone receives the care they need. For more information, visit chcsek.org.
The former Mercy Hospital building at 401 Woodland Hills Blvd. has a new owner, according to documents recorded Tuesday, Oct. 13, at the Bourbon County Register of Deeds office.
A special warranty deed conveys the property from Kansas RE Investment Group LLC to 401 Woodland Hills KS Realty LLC, a Kansas company that gives its mailing address as 158-13 72nd Avenue, Suite 2D, Flushing, New York 11365. The deed is dated Aug. 26, 2026.
The same afternoon, the new owner and Kansas Renewal Institute LLC recorded a $17.5 million mortgage on the property in favor of Bankwell Bank, a Connecticut bank acting as agent for the lenders.
What the building has changed hands for
The building was given away twice before Legacy reported a $7.5 million value when it transferred the building in 2024. This table shows each transfer we can document, using the best information available.
The county also gave Legacy $2 million. (2022 story)
Dec. 20, 2024
Legacy Healthcare Foundation → Kansas RE Investment Group LLLP
$7,500,000 (reported fair market value)
Value Legacy reported to the IRS, citing the escrow closing statement. The buyer borrowed $2.5 million from Legacy Health LLC under a mortgage recorded the same day. (2024 Form 990)
Aug. 26, 2026 (recorded Oct. 13)
Kansas RE Investment Group LLC → 401 Woodland Hills KS Realty LLC
Not stated
The deed lists “$10.00 and other good and valuable consideration.” The new owner and Kansas Renewal Institute LLC, with “certain affiliates,” borrowed $17,500,000 secured by the property.
The $17.5 million is a loan amount, not a sale price, and the mortgage says it was borrowed by the two companies “and certain affiliates.” For comparison, the Bourbon County appraiser values the two lots at $3,877,950 for 2025: $3,601,940 for the hospital lot and $276,010 for the lot at 0 S. Horton.
Two figures have been reported for the 2024 transfer. Legacy’s 2024 Form 990 lists the building, land and equipment at a fair market value of $7.5 million and shows $7.5 million in notes and loans receivable. A higher figure comes secondhand: in June 2026, the Bourbon County Monitor reported that Commissioner Gregg Motley said KRI’s T.J. Denning told him KRI had paid Legacy $8.5 million in total for the building. No record we have reviewed shows the $8.5 million figure.
What the deed shows
The seller is Kansas RE Investment Group LLC, a Georgia company. The deed says it was formerly Kansas RE Investment Group LLLP. Erik Engebretson signed for the seller as authorized signatory of Guild Dream Homes LLC, which the deed describes as a managing member of the seller.
The deed covers Lots 1 and 2 of the Mercy Health Systems of Kansas addition, which it lists as 401 Woodland Hills Blvd. and 0 S. Horton. It does not disclose an actual purchase price; it recites only “Ten and 00/100 Dollars ($10.00) and other good and valuable consideration.”
The new owner
According to the Kansas Secretary of State, 401 Woodland Hills KS Realty LLC was formed July 1, 2026. Its resident agent is NUCO Filings Corp. of Topeka, and the formation filing was signed by Elliott Teitelbaum as an authorized person. The filing does not list the company’s owners.
The $17.5 million mortgage
The mortgage names two borrowers, jointly and severally: 401 Woodland Hills KS Realty LLC as “Owner” and Kansas Renewal Institute LLC, a Kansas company, as “Operator.” Both list the same Flushing, New York, address. The documents say the owner leases the property to Kansas Renewal Institute under a lease agreement dated the same day as the mortgage.
The mortgage says the borrowers “and certain affiliates of Borrower have borrowed the sum of $17,500,000.00” from the lenders, with Bankwell Bank acting as agent. The loan matures Aug. 26, 2029, “subject to extension.” A separate assignment of leases and rents, also recorded Tuesday, assigns the borrowers’ leases and rents to Bankwell Bank, as agent for itself and the other lenders, as additional security for the loan.
One passage in the mortgage describes the promissory note as being in “the principal amount of Six Million Four Hundred Eighty-Seven Thousand Five Hundred and No/100 Dollars ($17,500,000.00).” The recording stamp, the mortgage’s opening recital and the assignment of rents all give the amount as $17.5 million.
The written-out amount and the figure in parentheses do not match on page 2 of the mortgage recorded Oct. 13, 2026 (Book 534, Page 140). Highlighting added by FortScott.biz. Source: Bourbon County Register of Deeds.
David E. Marx signed the mortgage and the assignment as manager of both 401 Woodland Hills KS Realty LLC and Kansas Renewal Institute LLC. The website of Marx Development Group, a New York City developer, lists a David E. Marx as its owner and chief executive officer and describes him as an attorney and real estate developer whose projects include skilled nursing homes and assisted living facilities. New York City housing registration records list a David E. Marx as president of the company that owns the Flushing building where both Kansas companies give their address.
An earlier mortgage is released
In December 2024, Kansas RE Investment Group LLLP gave Legacy Health LLC, a California company, a $2.5 million mortgage on the building. On Dec. 21, Legacy Health LLC assigned that mortgage to Pasadena Private Lending Inc., a Delaware corporation with an address in Pasadena, California.
A release recorded Tuesday, dated Aug. 26, 2026, says Pasadena Private Lending “certifies that the Mortgage has been fully paid and satisfied and is of no further force or effect.”
Property taxes
Bourbon County Treasurer records show the 2025 property taxes on both lots were paid Sept. 1, 2026. As of Oct. 15, those records still listed Kansas RE Investment Group as owner and taxpayer of both lots. The payments covered $180,999.54 in 2025 taxes, plus $13,574.97 in interest and $34 in fees, for a total of $194,608.51. The tax histories show a $0 balance due on both lots for every year listed.
Most of the bill was for Lot 2, the hospital building at 401 Woodland Hills Blvd., which was assessed at $900,485 for 2025 and taxed $168,116.96. That lot carried no assessed value and no tax for 2023 and 2024, the years the tax records list Legacy Healthcare Foundation as its owner. Lot 1, listed at 0 S. Horton, was taxed $12,882.58 for 2025.
Kansas Renewal Institute runs a behavioral health treatment center in the building, and Freeman opened its hospital and emergency department there on Sept. 4, 2025. In September 2026, Freeman and KRI signed a non-binding letter of intent to explore the future ownership and operation of Freeman Fort Scott Hospital. It is unclear how the change in ownership will affect current hospital operations. None of the four documents recorded Tuesday mentions Freeman or the county’s 2022 donation agreement.
FortScott.biz called Marx Development and reached an automated attendant; no one answered. A KRI receptionist returned our call to ask whether we could meet at the facility Monday morning, but could not comment on our questions. We will update this story if KRI responds with a statement.
The two-hour parking spaces on Main Street are meant to help customers find convenient parking and support our downtown businesses. We have tried to be flexible, but we continue to hear from business owners about vehicles staying in these spaces for several hours.
Vehicles parked beyond the posted two-hour limit will receive a parking ticket.
If you plan to be downtown longer, please use one of the public parking lots, where parking is not limited to two hours. Thank you for helping keep Main Street parking available for everyone who shops, dines, and visits downtown Fort Scott.
