Obituary

Obituary of Curtis Platt

Leave a comment

Curtis Ryan Platt, age 38, a resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away unexpectedly Thursday, July 4, 2024, at the Nevada Regional Medical Center in Nevada, Missouri.  He was born March 28, 1986, at the KU Medical Center in Kansas City, Kansas, to Alan Joe Platt and Linda  Kratzberg Platt.  Curtis graduated from Central Heights High School in Richmond, Kansas with the Class of 2004.

He started his career with Holland Quarry as a plant operator with his dad.  He then worked road construction for Lexico with his Uncle LeRoy where he inherited the nickname, Gilligan.  After Lexico, Curtis worked for Doherty Steel in Paola, Kansas before going to work as a supervisor for Fabcon Precast in Pleasanton, Kansas where he worked until his death.

Curtis was united in marriage on February 2, 2013, in Ft. Scott, Kansas to Tausha Malone.  Curtis and Tausha were married for eleven wonderful years.  Not only was Curtis committed to Tausha, but he was also committed to his new stepdaughter, Hayley who he loved as his own.  Curtis and Tausha were also blessed with a son, Jase Ryan on August 27, 2014.

Curtis enjoyed working on four wheelers and razors for family and friends.  One of his favorite pastimes was hopping in the razor with Jase and going on a night ride with all his friends.  Curtis also enjoyed hunting, fishing, golfing, and playing softball, which is how he and Tausha met.  His greatest enjoyment was spending time with Tausha, Hayley and Jase.  Curtis and his contagious smile will be lovingly missed by his family and many friends.

 

Survivors include his wife, Tausha and son, Jase of the home, a stepdaughter, Hayley Bean and grandson, Kyson Castleberry of Arkansas, his parents, Joe and Linda Platt of Richmond, Kansas, two brothers, Erik Platt and wife, Chloe of Princeton, Kansas and Chad Platt and girlfriend, Victoria McMoran of Garnett, Kansas and his grandmother, Elsie Kratzberg of Greeley, Kansas.   Also surviving are his in-laws, Brandon and Kathy Malone of Ft. Scott and Linda Rogers and Al Schaffer of Jefferson City, Missouri, brothers and sisters-in-law, John and Sara Kottwitz of Barnett, Missouri and Heather and Thaine Geiger of Ft. Scott.

Curtis was preceded in death by his grandfathers, Nick Kratzberg and Edward Platt, his grandmother, Waunita Porter, three cousins, Kris Stockard, Rebecca Jones and Ricky Jones and a sister-in-law, Leesa Haehn.

 

The family will receive friends 5 to 7 Thursday evening at the at the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, Ft. Scott, Kansas.

Rev. Kevin Moyers will conduct funeral services at 10:30 A.M. Saturday, July 13th at the First Presbyterian Church, 308 S. Crawford, Ft. Scott, Kansas.

Cindy Molini will conduct a graveside service at 1:30 P.M. Saturday, at the St. Boniface Cemetery in Scipio, Kansas.

Following the graveside service, the family will gather at St. John’s Hall, 406 Prairie St., Greeley, Kansas for a time of fellowship.  Memorials are suggested to the Jase Platt Education Fund and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, KS 66701.  Words of remembr

Elections, Government

Candidates on the August Primary Ballot: County Treasurer

Leave a comment

This is part of the series on candidates on the August Primary Ballot.

For the Bourbon County Treasurer position, there are two candidates.

Michael Hoyt. Submitted photo.

Michael J. Hoyt, 66, Fort Scott, is one of two candidates running for Bourbon County Treasurer.

He has 25+ years executive-level corporate for an NYSE, trading $4 billion in revenues.He has managed outside legal counsel for corporate governance, environmental, health and safety issues., Workman’s Compensation claims, OSHA, EPA, and other compliance issues, acquisition due diligence, phase 1 environmental inspections and remediations. Interacted with outside auditors for areas of SEC, financial reporting, and other audit issues reporting to a board of directors, and had internal consulting roles as assigned by CEO for management deficient in performance and crisis situations.

From the University of Richmond, VA he earned a B.A. Business Management graduated Magna Cum Laude and B.A. Paralegal Studies.  From Park University, he earned a Masters in Public Administration, emphasis in Business & Government. From Sandra Day O’Connor School of Law at Arizona State University, a Masters of Law. Johnson County Community College – Licensing Mediation Core and Family Law.

“The focused role of the Treasurer is to act as the ‘Banker’ for the County. To be an honest, diligent custodian of the County Citizen’s tax dollars. Achieve the highest rate of return on deposited dollars; acting in response to interest rates raising and/or falling, using a ‘laddered’ theory.  This has allowed the City of Fort Scott in the past (18) months to achieve a multi- $100k reserve to direct to projects as determined by the City Commission. Establish and achieve financial controls – checks and balances – to date has NOT provided confidence to the citizens or the Commission of transparent reporting or controls.  The audit firm states that the audits recently have less errors but must make note that producing ‘after the fact’ receipts to justify purchases is not an acceptable control.  The Treasurer’s Office functions are to be completed to the color and spirit of the Kansas State Constitution in all areas of property tax collection, delinquent property tax sales conducted on a consistent schedule, and smooth operation of the vehicle license processing through adequate training and support of personnel; fix past deficiencies and improve the services to the Citizen’s. Last but not least, to work with the County Commission to publish budgets, goals, reporting and feedback for success.”

Jennifer Hawkins. Submitted photo.

Jennifer Hawkins, 35, is the current county clerk, but is running for the county treasurer position.

She been employed by Bourbon County for the last eleven years, with five years of experience in the Treasurer’s Office.

“I am familiar with the day-to-day operations, software, and duties required of the Treasurer. My years of experience with the County have provided me with a unique opportunity to see how the duties performed in many offices all connect to help the County operate. I have created relationships with other employees, department heads, and elected officials that allows us to work together for the common goal of the betterment of Bourbon County.”

In the last few years, she has worked with the Treasurer and CFO to create policies and procedures to help avoid future audit violations and to ensure there are checks and balances present in many offices. “We have made great progress in the organization as evidenced by the recent clean audits, however; I feel there is still more to accomplish, and I can help accomplish this by using my knowledge and experience as Treasurer.”

A lifelong resident of Bourbon County, she attended Fort Scott High School and Fort Scott Community College., and has completed the Kansas Municipal Audit and Accounting Guide  financial statement training, three years of Municipal Services Budget Workshops with the Kansas Department of Administration, Revenue Neutral Rate seminars with the Kansas Department of Administration, LEAD Bourbon County with the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce, Homestead Training with the Kansas Department of Revenue, (Kansas Open Records Act and Kansas Open Meetings Act training with both the Kansas League of Municipalities and the Kansas Association of Counties, how to spot fraud seminars, motor vehicle and commercial motor vehicle training with the Kansas Department of Revenue, driver’s license examiner certification with the Kansas Department of Revenue, MSRP training with the Property Valuation Division of KDOR, as well as Subject Matter Expert classes with the Kansas Department of Revenue as well as locally with other Treasurer’s Offices in the Southeast Kansas district.”

 “I feel that collecting and distributing all money owed to the County, keeping an accounting of all money paid in and out of the County to ensure compliance with Kansas laws and statutes, and administering motor vehicle titles and registrations are the primary roles of the Treasurer.”

“The most pressing issues for the Treasurer are the timely reconciliation of all accounts to ensure compliance with laws and statutes and avoid audit violations, to monitor rates for our certificate of deposits to ensure the County is earning the most interest possible, and to operate the office accurately and efficiently as the State pushes more motor vehicle duties upon the County without increasing the amount they allocate to us to operate.”

 

Opinion

Boneless Skinless Lips by Carolyn Hayward Tucker

Leave a comment

Keys to the Kingdom By Carolyn Hayward Tucker

 

I had dipped out some chocolate ice cream into a bowl, shoved in the spoon, and then left it on the counter while I did a quick chore. When I returned and took the first bite, my lower lip stuck solidly to the frozen spoon. (The stories about little kids being told to lick a frosty flag pole suddenly flashed through my mind.) I couldn’t believe this painful disaster was happening to me in my own kitchen by my own hand! Before I could get my lips and clinging spoon to the water faucet, the spoon fell off my lips and took the skin with it. I immediately looked in the mirror and discovered that my lipstick was running. Except I wasn‘t wearing any — it was blood! I was surprised to find that my ice cream-eating experience had ended so very badly.

 

Life is full of surprises — some are good and some are bad. When the bottom drops out of our world, that’s when we look up and reach out to the One who can rescue us. We all live with the challenge of pressing on in the bad times (trials). In the Old Testament, we find that David didn’t cave-in during hard times. When David and his mighty warriors returned to Ziklag (their headquarters), they found it had been burned with fire and all their women and children were taken captive. The men wept until they had no more strength to weep and then, as a bad surprise to David, his own trusted men talked of stoning him. “But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God (1 Samuel 30:6 MEV).

 

Times of calamity can fall on us without any warning. When your shins have been kicked until they’re skinless and you feel like throwing in the towel, throw in a heart-felt prayer instead. David trusted God and knew how to get ahold of Him. And when he did, he and his men found the strength and courage to double down and recover everyone and everything that was stolen. A wishbone does no good when a backbone is what’s needed.

 

Later, David wrote a song of thanksgiving and praise after the Lord delivered him from all his enemies: “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. He is my refuge, my savior; the one who saves me from violence. I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise and He saved me from my enemies” (2 Samuel 22:1-4 NLT).

 

Life’s trials are opportunities for a believer’s faith in God to grow. I don’t particularly like that statement, in fact, I don’t like it at all. But I know it’s true because I’ve personally experienced it. Plus there’s scripture to back it: “My brothers, consider yourselves fortunate when all kinds of trials come your way, for you know that when your faith succeeds in facing such trials, the result is the ability to endure. Make sure that your endurance carries you all the way without failing, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:2-4 TEV).

 

When God strengthens your backbone and encourages your heart, you’ll come out stronger in the end than at the beginning. The following hymn lyrics were written by G. A. Young:  “God leads His dear children along. Some through the waters, some through the flood. Some through the fire, but all through the Blood. Some through great sorrow, but God gives a song in the night season and all the day long.” Your finest spiritual growth may be the outcome of a painful surprise in your life.

 

The Key: When your lips are skinless and bleeding, God will be your place of healing.

Fort Scott

Vehicle Fire On South Main

Leave a comment
The Fort Scott Fire Department was called to aide in extinguishing a vehicle fire at Citizens Bank on South Main today.

At approximately 1:26 pm on July 6, the Fort Scott Fire Department was dispatched to Citizens Bank, 2207 S. Main, parking lot for a report of a vehicle on fire.

 FSFD arrived on scene to find a Chevrolet truck with heavy flames and smoke from the engine and interior compartment.
Fire crews worked quickly to extinguish the fire and the fire was under control within 5 minutes.  The extent of the fire was major and the vehicle is a total loss.  Fire crews remained on scene to extinguish hot spots inside the vehicle as well as the engine compartment.
Upon investigating the owners stated they were having issues with the fuel lines and were taking the vehicle to Briggs.  It is believed the fire was a direct result  of this issue as the area of origin was the engine compartment and spread through the fire wall into the interior.
Fire crews cleared the scene and went back in service.
Advertisements, Bourbon County, Elections

AD: Rick James For Ks House of Representatives District 4

Leave a comment

Rick James is a Republican candidate for the 4th district House of Representative, a position currently held by Trevor Jacobs. Trevor announced that he is not seeking another term.

Rick is passionate about protecting the conservative values of fellow Kansans. He understands that freedom is not merely a privilege but a birthright. He was raised in La Cygne, Kansas where he attended La Cygne elementary school and graduated from Prairie View High School in 1981. He entered the Marine Corps a few short days later serving a 30-year career. This career included serving in Desert Storm, Haiti, Iraqi Freedom, serving on embassy duty and as a Marine Drill instructor. He achieved the rank of Sergeant Major and was awarded the Bronze Star and Legion of Merit. He also obtained a bachelor’s and a master’s Degree from the American Military University.

There was never a doubt, that he would return to Eastern Kansas. He moved his family to a small farm near highway 69 in 2008 and completed his Marine Corps career at Richard Gebauer Base in Belton. He retired a decorated Marine in 2011.

Since retiring from the Marine Corps he opened two local businesses, Semper Fi Auction Services and Bravo Realty. The Marine Corps instilled a dedication to serving his community. In 2014 he ran for the district 1 Linn County Commissioner. He served 2 full terms from 2014-2022. He did not seek reelection for a third term because, he believes there should be term limits in government at all levels.

He has a personal interest in Kansas, he was a military leader and a small Business owner.  He has conservative views!! He believes in the right to bear arms, he is pro-life, he believes in a smaller government and reduced taxes.

Politicians represent the people they serve, and he takes that very seriously! He would appreciate your vote on August 6. Click here to follow him on Facebook.  Semper Fi and God Bless!

Paid for by Rick James for KS State Representative.

K-State Extension

The Bourbon County Fair is July 13-19

Leave a comment
Jennifer Terrell, K-State Extension Agent

 

July…for most of the country means it’s time for the county fair. For many, this is the best time of year.

 

The county fair is more than just a carnival or night time events. It is an exhibition of talents from all ages with exhibits ranging in a variety of sizes and categories. Most exhibits have taken an entire 4-H year to complete and some a lot less, but all of the exhibits have a special story and add value to the county fair.

 

As any 4-H’er can tell you, there is a lot of blood, sweat, and tears involved with preparing for the county fair. The animals you see were raised by youth not just because of the county fair, but to help the youth learn invaluable life lessons to become responsible, caring individuals. The same goes for any of the indoor exhibits from cooking to sewing to photography to woodworking and so on! The opportunities are endless.

 

I would like to encourage you to take a minute and attend a county fair near you. Explore all of the great accomplishments within the indoor exhibits and the barns full of animals. Visit with a 4-H’er about their project and see the excitement they display.

 

In the coming weeks, there will be three fairs held within the Southwind Extension District. The first is Bourbon County Fair – July 13th-19th, Woodson County Fair – July 16th-22nd, Neosho County Fair – July 22nd-26th, and Allen County Fair – August 22nd-25th. We hope to see you at the county fair!

 

If you would like more information on how to be involved either to enter exhibits or be a volunteer, please contact your local Extension Office. Contact information can be found on our website at www.southwind.ksu.edu. For more information about being in 4-H, contact Jennifer Terrell, 4-H Youth Development Agent at [email protected] or 620-223-3720.

 

 

Bourbon County, Government

Agenda for the Bo Co Commission on July 8

Leave a comment

A meeting of the Industrial Development Research Committee will be held on July 8, 2024 at 5:30 p.m. in the main lobby of the Bourbon County Courthouse, 210 S. National Ave. Fort Scott, KS 66701.

 

Bourbon County Courthouse

210 S. National Ave Fort Scott, KS 66701 Phone: 620-223-3800

Fax: 620-223-5832

 

 

 

 

Bourbon County, Kansas

Brandon Whisenhunt

1st District Commissioner

Jim Harris, Chairman

2nd District Commissioner

Clifton Beth

3rd District Commissioner

 

 

Bourbon County Commission Agenda 210 S. National Ave.

Fort Scott, KS 66701

 

July 8, 2024 5:30 p.m.

 

 

  1. Call Meeting to Order
  2. Flag Salute
  • Approval of Consent Agenda
    1. Approval of Minutes from 7/1/2024
  1. Public Comments
  2. Jennifer Hawkins, County Clerk-Election Information
  3. Commission Comments
  • Adjourn Meeting

 

 

Executive Session Justifications:

 

KSA 75-4319 (b)(1) to discuss personnel matters of individual nonelected personnel to protect their privacy.

KSA 75-4319 (b)(2) for consultation with an attorney for the public body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the

attorney-client relationship.

KSA 75-4319 (b)(3) to discuss matters relating to employer/employee negotiations whether or not in consultation with the

representative(s) of               the body or agency.

KSA 75-4319 (b)(4) to discuss data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations, partnerships, trust and individual     proprietorships

KSA 75-4319 (b)(6) for the preliminary discussion of the acquisition of real property.

KSA 75-4319 (b)(12) to discuss matters relating to the security measures, if the discussion of such matters at an open meeting

would jeopardize such security measures.

 

K-State Extension

Recruiting New Leadership

Leave a comment
Amanda  Clasen. Submitted photol

One of the signs of a healthy and vital community is recognizing the need to recruit new members into the leadership role when the time comes. The most successful recruitment efforts are conducted by the people already in leadership positions. Leadership of program and communities often change over a course of time, but what does that change look like and how do you “recruit” the new leadership to help continue to drive the mission of your group?  Without great leadership to organize and provide others with the way to act, a likelihood of real change is very slim.

When you think of recruiting new leadership for a role, ask the question, “Who isn’t at the table that should be?” What groups or individuals should be involved in order to have a truly representative community organization, event or project? Making sure a group is inclusive is the best way to build in cooperation from the beginning. Also think about looking for skill assets that someone can bring to the conversation instead of names. One of the problems caused by relying on the same people for the same tasks over and over again is that those people will eventually tire of making the same contribution. A simple way to identify new people to recruit is to focus on the skills needed for the task and not the person.

While the effort to bring new people into the leadership arena is important, it’s also important to recognize that even the smallest and most limited volunteer contribution can be part of the leadership activities of a community. What is important, is seeing how each contribution fits into the whole picture, and by never discounting any effort, no matter how small, the door to increased involvement remains open. Recruiting new leaders by asking for help becomes most effective when a task is very clearly defined. This means describing the skills needed, describing the task in terms of what the expectations are as well the time commitment required. Finally, defining the task should also cover some ideas about how this role fits into the whole scheme of community improvement.

If you currently serve in a leadership role, it is important to know how to better yourself to continue to be a great leader in your community. Look at how you understand your community and the engagement in your community. Your job as a leader is to know what lies at the heart of the community that you serve, make informed decisions and foster a clear and maintained vision of major issues affecting your community. Leading with empathy and instilling compassion for community members allows for the community to see themselves as leaders.

Lead by being adaptable and open-mined helps you meet community needs and evolve with the times. Of course, effective communication and collaboration with community members and other stakeholders are crucial to this endeavor. The best leaders are one-of-a-kind individuals who remain relevant with large groups of people. Another powerful driver of confidence and self-assurance is self-reflection. Without substantial self-reflection, you cannot gain a true understanding of yourself, your leadership characteristics, or your ability to affect others. To put it a different way, you can’t influence others if you don’t understand them, and you cannot understand others if you don’t understand yourself.

For More information, contact Community Vitality Agent, Amanda Clasen at [email protected] or at 620-244-3826.

Fort Scott, Jobs

New FSCC Dean of Students: Vanessa Poyner

Leave a comment
Vanessa Poyner. Submitted photo.

Vanessa Poyner, 46, is the new  Fort Scott Community College Dean of Students as of June 11. Her office is located in the Student Services office of Bailey Hall.

Poyner earned her Associate of Science from Fort Scott Community College, then a  Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Administration from Missouri Southern State University and a Master of Science in Criminal Justice Administration from the University of Cincinnati.

“With 18 years of experience as the Criminal Justice Instructor at Fort Scott Community College, I have always been very student-centered and driven to assist students both in and out of the classroom in achieving their life goals,” she said.

“As the Dean of Students at Fort Scott Community College, I oversee the Student Services departments, which include admissions, the registrar, advising, TRIO, student housing, and student activities,” she said.” In addition to these responsibilities, I serve as the TITLE IX Coordinator on campus, ensuring compliance and addressing issues related to Title IX. I am also dedicated to playing a vital role as the student advocate, supporting and championing the needs and interests of our students.”

 

Bourbon County Local News