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City of Fort Scott Agenda For Special Meeting on Nov. 12
NOTICE OF AND AGENDA FOR SPECIAL
MEETING OF FORT SCOTT CITY COMMISSION
City Hall Commission Room – 123 S. Main Street, Fort Scott, KS 66701
November 12, 2024 – 5:30 P.M.
- Call to Order
- Roll Call
Tim VanHoecke, Matthew Wells, Dyllon Olson, Kathryn Salsbury, Tracy Dancer
III. Pledge of Allegiance
- Invocation
- Approval of Agenda
- Public Comment – Sign up required before the beginning of the meeting on register at the entrance of the Commission Room. Public Comments are for any topic not on the agenda and limited to five (5) minutes per person, at the Commission’s discretion.
VII. Unfinished Business
- Request to Pay – Project No. 24-414 – Horton St. & 6th Street Improvements – Heck & Wicker, Inc. – Application for Payment No. 4 – $402,686.80 – Tabled from Nov. 5, 2024.
- Consideration of Bids for WWTP Maintenance and Installation Services – S. Flater Removed from November 5, 2024, agenda.
VIII. Reports and Comments
- Adjourn
The Artificers 8th Annual Christmas Show
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Key Warehouse Sale is Nov. 23-30
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Claude Franklin “Frank” Durossette Obituary
Claude Franklin (Frank) Durossette, age 73, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away at his home on Thursday, November 7, 2024. He was born to Grover William Durossette and Maxine Lavon (Gibson) Durossette on December 17, 1950, in Fort Scott, Kansas. He married his best friend and the love of his life Ethel Mary (Michalek) Durossette on July 20, 1968.
Frank was preceded in death by his parents and one son, Charles Franklin (Frankie) Durossette. Survivors include his wife Mary of the home; and children, William and Christi, Kevin and Autumn, and Melissa Durossette; 12 grandchildren, Josh (Tabatha), Jake (Kinsley), Cody (Kim), Wyatt, Sophie, Kasen, Cash, and Ellie Durossette, and Caleb Briggs; 5 great-grandchildren, Kinley, Kane, Kaizley, and Wilder Durossette, and Cutler Briggs; one brother Billy Gene (Shiela) Durossette, and sisters, Bonita (Ron) Jones, and Carolyn Lotterer, all of Fort Scott. And numerous nieces and nephews.
Frank loved to hunt and fish. He especially enjoyed weekend camping trips and get-togethers with his wife and family. He was a very caring person and always ready to help. He worked at Tower Metal Products for 27 years and at age 50 opened 3D Alternator and Starter Repair. He later added a mechanic shop with the help of his son, Frankie. He retired this year and spent most of his time working around the home, helping his wife babysit for the grandkids, and going on camping trips with the family. He loved spending time talking with his sons, Billy and Kevin and spending time with his wife.
The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 P.M. Tuesday, November 12th at the Cheney Witt Chapel.
Memorials are suggested to Care to Share and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.co
Food Drive to Help Local Limited Resource Families Has Started
It’s that time of year that people begin thinking about Thanksgiving holiday celebrations, and for many, having enough food to feed their families is an ongoing issue.
Three local organizations have started a food drive, the Bourbon County-Wide Gratitude Challenge, that will help contribute to limited-resource residents’ food availability. The food drive will continue until November 25.
Canned goods, boxed meals, and dry goods, as well as essential personal hygiene products, will be collected. The items will be distributed to local food pantries and other organizations working to support those in need during the holiday season and beyond.
“During this season of gratitude, we have an opportunity to give back to our neighbors in a meaningful way,” said Lisa Robertson, Community Health Worker with The Local Health Equity Action Team. “Food insecurity is a real challenge for many in our community, and by coming together, we can make sure that no one has to go without the basic necessities of life.”
Tomorrow: A Drive-up, Drop-off Event
Saturday, November 9, Lisa Robertson, LHEAT Community Health Worker, and Lea Kay Karsleskint, with K-State Extension SNAP-ED, will be outside at Brick Street BBQ Restaurant on North National Avenue from 10 a.m. to noon for the convenience of drive-up and drop-off contributions.
There are several options for those who want to help the cause.
- Monetary Donations: HBCAT will accept monetary donations to purchase essential food pantry items.
- Drop Off Non-Perishable Items: Take non-perishable food items to any of the participating drop-off sites below. Several partner organizations are offering drawing entries for gift cards and more, to those who donate at their business establishment.
- 5 Corners Mini Mart
- Bourbon County Courthouse
- Bourbon County EMS
- Buck Run Community Center
- Citizens Bank
- City Hall
- City State Bank
- Community Health Center of Fort Scott
- Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce
- Fort Scott Christian Heights
- Fort Scott Fire Station #2 – 23 S. Franklin
- Fort Scott Police Department
- Guest Home Estates
- Guild Mortgage – 1 E Wall
- Kansas Renewal Institute
- HBCAT – 104 N. National
- The Kitchen Collective + Collaborative
- Landmark National Bank – Downtown location
- Papa Don’s
- Peerless Products
- Perry’s Pork Rinds
- SEK-Mental Health
- The Artificers
- Union State Bank
- Uniontown Spark Wheel
- Ward-Kraft
- Order from Walmart: Place an online order for delivery directly to the HBCAT office at 104 N. National.
- Drive-Up and Drop-Off: On Saturday, Nov. 9, from 10 AM to 12 PM, drive up and drop off your donations in front of Brick Street BBQ. Volunteers will be on hand to unload your donations.
- Get Your Church or Organization Involved: If you have not yet been contacted and would like your church or organization to participate in making this food drive a success, please reach out to HBCAT.
- Contact for More Information: Call the HBCAT office at 620-224-2563 for additional details or questions.
The drive, spearheaded by the Local Health Equity Action Team (LHEAT), The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team (HBCAT), and K-State Research and Extension SNAP-ED, has set in motion area partners who are collecting non-perishable food items, according to a press release from Kansas State.
“The Local Health Equity Action Team (LHEAT) coalition is taking proactive steps to address pressing health disparities in our community,” Karleskint said. “Meeting bi-monthly, this diverse group of local leaders, health professionals, and community members collaborates on identifying and tackling the most urgent public health challenges affecting residents.”
“One of the critical issues that the LHEAT has identified and is actively working to address is food insecurity,” she said. “With many individuals and families in our community struggling to access healthy and nutritious food, the coalition is committed to finding sustainable solutions that will help alleviate hunger and improve overall health outcomes.”
“We know that food insecurity is not just a matter of access—it’s a health issue that impacts individuals across all ages and backgrounds,” said Karleskint. “By bringing together a wide range of stakeholders, we’re not only raising awareness about the issue but also working collaboratively to implement real, lasting change.”
“The coalition’s efforts are part of a larger initiative to reduce health disparities and improve well-being for all community members, particularly those who are most vulnerable. Through these ongoing discussions and partnerships, the Local Health Equity Action Team is paving the way for a healthier, more equitable community.”
How It Started
“At a recent LHEAT meeting, Lisa Robertson, our LHEAT lead, proposed organizing a food drive to address the ongoing food insecurity in Bourbon County,” Karleskint said. “Having seen firsthand the struggles faced by many in her role as a Community Health Worker, Lisa is deeply committed to supporting underserved community members. After she introduced the idea, the LHEAT team came together to brainstorm ways to make it a meaningful event. A few weeks later, Lisa reached out to several local food pantries, churches, and The Beacon, inviting them to meet with she and I. As an LHEAT member and the KSRE SNAP-Ed nutrition educator for Bourbon County, I was eager to partner on this project. Together, we held a productive brainstorming session, generating ideas that would inspire community involvement and ensure the food drive’s success. With the weather getting colder and the holidays approaching, we thought now would be the perfect time to implement our project.”
Here’s a summary of the food assistance resources in Bourbon County they plan to assist:
- The Beacon Food Pantry provides essential services for those in need Monday – Friday
- Fort Scott High School Pantry and Fort Scott Community College Pantry offer students access to essential food items.
- Uniontown Spark Wheel and Uniontown First Missionary Baptist Church Pantry serve Uniontown residents, supporting families and individuals facing food insecurity.
- Blessing Boxes are small, community-based outdoor pantries stocked with essentials for immediate access.
- Bethesda Church Food Pantry and First Baptist Church Food Pantry provide ongoing support for local families in need.
- Fulton Community Pantry will assist local households in need, and Bronson Library Food Pantry extends support to residents in the Bronson area.
These organizations are part of a collaborative network dedicated to combating hunger in Bourbon County.
“We encourage any additional food pantries in Bourbon County that we may not yet be aware of to reach out to us,” Karleskint said. “Connecting with these resources allows us to strengthen our community network and better support residents facing food insecurity.
Agenda for the USD234 Board of Education on November 11
Unified School District 234
424 South Main
Fort Scott, KS 66701-2697
620-223-0800 Fax 620-223-2760
DESTRY BROWN
Superintendent
BOARD OF EDUCATION REGULAR MEETING
November 11, 2024 – 5:30 P.M.
AGENDA SUMMARY
1.0 Call Meeting to Order David Stewart, President
2.0 Flag Salute
3.0 Approval of the Official Agenda (Action Item)
4.0 Approval of the Consent Agenda (Action Item)
4.1 Board Minutes
- 10/14/2024
- 4:00 PM
- 5:30 PM
4.2 Financials – Cash Flow Report
4.3 Check Register
4.4 Payroll – October 18, 2024 – $1,693,306.83
4.5 Activity Funds Accounts
4.6 USD 234 Gifts
4.7 Zero Reasons Why Fundraising
4.8 Orchestra Fundraising
5.0 Employee Recognitions
6.0 Leadership Reports (Information/Discussion Item)
6.1 Superintendent’s Report
6.2 Assistant Superintendent’s Report
6.3 Special Education Director’s Report
6.4 FSHS Update & Report
7.0 Old Business
7.1 District Values & Goals (Action Item)
8.0 New Business
8.1 Pre-Employment Drug Screening (Discussion)
8.2 Winfield Scott Chilled Water Line Insulation Project (Action)
8.3 Middle School Boiler Retubing Project (Action)
8.2 District Health Insurance Recommendation (Action)
9.0 Public Forum
10.0 Other Business –
10.1 Enter Executive Session – Personnel Matters (Action Item)
10.2 Exit Executive Session – _______ (Time)
10.3 Approval of Personnel Report (Action Item)
11.0 Adjourn Meeting _____ (Time) David Stewart, President
Obituary of Marilyn Nuzum
Marilyn Fay Nuzum, age 91, resident of Fort Scott, KS passed away Thursday, November 7, 2024, at the Horton House, Fort Scott. She was born May 16, 1933, in Vernon County, MO the daughter of William Dewey Ferguson and Leona Myra Dugan Ferguson. Marilyn graduated from Arcadia High School with the class of 1951 as Valedictorian.
She worked and retired from the Western Insurance Company as an assistant supervisor of key punch. She married Paul Nuzum on December 20, 1986, in Fort Scott. He preceded her in death on December 19, 2009.
In her spare time, Marilyn enjoyed baking, tending her flowers, and her cat Laura. She attended Parkway Church of God (Holiness).
Survivors include her sister, Jo Ann Goans, Fort Scott; a stepdaughter, Nancy Sivcovich (Ken), CA; and 3 step grandsons.
Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents.
Private family graveside services with burial will take place in the U. S. National Cemetery.
Memorials are suggested to Parkway Church of God (Holiness) and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main St., Fort Scott, KS 66701.
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports Nov. 8
The Pity Pot by Patty LaRoche
Author: A Little Faith Lift…Finding Joy Beyond Rejection
www.alittlefaithlift.com
AWSA (Advanced Writers & Speakers Assoc.)
Last week, I wrote about my friend who was having a double mastectomy. Her surgery was complicated because she had zero body fat needed to reconstruct her breasts. When I told Dave, his response did not surprise me. “Did you tell her that you—I mean we—could donate some of ours?” After sharing that with my friend, we both cracked up (she more than I).
My friend is now home from the hospital. We spoke yesterday. The evening before, it hit her: part of her womanhood was permanently gone. Sitting on the edge of her bed, she teared up but then felt a nudge to turn on her television. There was Nick Vujicic, the evangelist born with no legs or arms, speaking about how God had used his disability to give people encouragement. She knew that God had offered her that nudging so she would refuse to feel sorry for herself.
The pity pot can be such a cushy place to stay, can’t it? When life is all about me, it can become my frequent resting spot. But what would life look like if I chose, instead, to find my comfort in Jesus’ loving arms? I would no longer dwell on how my troubles seem to outweigh God’s ability to make things better and would focus on Romans 8:28 which reminds us that all things work together for good “for those that love the Lord” and are called according to His purpose.
“For those that love the Lord.” What does that kind of love entail?
The Bible gives us a great example of Joseph who, though experiencing serious injustices, loved the Lord and refused to live with a victim mentality. Genesis 37:12-28 tells us that his jealous brothers threw him into a pit and then sold him to Egyptian slave traders who sold him to Potiphar, Pharoah’s captain of the guard.
Potiphar favored Joseph and put him in charge of his household…until, that is, Potiphar’s wife falsely accused Joseph of assaulting her and he was thrown in prison. Once released (over a decade later), Pharoah put Joseph in charge of the whole land of Egypt. From the pit to the palace.
You see, Joseph never suffered from self-pity. He always trusted that God would make something good out of something bad, and he was right. God wants to do the same for us. We never should get comfortable on the pity pot, an oppressive trap of the enemy. Matthew 5:14-16 tells us why. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Staying on the pity pot will keep us immobile. Joyless. Stuck on our wants. Unable to forgive and move on. Bitter. Selfish. And in a very, very dark place. If we want our light seen by others, we, like Joseph, must decide where it can shine best.
Ribbon Cutting/Open House for FS Service Center is Nov. 19
Bourbon County Interagency Coalition General Membership Meeting Minutes November 6, 2024
Bourbon County Interagency Coalition
General Membership Meeting Minutes
November 6, 2024
- Welcome: Seventeen members representing sixteen agencies attended the meeting held at the Scottview Apartments Conference Room.
- Member Introductions and Announcements:
- Craig Campbell- Good Neighbor Action Team (GNAT) – Volunteers provide light handy work and yard clean-up. Have become more involved in ramp building. Currently building a ramp once every 7-10 days. Can also help with 504 grants and LIEAP application assistance. Can help other organizations by providing volunteers. Call Craig at 620-224-0167.
- Cherri Walrod KSU – Community Health Worker fills in gaps for anyone who needs it. Whole person, family, and community approach.
- Janelle Tate Early Childhood Block Grant – Winding down fall testing window. She covers early childhood in 6 counties to support home and school education.
- Michelle Stevenson -Fort Scott Early Childhood Program Coordinator – The program has 1 or 2 openings for prenatal through age 6. Michelle works with families to get children ready for preschool or kindergarten.
- Christine Abbott – SE KANSASWORKS – Located in the HBCAT office one day per week, Tuesday 10-3. The new phone number is 620-224-2563 Ext 2. The youth program works with clients aged 16-24. KANSASWORKS can help pay for training, GED, and arrange work experience. If you have clients needing assistance finding a job, please send them to SE KANSASWORKS.
- Dee Dee LeFever – Greenbush Community Liaison – Work in 4 counties in SEK. Dee Dee works to recruit and retain families in early childhood programs such as Parents as Teachers, and Infant-Toddler Services.
- Tori White – Multi-County Health Dept. – COVID shots are available for infants, children, and adults. Public flu shot clinics have wrapped up, but RSV shots are available. Holly Fritter is now a certified breastfeeding specialist. A new peer counselor will begin working with clients soon in Woodson and Bourbon County.
- Lora Wilson – CHCSEK Community Health Worker supervisor- CHCSEK provides tobacco cessation.
- Lea Kay Karleskint- KSU SNAP-Ed Educator – Lea Kay will be leading a once-a-month class for seniors focused on nutrition, health, and physical activity. The class will meet on the third Tuesday of the month at 1:00, beginning on Nov 19. Lea Kay also leads the Woodson County Walk With Ease class.
- LHEAT – Bourbon County Wide Gratitude Challenge food drive is currently taking place. This program will benefit all pantries and blessing boxes in the local area as well as Compassionate Ministries and the Beacon. There are 26 drop-off sites around town. Can also accept monetary donations. The program runs through November 25.
- Heather Shepherd – CHCSEK Community Health Worker – Heather covers all USD 234 schools working with families and students to provide resources. Bed bugs are currently the biggest issue. Heather has been working with Ben Lyons to provide lower-cost treatments for families dealing with bed bugs.
- Stephanie Breckenridge- Family Resource Center – Stephanie can work with any family as long as they have a child in the home. She works to address family issues in order to prevent possible abuse.
- Dave Gillen Beacon – The Beacon is celebrating 40 years in Bourbon County. The Beacon provides food to families twice a month. They also provide hygiene products and baby formula. Walmart food drop-offs are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The Beacon can help with the financial needs of families, particularly utilities. Enrollment for 2025 is underway. Adopt a child sign-up begins November 18. Dave is looking for funding for bicycles. The Beacon served 399 families in October, 32 of those were new families. They served 593 adults and 346 children for a total of 939 people.
- Tammy Alcantar-Crawford County Health Dept- Prenatal classes began in August with good results. The next round will start in January. Tammy also provides teen pregnancy and baby and me tobacco-free services.
- Sandy Haggard AmeriCorp Seniors- Tammy organizes senior volunteers They have volunteered at the Beacon, blood drives, and other community projects. They have approximately 200 volunteers in 4 counties.
- Kathy Brennon- SEK Area Agency on Aging – Congregate meals at Buck Run are taking place for seniors 60 or over. They request a $2 donation, and participants must call ahead at 620-305-1539. Medicare open enrollment is underway. SEKAAA can help with Part B enrollment. They are also partnering with Greenbush to provide Techwise, a computer education for adults 60+.
- Program: Jenna Stout, SEK Area Director, Safe Families for Children
Safe Families for Children works with churches and community members to recruit vetted, background-checked volunteers who can host vulnerable children to support families while they are facing a crisis. Safe Families for Children’s goal is to keep families together. Safe Families can help parents in jail, those receiving mental health services, addiction treatment, etc. Safe Families works to prevent child abuse, child welfare deflection (approx. 50% of referrals come from DCF), family support, and stabilization. Safe Families is a faith-motivated, family-focused organization. They partner with local organizations, keep a database, and can provide liability insurance for volunteers. Safe Families for Children is a national organization which began in 2003. Local efforts have picked back up after Covid. This program is not foster care. It’s not court-ordered, it is completely voluntary, and parents must request Safe Families services. Parents don’t lose custody while their child is with a host family. The Safe Families program has an approximate 95% reunification rate. While children are with a host family, Safe Families tries to coordinate parental in-person visits at least weekly. The average placement is 2 weeks, but placements can be as short as day hosting. If you have a family in crisis, they can call the intake line. A 24-hour notice for placement is preferred, but exceptions can be made.
- Open Forum: Nothing further came before the membership.
- Adjournment: The next General Membership meeting will be on December 4, 2024.