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Draft Minutes of the Uniontown City Council Meeting on Oct. 14
CITY OF UNIONTOWN
UNIONTOWN, KS 66779
OCTOBER14, 2025 REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
The Regular Council Meeting on October 14, 2025 at Uniontown Community Center was called to order at 7:00PM by
Mayor Jurgensen. Council members present were Jess Ervin, Mary Pemberton, Savannah Pritchett, and Bradley Stewart.
Also in attendance for all or part of the meeting was Joe George, Codes Enforcement Officer Doug Coyan, City
Superintendent Bobby Rich, City Treasurer Sally Johnson and City Clerk Haley Arnold.
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS/PROJECTS
CITIZENS REQUEST
FINANCIAL REPORT
Treasurer Johnson presented the September 2025 Treasurer’s Report. Beginning Checking Account Balance for all funds
was $252,115.82, Receipts $31,969.75, Transfers Out $3,024.00, Expenditures $54,279.68, Checking Account Closing
Balance $226,781.89. Bank Statement Balance $236,405.85, including Checking Account Interest of $50.74, Outstanding
Deposits $0, Outstanding Checks $9,623.96, Reconciled Balance $226,781.89. Water Utilities Certificates of Deposit
$38,501.14, Sewer Utilities Certificate of Deposit $23,159.28, Gas Utilities Certificates of Deposit $45,414.89, Total All
Funds, including Certificates of Deposit $333,857.20. Year-to-Date Interest in Checking Acct is $528.81, and Utility CDs
$1,920.63 for a Total Year-to-Date Interest of $2,449.44. Also included the status of the Projects Checking Account for
the month of September 2025, Beginning Balance $0, Receipts $0, Expenditures $0, Ending Balance $0. September
Transfers from Sewer Utility Fund to Sewer Revolving Loan $1,402.00; from Water Utility Fund to GO Water Bond &
Interest $1,622.00, Capital Improvement-Streets from Gas Utility $6,250.00, Capital Improvement-Streets from General
Fund $2,500.00, Utility Capital Improvement-Streets from Sewer Fund $750.00, and Capital Improvement-Streets from
Water Fund $2,000.00, for Total Transfers of $20,572.00. Net Loss for the month of September $25,333.93, Year-to-Date
Net Loss $37,081.85. Budget vs Actual Gas Fund YTD Revenue $103,492.52 (76.9%), Expenditures $95,272.53
(62.4%); Sewer Fund YTD Revenue $26,499.17 (71.2%), Expenditures $32,012.71 (69.4%); Water Fund YTD Revenue
$84,725.37 (68.4%), Expenditures $91,205.86 (57.2%); General Fund YTD Revenue $142,473.78 (95.1%), Expenditures
$192,841.51 (90.2%); and Special Highway YTD Revenue $5,979.53 (82.4%), Expenditures $4,356.02 (60.0%). The
September 2025 payables to date in the amount of $32,459.80 were presented. The invoices from Consolidated R.W.D.
#2 has not been received by noon meeting day.
CONSENT AGENDA
Motion by Ervin, Second by Pemberton, Approved 4-0, to approve Consent Agenda:
Minutes of September 9, 2025 Regular Meeting
September Treasurer’s Report, Profit & Loss Report by Class & October Accounts Payables
DEPARTMENT REPORTS
Codes Enforcement Officer Doug Coyan reported the ditch at 202 4th St had been mowed and cleaned up by HB Mowing.
401 Sherman weedeating, junk vehicles, and trash issues; phone call will be made to property owner by council member
Bradley Stewart. 301 2nd St 1 trash and overgrown vegetation; certified letter will be sent to property owner. 101
Washington trash and overgrown vegetation; citation will be issued. 405 Hill in compliance.
City Superintendent Bobby Rich had nothing to report.
Clerk Arnold informed the council of the upcoming Trunk or Treat and volunteered to hand out candy. Council set a
$150 limit to purchase candy.
COUNCIL REPORT
Councilman Ervin – nothing
Councilwoman Kelly – absent
Councilwoman Pemberton – nothing
Councilwoman Pritchett – nothing
Councilman Stewart – Has ideas for the memorial stones in the park. He will email ideas to the council and will vote at a
later date.
Mayor Jurgensen – Proposed the idea of selling the empty property on the corner north of City Hall. Declined 4-0. Ask
the council about vacation of that portion of the Alley located between Lot 4 and Lot 5, Lot 12 and Lot 13, Block 2,
Well’s Addition.
Moved by Ervin, Second by Stewart, Approved 4-0, to start the process of vacation of alley located
between Lot 4 and Lot 5, Lot 12 and Lot 13, Block 2, Well’s Addition.
Repairs to the fire engine at the park will cost $675 to be split with Ruritan. Discussed installing cameras at park and
updating camera system in City Hall and Community Center. Prices and placement will be discussed at the next meeting.
OLD BUSINESS
SEED Grant – Treasurer Johnson working on close out paperwork for the project. 5 shelves were purchased for the
library. MEW Inc. will be in to finish setting up laptops and guest WIFI password.
FEMA Flooding– Second Street, component 2 is complete. Currently have no update from FEMA on this matter.
Council discussed the cost from the City to finish components 1, components 3, and components 4.
Motion by Stewart, Second by Ervin, Approved 4-0 to pay FEMA project components out of Capital
Improvement-Streets.
NEW BUSINESS
Motion by Ervin, Second by Stewart, Approved 4-0, to enter into executive session pursuant to non-elected
personnel exception, KSA 75-4319(b)(1), in order to discuss performance of non-elected personnel, the open
meeting to resume at 8:27.
Moved by Ervin, Second by Pritchett, Approved 4-0, to add City Clerk Haley Arnold as an authorized
user of City bank accounts.
Moved by Ervin, Second by Stewart, Approved 4-0, to adjourn at 8:29PM.
KS Governor Sues Trump Administration
Governor Kelly Sues Trump Administration
for Illegally Suspending SNAP Benefits
~~Coalition Urges Court to Immediately Restore SNAP Funding
Relied Upon by 42 Million Americans~~
TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly today joined a coalition of 22 attorneys general and two governors in filing a lawsuit against the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Secretary Brooke Rollins for unlawfully suspending the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) due to the ongoing federal government shutdown.
“States cannot, and should not, take on the federal government’s responsibility to fund SNAP,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “Cutting off SNAP payments is an unprecedented choice made by the Trump Administration and Congress that will harm millions of families across the country. I joined this lawsuit to protect Kansans, because the federal government has a legal and moral responsibility to fund this program, not to take food out of the mouths of Kansas children.”
On October 1, 2025, the new federal fiscal year began without an appropriation by Congress to fund the federal government, creating a government shutdown. On October 10, the USDA sent a letter to state SNAP agencies saying that if the shutdown continues, there will be insufficient funds to pay full November SNAP benefits for the approximately 42 million Americans that rely on them.
Despite USDA’s claim of insufficient funds, the agency has access to billions of dollars in SNAP-specific contingency funds appropriated by Congress for this purpose. Furthermore, USDA has funded other programs with emergency funds during this shutdown, but has refused to fund SNAP, leaving millions of Americans without the assistance they need to buy food. It is clear the federal government is making a deliberate, illegal, and inhumane choice not to fund the crucial SNAP program.
The lapse in benefits will have dire consequences for the health and well-being of millions across the country, who rely on the program to feed themselves and their families. This lapse will also put unnecessary strain on state and local governments and community organizations, as families increasingly rely on emergency services and local food pantries that are already struggling to fill a growing nutrition gap. It will affect school systems, including college and university communities, where food insecurity will stand in the way of educating students. Suspending SNAP benefits will also harm the hundreds of thousands of grocers and merchants that accept SNAP payment for food purchases across the country. The USDA has estimated that in a slowing economy, every $1 in SNAP benefits generates $1.54 in economic activity.
In Kansas, nearly 188,000 children, families, and seniors rely on SNAP each month to meet their needs. Ordinarily, more than 93,000 Kansas households would receive a total distribution of more than $34.4 million in SNAP benefits. The Kansas Department for Children and Families, which administers the SNAP program, will continue to closely monitor the situation and its impacts on services the agency provides.
While the federal government funds and sets the monthly amount of SNAP benefits, states are responsible for administering programs in their state. Suspending SNAP benefits in this manner is both contrary to law and arbitrary and capricious under the Administrative Procedure Act. Where Congress has clearly spoken, providing that SNAP benefits should continue even during a government shutdown, USDA does not have the authority to say otherwise. The coalition will also be filing a temporary restraining order later today asking the court to immediately turn benefits back on.
Joining Governor Kelly in filing this lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin. The Governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania have also joined.
Information about federal shutdown impacts on DCF programs and services is available at dcf.ks.gov.
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Kansas Cold Weather Rule takes effect November 1
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Fort Scott High School Performs “Between the Lines”
Fort Scott High School students will perform the new musical Between the Lines at 7 p.m. on Nov. 11, 13, and 15 and at 2 p.m. on Nov. 15 at the FSHS Auditorium.
Between the Lines is based on the novel by international bestselling author Jodi Picoult & Samantha van Leer, featuring a book by Picoult and Timothy Allen McDonald (Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach, The Big One-Oh!) and score by Elyssa Samsel & Kate Anderson (Apple TV+’s “Central Park”).
“Between the Lines is an empowering and enchanting story for anyone who has struggled to find their place in the world. An outsider in a new town and a new school, Delilah seeks comfort in the pages of her favorite book, where she feels heard and understood by the handsome Prince Oliver. But as the lines between fantasy and reality begin to blur in extraordinary ways, Delilah realizes her dreams in the real world are worth fighting for,” according to publisher Music Theatre International.
The production features Senior Junie Fisher as Delilah and Senior Levi Fairchild as Prince Oliver. Nearly forty FSHS students perform in the cast or serve as designers or crew members for the musical.
“This particular musical was the perfect choice to feature two of our most outstanding seniors this year. Junie and Levi’s vocal talents are excellent on their own and so beautiful on their duets. Both plan to go into music or theatre and perhaps education as a future career and I could not be more proud of them in this show,” said Theatre Director Angie Bin.
Between the Lines is also directed by Music Director Taylor Jones, Choreographer Mesa Jones, and Assistant Director Abby Starkey. Bin and Fisher first learned of Between the Lines when they saw a production at the 2024 International Thespian Festival. Bin was then able to attend a workshop and meet with Jodi Picoult and the other authors of the musical in person.
Tickets are reserved seating in advance and available at fortscotthighschool.ludus.com. Seating is limited, but some tickets may be available at the door. Adults are $8 and children are $6. A $14 VIP Ticket experience includes the opportunity to meet the cast and take an exclusive photo, a Between the Lines gift bag, concession snack, and concession drink.
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports October 28
Scout Troop Will Work On Hiking Merit Badge on November 1
Two young men from Scout Troop 114 are working on their last hike for their hiking merit badge. They will be hiking 20 miles. They would like the community to come out and give them some encouragement. They hike about 3 miles per hour. Their names are Charlie Hoffmeyer, age 14 and Max Petrillo, age 11.
The route they will be hiking is as follows
Leaving Pete’s on Wall Street, headed to Holbrook on Wall Street to 2nd Street and Lowman, then turn right on 6th Street, turn on Horton and walk past the community college and continue on Horton to Indian Road. The children will be taking a small break at Indian Road. They will then continue past 165th Road and Indian Road, then 165th and Huckleberry. They then plan to rest again at the parking lot for Hollister. They will continue to follow the curves in the road to 130th. The final intersection in their route is 130th and Brch.
The start time of this hike is 0600 on Saturday, November 1st
Chamber Coffee at Landmark Bank on October 30
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Taco Tuesday’s! VFW members and guests are welcome
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Ad: What FSCC Offers
Looking for a college that gives you options? At Fort Scott Community College, students can choose from associate degrees in Arts, Science, Applied Science, and General Studies, along with a variety of certificates that lead straight to rewarding careers. Whether you’re interested in healthcare fields like Certified Medication Aide, Nurse Aide, EMT, Home Health Aide, Manicuring, or Phlebotomy, or want to take on a technical challenge with certificates in Ag Technology (John Deere), Construction, Cosmetology, Criminal Justice, Environmental Water Tech, Farm & Ranch Management, Harley-Davidson Technology, Heavy Equipment Operation, HVAC, Masonry, or Welding we’ve got you covered!
But college isn’t just about the classroom. FSCC offers plenty of ways to get involved through music and performance opportunities (band, choir, theater), student clubs and organizations (like Collegiate Farm Bureau, Phi Theta Kappa, SkillsUSA, STEAM Club, FSCC Media Team, and more), and even competitive judging teams in livestock and meat.
If athletics is more your thing, FSCC is home to intercollegiate sports for both men and women. Compete in basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, rodeo, track & field, or cross country, all while building friendships and representing the Greyhounds.
And the best part? We’re still growing. New programs, degrees, certifications, and athletic opportunities are on the horizon! There’s never been a better time to join FSCC!
Fort Scott Community College; where opportunity meets possibility.
Katelyn Dancer Is Attending Tel Aviv Univsersity Then Columbia University
Katelyn Dancer, 19, is the daughter of Tracy Dancer and Kathy Gillmore Dancer, Fort Scott.
She decided to attend Columbia University for the opportunity to attend two colleges, one in Tel Aviv, Israel, and then a second degree at the Columbia campus in New York.
“I chose to attend Columbia for its unique dual degree program. This degree program allows students to complete different bachelor’s degrees in the traditional four years.”
“For their first bachelor’s degree, students go to an overseas university in their freshman and sophomore years, and the second bachelor’s degree is completed at Columbia University in New York.”
“As a sophomore, I am currently attending Tel Aviv University in Israel— but I’m very excited to be in New York next year. For me, this program made attending an Ivy League of any sort possible, financially and acceptance-wise.”
“I get one degree from Tel Aviv University and one degree from Columbia University. At TAU, I will receive a Bachelor’s of Arts in Middle Eastern Studies, and my current plan is to major in American Studies at Columbia with future plans for Law School.”
“Paying an Ivy League tuition, in my case, became much more realistic when faced with only two years of tuition and housing in New York instead of four years. The acceptance rate to my dual degree program is also about 22%, whereas the general acceptance rate for Columbia University is a whopping 4%.”
“I started gathering information about schools I was considering applying to in the middle of my junior year. The process of applying to colleges was very time-intensive because of my decision to apply to multiple low acceptance schools.”
“The total undergraduate population at Columbia University is about 9,500. However, there are only about 120 students in the Dual Degree program between TAU and Columbia.”
Not only classroom learning, Katelyn is also learning about other cultures by living in a foreign country.
“The best part about my experience so far has been the travel and independence I’ve gained. I’ve had a truly unique experience, and I’m extremely proud of myself, as is my family, for moving across the world and living and studying in a foreign country by myself.”
“The biggest challenge has been being so far away from my support system in Kansas and the large credit load each semester. The workload is manageable, but classes can run until 8 p.m., so I can have very long days of classes.”
“I am thrilled to be the first graduate in a very long time to attend an Ivy League school.”
Katelyn graduated from Fort Scott High School in 2024.
“I hope it is the beginning of a new period for FSHS graduates where students truly have the opportunity and support to apply and stand out to Ivy League schools.”
She credits the school counselor and teachers for the chance to follow her dream.
“I wouldn’t have been able to apply to these highly selective schools without the help of Mrs. Martin and the wonderful teachers who wrote recommendation letters, hosted clubs, and gave me a strong foundation on which to build. I would encourage every Fort Scott student to shoot for the stars because with the right focus, commitment, and timeline (start early!) FSHS graduates are absolutely capable of landing themselves as Ivy League alumni.”
Ivy League schools are considered the most sought-after institutions of higher learning in the country and around the world. Eight private Northeastern American schools are known for their highly selective admission process, academic excellence, and promising career opportunities for those who attend, according to U.S. News and World Report online.
Princeton University, New Jersey; Harvard University, Massachusetts; Yale University, Connecticut; University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania; Cornell University, New York; Brown University, Rhode Island; Dartmouth College, New Hampshire; and Columbia University, New York, are the Ivy League Colleges.