Fort Scott

Agenda for the FS City Commission on June 21

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                                                                                                                                               NOTICE OF AND AGENDA FOR
MEETING OF
FORT SCOTT CITY COMMISSION
CITY HALL  

CITY COMMISSION MEETING ROOM

123 SOUTH MAIN STREET
JUNE 21, 2022
6:00 P.M.

 

  1. Roll Call:

 

  1. Jones T. Van Hoecke S. Walker      M. Wells     K. Harrington
  2.      Flag Salute:
  • Invocation: Led by:  Pastor Brian Rhoades, Grace Baptist Tabernacle

 

  1. Consent Agenda:
  2. Approval of minutes of the regular meeting of June 7th, 2022.

 

  1. Approval of Appropriation Ordinance 1314-A totaling $636,669.88.

 

  1. Request to Pay – Earles Engineering & Inspection, Inc. (May Invoices)

Building Inspection                                  $   497.00

City Engineer                                          $4,120.00

Ft. Scott System Design                         $11,500.00

Cooper St Inspection                                $2,671.75

On Call Project Engineer                         $   172.00

Manhole 148 Design                                $     71.00

Total                    $19,031.75

 

  1. Request to Pay – Nuss & Farmer, P.A. – May invoice – $1,330.00

 

  1. Request to Pay – Skitch’s Hauling & Excavation, Inc. – May Invoice – $3,510.00

 

  1. Request to Pay – HDR Engineering, Inc. – River Intake/Dam Improvement – $2,797.50 – Engineering

 

  1. Request to Pay #4 – Mid-Continental Restoration Co., Inc. – Hammon’s building – $15,511.15

 

  1. Request to Pay #4 – Mid-Continental Restoration Co., Inc. – Sharky’s building – $24,517.60

 

  1. Request to Pay #5 – Mid-Continental Restoration Co., Inc. – Hammon’s building – $21,817.74

 

  1. Request to Pay #5 – Mid-Continental Restoration Co., Inc. – Sharky’s building – $20,179.63

 

  1. Parade Permit – Burke Street Parade – July 4th, 2022

 

  1. Consideration of Cereal Malt Beverage License – 17 S. Main – Samurai Hibachi and Sushi LLC

 

  1. May financials (will be on table)

 

  1. Public Comment:

(Sign up required. Comments on any topic not on agenda and limited to five (5) minutes per person, at Commission discretion)

 

  1. Old Business:

 

  1. Request to Pay – Bourbon County R.E.D.I. Tourism Marketing Budget – $39,650.00
  2. Consideration of deannexation of the property more commonly known as 2142 Jayhawk Road – Approval of Ordinance No. 3611

 

  • Appearances: Bob Reed – Temporary Street Closure – 20th to 23rd – Huntington – July 18th – July 22nd, 2022

 

Burke Street – 10th and Burke – July 4th, 2022 – Burke Street Celebration

 

Rob Harrington – Industrial Park Road Discussion

 

Lake Advisory Board

 

  • Public Hearing: None

 

  1. New Business:

 

  1. Consideration of appointment to Parks Advisory Board
  2. Consideration of Corporate Golf Rate Season Membership
  3. Consideration of Change Order #3 – Hammon’s – $2,933.00

 

  1.    Reports and Comments:
  2. City Manager Comments: Cooper Street Update

Street Crew Update

 

  1. Director Comments: Doug Guns – Lake Fort Scott Update

Bill Downey – Codes Update

 

  1. City Engineer Report:

 

  1. On-Call Sanitary Sewer Manhole Inspection Training Proposal
  2. Phase 1 – Aerator – Sewer Plant

 

  1. Commissioners Reports and Comments:
  2.   City Attorney Reports and Comments:
  3. Executive Session – If requested, (please follow script in all motions for Executive Sessions)

(City Manager – Attorney/Client Privilege)

XII.          Adjournment:

 

 

Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

What’s Happening in Fort Scott June 17 Newsletter

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What’s Happening in Fort Scott!
June 17th Weekly Newsletter
So much fun coming up in Fort Scott,
share with your friends & family!
UPCOMING CALENDAR OF EVENTS
________________
TROLLEY TOURS,
ON THE HOUR FROM THE CHAMBER!
Friday 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm
Saturday 10am, 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm
$6 adults, $4 children 12 & under
50-minute narrated tour of Historic Fort Scott!
***Regular trolley tours will not run this Saturday due to everyone is welcome to hop on the trolley at the Chamber to be transported to The Lavender Fest, leaving the Chamber on the hour, and returning on the half-hour with last depart at 2:30pm
6/17 ~ Friday Night Concerts in the Park – Ralph Carlson, Stephan Moses, and Carolyn Tucker, Heritage Park Pavilion, 7pm
6/17 ~ BCAC Patio Concert – Sold Out, Liberty Theatre, 8pm, Wednesdays at the Herman’s featuring FS native Summer Buerge!
6/18 ~ Kids Fishing Derby, Gunn Park Shelter House 1, 11am-2pm, click here.
6/18 ~ Botox, Brows, & Blowouts, 4 S. Main St, 10am-6pm, click here for tickets and pricing.
6/18 ~ 5th Annual Lavender Fest! Click here for details, 9am to 3pm.
6/18 ~ First Annual Summer Soul Fest, 1447 Maple Rd, 6pm-12am, click here for info.
6/19 ~ Community Christian Church, Father’s Day Worship Service at LaRoche Complex
6/22 ~ Chamber Blue Health Insurance Informational Meetings, Sleep Inn & Suites Conference Room, 3 time options of 8:30am, 12pm, 3pm, click here.
6/23 ~ Chamber Coffee open! Please call the FS Chamber to schedule!
6/23 ~ Community Baby Shower, 735 S. Scott St., 10am-12pm, click here.
6/23 ~ BINGO hosted by Fort Scott American Legion Post 25, Memorial Hall, 7pm
6/24-6/26 ~ FSHS All School Reunion,
click here for info.
6/24 ~ FSHS All School Reunion
Registration, FSHS Gym, 9am-4pm
Reunion Parade, Downtown, 5pm
Chicken Dinner, FSHS Commons, 6pm
All-Star Reunion Band, Liberty Theatre, 8pm
6/25 ~ FSHS All School Reunion
Registration, FSHS Gym, 9am-12pm
Tiger Honor Luncheon, FSHS Commons, 11:30
Teacher Reception, FSHS Commons, 3pm
Rock Sanctuary & Bourbon County
Revival Live, Liberty Theatre, 8pm
The Stolen Winnebagos – 80’s-90’s Era Band,
3rd & Main, 8pm
The Crayons – 60’s-70’s Era Band,
Skubitz Plaza, 8pm
6/25 ~ Fort Scott Kiwanis Youth Scholarship Golf Tournament Fundraiser, 3-person scramble, Woodland Hills Golf Course, 8am
6/24-6/26 ~ Adam LaRoche 16U Tournament, LaRoche Baseball Complex
6/26 ~ St. Mary’s Catholic School Reunion, 705 S. Holbrook St., 11am
6/30 ~ Chamber Coffee hosted by Bourbon County Garden Club, 8am
7/2-7/4 ~ Independence Weekend Celebration, Fort Scott National Historic Site
7/4 ~ Burke Street Classic Whiffle Ball Tournament, 4 people per team – All ages welcome, 1320 Marblecrest Dr., First pitch at 1pm, click here.
SAVE THE DATE:
7/7-7/10 ~ John Hill Summer Showcase Baseball Tournament
7/8 ~ Gordon Parks Fundraiser Event featuring Charlie Redd & Luna Voo Doo Music Performance, The Liberty Theatre, doors open at 7pm, click here for more info.
7/10 ~ Charity Partner Spades Tournament, Empress Event Center – 7 N. Main St., 1pm
7/15 ~ Chamber Golf Classic, Woodland Hills Golf Course, 10am-4pm, click here.
_____________
SHOPPING ~ SUPPORT LOCAL!
Boutiques-Antiques-Flea Markets & more!
Clickhere for Chamber member
specialty shopping & other retail in
Downtown & other areas of the community.
Fort Scott Area
Chamber of Commerce
620-223-3566
In This Issue
Chamber Highlights
Click here for our
Membership Directory.
We THANK our members for their support! Interested in joining the Chamber?
Click here for info.
Thinking of doing business in or relocating to Fort Scott?
Contact us for a relocation packet, information on grants & incentives, and more!
Seeking a job/career?
We post a Job of the Day daily on our Facebook page, distribute a monthly job openings flyer, and post jobs on our website.
Many opportunities available!
Housing needs?
Click here for a listing of our Chamber member realtors.
Click here for our rental listing.
5th Annual Lavender Fest
FIRST ANNUAL SOULFEST
CHAMBER BLUE HEALTH INSURANCE INFORMATIONAL MEETING
ALL-SCHOOL REUNION
ALL-SCHOOL REUNION SCHEDULE
FORT CINEMA SHOW SCHEDULE THIS WEEKEND
THANK YOU TO OUR CHAMBER CHAMPION MEMBERS!
Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce
231 E. Wall Street
Fort Scott, KS 66701
Fort Scott, Fort Scott Police Department

Deceased Man Is Presumed to Be Derrick Johnson

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The Fort Scott Police Department electric sign. The department is located at 1604 S. National Avenue.

Yesterday, 6/16/22, the body of a deceased male individual was located in the northern end of Gunn Park, near the  Marmaton River.   The deceased is now presumed to be 40 year old, Derrick Wayne Johnson of Fort Scott.

 

Confirmation of identity as well as cause of death will be determined by an impending autopsy, which is scheduled for Sunday, June 19th, 2022.

 

This investigation is on-going.  Official updates will be released as we are able.

 

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Johnson family.

 

Sergeant Bill Downey

Public Information Officer

Bourbon County, Business, Food, Jobs

Dairy’s Future: Less and Bigger Farms AND More Technology

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David and Addi Foster with their children. Submitted photo.
June is National Dairy Month and fortscott.biz interviewed David and Lynda Foster, whose family operates Foster Dairy Farm southwest of Fort Scott on Hwy. 39 to get their perspective on the current state and the future of the dairy industry.
David and his wife, Addi, are in partnership with his mom and dad, Lynda and Gary Foster.
Lynda and Gary Foster, from her Facebook page.
Lynda’s grandfather, Ed Davis began the farm in the 1940s, she said.
Now the fifth generation, David and Addi’s oldest daughters, Ansley, 15, and Mayla, 13 are helping on the farm.
The following is an interview with David and Lynda.
Tell about the state of dairy farms in Kansas.
“Currently there are 209 dairy farms in Kansas and while we may have lost numbers of dairy farming operations, we are growing in cow numbers with Kansas currently having about 142,000 mature milking cows,” Lynda Foster said. “Kansas is ranked 15th in the nation.”
“There is a new Hillmar Cheese plant in construction expected to come online in about 2.5 years from now, where we also expect to see an additional 100,000 cows to be added to the state,” she said.
The Hillmar Cheese Processing Plant will be a state-of-the-art facility in Dodge City, in western Kansas.
How did the pandemic effect your farm?

“We experienced primarily supply chain disruptions,” David Foster said. “It didn’t change the work that needed to be done daily. We still traveled to get supplies like alfalfa, and feed and mineral. It canceled annual meetings in organizations that we are a part of. Like everyone, there were certain precautions that were to be made if someone got sick.”

What is happening now in the industry?
“Exports are still up,  and expected to be higher this year, 1 in 6 semi tanker loads of milk gets exported” Lynda said.
“Milk prices are on the rise and setting records in some areas, so are a lot of our inputs, especially feeds, fertilizers, fuels – all of these input costs are outpacing the increased milk price,” she said. “Some of the most notable current events in the dairy industry was, of course, the baby formula shortage.”
What is on the horizon for the dairy industry from your perspective?
“I believe that we will continue to see consolidation, dairy farms getting larger, smaller farms disappearing,” David said.  “I believe that the days of families deriving their sole income from the dairy are gone. Today, a farmer on a smaller dairy, less than 300 cows, needs a spouse off-farm to make it and provide for their families additional income as well as health insurance.”
“Automated Milking Systems will continue to grow in use and will allow farms to alleviate the woes associated with a depleted/barely existent labor market,” he said. “Recent reports showed that for every person that doesn’t have a job, there are 2 jobs available.  This means that farming operations struggle to compete in wages against other industries and also struggle to entice labor due to the traditional physical demands and long hours of a farming operation.”
Automatic, or robotic,milking systems usually operate without someone being present to supervise the milking process and have been in use for the past decade on commercial farms, according to sciencedirect.com
The Foster’s have an automated milking system that allows the cows to come in at will when they need milked. Submitted photo.
“I believe that you will see dairy farms continue to diversify operations to include other agricultural ventures that complement milking and farming, such as trucking or custom harvest, and hay operations,” he said.
  “Technologies such as methane digestors will allow a value-added return from cow manure and allow dairies to derive additional profits,” David said. “Dairies will utilize solar and wind to reduce peak energy costs.”
“I am always probing and putting efforts into exploring options for emerging technologies that would make our operation more efficient,” David said.  “The goal of sustainability is always to do more with less. We are the only dairy left in Bourbon County and one of a few left in all of southeast Kansas. There may be interest in adding on-farm processing in the future to serve the needs of this 4-state area with a local, quality, nutritional product.”
“I believe with food shortages touted and supply disruptions experienced, we will continue to feel an increasing demand for consumers to want to source local,” he said. “We saw this ramp up significantly in the beef industry as consumers wanted to buy direct from the farmer. We see this in farmer’s markets. Other areas have supported their local operations, and we may not be far from considering, but to expand our operations to include processing, or other technologies, we have to expand our team of people that can share our vision and hopes for a better future.”
“Some of the biggest obstacles I see for dairy and maybe shared by all businesses, will be labor, inflation, which is then tied to interest and increased taxes, and supply prices and availability,” David said.
Fort Scott, Fort Scott Police Department

A Death In Gunn Park is Still Under Investigation

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On June 16, 2022 at approximately 10:45 a.m., members of the Fort Scott Fire Department, Fort Scott Police Department, Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office, and EMS responded to a report of a possible deceased individual in the woods at Gunn Park in the west part of the city, according to the FSPD Facebook page.
A deceased individual was subsequently located in the northern end of the park, near the river. The cause of death is currently under investigation. The name of the deceased individual is being withheld until the next of kin can be notified.
“We are currently waiting on the autopsy results to make a positive identification on this person,” said Sergeant Bill Downey FSPD Public Information Officer.
Opinion

Leaving Mexico by Patty LaRoche

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Patty LaRoche

Four stops in ten minutes.  Unheard of.  Dave and I had driven the Mazatlán-Kansas route for eleven years, and rarely were we asked to stop our car for an inspection.  Even at the border, the agents would see an elderly couple (us!) driving a mini-van and wave us through.  No checking for contraband.  We look, I guess, innocent.

But this time, in a ten-minute span, four Mexican check points were there to make sure no one tried to bring as much as a tomato into the U.S.

I knew that this vegetable/fruit issue was risky business. Years before, while flying into Mazatlán, an airport security officer asked if I had any such item on me.  My confident “No, Señor,” was met with an overactive dog who sniffed “something” in my carry-on, the “something” being the partially-eaten apple I had stuffed into my bag that morning.  I might as well have been a serial killer, the way I was scolded.

On this trip, three out of the four traffic stops were uneventful.  What were we doing in Mexico?  Where were we headed?  Where had we been?  Usual questions with kind, smiling responses, waving us through.  We were impressed, however, when one such detainer held a long-handled mirror which he used to look under our car.  But this detaining duo seemed different.

I, the driver, was asked to raise the hood so one of the men could search under it.  His partner walked to the back.  Dave got out of the passenger seat and joined him as he searched the rear of our mini-van.  He opened my backpack and looked through each zippered compartment.

The guy in front was another story.  After he checked the engine, he knelt in the driver’s seat and proceeded to smack the back of each seat as well as the padded roof. This pair was clearly intent on finding something illegal.  Everyone else had recognized innocence when they saw it, so why not this pair?

Unless, of course, they weren’t legitimate.  We had heard of a checkpoint where the searchers distracted the driver of the car while a third man dislodged and stole the spare tire.

We didn’t consider that option, however, until we were told we could leave and were miles down the road.  The point is, we had nothing about which to be concerned.  We were hiding no drugs, no people seeking asylum in the U.S. and no certainly no apple or cucumber that would cause alarm.  They could look all they wanted; there was nothing that would incriminate us. We were taking no risks. It was a wonderful feeling to be completely innocent.

Oh, if only I could say the same for my heart.  If God could search it and find nothing of which I would be guilty!  If I could confidently stand before Him and know that I was holy and innocent and loved everyone and never judged/complained/worried and never told Dave that he was getting on my nerves.

 

In Psalm 139:23-24, King David prays to God: Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way. 

 Now, that’s a risky prayer.

 

 

Obituary

Obituary of Don Miller

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Norman “Don” Miller, age 79, resident of Ft. Scott, KS, died Thursday, June 16, 2022, at Nevada Regional Medical Center in Nevada, MO.

He was born July 26, 1942, in Ft. Scott, the son of Roy and Leora Heitz Miller.  He graduated from Fort Scott High School with the class of 1960 where he played sports and was a self-proclaimed terrible student.  He attended Fort Scott Community College in prior to entering service in the U. S. Army.

Following the Army, Don graduated from Pittsburg State University with a master’s in education.  He married Shauneen Bond on August 29, 1964, in Ft. Scott.  She preceded him in death on January 25, 2007.

He began his teaching and coaching career in Coffeyville, KS.  After moving back to Ft. Scott, Don taught at the Junior High School and Ft. Scott JUCO.  His teaching and coaching career garnered many awards including Master Teacher Award 1981, and the Kansas Teacher Hall of Fame 2001.  He established the middle school Pride Program as well as Washington Workshop.  He was a member of KNEA, served as HPA board President and was a member of Community Christian Church.

Don’s sense of humor never failed when reminiscing with former students and athletes.

 

Survivors include two daughters, Tanya Miller, Ft. Scott, and Erin Ponte and husband Brian, Fresno, CA; a sister, Diane Yager, Smithville, MO; a granddaughter, Madison Ponte as well as Tanner, Brityn, Beckham, and Jordy Fox; and nieces and nephews Kim Boham, David Bond, Lindsay Schossow, Morgan Boham, Elise Yager, Kristy Yager, Tony Yager, Justin Parks, Stacey Snodgrass, and Laurie Short.

Besides his wife, he was preceded in death by two sisters, Connie Miller Parks, and Sharon Short; and his parents.

 

Rev. Dusty Drake will conduct funeral services at 10:30 AM Tuesday, June 21st, at the Community Christian Church.

Burial will follow in the Evergreen Cemetery.

A memorial gathering will take place at 6:30 PM Monday June 20th, at the Ft. Scott Middle School, with casual “Tiger” gear encouraged.

Memorials are suggested to either HPA or the Don Miller Scholarship Fund and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main St., Ft. Scott, KS 66701.  Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

 

Bourbon County, Bourbon County Sheriff's Office, Jobs

Bo Co Jail Inmates Moved to Other Counties

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The jail is known as the Bourbon County Law Enforcement Center, Fort Scott.

Bourbon County Jail inmates are being sent to other counties, according to the Bourbon County Law Enforcement Center Administrator.

“The Bourbon County Jail will be farming out most, if not all, of their inmates to other counties in southeast Kansas,” said Major Bobby Reed in an email with the daily reports sent to news entities. “The facility is doing this because of staffing shortages.”

“Approximately 56 inmates out of 65 are being housed elsewhere,” Reed noted to fortscott.biz.”The cost (to the county) is $40 per day per inmate.”

That amounts to $2,240 per day in payments to other counties, by Bourbon County.

Yesterday six inmates were transferred to another county, according to today’s Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office report.

Inmate’s families are not being notified ahead of the transfers, due to security reasons, Reed said.

Staffing is at a critical point.

“I have 16 positions when fully staffed,” he said.   “I have not been fully staffed in a long time. Twelve employees is the minimum to operate the jail 24/7.   That is 3 per shift.   Next Tuesday I will be down to 8 employees.”

Low wages are what seems to be making the employee retention critical.

“Starting Correctional officer’s make $12.50 per hour,” Reed said.   “(Bourbon County) Correctional Officers can get pay increases through the rank structure and a sargent makes $13.80 per hour.  I can not retain employees because of the low pay.  Then the employees that I have are getting worked all the time and are getting burnt out then they are resigning.”

People making $12.50 per hour, 40  hours a week make $500 a week. $500 times 52 weeks in a year is $26,000.

“Money wise, that is a commissioner and finance question,” Reed said.

He said the county offers standard benefits of eye, health, dental , major medical, sick time and vacation.

“I can not make people apply and I can not make people work,” Reed said.

“In my opinion the solution is to increase the pay,” he said.  “But to what, I don’t know. Agencies that start out at $15/hour are having issues retaining and hiring and agencies that start out at $17 are having the same issues.”

“Jails are being short staffed through out the nation…I know it is in Kansas,” Reed said.   “I think we are the first county in Kansas that has had to drastically reduce our numbers of inmates because of staffing issues.”

 

 

 

Bourbon County, Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce, Jobs

Respond to Employee and Resident Survey: To View Future Employment Needs

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EMPLOYEE & RESIDENT SURVEY

FORT SCOTT – BOURBON COUNTY AREA

Calling all young adults ages 18 to 29!

YOUR RESPONSE IS APPRECIATED!

Do you work in Bourbon County? Do you live in Bourbon County? Either way or both, we want your thoughts about work and education. Our Chamber is assisting Bourbon County Regional Economic Inc on its workforce assessment. A few weeks ago, we asked for input from company leaders. Now, we want to know what employees and residents think. Even if you are not currently employed we want to know what you think. This survey only takes about five minutes and is completely confidential.

Thank you!

The Chamber is sending in

partnership with Bourbon County REDI
Greetings!

RE: Calling all young adults from 18 to 29 years of age – Your Response is Appreciated!

Young adults from the ages of 18 to 29 represent our future and we need your input on workforce, jobs and training opportunities. Did you know that your age groups (nationally) are the least likely to engage in a survey and yet YOUR input is the most important as we plan for the future.

The Chamber is supporting our economic development entity, Bourbon County Regional Economic Development, Inc, in gathering information on what you think about your jobs, your training and what you want as a future career. This is done with an on-line survey and only takes about FIVE MINUTES.  Your thoughts are really important. Take the survey today!

Please pass this along to family, friends, employees, co-workers, and others. The more input we get, the better. Bourbon County REDI and the Chamber need your help to make sure we keep good jobs in the area.

You will find the survey here:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BourbonCountyResidentSurvey

Again, your input is very critical to ensuring REDI and the Chamber have a good view of the current and future employment needs.  Please take the survey today.

*PLEASE NOTE that we would like all ages of residents to take the survey, but we would like to particularly get a good representation of the 18-29 age group.  Your assistance is appreciated.

Thank you!

Halle Striler

Communications & Events Coordinator

Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce
IF YOU HAVE ALREADY COMPLETED THE SURVEY,

WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR RESPONSE

& PARTICIPATION!

Thank you to our Chamber Champions listed below.
Chamber Champions Logo Image 2022 - Ledger Size.png
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Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce | 231 E. Wall Street, Fort Scott, KS 66701

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