Minutes of the FSCC Board of Trustees for November 20
FORT SCOTT COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Minutes of the Board of Trustees Meeting
November 20, 2023
PRESENT: John Bartelsmeyer, Dave Elliott, Jim Fewins, Kirk Hart, Bryan Holt, and Robert Nelson
ALSO PRESENT: Jason Kegler-President, Juley McDaniel-Board Clerk, faculty, staff
Chairman Bartelsmeyer called the meeting to order at 5:30 pm in Cleaver-Burris-Boileau Hall.
COMMENTS FROM THE CHAIR: Chairman Bartelsmeyer recognized Ronda Bailey and Doug Ropp as newly
elected Board members.
COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC: None.
A motion was made by Nelson, seconded by Elliott, and carried by unanimous vote to amend the agenda by moving
Executive session immediately after approval of the consent agenda, revising Item B to read Consideration of FSCC
Foundation Funds, and adding Consideration of Property Negotiations as Item D under Action/Discussion Items.
CONSENT AGENDA: A motion was made by Hart, seconded by Fewins, and carried by unanimous vote to
approve the consent agenda as amended.
EXECUTIVE SESSION: A motion was made by Nelson, seconded by Holt, and carried by unanimous vote to
adjourn to executive session pursuant to K.S.A. 75-4319 for ten minutes beginning at 5:36 pm for the purpose of
discussing non-elected personnel as it relates to administrative contracts, with no action expected to follow. The
Board invited Dr. Kegler into executive session.
OPEN SESSION: A motion was made by Hart, seconded by Fewins, and carried by unanimous vote to return to
open session at 5:47 pm.
ACTION/DISCUSSION ITEMS:
A. A motion was made by Fewins seconded by Hart and carried by unanimous vote to approve the Perkins Grant purchases as specified.
B. A motion was made by Nelson seconded by Fewins and carried by unanimous vote to accept FSCC Foundation funds as permitted by law.
C. A motion was made by Fewins seconded by Elliott and carried by unanimous vote to approve the healthcare insurance renewal.
D. A motion was made by Elliott seconded by Holt and carried by unanimous vote to approve the Perkins Grant purchases as specified.
ADMINISTRATIVE UPDATES: The Board reviewed and heard updates from Miami County, Gordon Parks Museum, Instruction, Finance and Operations, Athletics, and Student Services, and President.
ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business to come before the Trustees, a motion to adjourn was made at
6:52 pm by Elliott, seconded by Fewins, and carried by unanimous vote.
Agenda for the FSCC Board of Trustees Meeting on December 11
Board of Trustees
Fort Scott Community College
2108 S. Horton
Fort Scott, KS 66701
The Board of Trustees of Fort Scott Community College will meet in regular session on Monday, December 11, 2023. The meeting will be held in Cleaver-Burris-Boileau Hall at Fort Scott Community College.
5:30 p.m. Regular monthly Board meeting
THE AGENDA
5:30 ROLL CALL, 3
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
CALL TO ORDER, 4
A. Comments from the Chair, 4
B. Comments from the Public, 4
CONSENT AGENDA, 5
A. Approval of Agenda, 5
B. Approval of Minutes of previous Regular Board Meeting conducted on November 20, 2023, 6
C. Approval of Bills and Claims, 7
D. Approval of Personnel Actions, 5
ACTION/DISCUSSION ITEMS, 18
A. Approval of 2024-25 Academic Scholarships, 18
B. Approval of Sale of Property at 902 S. Horton, 20
C. Approval of Final Installment Lease Purchase Payment to CHCSEK, 21
ITEMS FOR REVIEW, 22
REPORTS, 25
A. Administrative Updates, 25
EXECUTIVE SESSION, 30
ADJOURNMENT, 311
UPCOMING CALENDAR DATES:
• December 11, 2023 (Changed due to winter break) Board Meeting
• December 15, 2023 – January 3, 2024 Winter Break, Campus Closed
• January 15, 2024 MLK, Jr. Day, Campus Closed
• January 22, 2024 (Changed due to MLK, Jr. Day) Board Meeting
• February 19, 2024 Board Meeting
• March 11 – 15, 2024 Spring Break, Campus Closed
• March 18, 2024 Board Meeting
• April 15, 2024 Board Meeting
• May 20, 2024 Board Meeting
• May 27, 2024 Memorial Day, Campus Closed
• June 17, 2024 Board Meeting
Sincerely,
John Bartelsmeyer, Chair
Jason Kegler, President
FSCC’s vision for the future is to support “Students First, Community Always” through a
central focus on teaching and learning; advancing strong, innovative programs and
departments; maximizing and leveraging opportunities; initiating efficient and effective
processes; and developing the region’s workforce.2
ROLL CALL
_____ John Bartelsmeyer
_____ Jim Fewins
_____ Dave Elliott
_____ Kirk Hart
_____ Bryan Holt
_____ Robert Nelson3
CALL TO ORDER
A. COMMENTS FROM THE CHAIR
B. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
CONSENT AGENDA
A. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
B. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS
Attached are the minutes of the Regular Board Meeting conducted on November 20, 2023.
C. APPROVAL OF BILLS and CLAIMS
Attached is the Bills and Claims Report.
D. APPROVAL OF PERSONNEL ACTIONS
1) Separations
a) Kris Mengarelli, CTEC Director, effective November 7, 2023
b) Marianne Culbertson, Director of Business Operations, effective November 24, 2023
c) Iban Gama, Regional Recruiter – Louisiana MEP, effective November 30, 2023
d) Alexandrya Morillo, Head Cheer/Dance Coach, effective December 7, 2023
e) Julie Eichenberger, Vice President of Finance and Operations, effective December 31, 2023
RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the Consent Agenda items be approved
To view the complete packet:
Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes Newletter December 2023
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December 7, 2023 Volume 14 |
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WISHING YOU WARMTH AND JOYTHIS HOLIDAY SEASON
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Dear Friends, As the holiday season approaches, we want to extend our heartfelt appreciation to each of you who has visited and supported the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes throughout the year. May this festive season be a tapestry of joy and cheer for you and your loved ones. Your commitment to our mission has made a significant impact, and we are grateful for the positive change we have achieved together. As we reflect on the past year, we look forward with excitement to the opportunities the future holds. Thank you for being an essential part of our efforts. We wish you and your loved ones a holiday season filled with warmth, happiness, and the joy of giving. Merry Christmas |
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Lowell Milken Park was adorned with the enchanting glow of festive lights during the inaugural Christmas on the Bricks event in downtown Fort Scott. The heartwarming sight welcomed over 100 visitors as we remained open late Friday night, spreading joy and holiday cheer and sharing stories of unsung heroes. Lowell Milken Park took center stage and played a large part in this inaugural holiday event. |
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Discovery Award Updates |
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Attention, educators working on the Discovery Award project with your students! Brace yourselves for some fantastic updates: This year’s Discovery Award is better than ever, offering nearly $25,000 in prizes for your talented students! For any guidance, assistance, or questions, contact Norm Conard at [email protected] or Megan Felt at [email protected]. Get ready to witness the incredible projects you and your students will create this year! |
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Discovery Award Project Spotlight |
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The Outstanding Middle School Project in the 2023 Discovery Award Competition. One of the award winners was Rehan Mathew Koshy from Edison Regional Gifted Center, Chicago, IL. Check out Rehan Mathew’s moving documentary, Andrée de Jongh: Faster than a Comet, at https://bit.ly/Andree_de_Jongh Stay tuned for more incredible award-winning projects coming your way! |
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ARTEFFECT Updates |
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“StorytellingThrough Art” Online SessionWednesday, December 13 | 4:00-5:15 PM (Pacific Time) All educators are invited to join this session on “Storytelling Through Art,” led by award-winning educator Brad LeDuc. Explore strategies to support your students in their visual storytelling about the Unsung Heroes. Attendees to the live session will receive a Certificate of Participation. All registrants will receive the lesson plan and session recording. Free to join—registration required. |
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The 2023-2024 ARTEFFECT visual art competition is now underway and open through May 1, 2024. Middle and high school students are invited to creatively interpret the story of an Unsung Hero through an original visual artwork accompanied by an impact statement. Learn more here! |
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Fellows News and Updates |
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We had the privilege of hosting the First Place winners of the 2023 Discovery Award competition at the LMC! 11th graders Paige Franzen, Kadence Huck, and Callahan Levi from Nashua-Plainfield High School in Nashua, Iowa, claimed the $2,500 First Prize award. They were accompanied by their teacher, 2022 LMC Fellow Suzy Turner. During their visit, these talented students lent their expertise to assist us in developing a unique new exhibit honoring their Unsung Hero, Dr. Christine Grant. Their award-winning documentary beautifully captures the life and impactful journey of Dr. Christine Grant, a trailblazer for equity in women’s sports programs. She left an indelible mark as a legendary women’s field hockey coach and the first director of women’s intercollegiate athletics at the University of Iowa. Congratulations again to Paige, Kadence, and Callahan! Your achievements are not only commendable but also an inspiration to future generations. Thank you for sharing the impactful story of Dr. Christine Grant with the world. The new exhibit panel is made possible by a grant from Kansas Commerce and Kansas Tourism. We look forward to unveiling the new panel in the summer of 2024. |
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LMC News and Updates |
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With a grant from Evergy, we brought Operation Wildlife to the Lowell Milken Center in celebration of our unsung environmentalist hero, Jacob Valentine. When it gets warmer, we plan to have a program featuring a bald eagle in Lowell Milken Park. Executive Director Norm Conard said, “This was one of the best programs of the year! We had a full house for each presentation, and those who attended fell in love with these beautiful creatures.” |
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We’re excited to announce the launch of a new segment in our newsletter, The Ripple Effect. This space is dedicated to sharing the remarkable stories and heartfelt experiences of teachers and students whose lives have been touched by Unsung Hero Projects. Through personal reflections, anecdotes, and insightful conversations, we will explore how Unsung Hero Projects have sowed the seeds of change, fostering a spirit of innovation, empathy, and resilience. Get ready to be moved by stories of hope, growth, and lasting impact. |
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Here’s what Lana had to say: Being an LMC fellow and integrating unsung hero projects into my curriculum has profoundly shaped my teaching philosophy and style. It’s like adding a splash of color to my teaching canvas! It has encouraged my students and me to dive into unique historical perspectives (ones often sidelined in textbooks), which I am able to share with my class and as an advisor for National History Day. Equally impactful was the emphasis on research and writing skills. I’ve witnessed my students evolve into adept researchers, crafting articulate narratives. This fellowship transformed my classroom into a vibrant learning space where historical exploration is not just a lesson but a thrilling journey, fostering curiosity and critical thinking in every student. The unsung hero projects make history come alive, helping my students connect the dots and write compelling stories they wouldn’t normally explore. Being at an art school has also given them the space to shape their craft while still being engaged in social sciences in a unique way. I love learning about the different topics along with the students, nudging them to push themselves outside their comfort zones and really make a connection between their unsung heroes and themselves. Seeing their accomplishments and their pride in themselves, or their random emails at 11:30 pm saying, “Mrs. S, I found someone to interview, and I’m so excited because they emailed me back!” only fuels the excitement for me. When I receive emails from parents saying they’ve seen growth and a positive difference in their child while working on the project, I know I am doing what I was meant to do. Last year, one of my students was awarded an Honorable Mention from LMC. I gently nudged her to use her voice and performing skills to share her story. The fact that I have a platform to give students a voice and choice in how they present their research is something I do not take for granted. When I asked her what the most memorable experience of her journey was, here’s what she said: “The moment I realized the direction of my project was when you told me to focus on the story I wanted to tell: the Korean American business owners. I recognized then that telling one person’s story could help me connect the stories around them. The amount of effort and time you dedicated to revising my project is something I deeply appreciate. Through your coaching, I was able to explore so many topics of Asian American history that I would not be able to learn through the school curriculum. The Lum v Rice case left such a significant impact on my understanding of Asian American history, and the dedication of Katherine Lum has inspired me so many times.” Integrating unsung hero projects into my curriculum made history come alive, helping my students connect the dots and write compelling stories. It’s like watching a flower bloom – their research and writing skills have blossomed. Thanks to this experience, my classroom is a place of excitement and curiosity, where every day is an adventure into the past. Students develop empathy and compassion through the research project, whether they know it or not. |
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Copyright (C) 2023 Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes. All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: |
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, Happy Hanukkah 
, and Happy Holidays 
EXCITING DISCOVERY AWARD NEWS FOR EDUCATORS & STUDENTS! 
But hold on—there’s more! We’re thrilled to introduce new awards exclusively for the amazing teachers guiding and inspiring our young learners! 
Stay tuned for more updates and inspiration as we embark on this exciting Discovery Award journey together.
Gordon Parks Museum Receives Portrait of Gordon Parks
Fort Scott, Kan. Dec.7, 2023 – A portrait of Gordon Parks painted by Elliott Coke O’Neal of Lawrenceville, Ga., was donated recently to the Gordon Parks Museum.
O’Neal rendered the image in 2009 during an art class at Georgia State College in Atlanta, where he
was a sophomore. He had given the portrait to his great-grandmother, Laverne Person, in Fort Scott the year it was finished.
O’Neal’s grandparents, Arthur Greene and Janice Person-Greene, originally from Fort Scott, who now reside in Olathe, visited the museum on the campus of Fort Scott Community College to formally donate the painting on O’Neal’s behalf.
For information on the Gordon Parks Museum, contact Kirk Sharp, executive director, 620) 223-2700,
ext. 5850, or at [email protected].
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Janice Person-Greene (left) donating the painting on behalf of their grandson, Elliott Coke O’ Neal.
Photo take by Arthur Greene.
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Letter to The Editor: Matthew Wells
Words carry weight:
The scriptures would teach us that the power of life and death is in the tongue. So I would ask you, when you speak is it bringing Life?
No one is challenging anyone’s right guaranteed under the First Amendment to say whatever they want. I am asking if you care about this town, I am asking you to care about our future. I am asking you to think about your words and what benefit they bring when you speak to them. I’m not asking not to post on social media I am asking you to weigh the words, and ask will this bring Life?
I would ask you if it’s important to you to know something come and ask, and the answer shall be given. But if you’re not willing to come in and ask for the information which is freely available then where does the fault lie?
Ask and you shall receive knock, and the door shall be open unto you.
I call upon the people of this community, I call upon all the people of Fort Scott to decide we are going to be a people that come together and put the City Of Fort Scott upon our shoulders that we decide here and now from this moment forward that everything that we do and everything that we say has an impact on all of those around us.
I envision a community that talks to you, not about you. I envision a community that looks for points of agreement and progress, even if it’s only an ounce. For even a small ounce of progress is better than pounds of regress and rage.
I want to be the type of commission that adds value to the community not poisons the value of other contributions. I envision a commission intent on focusing on the idea, not who gets credit for coming up with it.
I want to be the kind of community leaders who goes first with trust and truth.
Where we miss the mark, or drop the ball, let’s acknowledge it.
Let us never be afraid to admit when we are wrong take ownership of that and adjust with authentic intentions.
Let us be more than a community, let us be the team, together, building trust.
I understand that in times of uncertainty, fear seeps in. That fear most often leads to suspicion which can cause an inherent mistrust of all the information that is provided. We want to be the kind of commission that communicates with you clearly and provides the information that shows you the positive aspects and how we are doing everything we can to make sure there is a way forward in positivity.
We are overcoming years of mistrust, most of it justified, and that is not something that will take place quickly, or without the honest intentions and a desire to be a city that inspires you to see the great progress we have made.
This is not to say that there should not be critical discussions about ideas that would help move us forward as a whole. But At the same time attacking a person, as opposed to bringing the conversation to focus on a better idea is unproductive.
I understand that many of you are scared, and this fear leads to an attitude of mistrust and sustained suspicion, but I can promise you that if you come and ask for the information, we want you to know the truth and all of the good things that are going on around you.
This Sunday we spoke for a bit on hope at church, and here’s the rub.
I feel I’ve been called by God to live a life that follows after King Jesus, now within this, that means that I’ve chosen to follow after certain ideals. One of those is speaking life, another is trusting God, but the one we talked about this Sunday is hope.
When faced with that decision of whether I will speak life or death over a situation, I will always choose to speak life, to speak truth, and I ask you to consider whether the words that you are speaking, when you speak them with your mouth or type them on social media, what are those words filled with? What encouragement or idea is being presented?
Is it life or is it death? And if it is an issue that you feel strongly enough about bringing to someone else’s attention, why would you not come to the table and bring your solution and say here is how we resolve that problem. Because if you’re not willing to help solve the problem, then you must consider whether or not you are part of that problem.
So in this, I am going to choose to try to live a life that is a testament to that which the Lord has shown me to live: to speak the truth, to have joy, to allow words filled with life to flow from my mouth, to live with expectation, to foster hope, and to trust that my God will find a way.
We are community, we are Fort Scott, we will not be undone by divisive rhetoric, this is when we come together, this is where we unite, this is where we stand up and be better.
Because together we are better.
Let us be better
There Is another word for hope, it’s a name that was given to Jesus Emmanuel. “ God with us.”
For if the gift of God is with us then how could we not be filled with hope?
God bless you all. God bless Fort Scott.
Jerimiah 33:9 Then this city will bring me joy, glory, and honor before all the nations of the earth! The people of the world will see all the good I do for my people, and they will tremble with awe at the peace and prosperity I provide for Them.
#togetherwearebetter
Mayor City of Fort Scott
Matthew Wells
[email protected]
Cell 417-684-1714
Office/fax 620-223-3090
Wreaths Across America in Two Locations in Bourbon County in 2023
Two Bourbon County cemeteries will be a part of Wreaths Across America, a national program to honor U.S. Military Veterans with wreaths on their graves.
According to its website, the mission of Wreaths Across America (WAA) is to remember the fallen, honor those who serve, and teach the next generation the value of freedom. Volunteers work year-round to share this mission and inspire others to join.
Diann Tucker is the WAA Location Coordinator for Fort Scott National Cemetery.
Tucker said for the last five years, there have been enough funds raised to place wreaths on all the veteran’s graves at the national cemetery.
“About 6,800 wreaths will be placed on December 16,” she said. “The ceremony starts at 10 a.m., immediately followed by the laying of the wreaths.”
“A youth group will be driving golf carts to pick up and take them back to their cars,” she said.
The Wreaths Across America transport truck will arrive from Columbia Falls, Maine, at 8 a.m. driven by a veteran.
“We can always use volunteers to off-load from the truck,” Tucker said.
Fundraising for the project is all year round.
“At $17 a wreath and 6,800 graves, it is $115,600 (in funds raised) this year,” Tucker said.
For more information contact Tucker at 620-224-7054 or 620-223-6700.
Uniontown Ruritan Club has initiated a project this year to place wreaths on the veterans in the Uniontown Cemetery.
“We began discussing this in the summer and a couple of months ago decided to move forward with it,” Mary Pemberton, spokesperson for the club said. “It is headed up by Mark Warren, Larry and Judy Jurgensen and myself.”
“Wreaths Across America started in 1992 in Arlington Cemetery and expanded from there,” Pemberton said. “Local cemeteries can participate as well. Funding is from donations and volunteers do the ceremony and lay the wreaths.”
The Uniontown ceremony will be on December 15 at 1:30 p.m.
“Schools gets out early that day and several students will help lay the wreaths,” Pemberton said. “The Uniontown High School band and choir will perform. Mark Warren will be the speaker.”
The names of the veterans will be read as the wreaths are laid.
“The public is invited and encouraged to attend,” Pemberton said.
“If any relative of a veteran in Uniontown Cemetery would like to lay the wreath on their vet’s grave they just need to let us know before to that.”
For more information contact Pemberton at 620-224-9654.
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports December 7
Bourbon County Inter-Agency Coalition General Membership Meeting Minutes
Bourbon County Inter-Agency Coalition
General Membership Meeting Minutes
December 6, 2023
- Welcome: Billie Jo welcomed twenty members representing thirteen agencies. She informed the members that the board had approved an expenditure for bicycles for the “Adopt-a-Child” program at Beacon.
- Member Introductions and Announcements:
- Sandra Haggard, RSVP: The next Bourbon County Red Cross blood drive will be December 21 and 22 at Buck Run Community Center. Sandy needs a few more volunteers. Billie Jo will forward Sandy’s schedule to the membership; contact Sandy if you are available to help.
- David Gillen, Beacon: In November Beacon had 325 families, including 11 new families, utilize services; they served a total of 749 people. All 79 families for the Adopt-A-Child program have been adopted!
- Lea Kay Karleskint, K-State Research: Always looking for partners to supply space for her nutrition programs.
- Elizabeth Schafer, Pioneer Kiwanis, CASA: These programs need volunteers!
- Tammy Alcantar, Crawford County Health Department: Tammy reviewed classes she is able to provide in Bourbon County; contact her if you have clients who would benefit from participating.
- Christine Abbott, SEK Works: There has been a change of appointment hours in the Fort Scott office: Monday through Thursdays, 10 a.m. until 3p.m. Walk-ins should come before or after those hours. The Youth Summit was held in November with a few more than 150 young adults participating. Chelsea Walker is the new Career Advisor; she will begin coming to the Fort Scott office soon.
- Tess Watson: Tess’s program, based in Columbus, has recently expanded to include Bourbon County. The program provides beds for children who are sleeping on the floor or on a couch. To date, Tess has been able to provide 1500 beds for children.
- Janelle Tate, Early Childhood Block Grant and Dee Dee LeFever, Greenbush Community Liaison, are in the process of planning a training event for the Early Childhood Coalition to be held in April alongside the Child Care Aware program. They will provide specific details at a later date.
- Kathy Romero, Angel Care Home Health: They provide skilled nursing to clients in their homes; sixty of their present clients (30%) are in our Bourbon County area.
- Travis Wilcoxsen, Angel Care Home Health: The focus right now is upper respiratory; they will serve patients with Covid. Goal is to them better, off service, and back where they want to be.
- Heather, Walker-Shepherd, CHC and USD 234: Heather goes into the homes to work with the families in USD 234. She is also a certified tobacco treatment specialist.
- Michelle Stevenson, Fort Scott Early Childhood Pre-School Center: She is a resource for the parent; she has begun screening for next year.
- Nick Johnson, USD 234 Pre-School: Screenings are held every month; contact the Pre-School with referrals.
- Program: CHC: Tobacco Cessation presented by Brenda, Stokes Lisa Wells, and Jennelle Knight
Tobacco usage for Bourbon County residents over eighteen years of age is much higher than the state average. CHC offers individual and group programs to help participants free themselves from tobacco use and has recently been able to pilot these cessation classes in Bourbon County. Jennelle is now able to train tobacco treatment specialists; all participants in her first class were Bourbon County residents. CHC will soon be implementing a program, including the dangers of vaping, to work with students in the schools. Their grant also allows CHC to work with employers to help them provide tobacco free work spaces. Currently, the programs have no fees if the participant’s insurance does not pay. Often participants need to repeat the class in order to become completely tobacco free. CHC patients are able to get low-cost or free medications to help the process so cost should not be a negative factor for the participants.
- Open Forum:
- Billie Jo reminded members of the inclement weather policy; she will send a message before 9:00 a.m. if a General Meeting needs to be cancelled due to weather.
- Adjournment: The next General Membership meeting will be January 3, 2024.
- The program will be presented by Tess Watson on her bed project.
Flags Half-Staff For Sandra Day O’Connor
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Construction on New Catholic Church and Rectory Has Started
The area south and west of St. Mary’s Catholic School is a hub of construction.
The August 2022 lightning-strike fire at Mary Queen of Angels Catholic Church destroyed the structure.
“Fr. Yancey Burgess, the pastor, said the destruction was too great to repair the old church,” according to a news article in https://catholicdioceseofwichita.org/new-church-planned-for-fort-scott/. “The engineers have said it would be cost prohibitive to try to rebuild it because the church would lose its ‘grandfather’ status and would have to meet modern building codes.”
Simpson Construction Services, Wichita, is the general contractor for the new church building and has two employees on site, Howard Thome, superintendent, and Tyler Fox, field engineer.
The new church site is located at 702 Eddy, in approximately the same spot as the old one.
Fox said there are approximately 26 sub-contractors from start to finish on the project.
Construction began in November 2023.
“The church will be a little over 7,000 square feet,” Fox said. “The owner occupancy is expected to be November 2024.”
On December 5, R2 Concrete Construction, Fort Scott, was pouring the footings.
“We had to go down to bedrock,” Thome said. “We put in a lean concrete to bring it up to bedding. The footing is on top, so should be stable.”
“We should pour the slab in the next couple of weeks,” Fox said. “Then start erecting steel in late January.”
The project is being funded partly through insurance because the church was struck by lightning in August 2022, according to Bo Casper, a church member and also a sub-contractor on the rectory building.
Above 95 percent of the original stained glass windows was saved from the fire/water damage and will be reinstalled in the new church, according to Mark McCoy, who is on the parish building committee.
It is also being funded by a capital campaign that the church parish is doing, McCoy said.
The church will be ADA-accessible with a zero-entry to the church.
The cost of the church rebuild is approximately $6.5 million, McCoy said.
To view a prior story about the fire:
Fire at Fort Scott’s Catholic Church Causes Extensive Damage
The church was built in 1872, according to https://www.mqaftscott.com/history/
“The church was one of those founded by Italian-born Fr. Paul M. Ponziglione who helped establish many churches after he arrived in 1851 at the Osage Mission in Kansas” according to the article https://catholicdioceseofwichita.org/new-church-planned-for-fort-scott/“Because of the Fort Scott fire, St. Francis Church in St. Paul is now the oldest church in the diocese.”
Church Rectory
Casper Enterprises, a local company, was working on the church rectory, at 720 Holbrook, west of the new church building on December 5.
Bo Casper said the crew started the framing in November (2023 )of the 1,634 square foot home the church’s priest will live in. It will have three bedrooms, two baths, a large garage and a saferoom.
The rectory should be completed by the end of February 2024 “If the weather cooperates,” Casper said.
The lot where the rectory is being built belonged to the church.
The rectory was torn down and the site moved “because the church was totaled and had to be ADA compliant and needed more parking spaces,” Casper said. “We had to gain footage and tear down the rectory. It was just as old as the church. Bats were coming in through the chimney area. It was a three-story high brick building.”
The new rectory will have a brick facade and regular siding on the rear and sides of the building, Casper said.
The concrete has been poured at the rectory, and the three-man crew is currently framing, which will be done by the end of the week, Casper said.
The cost of the rectory is approximately $325,000, McCoy said.
Obituary of Dirk Myers
Dirk Randel Myers, 66, resident of Pittsburg, Kansas, passed away late Sunday evening, November 26, 2023. He was born November 8, 1957, in Lawton, Oklahoma, the son of Richard “Dick” Evan Myers and Virginia Joyce (Yoke) Myers.
He grew up in Fort Scott and graduated from Fort Scott High School in 1976. After graduation, he attended The Kansas City Art Institute where he graduated with a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree in 1980. Upon graduation he worked as a free-lance artist; some of his work included the brochure for the First Annual Homes for the Holiday Tour, the Pioneer Harvest Fiesta advertisement in the Fort Scott Tribune, and many items for the United Methodist Church of which he was a member. He moved to Pittsburg, Kansas and continued as a free-lance artist while working for the Senior Center. He was retired but continued to display and sell his artwork. Dirk loved the Lord, and his family with all his heart.
Dirk is survived by his mother, Virginia Myers, of Fort Scott; two sisters, Lesa D. Butler and husband Steve, of Lucas, Texas, Bridget A. Reber and husband Hobie of Lake Winnebago, Missouri; and five nieces and nephews, Kayla Blevins, Jennifer Butler, Samuel, Maxwell, Ava Reber and one great-nephew Asher Blevins.
He was preceded in death by his father, Dick Myers and grandparents Francis and Dorothy Myers and George and Essie Yoke.
Following cremation, the family will hold a private graveside service in July of 2024.
Condolences may be submitted to the online guestbook at konantz-cheney.com.