This week at City Hall:
TUES., AUG. 15TH – 6:00PM – Regular City Commission Meeting – Agenda available on www.fscity.org
WED., AUG. 16TH – 12:00PM – Airport Advisory Board Meeting – No agenda planned
THURS., AUG. 17TH – 5:00PM – Streets Advisory Board Meeting – No agenda planned
These meetings are open to the public and will be on the City of Fort Scott YouTube Channel.
Please publish and announce if possible. Thank you
The week of Aug. 14 the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) plans to begin a survey for the replacement of the Turkey Creek bridge on U.S. 54 in Bourbon County. The bridge is 1.2 miles east of the U.S. 54/K-3 south junction (see map).
The approximate length of the survey area is 2,500 feet. The survey is based on the existing highway alignment and is expected to be finished by Sept. 7.
Activities include the use of survey instruments on the ground to determine locations of existing features within the corridor. A member of the survey crew will contact property owners or tenants for permission to enter private property. Joe Bowen will manage the survey for KDOT. Persons with questions may contact KDOT Public Affairs Manager Priscilla Petersen, (620) 902-6433.
Report Shows Kansas Foster Youth Remain in Stable Placements, Improvement in Access to Mental Health Services
Neutral party releases second McIntyre Settlement status report
TOPEKA – Kansas foster children have more stable placements and have quicker access to mental health services, according to the second report from the Neutral Third Party in the McIntyre class action lawsuit settlement.
“My administration continues to make progress in protecting Kansas kids in the foster care system and repairing the state’s child welfare system,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “The latest Neutral Report shows we continue to ensure kids are in stable placements and are improving how many foster youth receive necessary mental health screenings and timely access to services. But this report also makes clear that, in spite of all of our efforts, there’s much more work to be done. I am encouraged by the steps we’ve taken in 2023 to decrease temporary overnight placements and instances of kids staying in offices, but clearly the legislature and I must dig deeper, make more targeted investments, and come up with solutions that work.”
The McIntyre class action lawsuit was filed in 2018 under the Colyer Administration by Kansas Appleseed, Children’s Rights, and the National Center for Youth Law against the Governor, Kansas Department for Children and Families, Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services, and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. The Governor was later dismissed from the case.
The parties agreed to a settlement in 2020. The settlement was structured to ensure Kansas would achieve substantial progress and compliance in key performance areas over a multi-year period. Performance areas include accountability, reporting and implementation, practice improvements and outcomes. The settlement recognizes that the outcomes and practice improvements will not all be accomplished in one year. Outcome goals were set for a three-to-four-year period.
This second report covers data from calendar year 2022.
The new report shows Kansas continued to show progress in placement stability. For the second year in a row, DCF met the requirement to increase stable placements for children in custody. In a case review, the Neutral found that 91% of children and youth whose case were reviewed were in stable placements in 2022. That’s a 6% improvement over 2021.
Other highlights of the report include:
“The report affirms our commitment to the continuous improvement of the Kansas child welfare system,” DCF Secretary Laura Howard said. “Several factors including implementing a youth statewide mobile crisis service, adding therapeutic foster homes as a level of service, and working with the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services to implement Certified Community Behavioral Health Centers (CCBHCs) are responsible for the steady improvement of these mental health outcomes. We expect to see this number continue to improve as more CCBHCs come online and more families across the state become aware of the youth mobile crisis service.”
The report also found the state has more work to do to decrease both temporary overnight placements, instances of youth staying in offices, and night-to-night placements. Since the time period covered in the report, DCF has made significant strides in reducing those numbers thanks to new innovations already implemented and significant targeted investment from the governor and the Kansas legislature in this year’s budget. The agency implemented the Failure to Place network, which ensures there is a stand-by bed for youth who may otherwise be forced to stay in an office because of a lack of available placements. This has already led to a more than 50% reduction in the number of youth staying in a contractor’s office in CY 2023.
DCF is also encouraged by the recent investment of $6 million in the state’s new therapeutic foster home system, which will increase the stability of placements and improve mental health outcomes. Once fully implemented in partnership with the Children’s Alliance, children with high needs will fully realize the benefits of a therapeutic foster care option supporting families serving these youth.
The agency also notes the Neutral’s continued concerns related to data access and validation. The agency currently has a Request for Proposal for a Comprehensive Child Welfare Information System (CCWIS) in the review stage. The RFP is designed to allow for separate parts of the system to be implemented sequentially, allowing the state to realize the benefits prior to the system becoming fully operational.
Those interested in the full CY 22 report can access it via the Center for the Study of Social Policy website.
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Bourbon County Courthouse
210 S. National Ave Fort Scott, KS 66701 Phone: 620-223-3800
Fax: 620-223-5832
Bourbon County, Kansas
1st District Commissioner
2nd District Commissioner
3rd District Commissioner
Bourbon County Commission Agenda 210 S. National Ave.
Fort Scott, KS 66701
August 14, 2023 5:30
Executive Session Justifications:
KSA 75-4319 (b)(1) to discuss personnel matters of individual nonelected personnel to protect their privacy.
KSA 75-4319 (b)(2) for consultation with an attorney for the public body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the
attorney-client relationship.
KSA 75-4319 (b)(3) to discuss matters relating to employer/employee negotiations whether or not in consultation with the
representative(s) of the body or agency.
KSA 75-4319 (b)(4) to discuss data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations, partnerships, trust and individual proprietorships
KSA 75-4319 (b)(6) for the preliminary discussion of the acquisition of real property.
KSA 75-4319 (b)(12) to discuss matters relating to the security measures, if the discussion of such matters at an open meeting
would jeopardize such security measures.
Tyler Ericson will teach 4th grade at West Bourbon Elementary, in Uniontown starting this school year.
“The thing I love about teaching is…relationships with each of my students,” she said. “How they can come to me about anything, and they will not be judged… whether it be in or outside of school. I love seeing children learn, but most importantly having fun and being engaged while doing it.”
“A challenge for me would be change,” she said. “…starting over from a whole new school district, a new grade, and new colleagues can be overwhelming. Teaching primary and now about to teach 4th grade, it will definitely be different, but in a good way. I am excited to see what West Bourbon has in store for me!”
She said she looks forward to taking part in school community activities that plan to make community members feel welcomed, respected, trusted, heard, and needed, to help promote student success.
Ericson hales from a big family in Kansas City and Oklahoma, she said. In addition, she and husband, Ethan, have two sons, Julian and Jamison, and one daughter Journee.
Ericson earned her A.A in Elementary Education, at Labette Community College and a B.S. in Elementary Education from Pittsburg State University.
She taught second grade at Winfield Scott Elementary last school year; first grade at Winfield Scott from February 2022 to May 2022; and was a special education paraprofessional at Uniontown High School from January 2018 to May 2019.
She was substitute teacher certified by the Kansas Department of Education from August 2019 to May 2020.
Ericson worked in Early Childhood Centers in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area from the age of 15 to 24.
For Martin, the best thing about working with children is “Building connections with students, and watching them academically succeed,” she said.
She is married to husband, Seth, and they have two sons, Caden and Casen.
Calendar Correction!Sorry for the inconvenience. The kids still life painting is on 9/16 and glaze day is 9/23 |
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Bourbon County Courthouse
210 S. National Ave Fort Scott, KS 66701 Phone: 620-223-3800
Fax: 620-223-5832
Bourbon County, Kansas
1st District Commissioner
2nd District Commissioner
3rd District Commissioner
Bourbon County Commission Agenda 210 S. National Ave.
Fort Scott, KS 66701
August 14, 2023 5:30
Executive Session Justifications:
KSA 75-4319 (b)(1) to discuss personnel matters of individual nonelected personnel to protect their privacy.
KSA 75-4319 (b)(2) for consultation with an attorney for the public body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the
attorney-client relationship.
KSA 75-4319 (b)(3) to discuss matters relating to employer/employee negotiations whether or not in consultation with the
representative(s) of the body or agency.
KSA 75-4319 (b)(4) to discuss data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations, partnerships, trust and individual proprietorships
KSA 75-4319 (b)(6) for the preliminary discussion of the acquisition of real property.
KSA 75-4319 (b)(12) to discuss matters relating to the security measures, if the discussion of such matters at an open meeting
would jeopardize such security measures.
Keys to the Kingdom By Carolyn Tucker
In the ups and downs, little or much, laughter and tears, joy and sorrow — through it all, I‘ve never been or felt abandoned. I’m certainly acquainted with sorrow and grief, but they’re not my friends. I don’t hang out with them, nor invite them to pull up a chair and stay in my heart. I’ve learned how to biblically journey through stuff and experience joy again. I’m just going to go out on a limb like a squirrel with a nut and say that if you live long enough, you’ll have ample opportunity to get burned by the heartaches of life.
We understand the difference between getting burned while removing brownies from the oven, and ultimately being burned up. The following scripture has been a favorite of mine since I was in my early 20s: “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you” (Isaiah 43:2 NLT). Notice there are three “whens” and no “ifs.” So when life runs us through the ringer, we can come out standing up while holding onto the Savior’s nail-scarred hand. Remember, if we never had any trouble, we wouldn’t need any faith.
No matter what season we’re in, we’re not alone. Believers are always cradled in the arms of Jesus. It’s possible to come out of the tough seasons not even smelling like smoke. It’s one thing not to catch on fire, but it’s ramped to the next level to not even smell of smoke after walking through the fire of trouble. “So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stepped out of the fire. Then the high officers, officials, governors, and advisers crowded around them and saw that the fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They didn’t even smell of smoke!” (Daniel 3:26-27 NLT). These uncompromising boys weren’t kept from the blazing fire, but they were lovingly preserved through the fire.
There are several striking lessons in this Old Testament account but, for me personally, that Fourth Person that showed up in the fire is the best. The Hebrew boys were in the fire, but they weren’t alone. Jesus was right there in the middle of the heat with them. This is a visual of reassurance for us today that we’re never alone or abandoned in our darkest and hottest hour. When the roaring flames are licking at our soul, the One who died and rose again to make us whole is as close as the mention of His Name.
Jesus is always bigger than our troubles and trials. But it’s our job to lay hold of this truth and tighten our belt of sweet trust in Jesus. So, if nothing is too big for Him, why allow Satan to kick us when we’re up and kick us when we’re down? It’s an unwise decision to side with the enemy and just roll over and play dead with our front teeth missing. Focusing on Jesus and magnifying His power puts our eyes on the Problem Solver rather than the intense heat of the circumstances. And when the trial is over and times are good again, it’s important to keep that death grip on Jesus because we need Him through thick and thin. My late husband had underlined the following scripture in his Bible:
The Key: “Here’s what I’ve learned through it all: Don’t give up; don’t be impatient; be entwined as one with the Lord. Be brave and courageous, and never lose hope. Yes, keep on waiting — for He will never disappoint you!” (Psalm 27:14 TPT).
The smell of freshly sharpened pencils, the sound of bells ringing through the halls, and the gathering of friends that you haven’t seen all summer.
I am sure we can all think back to our childhood and remember how the beginning of a new school year brought on excitement, dread, or anxiety.
As a parent, you can help your children get a good start to this school year and ease some of those anxious thoughts and feelings.
For many kids, one of the biggest back-to-school worries is if they will like their teacher. Breaking the ice early is one of the best ways to calm their fears. If personal contact with the teacher is not possible before school starts, try locating the teacher’s picture on a school website or in a yearbook. Helping your child put a face with a name before the first day in the classroom can help them feel more at ease and prepare them for their first interaction.
Familiarizing your child with their environment is another thing you can do to help them avoid nervous tummy aches. If your school offers a walk-through before the first day, this can be a great opportunity for you to meet the teacher, find their desk, or explore the school together. With older children, try asking them to give you a tour of the school and their classroom. Not only will this help refresh their minds, but it will give you an idea of where they will be spending the majority of their time over the next several months.
Go over class supply lists and plan a shopping trip. Having all the needed school supplies can help your child feel prepared. By taking your kids back to school shopping, they will feel supported and encouraged. Allow for a couple of splurges like a cool notebook or a backpack in their favorite color while also keeping basic needs in mind. Even a small fun purchase can make going back to school more enjoyable and give them something to look forward to.
Ease into new routines the week leading up to the first day of school. Switching from a summer schedule to a structured school schedule can be stressful for everyone in a household. Avoid mayhem on the first day of school by getting into the new routine a few days in advance. Set an alarm clock, go through your morning ritual, and make time for a healthy breakfast. Routines help children feel comfortable, and establishing one early will make the first day of school go so much smoother.
After school kicks off, take time to talk as a family about how each day went. Try asking how they like their classes, if they have made any new friends, or what they like most about school thus far. Not only will you learn more about how they are adapting to all the changes, but this will also help strengthen family relationships by bonding over shared conversations.
Don’t let the beginning of a new school year create unnecessary stress for your kids and household. By doing some of these simple things, you can help your children feel prepared and ready to tackle another great school year. For more information, contact Cassidy Lutz at [email protected] or by calling 620-625-8620.
A Loss without a Card
I am talking about ambiguous loss which is often unclear and without closure.
This type of loss is a common part of life but is often the most difficult and stressful one to deal with. I recently learned more about it while viewing a webinar by Dr. Michelle Krehbiel with the University of Nebraska who also refers to University of Minnesota Extension’s A Changing Way of Life: Ambiguous Loss and Farming and Dr. Pauline Boss’s research.
So, what is ambiguous loss? It is a loss that is confusing, uncertain, unverified, and can go and on. It can be a physical loss such as a missing person or having to downsize the farm due to drought or disaster. It can also be psychological such as a loss of a loved as you knew him/her due to dementia or of your own identity due to being newly retired.
We’ve all dealt with something that did not have an official ritual to show that a loss occurred such as: divorce, miscarriage, a financial fall out, addiction, infertility, deployment, immigration, retirement, traumatic brain injury, or a natural disaster. What do we do to not get stuck in this complicated grief? In short, build resilience to lower the stress and anxiety caused by this loss and create a new narrative that one can live with. Here’s a few ways to work towards moving forward.
Acknowledge that you have had a loss and name the feelings you are going through. Also do this with other family/friends that are affected.
There is no magic recipe that can do this, it will take time and a combination of answers to assist. However, reconstructing your identity within this loss may help. For example, if you struggle with retirement, you may embrace that you are now a full-time grandpa and volunteer.
Work towards ‘both and thinking’. It’s ok to have two opposing ideas in your mind at the same time. For example, he is both gone and may return (missing in action soldier); she is both gone and still here (dementia).
We know this is extremely important in suicide prevention. Hope may look different for you amidst loss but look for ways to discover it.
If it’s an illness learn more about what you can do, become an advocate. When dementia gets particularly trying keep that sense of humor or it truly would be overwhelmingly sad.
Dr. Pauline Boss states that respite is essential and no one should feel guilty about taking it. Figure out what it means to you and make time for it!
Sadness is often treated with human connection. Find, engage, and check in on your ‘community’. This could be faith based, friends/family, mental health, or support groups.
I hope to acknowledge my own and others’ ambiguous losses more adequately. We can all work together for better. For more information, contact Tara Solomon-Smith, [email protected], or by calling 620-244-3826.
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Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service
K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director of K-State Research and Extension, Kansas State University, County Extension Councils, Extension Districts.
