The mural will be on this wall that faces the Fort Scott National Historic Site. Jerry Witt, owner of the building, had Mid-Continental Restoration Co. do the work of preparing the wall for the mural.
The Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Downtown Division is working to bring about a downtown historical mural’s creation that will feature the Civil War’s 1st Kansas Colored Infantry Regiment that were stationed in Fort Scott.
“Kansas was the first Northern state to recruit, train, and send Black soldiers into combat during the Civil War,” according to the Fort Scott National Historic Site website. “Fort Scott served as the home base for both the 1st and 2nd Kansas Colored Infantry, with both regiments being mustered into federal service on Fort Scott’s former parade ground.”
Captain William Mathews –a free Black, a businessman and station master on the Underground Railroad –recruited former slaves into the 1st Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry Regiment at Fort Scott. From the FSNHS website.
Jerry Witt is the owner of the building at 19 N. Main whose north outside wall faces the Fort Scott National Historic Site. Country Girl Cuts Salon is housed in the building currently. It is this wall where the mural will be created.
The plaque on the building at 19 N. Main states that at one time the building was a clothing store and the second floor a bordello. Submitted photo.
Witt contracted with Mid-Continental Restoration, Fort Scott, to “tighten up the building, tuck pointing, in preparation for the mural painting,” he said. “Any loose paint, etc. taken off so as not to deter the new mural going up.
Jerry and Judy Witt hand out Halloween candy in from on their home on Main Street in this photo from October 30, 2021, taken from the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Facebook page. The Witts live in a historic downtown building, and own several storefront buildings in the downtown.
“We’ve had several people want to paint a mural there,” Witt said. “But this project, we are excited about because we wanted to enhance something about the history of the fort.”
The Mural Project: Looking For An Artist
“The mural public art project will offer one artist the unique opportunity to showcase their original art in the historic district of downtown Fort Scott,” according to fortscott.com
“The chosen mural will be painted on the exterior building wall facing the National Historic site, where the group was sworn in and was the first African-American regiment to fight against the Confederacy in the Civil War.
“The artwork will remain the property of the City of Fort Scott.
For request for proposal of a mural, artists are to submit the following:
Mural sketch including the following:
At least three soldiers from the 1st Kansas Colored Infantry
The selected mural will be painted on the Star Clothing building, 19 North Main Street, on the north wall facing the National Historic site. Mural size will be 25′ x 12′, covering the existing mural.
Schedule
“All proposals are due by 11:59 pm on Monday, May 29, 2023, and must be submitted via the Visit Fort Scott web page dedicated to the mural. Late or incomplete proposals will not be accepted. All proposals will be reviewed by a panel of African-American consultants to ensure the mural is culturally sensitive, and then proposals will be judged blind by a panel of local artists, historians, and stakeholders. The winning proposal will be announced on Juneteenth (June 19, 2023). The winning artists must be prepared to have their murals installed no later than September 30, 2023.
“Proposals not selected may be invited to participate in a special art show hosted by the Artificers Gallery in Fort Scott, KS, to be held in January of 2024. Additionally, any proposal submitted may be used for marketing purposes by the City of Fort Scott or the Fort Scott Chamber. The artist will be cited for their work.
Selection Process and Criteria
“One artist will be selected by a panel of local judges comprised of local artists, historians, and community stakeholders. Criteria will include artistic merit, historical appropriateness, and how well the subject will translate to a mural.
Eligibility
“The Fort Scott Chamber Foundation , a 501c3 organization, has opened the call for artists, and is open to any Kansas resident willing to submit a proposal that can complete the requirements as specified, including the design and installation of the mural. Any design that includes advertising, soliciting, campaigning, or any other promotional or commercially-driven entries is ineligible.
Artist Compensation
“The chosen artist will be compensated through a payment of at least $5,000, which is intended as a design fee and will be paid at the completion of the mural. The selected artist will also a given a daily per diem during the project period (up to seven days) for meals/lodging if travel accommodations are required for the project. Project material costs will be covered up to $5,000 by The Fort Scott Chamber Foundation in addition to the artist fee. The artist fee could be more than the amount listed if additional funds are raised through crowdsourcing.”
TOPEKA – Today, Governor Laura Kelly signed Senate Bill 131, bipartisan legislation that expands the state’s healthcare workforce and improves Kansans’ access to care. The bill streamlines the process for therapists, psychologists, social workers, and others to obtain and maintain licenses from the Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board, and it expands who can administer influenza and other vaccines to Kansans over a certain age.
“The nationwide workforce shortage has hit Kansas hard, hurting people’s ability to access the healthcare they need in a timely manner,” said Governor Laura Kelly. “Signing this bipartisan bill is part of how my administration is addressing that shortage, making it easier than ever for Kansans to deliver or access lifesaving care.”
“I am proud to have worked on this bill that expedites the licensing process so we can get more workers in the healthcare field quicker,” said Representative Brenda Landwehr (R-Wichita). “I’ve seen in my district that the shortage of healthcare workers has driven up costs and waiting times for everyday people, so I thank Governor Kelly for signing this important legislation to address this issue.”
“The Kansas Pharmacists Association is proud of the support shown to Kansas communities by our pharmacy technicians over the last three years in their ability and desire to become active parts of our local vaccination teams,” said Aaron Dunkel, Executive Director of the Kansas Pharmacists Association. “The members of the Kansas Pharmacists Association believe in providing care in the community, and Senate Bill 131 provides our technician members with the opportunity to continue to serve their friends and neighbors with meaningful, timely, and cost-effective care through vaccine adminstration.
The bill also allows the State Board of Healing Arts to set up a process by which sports medicine professionals licensed outside of Kansas can practice in the state during certain sporting events.
“The timing of the passage of SB 131 could not have been better with the successful 2023 NFL Draft here in the Kansas City area,” said Senator Jeff Pittman (D-Leavenworth). “This bill puts in place a critical process allowing team doctors and other healthcare providers for competitive sports teams to practice while visiting our great state. This ensures that players are safe and have continuous care while traveling, and gives yet another reason for professional teams to see Kansas as a great place to play ball.”
Today, Governor Kelly also signed bipartisan Senate Bill 106, the annual bill that reconciles recent changes to statute.
Randy Lemasters winning an item during the live auction. Submitted photo.
A crowd of 160 people attended the 2023 Friends of Tri-Valley Foundation annual spring fundraiser on Tuesday, April 18th. For 2023, the Foundation decided to revamp our annual fundraiser. The evening’s theme was a BBq, a Boardwalk BBq. The event was held at Central Park Pavilion in Chanute and began at 6 pm. Approximately $14,000 was raised during the evening from stretch, silent and live auctions.
Dave Petersen auctioning off an item during the Live Auction.
Attendees were treated to a delicious BBq meal of pulled pork, pulled chicken, potato salad, baked beans, green beans, and Hawaiian roll furnished by Horizons at Prairie Ridge in Erie, KS. Dessert was delicious cupcakes provided by Jennifer Brown Sanchez. Neosho County Community College students helped serve the meal. Door prizes were courtesy of Tri-Valley’s Fort Scott Greenhouse and Jennifer Dietsch.
As in year’s past, the live auction was the highlight of the evening. For 2023, we had two new items courtesy of Monarch Cement Company; a 7-night stay at Kissimmee, FL and a 3-night stay at a B & B in Arkansas. Monarch was also kind enough to once again donate Wichita Thunder Hockey Tickets and use of Monarch’s 12-person suite at INTRUST Bank Arena. Other items auctioned off include: a Breckenridge CO vacation package courtesy of Home Savings Bank; a Branson MO vacation package courtesy of Community National Bank; a full-size recliner courtesy of Ruddick’s Furniture in Fort Scott; Dinner for 10 courtesy of Brenda Harrison; a Men’s Fur Coat, and a wooden bench.
All money raised from the evening will go towards the Friends of Tri-Valley Foundation projects. Since 2001, the Foundation has built six homes and acquired six additional homes and a duplex. The houses are located in our communities of Chanute, Fort Scott, Humboldt, Iola, Moline, and Neodesha. These houses are home to sixty-four of our neighbors with intellectual and developmental disabilities served by Tri-Valley Developmental Services. The Foundation is excited to announce that they have purchased two new properties in 2023.
“The evening was fantastic”, said Bill Fiscus, CEO. “The food, drawings and conversation were phenomenal. Thank you to everyone who attended. We hope you had an enjoyable evening and look forward to seeing you all in 2024.”
A big thank you goes to the evening’s sponsors. Promenade Level: Steve Faulkner Ford, Monarch Cement Company, and David & Beth Toland
Colonnade Level: Community National Bank, Hofer & Hofer & Associates, Home Savings Bank, IMA, and Pete’s of Erie.
Esplandae Level: Ash Grove, A. Lusker Masonry, LLC, Community National Bank – Eureka, Gates Corporation, Jarred, Gilmore & Phillips, CPA, and Neosho County Community College.
Arcade Level: Hi-Lo Industries; and Cheney Witt Chapel.
Special thanks go to Dave Petersen who served as Emcee; Larry Holman for photography; and John Graham for sound and lighting.
Dominick Budy with his parents, Jeremy and Amy Budy. Submitted photo. Jeremy Budy is also the basketball coach.
Fort Scott Christian Heights senior Dominick Budy has committed to playing basketball at Fort Scott Community College for the 2023-2024 academic year.
Dominick has received numerous awards throughout his high school basketball career, including three years as MACC Conference MVP, and the MCSAA All-Tournament Team in 2023.
Dominick has scored more than 2000 points in his time at Fort Scott Christian Heights.
Dominick plans to pursue a degree in Sports Medicine, and is the son of Jeremy and Amy Budy of Fort Scott.
Dominick Budy with his team at Fort Scott Christian Heights school. Submitted photo.
TOPEKA – Jobseekers are encouraged to attend the upcoming State of Kansas Agencies Virtual Job Fair from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 17. This virtual fair, which is hosted by KANSASWORKS, will focus on highlighting employment opportunities within many of the state’s 98 government agencies.
“Our state agency openings offer opportunities for a variety of skill and experience levels,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “These are good-paying jobs with excellent benefits, and we look forward to finding high-quality candidates that are passionate about contributing their talents for the betterment of Kansas.”
Registration is required to participate in the event, regardless of previous participation. The Virtual Job Fair portal features a jobseeker training video, a list of participating employers, and channels for attendees to register and log in. Jobseekers are encouraged to dress professionally, as employers might request to engage in a video interview.
Candidates can participate via any digital device. Any individual with a disability may request accommodations by contacting their nearest workforce center at (877) 509-6757 prior to the event.
To register for the May 17 State of Kansas Agencies Virtual Job Fair, click here.
About KANSASWORKS:
KANSASWORKS links businesses, job candidates and educational institutions to ensure that employers can find skilled workers. Services are provided to employers and job candidates through the state’s 27 workforce centers, online or virtual services KANSASWORKS is completely free for all Kansans to use. Learn more at KANSASWORKS.com.State employment opportunities can be found at jobs.ks.gov.
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce invites members and guests to the Chamber Coffee Thursday, May 11th at 8am hosted by Open Mortgage located at 1 E. Main St. Coffee, juice, and light refreshments will be served in addition to a door prize drawing.
Open Mortgage maintains operations centers in Austin, TX, and Atlanta, GA, in addition to 71 branches in 26 states, including many third-party originators, in addition to an out-of-state referral program. Open Mortgage opened their Fort Scott location in December 2022. Open Mortgage is a multi-channel mortgage lender. They believe that better is possible, and they are constantly striving to bring a better mortgage experience to everyone.
Open Mortgage will be having a ribbon cutting and an open house that same day at their Fort Scott location, 1 E. Main, starting at 11:30am with La Hacienda catering to follow.
Chamber members and guests are invited to Chamber Coffee events each Thursday at 8 a.m. to network, make announcements, hear about happenings in the community as well as learn about the host business or organization.
Members of the USD 234 Board of Education met at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, May 8, 2023, for their regular monthly meeting at the board office.
President Danny Brown opened the meeting.
The board approved the official agenda and the consent agenda as follows:
Board Minutes from the April 10, 2023, regular board meeting
Financials-Cash Flow Report
Check Register
Payroll – April 12, 2023 – $392,678.35 and April 20, 2023 – $1,583,397.57
Activity Fund accounts
Extended Trip Applications
Point of Interest:
FSHS Graduation 8:00 PM – May 13th – FSHS Stadium – board members be there at 7:45 p.m. at the FSHS Commons
Employee Luncheon & Recognition – May 17th – FSHS Commons – at 12:00 p.m.
Scott Kimble, Fort Scott High School Principal, along with Matt Glades, Teacher at Fort Scott High School, recognized the following Fort Scott High School students:
Caden Young: he has attained his CompTIA A+ Core 1 and Core 2 certifications. These are the industry standard for establishing a career in IT and is the preferred qualifying credential for technical support and IT operational roles. Caden has also obtained the CCNA—which stands for Cisco Certified Network Associate, which is an entry-level information technology (IT) certification issued by networking hardware company Cisco.
Langdon Giddens (in attendance): he has served as a paid intern with the USD 234 Technology Department since October. Langdon discussed what he had learned through the internship and his future plans.
Anna Laubenstein (in attendance): Adobe certified – Associate in Photoshop. Anna discussed her future plans, along with her achievements in the Skills USA competition.
Cole Harding: Adobe certified – Associate in Photoshop
Licensed Tiger Team Member – Superintendent Destry Brown recognized Amy Harper as the Licensed Tiger Team Member of the Month.
Harper is a Mathematics teacher at Fort Scott High School. Mrs. Harper was a Kansas Teacher of the Year nominee. She was recognized in Topeka for excellence in the profession and will travel around to other districts throughout Kansas next year periodically. Mrs. Harper has taught for the district for 14 years.
Board Members shared comments.
Superintendent Destry Brown provided an update to the board on the Energy projects taking place throughout the district. Later in the meeting, the board received a demonstration of the new crisis app, Emergent 3, that will replace the Crisis Go app.
Assistant Superintendent Dalaina Smith updated the board on preliminary end of year data; highlighting areas of growth in various grade levels that were above 10% and provided an assessment team update.
Gina Shelton, Finance Director, noted the June 1st filing deadline to run for school board, KDHE allocation of grant funds, closing down of the fiscal year, and noted an initial meeting with Enterprise Fleet management.
The board approved the following items:
Payment to Meridian Roofing in the amount of $50,598.00
Science textbook purchase from SAVVAS – $155.99, PASCO – $7,363.55, and McGraw Hill -$49,982.39 for grades 9-12
Clarification on science purchase for Fort Scott Middle School to cancel the prior month approved purchase and continue the current resource being used
Greenbush Education Service Center invoices for 2023-24 services
Greenbush Education Service Center Virtual Academy MOU and Assurances
Acceptance of school photography proposal from Josten’s JPix
Participation in the Bourbon County Neighborhood Revitalization Program
Allow the Superintendent and Finance Director to invest idle funds in short-term CDs with reporting to the board, but without prior board approval to capitalize on timing
Greenbush Participation & Hedging Authorization for 2023-24
Approval of Personnel Report (following)
The board went into an executive session for negotiation and personnel matters.
President Brown adjourned the meeting.
PERSONNEL REPORT – APPROVED EMPLOYMENT
May 8, 2023
RESIGNATIONS/TERMINATIONS/RETIREMENTS:
Billionis, Connie – Leave of Absence – Deputy Clerk
Cox, Jessica – Leave of Absence – Fort Scott High School Paraprofessional until May 17, 2023
Dunivan, Sarah – Leave of Absence for beginning of 2023-24 until September 17, 2023
Gordon, Karen – Resignation – Eugene Ware Counselor at the end of the 2022-23 school year
Homan, Tracy – Resignation – Fort Scott Middle School Building Testing Coordinator at the end of the 2022-23 school year
Jackman, Sara – Resignation – Fort Scott High School PDC Chair at the end of the 2022-23 school year
Webb, Megan – Resignation – Fort Scott Preschool Teacher at the end of the 2022-23 school year
Endicott, Debra – Retirement – Fort Scott Middle School Cook at the end of the 2022-23 school year
Wilbert, Tara – Resignation – Fort Scott Middle School 7th Grade ELA Teacher at the end of the 2022-23 school year
Wilson, Ramona – Retirement – Winfield Scott Kitchen Manager at the end of the 2022-23 school year
EMPLOYMENT/REASSIGNMENTS:
Recommendations for the 2023-24 school year:
Anderson, Mikiah – Transfer from Fort Scott Preschool Center Paraprofessional to Speech Paraprofessional
Black, Staci – Transfer from District Instructional Technology/Fort Scott Middle School Teacher to Fort Scott Middle School Technology Teacher
Blackburn, Brendon – Transfer from 6th Grade Science Teacher to 8th Grade Science Teacher
Couch, Kim – Transfer from Eugene Ware Elementary 3rd Grade to Interventionist
Herring, Jennifer – Transfer from Fort Scott High School Cook/2-hour Bus Driver to Transportation 4-hour bus, and 4-hour bus/car maintenance, increasing the existing position 1.5 hours
Homan, Tracy – Transfer from Fort Scott High School/Fort Scott Middle School Librarian/Testing Coordinator position to Fort Scott Middle School ELA Teacher
Hull, Megan – Transfer from Speech Paraprofessional to Fort Scott High School Paraprofessional
Nelson, Andrew – Transfer from Eugene Ware 4th Grade Teacher to Fort Scott Middle School 6th Grade Science Teacher
Russell, Deborah – Transfer from Fort Scott Middle School Teacher to Fort Scott High School Ag Teacher
Sharp, Francis – Transfer from Fort Scott High School Cook to Fort Scott Middle School Cook
Cavin, Brent – Fort Scott Middle School Head Boys Basketball Coach
Fields, Kelly – Fort Scott High School English Teacher
Hendricks, Caleb – Fort Scott Middle School Assistant Girls Basketball Coach
McKinsey, Rayanne – Winfield Scott 2nd Grade Teacher
Peterson, Emily – Fort Scott Preschool Center Teacher
Rogers, Jamie – Fort Scott Middle School Head Girls Basketball Coach
Setina, Ashlee – Fort Scott High School Family and Consumer Science Teacher
Weaver, Mark – Fort Scott High School Special Education Teacher
The Bourbon County Commission met in open session with all three Commissioners and the County Clerk present.
Robert Harrington, Anne Dare, Mark McCoy, Jason Silvers, Mary Pemberton, Michael Hoyt, Deb McCoy, Don George with KDWP, Clint Walker, and Rachel Walker were present for some or all of the meeting.
Jim Harris opened the meeting with the flag salute followed by a prayer led by Mark McCoy.
Clifton Beth made a motion to approve the consent agenda which includes approval of minutes from last week. Nelson Blythe seconded the motion but asked that a comment he made be corrected to include the word “intentionally” to match the exact verbiage of his comment.
Eric Bailey, Public Works Director, presented the Commissioners with a list of culvert permits that were issued in April as well as the fuel report for April. Jim asked if everybody was still buying fuel from public works except the Sheriff’s Department and Eric replied yes. Eric stated the card reader system is now installed and each employee has a card they swipe and enter equipment number and mileage to obtain fuel. Eric presented a road and use maintenance agreement from NEET Southwest to the Commission for approval. Jim asked if this was for if the company was going to exceed 80,000 pounds. Eric replied yes, they will give us 24-hour notice of heavy equipment such as a crane using our roads and the agreement is in case roads are damaged by their heavy equipment. Clifton made a motion to sign the road use agreement. Nelson seconded the motion, and all approved. MSHA, the Mine Safety Health Administration, inspected the rock quarry last week and Eric said the inspection went very well with only one minor citation issued. Eric said the laydown machine will be picked up tomorrow, and they will be moving to Valley and 267th Street to overlay. The plan is to start at 267th Street and overlay Valley Road to 245th Street, then overlay 245th Street from Valley Road to Soldier Road. Valley Road between 245th and 255th Street will be closed this week to replace culverts. Eric stated they plan to start next Monday on asphalt, weather permitting. Eric said we applied for three bridge grants in 2022, and even though we didn’t get them he recommends applying again this year. Bourbon County REDI assisted with the grant process on the Kansas Local Bridge Improvement Program bridge and Schwaab Eaton with the off-system bridges. Jim asked if applying for the small bridge projects will hurt the chance to get the grant for the big bridge project, and Eric said no since they are through two different programs. Jim made a motion to allow Eric to resubmit grant applications for bridges #518, 19.2-Q.0, and 5.0-S.9. Nelson seconded the motion, and all approved. Eric asked for approval to set a maximum to buy a bigger truck, around 500 horsepower, for the landfill. Eric said they have been looking at trucks with under 300,000 miles but if they can’t act when a truck is traded in and available, they will miss out on the opportunity. Jim stated we needed more horsepower to keep up, and asked Eric if there was a number he was looking at. Eric responded they were looking to stay under$100,000. Jim questioned if the truck was going to be purchased out of the landfill and special machinery fund, and Eric stated it will be a combination of insurance reimbursement, auction proceeds, and the landfill fund. Clifton commented that if a Mack truck is purchased to make sure it has a Mack motor. Jim made a motion to allow Eric to look at 500 HP trucks, not to exceed $100,000. Nelson seconded the motion, and all approved. Eric said that KCAMP will be doing a mandatory training session on Friday from 7:30-11:30.
Don George, with Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, asked the Commissioners if any decisions were made on the grant extension at Elm Creek Lake. Jim asked if this was a 12-month extension, and Don replied that it is a couple of years. Mr. George said if the extension is signed it would give the county the opportunity to find other funding sources and that Bourbon County could apply for another $40,000 grant from KDWP. Eric said that Bourbon County REDI is looking at other grant opportunities and Don said there might be other grants dealing with water that are not KDWP and that he doesn’t want to see the county give up. Nelson discussed the wording of the extension and highlighted some concerns he had. Jim suggested having the County Counselor look at the extension, and Mr. George stated he can come back if they would like counsel to review but stated this was the same contract that had been used during his 37 years with KDWP. Clifton said KDWP has always been a good partner to work with. Jim stated all they were voting on is the extension of the existing contract signed two years ago. Clifton made a motion to sign the extension and Jim seconded. Nelson opposed and the motion passed 2-1. Clifton made a motion to allow Chairman Harris to sign the KDWP extension as presented by Don George and Jim seconded. Nelson opposed and the motion passed 2-1. Clifton asked Eric to work with Bourbon County REDI and Don George to find more money to try to fix the dam. Eric said an engineer really needs to look at the dam. Clifton said possibly for some grants but suggested looking at what’s out there. Don George suggested looking at grants and WPA and stated Eric would need an engineer’s expertise then. Clifton stated he doesn’t want to spend $5,000 on an engineer yet. Don offered to show Clifton and Nelson all the services that KDWP offers. Clifton said that KDWP does a lot more that people know or think. Don asked that he been kept informed and involved during the future discussion of Elm Creek.
Jennifer Hawkins, County Clerk, presented a real property relief application for a property at 1214 S. Judson Street that had been destroyed by a fire. The owner filled out the application, submitted pictures of the damaged structure, and a quote to have the property fixed to be livable again. Since the property damage happened before August 15, an abatement of real estate taxes can be approved by the Board of County Commissioners. Clifton made a motion to accept the real property relief application submitted Danny Magee for 1214 S. Judson. Nelson seconded the motion, and all approved.
Jim discussed having a feasibility study done for an overpass south of Fort Scott, possibly on Jayhawk Road. Jim said the railroad has to sit blocking the intersection, and that he is not picking on them because they do good job. Jim stated he talked to EMS, and they estimated they would be able to reach approximately 2,000 people on the east side of the county if there was an overpass. Jim said he asked an emergency responder how long it would take to get to his address if there was a train blocking the intersection on Jayhawk Road and was told EMS would have to go back to 3rd Street and they would lose approximately eleven minutes in doing so. Jim said this is about getting an ambulance out when it is needed to help save lives. Jim made a motion to allow Eric Bailey and Bourbon County REDI to go out for a proposal or quote for a feasibility study. Jim said the study is needed to go after grants. Nelson asked if this was just a proposal for a feasibility study and that that we are not spending money yet. Jim agreed the county is not spending money yet, just finding out how much it would cost for a feasibility study. Nelson seconded the motion, and all approved.
The Commissioners took a short break and returned to regular session at 6:13.
Clint Walker discussed a grant the grocery store received in Moran and stated there are grant opportunities out there. Mr. Walker said Rob Harrington, with Bourbon County REDI, is doing a good job.
Michael Hoyt said he and Eric Bailey looked at the bridge over Wolverine Creek, and he showed Eric what his concerns were. Eric stated the bridge deck was cleared of gravel, and there were no holes in it.
Clifton made a motion to amend the agenda to allow for an executive session. Nelson seconded the motion, and all approved
Clifton made a motion to go into a 15-minute executive session KSA 75-4319 (b)(1) to discuss personnel matters of individual nonelected personnel to protect their privacy to include the three Commissioners and Justin Meeks and will return at 6:32. Nelson seconded the motion, and all approved. Clifton made a motion to resume normal session at 6:32 with no action. Nelson seconded the motion and all approved.
Clifton made a motion to go into a 10-minute executive session KSA 75-4319 (b)(1) to discuss personnel matters of individual nonelected personnel to protect their privacy to include the three Commissioners and Justin Meeks and will return at 6:43. Nelson seconded the motion, and all approved. Clifton made a motion to resume normal session at 6:43 with no action. Nelson seconded the motion and all approved.
Nelson said he would like to receive all documents by email in the future to save paper. Jim stated if documents are received by email the Commissioners can’t respond to the emails. Clifton said he would be ok with not getting paper documents and would like to eliminate as much paper as possible.
Jim said that Susan presented a budget worksheet to the Commissioners and sent to the department heads with no response and that he asks all department heads and elected officials to use the worksheet format when working on their budget requests this year.
Clifton said EMS called him about purchasing an ambulance and that it was voted on approximately a year and a half ago, but an ambulance was never purchased. Clifton stated the equipment EMS has is old and it is time to think about purchasing an ambulance. Clifton went on to explain a demo unit was available for delivery fall 2024, if accepted now. If the demo unit isn’t purchased, it would be fall 2026 before a new unit would be delivered. Clifton asked Nelson and Jim to consider the purchase and to reach out separately to Teri and Trace with EMS to discuss the equipment needs. The demo unit would be $295,000 with a $10,000 trade in credit, or it is $285,000 for a remount. Nelson stated if all we received for credit is $10,000, we might as well keep the old one. Clifton discussed the remount and said for $10,000 more we could have a new unit. Clifton said CHC received federal appropriations and asked to speak to Jake LaTurner and legislatures to try to get money to buy an ambulance.
Clifton said more than once they have had meetings outside the courthouse, and he thinks we need to do that again. Clifton stated there was not a meeting held in Fulton or Hammond and he would like to see that happen. Nelson questioned if it would start next week? Clifton said he would like to get on a rotation. Clifton said he would like to start next week, May 8th, but the County Clerk said the public hearing for the 5-year solid waste plan is scheduled for that date at the courthouse. Clifton suggested the following meetings dates and locations: May 15th in Fulton, May 22nd in Garland, May 29th no meeting due to Memorial Day, June 5th in Uniontown, and June 12th in Mapleton. Depending on the turnout at the meeting in Fulton, a meeting may be held in Hammond on June 19th. Jim stated this is a great idea.
Jim and Clifton asked that Teri Hulsey be placed on the agenda next week to discuss the purchase of an ambulance. Nelson stated he doesn’t mind spending money on the purchase of a new ambulance for the county.
Jennifer Hawkins asked to amend the agenda to discuss the real property relief application again. Clifton made a motion to amend the agenda for the County Clerk to speak again. Nelson seconded the motion, and all approved. Jennifer stated there is one section of the application that asks for the percentage of tax abatement the Commissioners are going to approve for the fire damaged property. The Commissioners figured the amount of the year based upon the fact the property was destroyed in February and came up with a total of 91%. Jennifer also presented an updated version of last week’s minutes with the correction that Nelson asked for. After reviewing the minutes, Nelson made a motion to approve the minutes. Clifton seconded the motion, and all approved.
Jim made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 6:58. Nelson seconded the motion, and all approved.
