joining forces with CCEKS (Chamber of Commerce Executives of Kansas),
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas, and
37 other Chambers across the state to offer
an association health plan to our members for your business or organization.
Join us for an informational session about
the plan on Wednesday, June 22nd at the
Sleep Inn & Suites Conference Room:
3 time options of 8:30am, 12pm, 3pm
Click here to register to attend one of the sessions so we will know how many to expect.
See brochure below or click here to view more info. on Chamber Blue on our website.
*Businesses or organizations do not have to be a
Chamber member to attend the informational sessions to learn more and get rate quotes, but will need to become a member to enroll in the insurance when the time comes.
Click here for a printable copy of the brochure shown above.
Cristy Mitchell of BCBS of KS and Chamber member
Don Doherty of Northwestern Mutual Life,
RPS Benefits, Inc. will be in attendance at the informational sessions to provide all the details and answer questions.
Thank you to our Chamber Champion members shown below!
Governor Laura Kelly Appoints Jancita Warrington as Executive Director of the
Office of Native American Affairs
TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly today announced the appointment of Jancita Warrington as executive director of the Office of Native American Affairs. The Office of Native American Affairs serves as the liaison for the governor to ensure Native American voices are represented in state policymaking.
“Jancita joins my team with deep experience in promoting the preservation of Indigenous culture,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “I appreciate her stepping into this role to help my Administration continue its work to strengthen state-tribal relations.”
Warrington is currently a cultural and research consultant and curriculum developer for the University of Kansas. She also advises independent programs and projects as they relate to tribal historical accounts and diversity. She is a graduate of Haskell Indian Nations University and the University of Kansas where she earned Magna Cum Laude honors and a Master of Arts in Global Indigenous Nations Studies.
“I am honored to be appointed to the Office of Native American Affairs and to build upon the progress the Kelly Administration has made for state-tribal relations,” Executive Director Jancita Warrington said.
Jancita Warrington is of Potawatomi, Menominee, and Ho-Chunk descent.
REFRESHMENTS at John and Carol Hills at 924 Burke.
AFTER THE PARADE .. EVERYONE WELCOME
. PLEASE DONATE COOKIES preferably on the 3rd.
PLEASE NO BIG VEHICLES AND WATCH FOR THE CHILDREN WHO ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE.
DRESS IN PATRIOTIC ATTIRE OR JUST SIT ANYWHERE ON THE STREET TO WATCH AND CHEER THE PARADE
WE WILL START WITH PATRIOTIC SONGS by the Kids on Burke., Jill Gorman and Susan Foster.
Traffic Control- Frank Halsey
Sound system Lewis Dunkeson.
If any questions call Margaret Humphrey 2230388 620 224 7388 or Theresa Bahr 620 215 2889 Barbara Albright, 620 2247762 official distributor of information.
Severe storms or lightening cancels the parade…but we have conquered the rain
This is part of a series helping the public get to know the new school administrators in Bourbon County.
Tracy Smith, 64, was hired as the 2022-23 Uniontown Junior High/High School Principal.
Smith earned his Bachelor of Arts in Art Education from Ottawa in 1979 and his Masters In School Administration in 1992 from Pittsburg State University for Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade.
He was an Art Teacher/Coach at Louisburg (1979-82),
Art Teacher, Athletic Director, Coach at Maize (1982-85),
Assoc. Director of Development at Ottawa University (1985-87),
and previously served at Uniontown Schools-(1987-2015) at the K-12 Art/Coach (87-92,) JH/HS Principal (1992-2010)and West Bourbon Elementary School Principal (2010-15).
He has been married to Teresa for 34 years and has three adult children, all married, all graduates of UHS: Dain, Kaity, and Abbie.
“We have seven grandchildren plus #8 arriving in August from my son in California,” he said.
“Since my retirement seven years ago I have been actively involved in the United Methodist Church,” he said. “I am a local licensed pastor and currently serve three area churches: Bronson, Moran, and Mildred UMC’s.”
In his spare time he spends time with grandkids, woodworking, art projects, and officiating volleyball and is a track starter with the Kansas State High School Athletic Association.
His hometown is Richmond, Kansas.
Why did you become an educator?
“Art has always been a gift that I’ve had and it was/is something that was a natural fit. Teaching/showing/leading others has also been a gift. My career has been enjoyable and I’ve never been disappointed any day. I like and step up to the challenges each and every day in working with my team of teachers and our kids we are assigned to lead.”
Did someone inspire you?
“I come from a long line of teachers in my family. Grandfather French Booher was a principal in southeast Kansas. My Grandmother and Mother we’re both teachers. Teresa my wife, now retired, was a lifetime teacher and Kaity, my daughter is also this year returning to teaching (5th grade) at WBE.”
What is the best thing about being an educator?
“Making a difference with kids. That’s what it is all about. Period. Being part of a group of professional educators is a great inspiration for me. Watching them bring a kid from A to Z is exciting and a blessing to be associated with these teachers. Uniontown has always been a great place/school. Time after time, the Eagles prove success in college readiness, vocational success, and leadership skills when they leave us.”
What is a challenge?
“Change. Happens every day. Global, Society, Requirements from Fed, State…. For me to create a environment of success, top down, where all children can be safe, comfortable and hungry to learn and to succeed is my personal goal. I feel stepping back into the ‘U’ I have a little advantage, due to a long relationship with the parents in the past, and yet with my tenure, at some point grandparents….I’m old, I admit. We all need to work together, because bottom line, it’s about your kids, our future and our heritage of having one of the best school systems in Kansas. ‘Go Eagles’.”
This week’s Friday Night Concert will be presented by musician friends Ralph Carlson, Stephan Moses, and Carolyn Tucker. The program will feature a vocal/instrumental mixed bag of the gospel, spiritual, blues, roots music, and Latin-American light classical. Carlson on acoustic guitar, Moses on electric lead guitar, and Tucker on the keyboard have 191 combined years of playing music.
“All three of us began studying music in early grade school and have had a heart for sharing the gift of music in different venues for a long time,“ concert-series organizer Ralph Carlson said. “We‘re happy to perform for the loyal folks who attend this seasonal weekly event. Bring a neighbor and come out and join your friends for a fun evening.”
The concert begins at 7 p.m. at the Heritage Park Pavilion on First and Main streets. The shows, sponsored by the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce, are free and open to the public. Dave Oas and Jim Butler provide the sound each week. Due to limited seating, attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.
In the event of inclement weather, the concert will be moved to The Loading Dock at Common Ground Coffee Co., 12 E. Wall Street.
“Every action of local government must be consistent with the U.S. Constitution, federal statutes, the Constitution of the State of Kansas, State statutes (unless the city has enacted a valid charter Ordinance), and local ordinances. It is extremely important for a city to follow its own ordinances.” This is a quote from the Governing Body Handbook, a reference for elected municipal officials from the League of Kansas Municipalities.
I don’t claim to be an expert in law. When I read an Ordinance or a State Statute I take the verbiage literally. What took place during the past two City Commissioners Meetings on Wednesday, June 1st, and on Tuesday June 7th, raised a lot of Red Flags in the disregard of State Statutes regarding the hierarchy of the Mayor/President position when a position is vacated on the commission, and the disregard of our City Ordinance 3290 which addresses how to Fill a Vacancy. And last of all, the legal requirements of those persons who sent letters of interest or who are nominated for the vacated commissioner position.
When someone resigns as a Mayor or commissioner,the statutes are specific to your class of city and form of government. We are a Class One City and when the Mayor steps down per state statute 121-10a04 as explained in the Governing Body Handbook the President of the commission becomes the Mayor and remains in this position until the next city general election. The commission elects a new president. The final step in the process is the Commission must nominate and vote on a qualified elector to the vacant position. These actions are to be taken within 10 days. These steps also follow the Kansas State Statute 13-513.
When Filling a vacant Position on the Fort Scott City Commission: On
June 21st 2005 a City Ordinance 3290 was written on how to fill a commissioner vacancy and was passed by our city commissioners as follows:
SECTION 1. Vacancy in Office – How Filled.
”In case of any vacancy in the office of Mayor or commissioner, the remaining members of the Board of Commissioners shall,within ten days or the next regularly scheduled city commission meeting, after the occurrence of a vacancy, elect some suitable person, by majority vote, who shall reside inside the territorial limits of the City of Fort Scott, Kansas and shall be a qualified elector therein to fill the vacancy for the balance of the the unexpired term of such office. If the remaining members cannot agree upon a suitable person, then they shall call upon the City Attorney who shall cast the decisive vote for such appointment.
If the mayor or a city commissioner shall move outside the territorial limits of the City of Fort Scott, Kansas such move shall ipso facto be deemed to create a vacancy in such person’s office.
SECTION 2. This ordinance shall be effective after its passage and publication in the official City Newspaper.
State Statute 14-1305 Supports the above Ordinance 3290 and the verbiage is almost identical.
We have had five Commissioners resign and we have approached the “Filling of the Vacancy” five different ways, disregarding the above Ordinance and its
verbiage.
Where in this Ordinance does it state that Letters of Interest shall be requested?
Where in this Ordinance does it state that the Letters of Interest will be reviewed by the sitting City Commissioners and then voted on in a public meeting?
Where in this Ordinance does it state that those who sent a Letter of Interest will be interviewed and asked the same questions in a public meeting and then voted on in a public meeting by the commissioners.
And who is responsible for reviewing the Letters of interest to confirm that they meet the qualifications for holding an office?
This brings me to the next concern regarding qualifications for holding an office.
There is “Minimum Legal Requirement for Holding an Office” per the Governing Handbook which includes the basic duties of municipal office, the state law sets forth the following minimum requirements that each elected official is required to observe:
An individual must be 18 years of age who is a citizen of the United States, a permanent resident of this state, and a “qualified elector.” This means the person must be a registered voter in the city when filing for office. To hold office, the individual must be a “qualified elector” at all times. See Kansas State Statute 14-109 and 15-209.
State law requires elected officials to maintain residency within the city limits at all times during the elective term.
In reviewing the minimum legal requirements for holding an office, it appears that we may have candidates that did not meet one of the qualifications when submitting their letters of interest. Did all of the candidates meet the qualifications of a “qualified elector” or proof of residency within the city limits when their letter of interest was submitted?
Here is my question to you as the elected officials of this city:
Why do we not follow our City Ordinance 3290 as written for filling a vacancy? The verbiage is basically the same as the state statute.
Your lack of regard for our City Ordinance was ignored five times and the process of filling the five vacancies was done five different ways.
How can we rectify the above questionable illegal actions taken by you as members of our City Council involving the filling of a mayor/commissioner vacancy, ignoring the state statutes regarding the hierarchy of the commissioner when a position is vacated and then filling a vacated position with a candidate that was not qualified to even submit a letter of interest, let alone be placed into the commission vacancy.
Consistency with Administrative Regulations have the force and effect of law and must be observed.
The most important question I have is where is the legal oversight of our City Attorney in making sure that every action of the local government must be consistent with the U.S. Constitution, federal statutes, the Constitution of the State of Kansas, State statutes (unless the city has enacted a valid charter Ordinance), and local ordinances.
What actions are going to be taken to rectify this fiasco?
The Land Bank meeting will be held on Monday, June 13th, 2022 at 4:00 p.m. at City Hall, 123 S. Main Street, Fort Scott, Kansas, in the City Commission meeting room.
This meeting will be made available via the City’s you tube channel at City of Fort Scott.
Agenda Bourbon County Commission Room 1stFloor, County Courthouse 210 S. National Avenue Fort Scott, KS 66701 Tuesdaysstarting at 9:00 Date: June 14, 2022 1stDistrict–Lynne OharahMinutes:Approved:_______________ 2ndDistrict–JimHarrisCorrected: _______________________ 3rdDistrict–Clifton BethAdjourned at: _______________ County Clerk–Ashley Shelton MEETING HELD IN THE COMMISSION ROOM Call to Order •Flag Salute •Approval of Minutes from previous meeting •Eric Bailey–Road & Bridge Report •AshleyShelton–Approval of Fireworks Permits •Ashley Shelton–KSA 25–2708 Preservation of Ballot and Election Records •Bill Martin–Jail Operations •Lynne Oharah–Executive Session 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 •Justin Meeks–County Counselor Comment •Susan Bancroft–Chief FinancialOfficer Comment oSEK Multi–County Health Dept of BBCO Community Baby Shower oBBCO Bank Reconciliation for The Five Months ending May 31, 2022 o2023 Funding for Juvenile Detention Center oExecutive Session–KSA 75–4319(b)(1) to discuss personnel matters of individual nonelected personnel to protect their privacy •Shane Walker–Chief Information Officer Comment •Public Comment •CommissionComment Justifications for Executive Session: KSA 75–4319(b)(1) To discuss personnel matters ofindividualnonelected personnelto 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 discussmatters relating toemployer–employee negotiations whether or not in consultation with the representative(s) of thebody 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 security measures, if thediscussion of such matters at an open meeting would jeopardize such security measures.
The city of Jericho was the home of a prostitute named Rahab. Her story in the Old Testament is one of amazing faith and backbone. Rahab‘s life shows God’s mercy and loving nature in using the less than perfect, the unlikely, and the improper to accomplish His purposes. God still loves to empower ordinary people to fulfill His extraordinary divine plans. With the exception of her family, Rahab chose to leave everything and every idol behind. Because of her spunk and newly-found trust in the Israelites’ God, she eventually became an ancestor of king David and King Jesus.
If it’s been awhile, you may want to re-read Rahab’s intriguing story in the book of Joshua, chapters 2 and 6. I love the verse where she helped the Israelite spies escape from her home: “Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was built into the city wall, so that she lived in the wall” (Joshua 2:15 ESV). I found nine other translations confirming that she lived in the wall. Here’s a couple: “She resided within the wall itself” NRS. “She dwelt in the wall” RSV.
We believers are hidden with Christ in God. I like “in God” because that’s as good as it gets. “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:2,3 ESV). When the men from various caravan routes crisscrossed at Jericho, they told news of a multitude of Israelites. This swarm of people had a God unlike any idol Rahab knew about. She heard how the one and only true God miraculously dried up the Red Sea and gave astonishing victory in their battles, which caused the Canaanites’ hearts to melt with no spirit to fight. Rahab made up her mind to cast her lot with God’s people. When she lived in the wall, she chose to risk her life by protecting the two Israelite spies. Before Jericho was destroyed, she actually switched from living in a wall to living in the God of all.
“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:4-6 NKJV). Since believers are seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, we can enter into rest and peace in our spirit and soul while here on earth.
Ike Davis and Ray Heady put their musical heads together and penned the classic song, “In the Shelter of His Arms. The tune and lyrics came to my mind as I thought about Rahab living in the wall, and how blessed it is to exchange a stone wall for the loving arms of Jesus. “When my soul was disturbed with sorrow and my heart was broken with sin; Jesus opened His arms of mercy and tenderly took me in. There is peace in the time of trouble. There is peace in the midst of the storm. There is peace, though the world be raging, in the shelter of His arms.”
If you ever feel like you’re beating your head against a wall, just turn around and you’ll find Jesus standing there with His arms open wide.
The Key: Don’t live in a wall when you can choose to live victoriously in Christ Jesus.
