Fort Scott National Historic Site

FSNHS Superintendent Leaves for Nebraska

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Betty Boyko. Submitted photo.

Betty Boyko, currently the superintendent at both Fort Scott National Historic Site and Fort Larned National Historic Site will assume a new position in mid-March, according to a press release.

National Park Service (NPS) Regional Director Bert Frost announced the selection of Boyko as superintendent of Homestead National Historical Park located in Beatrice, Nebraska late last week.

She has been the superintendent of Fort Scott National Historic Site since 2006, Boyko said in an interview with fortscott.biz.

Fort Scott National Historic Site is located at the north end of the town’s historic district.
Her duties at FSNHS were to provide leadership for all aspects of park operations to include preservation, interpretation, maintenance, administration, policies, public use management, public affairs, and park development, she said.
” I also became the superintendent of Fort Larned NHS in a dual superintendency in August 2013,” she said. “The position at Fort  Larned became vacant so they needed someone to help out on a temporary basis for 30 days.  Challenges in filling that position resulted in the extension of my temporary appointment and eventually led to it becoming a permanent position along with my current duties at Fort Scott NHS.
The best aspect about Boyko’s job in Fort Scott?
“​It is definitely the park, park staff, and people of Fort Scott,” she said.  “When I arrived here, everyone was so welcoming and supportive.  That is still the environment today which makes the job so rewarding.  It has been a pleasure to work with the community, many partners and volunteers and I know that the new superintendent – whoever that is – will appreciate the same support and working relationship.”
A new superintendent has not been selected for FSNHS yet, she said, but ​the regional NPS office is working on a plan to fill it.
The biggest challenge for Boyko in her job has been the COVID-19 Pandemic.

“Unfortunately, the pandemic has challenged how we mitigate operations to remain open and still provide a quality experience for the community and visitors,” she said.

Boyko starts on  March 13th at Homestead National Historical Park, Nebraska.
Duties there will be similar to the current position: the management and leadership duties, but focused on the purpose for which that park was established.

A 37-year veteran of the NPS, Boyko has a wide range of administrative and leadership experiences in parks throughout the Midwest Region including eight years at Homestead National Historical Park where she served as the administrative officer and several years as deputy superintendent. She began her NPS career at Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site and has held leadership positions at St. Croix National Scenic Riverway and Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, according to the press release.

Boyko is a graduate of Dakota Business College in Fargo, North Dakota, and of the GAP International Executive Leaders Program. She represented the NPS region in the Emerging Leaders Program Executive Challenge Course. She will relocate to the Beatrice area this spring and looks forward to being near her son and his family, according to the press release.

 

Business, Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

Shop local retailers celebrating Kansas Day, January 29th, 2022

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The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce announces participating retailers that will be offering a shopping promotion to celebrate Kansas Day on Saturday, January 29th. Patrons wearing apparel with Kansas or a sunflower will receive 10% off their purchase. Participating stores will have a Kansas Day poster in their place of business.
Kansas Day commemorates The Sunflower State being the 34th state to enter the Union in 1861. The Chamber encourages shoppers to celebrate Kansas Day and thank a local store owner for doing business in our great state.
In addition to this local shopping promotion organized by the Chamber, Kansas Tourism invites Kansans to Give a Toast to the Sunflower State on Kansas Day and post their own tribute to the 34th state to social media using the hashtag #ToTheStarsKS Contact the Chamber for more information at 620-223-3566.

Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

 Chamber Coffee hosted by the Friends of Fort Scott NHS

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The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce invites members and guests to a Chamber Coffee this Thursday, January 27th at 8 a.m. hosted by Friends of Fort Scott NHS.

It will be held at First United Methodist Church in the Fellowship Hall, located at 301 S National Ave. Coffee and light refreshments will be served.

Friends of Fort Scott National Historic Site’s mission is to be a friend of the National Historic Site and their primary purpose is to support the National Historic Site in a partnership through activities that may include fundraising, volunteerism, education, advocacy and research. To do that they need to raise funds and they raise funds through their Flag Subscription Program.

They are kicking off their 2022 Flag Subscription Program in January.

For the last three years, they have put a full size flag in front of the homes of subscribers for the 5 flag holidays — Memorial Day, Flag Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day and Veteran’s Day.

Any member business or organization wanting to host Chamber Coffee in 2022 is encouraged to contact the Chamber to save a date by calling 620-223-3566 or emailing [email protected].
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Government

Highlights of 2021: USDA Rural Development Kansas

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USDA Rural Development Kansas Highlights Its Year of Accomplishments in Jobs, Business Opportunities, Education, Health Care and Housing for Rural Kansans

TOPEKA, Jan. 26, 2022 – U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Kansas, Under Acting State Director Dan Fischer, today highlighted the year’s accomplishments in helping rural Kansas residents and businesses access housing, health care, economic developement and other essential services.

“USDA Rural Development Kansas has had a very successful year helping rural residents through our housing, community and business programs,” Fischer said. “When rural Kansas has access to clean water, affordable homes, and good jobs, all of Kansas is more likely to succeed.”

Rural Development Kansas awarded more than $292 million in loans, grants and loan guarantees in Fiscal Year 2021. This includes $209 million for the purchase of homes by low-income individuals and families, nearly $51 million to improve water and waste disposal systems, and nearly $28 million to improve community facilities and access to essential services.

Rural Development offers many programs to assist rural communities and their residents. For example:

  • Rural Innovation Stronger Economy (RISE) Grants This program offers grant assistance to create and augment high-wage jobs, accelerate the formation of new businesses, support industry clusters and maximize the use of local productive assets in eligible low-income rural areas.

  • Water & Waste Disposal Loan & Grant Program This program provides funding for clean and reliable drinking water systems, sanitary sewage disposal, sanitary solid waste disposal, and storm water drainage to households and businesses in eligible rural areas.

  • Single Family Housing Direct Home Loans This program assists low- and very-low-income applicants obtain decent, safe and sanitary housing in eligible rural areas by providing payment assistance to increase an applicant’s repayment ability.

Under the Biden-Harris Administration, Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, tribal and high-poverty areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov. Follow us on Twitter at @RurDev_Kansas.

If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

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Obituary

Obituary of Deborah Parker

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Deborah Kay Parker, 70, of Redfield, Kansas, passed away Sunday, January 23, 2022, at Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg, Kansas. She was born January 19, 1952, in Fort Scott, Kansas, the daughter of Neil Benjamin and Anna Mae (Powell) Smith. She married Ronald Dean Parker on April 18, 1971, in Fort Scott, Kansas, and he survives of the home.

Deborah graduated from Fort Scott High School with the Class of 1970.

In addition to her husband Ronald, Debra is also survived by her mother, Anna Smith, of Fort Scott; her children, Jeff Parker and Kim of Norfolk, Virginia, Kimberly Phillips and Adam of Fort Scott, and Beth Blankenship and Jeremy, also of Fort Scott; eleven grandchildren, Marra, Gabe, Conner, Alyssa, Damion, Kenny, Jessica, Russell, Gabe, Keira, and Ben, and four great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her father, Neil Smith.

Jeff Feagins will conduct funeral services at 10:00 a.m. Monday, January 31, 2022, at the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home with burial following at the Fort Scott National Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association and may be left in the care of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home, 15 W. Wall Street, P.O. Box 309, Fort Scott, Kansas, 66701. Condolences may be submitted to the online guestbook at konantz-cheney.com.

Bourbon County, Fort Scott, Government

City and County Combine Tourism

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Robert Harrington. Submitted photo.

In a continuing effort by Bourbon County and the City of Fort Scott leadership to combine services, the city’s tourism department will come under the Bourbon County Regional Economic Development Inc.

Jackson Tough, the City of Fort Scott’s Tourism Director moved his office into the Bourbon County REDI office at Landmark Bank today.

Jackson Tough. Submitted photo.

“The city commission voted, this month, to move their tourism (department) over to Bourbon County Regional Economic Development Inc.,” Rob Harrington, REDI director said. “Jackson Tough will remain a city employee.”

 

Landmark Bank, 200 S. Main,  Fort Scott. From its Facebook page.

Funding Is From Bed Tax

The city’s tourism department is funded through a Transient Guest Tax, Harrington said. “Any money left from the transient guest tax, after the administrative stuff, payroll, FICA, and any incumbrances…will come to REDI for marketing.”

The transient guest tax, commonly known as the “bed tax,” is imposed by a city or county on transient guests of hotels, motels, and tourist courts, according to 2006-022 | 9/1/2006 | Kansas Attorney General Opinion (washburnlaw.edu) The purpose of the tax is to provide revenue “to promote tourism and conventions.”

“Convention and tourism promotion,” is defined as follows, according to the website:

“‘Convention and tourism promotion’ means: (1) Activities to attract visitors into the community through marketing efforts, including advertising, directed to at least one of the five basic convention and tourism market segments consisting of group tours, pleasure travelers, association meetings and conventions, trade shows and corporate meetings and travel; and (2) support of those activities and organizations which encourage increased lodging facility occupancy.”

The guest tax has been in force in Fort Scott since Jan. 1, 2014 and is 6 percent, according to Transient Guest Tax Rates and Filers (ksrevenue.gov)

 

REDI To Provide Oversight

“I’ll oversee the funds to see they are being used appropriately, for what they are supposed to be,” Harrington said.

“Tourism will be under REDI jurisdiction, we’ll be responsible for tourism marketing,” he said. ”

“We are trying to not duplicate services at the county and city levels,” he said. “Just because it doesn’t affect local taxpayers, it does have an effect on tax funds collected from the transient guest tax, which should be efficiently spent.”
Combined Services

The city and county officials have been working together in economic development, finance management, and human resource services, in recent years, to share resources. Tourism will now be a shared service.

 

 

 

Government, Kansas

I-70 Closed Due to Winter Weather Conditions

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I-70 now closed at Goodland

The Kansas Department of Transportation has closed westbound I-70 at Goodland because of winter weather conditions in Colorado. Motorists traveling west are advised to use alternate routes or delay travel if possible.

Additional closures may be necessary if conditions worsen. Please follow Northwest Kansas KDOT on Facebook (www.facebookcom/nwkansaskdot) or Twitter (@NWKansasKDOT) for updates.

For up-to-date information on road closures and road conditions, visit www.kandrive.org, or call 511 in Kansas or 866-511-5368 outside Kansas.

Bourbon County Local News