Southeast Kansas Library System June Newsletter

The SEKnFind Newsletter
June 2025

We hope you enjoy this newsletter sent as a courtesy to adult patrons of a southeast Kansas library using the SEKnFind catalog.
This selection of titles are NEW at a SEKnFind library and available for a hold.
Need assistance? Your local librarian can show you how!
Happy Reading!

New Fiction

Before Dorothy
by Hazel Gaynor

“Chicago, 1924: Emily Gale and her new husband, Henry, yearn to leave the bustle of Chicago behind for the promise of their own American dream. But leaving the city means leaving Emily’s beloved sister, Annie, who was once closer to her than anyone in the world. Kansas, 1932: Emily and Henry have made a life in the warmth of the community of Liberal, Kansas, and among the harsh beauty of the prairie. Their lives hold a precarious and hopeful purpose, until tragedy strikes and their orphaned niece, Dorothy, lands on their doorstep. The wide-eyed child isn’t the only thing to disrupt Emily’s world. Drought and devastating dust storms threaten to destroy everything, and their much-loved home becomes a place of uncertainty and danger. When the past catches up with the present and old secrets are exposed, Emily fears she will lose the most cherished thing of all: Dorothy.”

Beach reads and deadly deeds
by Allison Brennan

A risk-averse bibliophile gets in over her head when strange notes in a book draw her into a real-life investigation.

The Surf House : a thriller
by Lucy Clarke

In an expat community of surfers in Morocco, deadly secrets threaten to breach the surface.

Our last wild days : a novel
by Anna Bailey

A young woman searches for answers after her estranged friend is found dead in the bayou of their rural Louisiana hometown.

What kind of paradise : a novel
by Janelle Brown

Raised in isolation in a Montana cabin by her enigmatic father, Jane’s world shatters when she discovers her unwitting role in a terrible crime, forcing her to flee to 1990s San Francisco, where she uncovers long-buried family secrets and confronts the dangers of the digital age.

Atmosphere : a love story
by Taylor Jenkins Reid

“From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones & The Six comes an epic new novel set against the backdrop of the 1980s Space Shuttle program about the extraordinary lengths we go to live and love beyond our limits”

The night birds
by Christopher Golden

An atmospheric horror novel by a New York Times best-selling author is set in a deteriorated, half-sunken freighter ship off the coast of Galveston, Texas.

Of monsters and mainframes
by Barbara Truelove

“Demeter, an interstellar ship that shuttles humans between Earth and Alpha Centauri, keeps having her passengers murdered. It all started when an ancient and nasty vampire decided to come along for the ride. To keep from getting decommissioned, Demeter must stop this vampire and she joins forces with her own team of monsters: a werewolf, an engineer built from the dead, a pharaoh with otherworldly powers, and more. But will they be enough to defeat Dracula?”

Everybody wants to rule the world except me
by Django Wexler

“Davi has left the horde behind her, hoping to find a peaceful solution to keep the Kingdom from being destroyed this time. But her plan to guide the Kingdom is thwarted when her usual love interest, Prince Johann, is already married and the bloodthirstyDuke Aster is running the government. Johann’s new husband is everything Davi is not, but he holds a key to the one mystery she can’t solve – the origins of the time loop that has entrapped her. She must gain his trust, and swiftly. With restless armies at her doorstep, Duke Aster reaching for power, and an ancient magician hounding her every turn, Davi must scheme her way to peace and uncover the truth behind her curse if she is to break the spell that binds her once and for all”

The river is waiting : a novel
by Wally Lamb

Corby Ledbetter, grappling with addiction, prison life, and the tragedy that shattered his family, finds unexpected kindness and connection behind bars, as he seeks redemption and hopes for forgiveness from those he’s hurt the most.

The Medusa protocol
by Rob Hart

Former assassin Astrid wakes in a secret prison where a sinister doctor probes her memories for a crucial secret, while her sponsor Mark and their Assassins Anonymous group decipher her cryptic plea for help, setting the stage for a daring escape.

The Man from Blood Gulch
by William W. Johnstone

A hard man with a hard past, Garret ‘Ghost’ McCoy will never forget the day his family was brutally attacked by vicious marauders. It forced him to grow up fast, get tough even faster, and sharpen every skill to survive–by gun, by knife, or by fist. A true loner and silent stalker, Ghost is the kind of no-nonsense bounty hunter who always gets his man. … But it’s only a matter of time before his reputation catches up with him in a dusty dead-end town called Coyote Flats

New Audiobooks

Beach house rules : a novel
by Kristy Woodson Harvey

A mother-daughter duo learn to lean on their community of women–and each other–after their world is turned upside down

The love haters
by Katherine Center

“It’s a thin line between love and love-hating in the newest laugh out loud, all the feels rom-com by New York Times bestselling author Katherine Center. Katie Vaughn has been burned by love in the past-now she may be lighting her career on fire. She hastwo choices: wait to get laid off from her job as a video producer or, at her coworker Cole’s request, take a career-making gig profiling Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Key West. The catch? Katie’s not exactly qualified. She can’tswim-but fakes it that she can. Plus: Cole is Hutch’s brother. And they don’t get along. Next stop paradise! But paradise is messier than it seems. As Katie gets entangled with Hutch (the most scientifically good looking man she has ever seen . . . but also a bit of a love hater), along with his colorful Aunt Rue and his rescue Great Dane, she gets trapped in a lie. Or two. Swim lessons, helicopter flights, conga lines, drinking contests, hurricanes, and stolen kisses ensue-along with chances to tell thetruth, to face old fears, and to be truly brave at last”

Don’t forget me, little Bessie : a novel
by James Lee Burke

“James Lee Burke tells his most thrilling and insightful story yet through the eyes of fourteen-year-old Bessie Holland. At the beginning of the twentieth century, as America grapples with forces of human and natural violence more powerful than humanity has ever seen, Bessie Holland yearns for the love that she has never known. She finds a soulmate and mentor in a brilliant but tormented suffragette English teacher, who inspires Bessie to fight the forces of evil that permeate her world. Watching the vast Texas countryside being destroyed by an oil company and a menacing figure with a violent past, Bessie is prepared to defend her home and her family. But when she accidentally kills an unarmed man to defend her father Hackberry, she must flee to New York. There, her older brother introduces her to boys who will grow into gangsters, but as children admire and respect Bessie’s spirit and fortitude as she is cast into a gangland that yearns for justice and mercy. A welcome return to the beloved Holland series and populated with characters both radiant and despicable, Don’t Forget Me, Little Bessie is an epic story of a remarkable young girl who fights against potentially overwhelming forces”

New Nonfiction

Sea of grass / : The Conquest, Ruin, and Redemption of Nature on the American Prairie
by Dave Hage

“The North American prairie is an ecological marvel. One cubic yard of prairie sod contains so many organisms that it rivals the tropical rainforest for biological diversity. And like the rainforest, it showcases nature’s prodigious talent for symbiosis.The lush carpet of grasses feeds a huge population of grazing animals and is home to some of the nation’s most iconic creatures–bison, elk, wolves, pronghorn, prairie dogs, and bald eagles. These creatures return the favor by spreading nitrogen and seeds across the prairie in their manure, and the grazers in turn feed prairie predators, and when they die, they return their store of organic matter to the living soil. When European settlers encountered the prairie nearly 200 years ago, rather than recognizing a natural wonder they saw a daunting landscape of root-tangled soil. But with the development of the steel plow, artificial drainage, and nitrogen fertilizers, in mere decades they converted the prairie into some of the richest farmland on Earth-a transformation unprecedented in human history. American farmers fed the industrial revolution and made North America a breadbasket for the world, but their progress came at a terrible cost: the forced dislocation of indigenous peoples, pollution of the continent’s rivers, and the catastrophic loss of wildlife. Today, as these trends build toward an environmental crisis, industrial agriculture has resumed its assault on the prairie, plowing up the remaining grasslands at the rate of one million acres a year.Farmers have an opportunity to protect this extraordinary landscape, but trying new ideas can mean ruin in a business with razor-thin margins and will require help from Washington, D.C., and from consumers who care about the land that feeds them. Veteranjournalists and Midwesterners Dave Hage and Josephine Marcotty follow the history of humanity’s relationship with this incredible land, offering a deep, compassionate analysis of the difficult decisions as well as opportunities facing agricultural and Indigenous communities. Sea of Grass is a vivid portrait of one of the world’s most miraculous and significant ecosystems, making clear why the future of this region is of essential concern far beyond the heartland”

Canva for dummies
by Jesse Stay

The essential guide to the popular, beginner-friendly graphic design platform Canva For Dummies is a beautiful full-color reference, covering everything you need to create dazzling visual materials in Canva Free and Pro versions

Agents of change : the women who transformed the CIA
by Christina Hillsberg

A former intelligence operative takes readers inside the Agency in a way that’s never been done before, paying long overdue tribute to the survivors and thrivers, the indispensable groundbreakers, and defiant rabble-rousers who made the choice to change their lives and in turn, changed history

Ocean : Earth’s last wilderness
by David Attenborough

“Through personal stories, history and cutting-edge science, Ocean uncovers the mystery, the wonder, and the frailty of the most unexplored habitat on our planet–the one which shapes the land we live on, regulates our climate, and creates the air we breathe. This book showcase the oceans’ remarkable resilience: they can, and in some cases have, recovered the fastest, if we only give them the chance. Drawing a course across David Attenborough’s own lifetime, Ocean takes readers on an adventure-laden voyage through eight unique ocean habitats, countless intriguing species, and the most astounding discoveries of the last 100 years, to a future vision of a fully restored marine world–one even more spectacular than we could possibly hope for. Ocean reveals the past, present and potential future of our blue planet. It is a book almost a century in the making, but one that has never been more urgently needed”

This dog will change your life
by Elias Weiss Friedman

“This book weaves together stories of the many dogs Elias has been lucky enough to know, both in his personal life and while doing his Dogist work. Told in a light tone that does not shy away from more serious issues (Elias is not above the occasional sentimental moment or dog pun), this book charmingly explores the ways that dogs are not just our family and our friends but also irreplaceable beings capable of generating boundless love and restoring balance to our lives. In an increasingly alienating anddivisive world, there is one clear remedy: the one with four legs that rolls over for belly rubs. Dogs can change our lives, and this book might just change yours”–Provided by publisher

The how not to age cookbook
by Michael Greger

“New from Michael Greger M.D., FACLM, whose books have sold more than one million copies worldwide, comes a fully-illustrated cookbook filled with recipes to make you healthier as you age. In his instant New York Times bestseller, How Not To Age, Dr. Michael Greger revealed that diet can regulate every one of the most promising strategies for combating the effects of aging. His Anti-Aging Eight streamlined evidence-based research into simple, accessible steps for ensuring physical and mental longevity. Now, in How Not To Age Cookbook, decades of scientific research are put to use in over a hundred recipes that will leave readers feeling nourished for years to come. Each of these simple, nutrition-packed dishes uses ingredients that have been proven to promote a healthy lifespan and inspiration from the places around the world where people traditionally live the longest. Grounded in the latest nutrition science, How Not to Age Cookbook is chock-full of delicious meals, snacks, and beverages that will keepthe body both nourished and youthful”

Creative zigzag rope sewing projects : 16 projects and a dozen techniques for making bowls, totes, and more
by Denise Haar

“Creative Zigzag Rope Sewing Projects will help you level-up your favorite zigzag rope projects with patterns for unique bowls, baskets, and even a wine caddy! Inside, author Denise Haar shares the lessons that have filled her rope sewing classes with eager students, teaching you 16 distinct projects taking you from learning rope sewing basics to advanced shaping techniques”

The river’s daughter : a memoir
by Bridget Crocker

“After Bridget Crocker’s parents’ volatile divorce, she moved with her mother from Southern California to Wyoming. Her life was idyllic, growing up in a trailer park on the banks of the Snake River with a stepfather she loved, a new baby brother, and theriver as her companion–until her mother suddenly took up a radical new lifestyle, becoming someone Bridget barely recognized. The one constant in her life–the place Bridget felt whole and fully herself–was the river. When she discovered the world of whitewater rafting, she knew she’d found her calling. On the river, Bridget learned to read the natural world around her and came to know the language of rivers. One of the few female guides on the Snake River, she then traveled to the Zambezi River in Africa, some of the most dangerous whitewater in the world, where she faced death and learned to conquer her fears–both on the water and off. The river taught her how to overcome years of betrayals and abuse, to trust herself, and, finally, how to help heal her family from generational cycles of trauma and poverty”

Madame Queen : the life and crimes of Harlem’s underground racketeer, Stephanie St. Clair
by Mary Kay McBrayer

“In her heyday, Stephanie St. Clair went by many names, but one was best known by all: Madame Queen. The undeniable queen of the Harlem numbers game, St. Clair redefined what it meant to be a woman of means. After immigrating to America from the West Indies, St. Clair would go on to manage one of the largest policy banks in all of Harlem by 1923. She knew the power of reputation, and even though her business was illegal gambling, she ran it like any other respectable entrepreneur. Because first and foremost, Madame Queen was a lady. But that didn’t stop her from doing what needed to be done to survive. St. Clair learned how to navigate the complex male-dominated world of crime syndicates, all at a time when Tammany Hall and mafia groups like the Combination were trying to rule New York. With her tenacity and intellectual prowess, she never backed down. Madame Queen was a complicated figure, but she prioritized the people of Harlem above all else, investing her wealth back into the neighborhood and speaking out against police corruption and racial discrimination. St. Clair was a trailblazer, unafraid to challenge societal norms. But for far too long she’s been a footnote in more infamous characters’ stories, like Bumpy Johnson, Dutch Schultz and Lucky Luciano. Now, in this masterful portrayal of a woman who defied the odds at all costs, she finally gets her due”

The gunfighters : how Texas made the West wild
by Bryan Burrough

Examining the historical reality behind the myth of the Wild West, this account explores how post-Civil War Texas became a breeding ground for widespread violence, shaping the gunfighter culture that spread across the American frontier and later became enshrined in popular imagination. Illustrations. Map(s).

Even more reading suggestions

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Southeast Kansas Library System
218 E. Madison Ave.
Iola, Kansas 66749
620-365-5136sekls.org

Bo Co Commission Agenda Packet for June 30

 

To view attachments to the agenda:

rCICCouncil

RptAll CLERK2

rCICCouncil

RptAll CLERK

6.27.25

6.25.25

6.24.25 SPECIAL

Bourbon County Commission Agenda

Bourbon County Commission Chambers, 210 S National Ave.

June 30, 2025, 5:30 PM

  1. Call Meeting to Order
    1. Roll Call
    2. Pledge of Allegiance
    3. Prayer – David Beerbower
  2. Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Minutes from 06.23.25, 06.26.25, and 06.27.25
  1. Consent Agenda
    1. Approval of 06.24.25 Accounts Payable Totaling $14,309.50
    2. Approval of 06.25.25 Accounts Payable Totaling $46.32
    3. Approval of 06.27.25 Accounts Payable Totaling $280,889.82
    4. Approval of 06.27.25 Payroll Totaling $311,381.83
    5. Approval of 06.25.25 Payroll Totaling $323.37
  2. 2024 Audit Presentation – Emily Frank, Jarred, Gilmore & Phillips, PA
  3. Pursuant to KSA 75-4319 (b)(1) to discuss personnel matters of individual nonelected personnel to protect their privacy for job performance with ____________ attending and will return at _________PM in the commission chambers. – Beerbower
  • Pursuant to KSA 75-4319 (b)(1) to discuss personnel matters of individual nonelected personnel to protect their privacy for job performance with ____________ attending and will return at _________PM in the commission chambers. – Beerbower
  • Pursuant to KSA 75-4319 (b)(1) to discuss personnel matters of individual nonelected personnel to protect their privacy for job performance with ____________ attending and will return at _________PM in the commission chambers. – Eric Bailey
  1. Old Business
    1. Juvenile Detention– Beerbower
    2. Appraiser Contract – Matt Quick
    3. District 4&5 Term Limits – Clerk
    4. SEK Mental Health Resolution and Letter of Support– Milburn
    5. NRP Discussion-Matt Quick
    6. Courthouse Repairs
    7. Ealyn Taylor – Animal Control
    8. Zoning Recommendation-Beerbower
    9. Repeal Resolution 19-25
  2. Public Comments for Items Not on The Agenda
  3. New Business
    1. Turck Bypass Route-Matthew Wells
    2. Public Works Safety Audit – Dr. Cohen
    3. Fence Viewing Resolution-Beerbower
    4. Precinct Legal Descriptions-Susan Walker
    5. Commission Comments
  • Adjournment

 

Immediately following the meeting there will be a work session to discuss the Landfill.

 

Future business that has been tabled in past meetings or planned for future meetings:

  • Economic Development Direction
  • 911 Agreement
  • Precinct Legal Resolution

Doherty Health Benefits

Agenda for the FS City Commission on July 1

NOTICE OF AND AGENDA FOR REGULAR

MEETING OF FORT SCOTT CITY COMMISSION

City Hall Commission Room – 123 S. Main Street, Fort Scott, KS 66701

July 1, 2025  –  6:00 P.M.

 

  1.     Call to Order/Roll Call
  2. Pledge of Allegiance

III.       Invocation

  1. Approval of Agenda
  2. Consent Agenda
  3. Approval of Appropriation Ordinance 1387-A – Expense Approval Report – Payment Dates of June 11, 2025 – June 24, 2025$489,151.22
  4. Approval of Minutes: Regular Meeting of June 17, 2025

 

  1. Public Comment

VII.      Appearances

  1. Ronette Center Resolution No. 12-2025 Kansas Community Empowerment Program

 

VIII.   Unfinished Business

  1. Consideration to Approve Certificate of Appropriateness – 24 N. Main St. – La Hacienda – Front Door Approved by SHPO June 12, 2025, and Recommended by Design Review Board June 20, 2025.
  2. Consideration to Amend Ordinance No. 3782 – AN ORDINANCE FOR THE PURPOSE OF ESTABLISHING THE FORT SCOTT HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND RESOURCE COMMISSION TO THE CITY CODE OF THE CITY OF FORT SCOTT, KANSAS – Approved June 17, 2025 – L. Dillon
  3. Discussion of CLG Process (next steps) – L. Dillon
  4. Consideration to Approve Purchase of Playground Surface for Nelson Park $36,000.00 – Recommended by Parks Advisory Board on June 12, 2025 – Matkin
  5. Consideration to Approve Revised Employee Handbook and Adopt Ordinance No. 3783 – AN ORDINANCE REPEALING ORDINANCE NO. 3533, ADOPTING EMPLOYEE MANUALTabled from June 17, 2025 – B. Matkin

 

  1. New Business

            Action Items:

  1. Consideration of Approval for City Manager to Sign Airport Taxiway KDOT Grant Documents for Project No. AV-2026-16 – Agreement No. 455-25
  2. Consideration of Temporary Street Closure – Coates Street from Elm to Mulberry – July 4, 2025 – 10:00AM – Midnight.
  3. Consideration of Resolution No. 14-2025 – RESOLUTION AND NOTICE OF HEARING WITH REFERENCE TO ALLEGED USAFE AND DANGEROUS STRUCTURE AT 18 S. HOLBROOK – Public Hearing Date of August 19, 2025.
  4. Consideration of Resolution No. 15-2025 – RESOLUTION AND NOTICE OF HEARING WITH REFERENCE TO ALLEGED USAFE AND DANGEROUS STRUCTURE AT 402 N. SHUTE – Public Hearing Date of August 19, 2025.
  5. Consideration of Resolution No. 16-2025 – RESOLUTION AND NOTICE OF HEARING WITH REFERENCE TO ALLEGED USAFE AND DANGEROUS STRUCTURE AT 205 LINCOLN – Public Hearing Date of August 19, 2025.
  6. Consideration of Resolution No. 17-2025 – RESOLUTION AND NOTICE OF HEARING WITH REFERENCE TO ALLEGED USAFE AND DANGEROUS STRUCTURE AT 102 N. BARBEE – Public Hearing Date of August 19, 2025.
  7. Consideration of Resolution No. 18-2025 – RESOLUTION AND NOTICE OF HEARING WITH REFERENCE TO ALLEGED USAFE AND DANGEROUS STRUCTURE AT 602 S. BARBEE – Public Hearing Date of August 19, 2025.
  8. Consideration of Resolution No. 19-2025 – RESOLUTION AND NOTICE OF HEARING WITH REFERENCE TO ALLEGED USAFE AND DANGEROUS STRUCTURE AT 505 CLARK – Public Hearing Date of August 19, 2025.

 

  1. Reports and Comments
  2. Adjourn

Obituary of Ronald Fred Taylor

 

Ronald “Ronnie” Fred Taylor, 87, resident of Bronson, Kansas, passed away at his home early Thursday morning, June 26, 2025. He was born June 6, 1938, in Xenia, Kansas, the son of William Ray Taylor and Helen Mae (Stewart) Taylor. He married Bonnie Mason on May 31, 1959, in Fort Scott, and she preceded him in death on September 17, 2020.

 

Ronnie was a farmer, and he was a Master Plumber for fifty years. He was a member of the Xenia Baptist Church, and he served on the board of Heartland Electric Cooperative for forty years.

 

Ronnie is survived by his son, Raymond Taylor and his wife Kathy, of Bronson, Kansas; three grandchildren, Danny, Nathan and his wife Ashley, and Maggie, as well as several great-grandchildren.

In addition to his wife Bonnie, Ronnie was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Brad Taylor, who died in April of 2001; and a brother, William Leon Taylor.

 

Pastor Randy Smith will conduct funeral services for Ronnie at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, at the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home.

Burial will follow at the Bronson Cemetery, under the direction of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Xenia Baptist Church, and may be left in the care of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home, 15 W. Wall Street, P.O. Box 309, Fort Scott, KS, 66701.  Friends and family may sign the online guest book and share memories at www.konantzcheney.com.

 

 

Settlement Reached in Commissioner’s Lawsuit Against the County Commissioners

The unusual lawsuit that at one point had every sitting county commissioner listed as plaintiffs on a lawsuit against the county commission has apparently been settled. A filing at 4:08 today stated the following.

COME NOW the Parties, by and through their undersigned counsel of record, and hereby provide notice that a resolution of all remaining claims and theories was achieved and this case has been resolved

The filing doesn’t detail the terms of the settlement and goes on to say that both sides expect to have all the paperwork finished up in the next 60 days.

BB-2024-CV-000075 – Notice of Settlement.

Bo Co Commission Special Meeting Today at 4 p.m.

Bourbon County Commission Chambers, 210 S National Ave.

Special Meeting June 27, 2025, 4:00 PM

I. Call Meeting to Order
a. Roll Call
b. Pledge of Allegiance
c. Prayer
II. Pursuant to KSA 75-4319 (b)(1) to discuss personnel matters of individual nonelected personnel to
protect their privacy with ____________ attending and will return at _________PM in the
commission chambers.
III. Adjournment

EXECUTIVE SESSIONS – FORM OF MOTION

____ Pursuant to KSA 75-4319 (b)(1) to discuss personnel matters of individual nonelected personnel to protect their
privacy
____ Pursuant to KSA 75-4319 (b)(2) for consultation with an attorney for the public body of agency which would be
deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship
____ Pursuant to KSA 75-4319 (b)(3) to discuss matters relating to employer/employee negotiations whether or not in
consultation with the representatives of the body or agency
____ Pursuant to KSA 75-4319 (b)(4) to discuss data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations,
partnerships, trust, and individual proprietorships
____ Pursuant to KSA 75-4319 (b)(6) for the preliminary discussion of acquisition of real estate
____ Pursuant to KSA 75-4319 (b)(12) to discuss matters relating to security measures, if the discussion of such matters at an open
meeting would jeopardize such security measures
The subject to be discussed during executive session: ________________________________________
State persons to attend
Open session will resume at _____ A.M./P.M. in the commission chambers.

Seniors Farmers Market Vouchers Available on July 14

Great News! The Senior Farmers Market Vouchers will be available starting July 14th.

“We and Seniors were very disappointed the vouchers were not available June 1st as expected. People start calling us in May checking on when the vouchers will be available.” commented Stacy Dickerhoof, Associate Director, SEKAAA. “So many of our seniors are on a limited income and this is the only way for them to have access to fresh vegetables. The number of vouchers we will be getting has been cut by half so the vouchers will go fast.”

The Kansas Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (KSFMNP) is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service. The program provides annual benefits to low-income seniors to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables, herbs and honey from authorized farmers at Farmers Markets in Kansas.

Benefits are given out on a first-come, first-serve basis. The person must be at least 60 years old and meet financial guidelines. Applications will be available at the following locations:

Fort Scott – Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce, 231 E. Wall.

    Iola – City of Iola, 2 West Jackson
    Parsons – Parsons Public Library, 311 S. 17th
    Pittsburg – Pittsburg Housing Authority, 101 N. Pine

Chanute – SEK Area Agency on Aging, 1 West Ash

Benefits are distributed until September 30, 2025 or until benefits are gone, whichever happens first. Applicants who qualify will receive a booklet of $5 coupons for a one-time annual benefit of $50 to purchase eligible foods from authorized farmers. For more information call SEK Area Agency on Aging at 620-431-2980.

Submitted by Kathy Brennon, Southeast Kansas Area Agency on Aging

New District 1 Commissioner Samuel Tran Joins Bourbon County Commission

The north wing, east side of the Bourbon County Courthouse.

Samuel Tran joined the Bourbon County Commission for their June 23 meeting as the newly appointed commissioner for District 1.

Also new to the table was Kaety Bowers, serving as the parliamentarian for the commission. Her roll is that of an impartial assistant to Commissioner David Beerbower as the commission chair in running an efficient meeting per resolution 1125, which the commission signed in January, 2025. The new vice-chair for the commission is Mika Milburn.

KCAMP Information

Davie Lamb spoke to the commissioners about the benefits of KCAMP, which is pool-owned by the member counties, not an insurance company. KCAMP provides coverage for property and liability for Bourbon County. Formed in 1991, they cover 81 Kansas counties and several municipalities. Their board is made up of three clerks, three commissioners, and a sheriff from member counties.

Computer Services

Steve Prasko of Advantage Computers and Jayhawk Software in Iola, KS, and Jason Rincker from Stronghold Data of Joplin, MO each spoke to the commission about the computer services they could offer to the county.

Old Business
Juvenile Detention Center

Mike Walden, director for the SEK Juvenile Detention Center in Crawford County, brought administrators from the facility and some of the center’s board members to the meeting to speak with the commission about the history of the center, anticipated changes in the law regarding the detention of juveniles, and the importance of Bourbon County continuing to use it as its juvenile detention resource.

Walden said that Bourbon County is 1/10 owner of the $400,000 Juvenile Detention Center, which they will forfeit if they choose to house juveniles in a different facility, which was discussed at the June 16 meeting.

He said that the center was built in 1994 in an effort to meet the requirements of the 1980 law regarding the housing of juvenile criminals. He also said that a state study shows that no single county can afford a facility that meets the federal standards, and SEK is the poorest area of Kansas, thus they must work together. A juvenile justice plan is required for each county, and being part-owners of the facility in Crawford meets that requirement. Until 2006, the facility was run on a per-diam basis, but that made budgeting hard for commissions, so they changed to a funding formula, which takes into account the last 4 years of use by the county as well as the population and valuation of the county. Larger counties pay more.

To work for the facility, you must be 21 and have some training in sociology and psychology, per state regulations. They work with Pitts State and their social program students to help the residents of the center.

Walden said that the current intake system isn’t working, and juvenile criminals are slipping through the cracks and not being held accountable.

According to the Kansas Juvenile Justice Oversight Committee there were 7552 contacts between law enforcement and juveniles in 2017. “The state has struggled with placement of juveniles,” creating a dangerous situation for workers and juveniles, said Walden.

“I guarantee you we’re going to treat them better than anywhere else they’re going to go,” said Walden.

In 1992 Bourbon County signed an interlocal agreement with the Juvenile Detention Center.

By using facilities outside of Southeast Kansas, money Bourbon County is being sent to other regions. “We are part of you,” he said.

He encouraged the commissioners to come see the facility and see what’s being done there.

Milburn asked if they would come to the table to work out a different agreement, and Walden said that would be up to the board of directors and encouraged them to speak with them.

No Bourbon County representative has been to a facility board of directors meeting since 2022. The board’s next meeting is July 23.

Tran said the agreement should be revisited and the facility’s board of directors should invite the commissioners to come to the table.

Sheriff Bill Martin asked for a breakdown of the financial investment that the county has in the center. He also said that the codes for space and light requirements for detention centers are the same for adults and juveniles.

Milburn asked Walden to reach out and build a relationship with Sheriff Martin. Walden said that he would do that and wants to be included in any future discussions about juvenile detention services.

“We’re looking at our budget and we have our numbers,” said Beerbower.

SEK Mental Health Budget

Nathan Fawson CEO of Southeast Kansas Mental Health explained that his organization serves five counties in Kansas and employs more than 500 individuals, 60 of whom are therapists. Bourbon County has 80 SEK Mental Health workers as well as a federally certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic.

“I believe Fort Scott is very unique in the partnership that we have with SEK Mental Health,” said Fort Scott School Superintendent Destry Brown. SEK mental health partners with many organizations in Bourbon County, including schools, to serve the mental health needs of the community. There are now on-site therapists at each school provided by SEK Mental Health, all under parent approval and on a sliding scale for students. Case managers in each school oversee and work with teachers to help the kids. “Behavior health has gotten to be a huge issue in every school,” said Brown.

Bonny Smith from the audience spoke to the commission about the importance of including the parents in the help given to the children as well as for the staff of the school. First responders and law enforcement also need the help that Mental Health offers, she said.

“We are so grateful,” Fawson said, referring to the partnerships they have in the community, for the county’s support over the years, and the opportunity to serve in the county.

Tran asked how many patients they serve in a year. In 2024 they provided 35,482 services in Bourbon County alone.

Milburn said that SEK Mental Health needed county funding at the founding, but they are now self-sustaining and don’t need the county’s funding.

She said that the county helped the organization stand financially before it could stand on its own. Times have changed since the county started supporting SEK Mental Health, and SEK Mental Health now has more support throughout the community.

Milburn had a new resolution to propose, repealing the April 1961 resolution regarding SEK Mental Health. Her resolution proposed to keep a county commissioner as a member on the mental health board, but to repeal the 1/2 mill tax levy that had been supporting them.

“I want to offer them our support, not monetarily anymore – because they are there [referring to SEK Mental Health’s financial stability]- but we want them here in our community,” said Milburn.

“We have become more self-sustaining than we have been previously…we’re grateful but we’re not pressed in that regard in the moment, and as such we are less dependent on the county for financial support than we once were,” said Fawson.

Commissioners voted to table the issue for one week.

Budget Committee resignation of Marla Heckman & Assign Replacement

Beerbower nominated Joseph Smith to replace Heckman. Nomination carried.

Public Comments for Items Not on The Agenda

Mr. Emerson spoke to the commission about solar panels. He asked about the lawsuit that the county took over. “I surely hope that nothing will be signed until we get zoning,” he said. He also referred to a lawsuit between Jackson County and a solar company, expressing concern about environmental protection surveys not being done. He encouraged the commission to get more information before signing anything.

Michael Hoyt talked to the commission about tax abatement. He said he had brought to the attention of the commission earlier this year that the property at 401 Woodland is tax-abated at a value of $3.9 million, meaning $600,000 in taxes have not been collected.

“It’s only fair that we bring to the attention of the other taxing entities that their budgets in 23, 24, and 25 were based on that valuation in the budget and they don’t know they don’t have that money coming,” he said.

He also said that the property that’s out there now is classified as a charitable hospital but it hasn’t been one since Mercy left. It’s unconscionable that they are designated as a philanthropic hospital, he said, and he hopes to be able to resolve it.

New Business
NRP

Matt Quick, county appraiser, spoke to the commission about the Neighborhood Revitalization Program rebate again. He said that two years ago the county changed it from a 5-year program to a 10-year one. That change did not cause an increase in applications, but it has caused a diminishing return for the county.

Tran asked for the number of buildings in the program and what the benefit would be to the county. Quick said he would get those numbers for him.

Tran asked to wait to make a decision until the next meeting after he gets his numbers. The issue was tabled.

Appraiser Contract

County appraisers serve a 4-year term. This July, Matt Quick needs to re-up with the state, which requires a resolution from the commission. Commissioners voted to table it until next week.

Formation of Benefits Committee

Milburn proposed forming a Bourbon County Committee for Employee Benefits, to explore and find insurance options and benefit plans for county employees. It would consist of several employees, the benefits officer, and a commissioner.

Both Beerbower and Tran were in favor of the idea.

Susan Walker said that the committee members will need HIPPA training because they will have access to the health information for county employees.

Letters of interest are to be submitted to the commission.

The committee resolution was approved.

Elevator Repairs

The elevator in the courthouse is down. The judge sent a letter to the commission encouraging them to repair the elevator. There will be some jury trials at the courthouse in the near future.

A power surge caused the computer boards to fail, which the county will file an insurance claim for, but they need to do a quick, temporary fix to make the courthouse accessible for trials this week.

Beerbower moved to approve the $30,000 in funding needed for immediate repairs. Commission approved.

The meeting ended with executive sessions. The Commissioner Comments section of the meeting was not broadcast on YouTube.

Letter to the Editor: Deb McCoy

Bamboozled Again for a Tax Abatement

Deb McCoy

6/25/2025

 

The Kansas County Commissioners website states that the “County Commissioners in Kansas have the responsibility of approving property tax exemptions for economic development purposes.” Does anyone recall a discussion taking place in a commissioner meeting when  Legacy Healthcare Inc. applied for a tax abatement on March 11th, 2024 for the“old Mercy Hospital building”? The answer is NO. Why would anyone assume that the building could be tax exempt, when there has been no hospital facility in place since Mercy Hospital closed in 2018.

 

The application completed by Legacy Healthcare Inc. that was submitted to the Bourbon County Appraiser listed the KSA 79-201b statute that would authorize the exemption: “Property exempt from taxation; hospitals, public hospital authority, adult care homes, children’s homes, group housing of certain handicapped persons, housing for elder persons and single-parent families. The following described property, to the extent herein specified, shall be and is hereby exempt from all property or ad valorem taxes levied under the laws of the state of Kansas.” Under KSA 79-201b First. “All real property and tangible personal property, actually and regularly used exclusively for hospital purposes by a hospital as the same is defined by KSA 65-425.” KSA 65-452 defines hospitals and other facilities as used in this act. 65-452 (a) “General Hospital” means an establishment with an organized medical staff of physicians; with permanent facilities that include inpatient beds; and with medical services, including physicians services, and continuous registered professional nursing service for not less than 24 hours of every, to provide diagnosis and treatment for patients who have a variety of medical conditions.”

 

Legacy Healthcare Foundation has never housed a hospital setting in the “old Mercy Hospital” even though part of the Donation Agreement that was signed on November 17th, 2022, states that they would “include development of an Acute Care Hospital and Ancillary Services.” If this was Legacy Healthcare Foundations intentions then why was the Acute Care Hospital and Ancillary Services not initiated and an application not completed upon receipt of the “old Mercy Hospital Building” in November of 2022?

 

On September 12, 2024 The Board of Tax Appeal State of Kansas in the matter of the application of Legacy Healthcare Foundation for exemption from Ad Valorem Taxation in Bourbon County Kansas was granted exemption of the “old Mercy Hospital building.” According to the Board of Tax Appeals Docket No. 2024-1192-TX Order the application for exemption from ad valorem taxation is granted from November 17, 2022, and each succeeding year, so long as the property continues to be used for exempt purposes. In the event the exempt property ceases to be used for exempt purposes, the applicant must report that fact to the Bourbon County Appraiser within 30 days. So the abatement was given on a building that does not house a hospital setting. The order also stated that Any party who is aggrieved by this order may file a written petition for reconsideration with this Board as provided in KSA 77-529 within 30 days from the date of certification of this order. We as a community would not have known that this request for a tax exemption of the hospital no hospital building was even being pursued. The 2023 and 2024 property taxes that were deeded to Legacy Healthcare Inc. in the donation agreement have not been paid, which included their property taxes on the old hospital building and on the land that surrounds the old hospital building, and the three lots that Legacy divided that includes 0 S. Horton, O Hwy 69, and 0 Woodland Hills. The old hospital building taxes as of 2024 that were abated was around $400 thousand.

 

It was recently discovered that Legacy Healthcare Foundation, a California Non-profit corporation created a Warranty Deed on November 4th, 2024. This Kansas Entity Special Warranty Deed made and entered into this 14th day of July, 2024, by and between Legacy Healthcare Foundation, a California non-profit corporation as Grantor, and Kansas RE Investment Group LLLP, (a Georgia Domestic LLLP) as Grantee, whose mailing address is 401 Woodland Hills Blvd, Fort Scott, Kansas 66701. Witnesseth, that the Grantor, for and in consideration of the sum of One Dollar and other good and valuable consideration paid by the Grantee, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged by Grantor does by these presents Grant, Bargain, Sell and Convey unto the Grantee,the following described Real Estate situated in the County of Bourbon, State of Kansas, to wit:

 

                   Lots 1 & 2, MERCY HEALTH SYSTEMS OF KANSAS TO THE CITY OF FORT SCOTT, BOURBON COUNTY, KANSAS

 

 It was discovered that Legacy still holds the mortgage and they assigned the mortgage to Pasadena Private Lending, INC. formed in Delaware. Filed with the State of California Office of the Secretary of State on January 30th, 2024 “STATEMENT AND DESIGNATION-OUT OF STATE STOCK CORPORATION.” Agent Craig Colbath, 2 North Lake, Suite 510, Pasadena,CA. 91101

 

What burden of expenses has our County Commissioners and Attorney, Bourbon County REDI, and Legacy imposed upon the Bourbon County taxpayers using Bourbon County/State and Federal Funds? Decision after decision has been made regarding the need for a hospital. The amount of time and money and effort in coming up with a solution seems to always fall back on the taxpayers of our community. When you add up the monetary figures that have gone into the Legacy Healthcare Foundation and its failure to provide an Acute Care Hospital per the Donation Agreement the total figure is staggering.

 

Feasibility Study $1 million dollars (City 200k & County $800K)

Mercy Hospital assets assessment of the building $19.6 million dollars

$2 million dollars

($1 million dollars from citizens donations)

($1 million dollars donation from a foundation.)

Mercy monetary donation of $600 thousand

________________________________________________________

Grand Total – 23.2 million dollars

 

Bourbon County REDI

(established on August 9, 2021)

Expenditures reports from the City and County for the years of 2021 thru 2024

Was given $855,017.68

 

County ¼ cent sales Tax effective October 1, 2024 to help “attract” Emergency

Services by funding approximately $750,000 thousand  dollars annually over the next 5 years.

Estimate total $3,750,000.00

 

Taxes on the Mercy/Legacy No Hospital Building

2024 showed that no taxes have been paid on any of the donated“Real Property” for 2023-2024

Balance $409,828.23

 

Application of Tax Abatement submitted on March 11, 2024 by Legacy for years at issue 2022

A Tax Abatement request was granted by the Board of Tax Appeals State of Kansas on September 9th, 2024.

Eliminating $354,131.35 dollars off of our existing tax records for the next 10 years.

Estimated Total $1,805,131.90

(May I remind you that the 2025 budgets are already in place and the County, City, School Districts, and Fort Scott Community College.will be affected.)

Total of all figures above $30,019,977.81

This does not include the legal funds and ancillary funds surrounding the process.

 

AND STILL NO HOSPITAL

Bourbon County Local News