K-State Extension

Annual Flowers Need Attention to Keep Blooming

Leave a comment
Krista Harding
District Extension Agent, Horticulture
Southwind Extension District
111 S. Butler
Erie, KS 66733
Office: 620-244-3826
Cell: 620-496-8786

 

What an unusually rainy spring and summer we have had! This makes three summers in a row that we have received excessive rainfall. Our soils have definitely been saturated. You may think that watering won’t be needed for quite some time since soil moisture levels are very high. However, watering may be needed much sooner than you think.

Excessive rain can drive oxygen out of the soil and literally drown roots. Therefore, as we enter hotter, drier weather, the plants with damaged root systems may be very susceptible to lack of water. Don’t forget to check your plants for signs of wilting or leaf scorching and water as needed.

The excessive rainfall has also depleted our soils of nitrogen. If your annual flowers haven’t been overly impressive yet, they may need a shot of fertilizer.

Annual flowers have been bred to flower early and over a long period of time. Providing nitrogen through the growing season (sidedressing) will help maintain flower display. A high nitrogen fertilizer applied every four to six weeks is helpful during a rainy summer or if flower beds are irrigated.

Common sources of nitrogen-only fertilizers include nitrate of soda, urea, and ammonium sulfate. Use only one of the listed fertilizers and apply at the rate given:

  • Nitrate of soda (16-0-0) – Apply ¾ pound fertilizer per 100 square feet
  • Urea (46-0-0) – Apply ¼ pound fertilizer per 100 square feet
  • Ammonium sulfate (21-0-0) – Apply ½ pound fertilizer per 100 square feet

If you cannot find the above materials, you can use a lawn fertilizer that is about 30 percent nitrogen (nitrogen is the first number in the set of three) and apply it at the rate of 1/3 pound per 100 square feet. Do not use a fertilizer that contains a weed killer or a weed preventer.

Removing spent flowers or “deadheading” will help some plants bloom more profusely. Annuals focus their energy on seed production to insure that the species survives. If old flowers are removed, the energy normally used to produce seed is now available to produce more flowers. Deadheading is as easy as pinching the plant between the thumb and finger, but tough, wiry stems will require the use of scissors or pruning shears.

Plants that do increase blooms in response to deadheading include: hardy geraniums, coreopsis, some petunias, marigolds, snapdragons, begonias, some roses, zinnias, sweet peas, salvia, blanket flower and yarrow.

There are some “self-cleaning” plants on the market now. These plants drop their spent flowers and bloom again and do not require manual deadheading. In many cases they are sterile varieties – bred not to produce seeds. The petunia and rose varieties that are “self-cleaning” continue to excel in the home garden market because of their low maintenance and blooming power.

If you need help with any horticulture topic, give me a call.

Krista Harding is a K-State Research and Extension Agricultural agent assigned to Southwind District. She may be reached at [email protected] or 62-244-3826.

K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Opinion

Whose Fault Is It? by Gregg Motley

Leave a comment
Gregg Motley. President of the Bourbon County Economic Development Council. Submitted photo.

What was the population of Bourbon County at its peak? When was it? What about the incorporated cities in the county? What about the cities that have folded? What is the current population? Here is the list:

Bourbon County 28,575 in 1890; 14,653 in 2018

Bronson 595 in 1910; 305 in 2019

Fort Scott 11,946 in 1890; 7,697 in 2019

Fulton 506 in 1890; 155 in 2019

Mapleton 251 in 1930; 81 in 2019

Redfield 269 in 1920; 143 in 2019

Uniontown 371 in 1980; 264 in 2019

Wikipedia lists 12 communities in BB that are no longer incorporated, including Devon, Garland, Hammond, Hiattville, and Xenia, to name a few. It is also interesting to note that Bourbon County has historically been fairly balanced in the population mix between rural and urban residences.

Our county is half the size it was, and many communities have contracted by more than one-half. More communities have ceased to exist than are currently still incorporated.

Who is at fault? The short answer is no one, and everyone.

Many people, using 20/20 hindsight, blame past commissioners, but that is naïve. No one could have foreseen the megatrends of the 20th and 21st centuries that have challenged rural America. Obviously, it is silly to blame the current commissioners or anyone government entity. No commission has raised the levy in the six years I have been here; in fact, it has been lowered in recent years. The blame game started long ago and continues to this day. It has divided us into parochial camps.

We have become a victim of simple math: less people to pay the growing cost of government means the people that remain pay more. People get tired of paying more, and then they leave. Potential new people look at the cost of living here and chose to live elsewhere.

Now that we know that we cannot resist the forces that created our predicament, it is time to play offense and defense…together. We must reduce the cost of government (at least stop the steady increase), invest in problem-solving and work to attract new businesses/residents.

Lastly, we are going to have to give up some of our parochial natures. Yes, civic pride is desirable, but not to the exclusion of fellow residents of the county. Drop your grudges, work to reestablish trust, and let’s reach across artificial geographic lines and become a team. As Ben Franklin once said, “We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.”

COVID-19, Government, Health Care, Kansas

KDHE Encourages Vaccinations and Precautions this Fourth of July Weekend

Leave a comment

 

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) urges Kansans to take proactive measures this holiday weekend to protect themselves and their loved ones from the rapidly spreading Delta variant.

“As we all begin to travel and gather with friends and family, it’s critically important to keep our communities and loved ones safe,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “We all have a role to play in preventing the spread of COVID-19, especially as new strains emerge. We can all do our part to keep our communities safe by getting vaccinated and following the CDC guidelines.”

This week, Kansas has recorded 1,211 news cases, 12 deaths and also seen an increase in the presence of the Delta variant. There are three deaths recorded in Kansas attributable to the Delta variant.

“This is a fast-spreading variant that spreads quickly in communities that have the lowest vaccination rates,” Dr. Lee Norman, KDHE Secretary said.  “Please get vaccinated and in the interim, please take precautions to protect yourself and your loved ones.”

If Kansans are planning to attend large gatherings, here are additional recommendations from CDC:

If you have COVID-19 symptoms, stay home.

Stay at least 6 feet away from people who do not live with you.

  • You are more likely to get or spread COVID-19 when you are in close contact with people who don’t live with you.
  • Remember that people without symptoms or with a recent negative test result can still spread COVID-19 to others.
  • Choose safer outdoor venues if possible.
  • Choose venues that limit seating and allow for social distancing and select your seat or place to stand based on your ability to stay at least 6 feet from others.
  • Arrive to the event early or at off-peak times to avoid crowding and congested areas.
  • Avoid using restroom facilities or concession areas at high traffic times, such as intermission, half-time, or immediately after the event.

Avoid crowded, poorly ventilated indoor spaces.

  • As much as possible, avoid crowds and indoor spaces that do not offer fresh air from the outdoors.
  • You are less likely to get or spread COVID-19 during outdoor activities. Look for seating options that are outside or have proper ventilation with outdoor air, such as tents that have open doors or rolled up sides.

Wear a mask.

  • Wear a mask with two or more layers to stop the spread of COVID-19 to protect yourself and others.
  • Wear your mask over your nose and mouth, secure it under your chin, and make sure it fits snugly against the sides of your face.
  • Keep a spare mask in case your mask becomes wet from moisture in your breath or from snow or rain.

If you have symptoms or were exposed to someone diagnosed with COVID-19, get tested. Testing is available by visiting KnowbeforeyougoKS.com.

To find a vaccine near you, visit www.vaccines.gov/.

###

Government, Kansas

Kansas Public Affairs Contact Info

Leave a comment

UPDATED: Public Affairs Contact Information

Department of Administration
Contact: Samir Arif
Email:[email protected]
Phone number: (785) 813-1726

Department for Aging and Disability Services
Contact: Cara Sloan
Email: [email protected]
Phone number: (785) 296-0807

Department of Agriculture
Contact: Heather Lansdowne
Email: [email protected]
Phone number: (785) 564-6706

Department for Children and Families
Contact: Mike Deines
Email: [email protected]
Phone number: (785) 296-0537

Department of Commerce
Contact: Dena Sattler
Email: [email protected]
Phone number: (785) 581.3581

Department of Corrections
Contact: Carol Pitts
Email: [email protected]
Phone number: (785) 250-4034

Adjutant General  & Kansas Division of Emergency Management
Contact: Jane Welch
Email: [email protected] 
Phone number: (785) 646-0092

Department of Health and Environment
Contact: Kristi Zears
Email: [email protected]
Phone number: (785) 296-1317

Kansas Highway Patrol
Contact: Captain Thomas Spencer
Email: [email protected]
Phone number: (785) 296-6800

Kansas Historical Society
Contact: Bobbie Athon
Email: [email protected]
Phone number: (785) 272-8681, ext. 262

 Department of Labor
Contact: Becky Shaffer
Email: [email protected]

Department of Revenue
Contact: Zach Fletcher
Email: [email protected]
Phone number: (785) 296-0671

Office of Recovery
Contact: Sarah Miller
Email: [email protected]
Phone number: (785) 250-7068

Department of Transportation
Contact: Steve Hale
Email: [email protected]
Phone number: (785) 217-5091

Kansas Water Office
Contact: Katie Ingels
Email: [email protected]
Phone number: (785) 296-3185

Department of Wildlife and Parks
Contact: Nadia Reimer
Email: [email protected]
Phone number: (785) 338-3036

Bourbon County, Government

Tiana McElroy Selected as New Bourbon County Attorney

Leave a comment
Tiana McElroy. Submitted photo taken last evening by a committee person at the event.

Tiana McElroy, 46,  was selected on July 1 to be the new Bourbon County Attorney, replacing Jacqui Spradling, who resigned.

McElroy has practiced law since August 2004, primarily criminal law, she said.

“I started as the Assistant Bourbon County Attorney in January 2018 and left Bourbon County for Cherokee County at the beginning of this year, (to be its) assistant county attorney,” she said.

McElroy attended Washburn University from 2001 to 2004 earning a Bachelor of Arts in History then a Juris Doctorate.

Her hometown is Leavenworth.

She became an attorney to “make a difference,” she said. “I feel like I’m making a difference, no matter how small.”

Her goal in the new position?

“To make the office more transparent,” she said. “I want the public to trust in the office again.”

“I’ll be full-time,” McElroy said. “I don’t have expectations that it will be 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. I will be there as needed, but the position is classified as part-time.” She will be in her office five days a week.

She said the position is classified part-time, but she will go before the Bourbon County Commission and request they make the position full-time.

There is a backlog of cases to be tried, according to Bourbon County Counselor Justin Meeks. “Some of it because of COVID,” he said.

McElroy is the mother of two daughters, ages 13 and 16.

“I do not plan on moving to Fort Scott at this time so my children can finish school in Columbus,” she said.  “I am certainly open to moving to Bourbon County once they have graduated from high school.”

The Process of Selecting A New County Attorney

A meeting was held July 1 of the Bourbon County Republicans to select a new county attorney. There were seven candidates who introduced themselves, Chairman Mark McCoy said.

In addition to McElroy,  Meeks, Linus Thuston (the Neosho County Attorney), Jeffrey Williams (a private practice attorney), David Graham ( a practicing attorney), James Brun (recently Linn County Attorney) and Steven Ellis (the mayor of Spring Hill and a practicing attorney) applied for the position.

The party leaders asked questions of each candidate, he said.

The general public was allowed a brief time to speak for or against a candidate then left the meeting, The chair, vice-chair, secretary, and treasurer, along with committee people of the party, remained to deliberate, McCoy said.

“The party, I believe, did a complete and thorough job and I am very, very comfortable with the outcome,” of McElroy being selected, he said.

McElroy will begin her duties as soon as the governor approves the selection, McCoy said.

“Today, I will send a certified, notarized letter to the governor’s office,” he said.

McElroy should be in her new position in a few weeks. The county attorney’s office is on the second floor of the Bourbon County Courthouse.

The Bourbon County Courthouse, 210 S. National Avenue.

 

Opinion

Read the Fine Print by Patty LaRoche

Leave a comment
Patty LaRoche

“Always read the fine print, from beginning to end.” Great advice from my lawyer-friend. My son is getting married mid-July. Finding a dress to wear for a mountaintop wedding has been a nuptial nightmare, especially since the bride’s mother already has found the perfect ensemble and emailed me a picture of it. The fact that she is a size 6 and I am…well, not, is somewhat disconcerting. (On another note, I am convinced we all will be size 4’s in Heaven.) My friend Marti has been on an internet mission to help me find something stunning. Two days ago, she came across a site that offered an array of sharp, flowing outfits, designed to hide the inner-tube that has, thanks to menopause–and possibly chocolate chip cookies– inexplicably surfaced around my waist. I selected three “hopefuls.” As I was placing my order, intending to return whichever two I did not want, I continued scrolling and was not happy with what I read. The dresses came from China so, in order to return them, I would pay 50% of their cost, plus shipping. Too, there was no real guarantee on the date they would arrive in Kansas. That was the end of that. There is no end to the “Read the fine print” warnings. Fancy-schmancy resorts have been known to hide extra costs in their small print. A $1500 trip can easily turn into a $2000 one based on what the company fails to reveal in its ad. My husband, Dave, recently had a charge of $74.46 for a product he had ordered two months previous. Come to find out, he did not read the fine print from beginning to end: “Approximately 3-4 weeks after your first order is shipped, and approximately every 12 weeks thereafter, you’ll be sent a new 90-day supply of _____.” My Luke Bryan tickets, purchased last year with insurance protection, ended up not protected “should an epidemic occur.” Of course, that was printed on the 244th (wee exaggeration) page of the insurance policy which I did not have four hours to read. There definitely is a benefit to reading to the end, even if it takes a magnifying glass to do so. After home economics teacher Donna Andrews booked her vacation to London, she read the travel insurance policy completely, and that’s where she discovered that it pays to read the fine print. Literally. As the first person to do so, Andrews received a $10,000 prize. It was an effort by Squaremouth to improve travel insurance literacy by encouraging customers to review the entire policy. Squaremouth estimates that less than 1% of travelers who buy travel insurance read all of their policy information. “We’re working to change that,” says Squaremouth CEO Chris Harvey. I love that the Bible has no fine print add-ons. There are no surprises, no “Oops! That really didn’t happen, but it’s a great story, don’t you think?” superfluities. Nowhere in small lettering is anything like “There really is a hidden cost to following the Savior.” That’s because what you read is what you get. Jesus walked on water. He healed the blind. He cured crazy people. He scolded religious leaders. And his disciples, chickens who went into hiding upon his death, turned into fearless, outspoken leaders following his resurrection. Jesus changed history. Forever. And ever. From beginning to end.

Bourbon County, Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

What’s Happening In Fort Scott July 2 Newsletter

Leave a comment
What’s Happening in Fort Scott!
July 2nd Weekly Newsletter
ACCEPTING TEAM REGISTRATIONS!
*SPONSORS
*RAFFLE ITEMS
*DONATIONS/SWAG BAGS
APPLY ONLINE!
CLICKHERE.
UPCOMING CALENDAR OF EVENTS
________________
TROLLEY TOURS!
Every Friday & Saturday!
50-minute Narrated Trolley Tour
of Historic Fort Scott. Every hour on the hour. Depart from The Fort Scott
Chamber at 231 E. Wall St.
Friday hours: 11 am until 3 pm
Saturday hours: 10 am until 3 pm.
$6 Adults & $4 for 12 yrs & under.
7/2 – Downtown Retailers Roundtable hosted by the Chamber 8:15-9:30am at the Chamber office, to collaborate on shopping events & promotions for the coming months, RSVP to the Chamber at [email protected].
7/2 – Ryan Hall Live Band, 7 pm at The Boiler Room Bewhaus! 2 S. National St.
7/2 – 7/8 – Fort Scott Cinema. Now showing: Petter Rabbit 2, Boss Baby 2, F9: Fast & Furious 9, Black Widow. Click here for more info.
7/3 – Bourbon County Carpool Tour – History of Marmaton/Marmiton. 8:30 am leaving from
Memorial Hall. Pre-Registration is required. Click here for more information.
7/3 – FSHS Volleyball Bake Sale Fundraiser at Nu-Grille, starting at 7:30 until 10 am.
7/3 – Friends of the Fort hosting a Ceremony Honoring Donation of the Lunette Blair Bldg. to the Fort Scott National Historic Site and National Park Service at Skubitz Plaza, 11am.
7/3 thru 7/5 – The Fort Scott National Historic Site welcomes you to Celebrate Independence weekend with the Sights and Sounds of 1860’s Military Fireworks. Guided Tours, Artillery Demonstrations & much more. Click here for the full schedule of events for each day.
7/3 – Farmers’ Market, 8 am to noon, Skubitz Plaza in front of the Fort. Bourbon County Democrats serving Breakfast on the Bricks this Saturday, click here for more info.
7/3 – The City Fireworks Display at FSCC Lawn by 9:15 pm, sponsored by the Elks Lodge, tune into KOMB All Hit 103.9 for patriotic music to coincide with the fireworks! Fort Scott Nazarene at 18th & Horton will be handing out popsicles & bottled water prior to the display starting at 8pm until supplies run out.
7/3 – The City of Uniontown Independence Festival starting at 6:30 with live music, inflatables, selfie bar, vendors in the park & Firework Display at dark (9:15 pm)
7/3 & 7/4 – Lake Fort Scott Fireworks at dark, both Saturday & Sunday nights at dark residents of Lake Fort Scott will be shooting displays of fireworks. Park in the public areas around the lake and enjoy!
7/4 – 39th Annual Burke St. 4th of July Parade.
12pm, 10th Burke St. Click here for event info.
7/5, 7/6 & 7/9 – Museum of Creativity – OPEN PLAY SEASON. Admission – $3/person (free-4-1 yr old) Monday, Thurs. & Fri. 10 am – 2 pm
Friday also at 4 pm – 8 pm. Click here for info.
7/5 ~ The Lavender Patch Farm To learn more about events & hours open,click here.
June & July Hours open daily. Thurs. thru Mon. Closed 7/2 thru 7/4.
7/7 – HR Roundtable hosted by the Chamber 8:15-9:30am, Ag Hall at FSCC (just north of Arnold Arena), Human Resources professionals representing local businesses are invited to connect and share hiring challenges and needs, light refreshments will be provided, RSVP to the Chamber at [email protected].
7/7 – Dare to Dream Women’s Entrepreneurship Series, 5-7 pm including dinner catered by Sharky’s, childcare provided. Panelists include Dacia Clark of the Small Business Development Center, Bailey Lyons of Lyons Realty Group, and Kelly Perry of Perry’s Pork Rinds, click here for more info. and to register.
7/8 to 7/11 – Midwest Showcase Baseball Tournament III, LaRoche Baseball Complex.
7/9 & 7/10 – ACRA-IPRA Rodeo, 8pm each evening as part of the Bourbon County Fair, discounted advance tickets on sale now at the Chamber, see flyer below for more details!
7/9 to 7/17 – Bourbon County Fair, activities for everyone to watch or take part in, click here for the full Fair schedule!
7/10 – Roller Skating at Buck Run Community Center, doors open 6:30 pm, skating 7-9 pm, click here for more info.
7/10 – Boiler Room Brewhaus presents Alyssa Galvan Live, 7-9pm, click here for more info.
SAVE THE DATE:
CHAMBER GOLF CLASSIC
Friday, July 23rd, click here to register!
SHOPPING ~ SUPPORT LOCAL!
Downtown Fort Scott is booming!
Click here for Chamber member
specialty shopping & other retail in
Downtown & other areas of the community.
Fort Scott Area
Chamber of Commerce
620-223-3566
In This Issue
Chamber Highlights
Click here for our
Membership Directory.
We THANK our members for their support! Interested in joining the Chamber?
Click here for info.
Thinking of doing business in or relocating to Fort Scott?
Contact us for a relocation packet, information on grants & incentives, and more!
Seeking a job/career?
We post a Job of the Day daily on our Facebook page, distribute a monthly job openings flyer, and post jobs on our website.
Many opportunities available!
Housing needs?
Click here for a listing of our Chamber member realtors.
Click here for our rental listing.
FITNESS FOR EVERYONE IN FS!
Many fitness options are available…
SPIN classesnow offered bySmallville Athletics, every Mon & Wed at 5:15 pm, and Tu & Thurs at 6 pm. $5/class or $50/mo. unlimited.
Total Body Fitness ~ M & W Karen Reinbolt at BRCC@
8:15 am $20/8 week session.
Zumba~ M,W, F @ 6pm Monalynn Decker at BRCC $40 for a 12-week session.
Indoor Fitness/Gyms at
I AM Rehab + Fitness, Smallville Athletics, and Buck Run!
THANK YOU TO OUR CHAMBER BOOSTER MEMBERS!
Bourbon County, Government

Bourbon County Commission Minutes of June 25

Leave a comment

June 25, 2021                                               Friday 10:00 am

 

The Bourbon County Commission met in open session with all three Commissioners, the County Counselor and the County Clerk present.

 

Also present were the following: (some were present for a portion of the meeting and some were present for the entire meeting), Jason Silvers with the Fort Scott Tribune, Susan Bancroft, Josh Jones, Greg Motley, Rob Harrington, Charles Gentry, Mr. & Mrs. Clint Walker, Anne Dare, and two employees from Mercy Hospital.

 

The Commissioners held the special meeting to discuss the donation of the Mercy Hospital building to Bourbon County.  Clifton is having someone look at the roof to see what needs repaired.  The building would be donated to the County along with $600,000 (the money would be donated for the needed repairs), the building would be donated As is.  There are controls & deed restrictions on what the property can be used for a period of 5 years; the following are not permitted… abortion clinic, counseling service which recommends sterilization or abortions, prescribing or dispensing medicines or chemicals for such, a political action group advocating abortions, signs promoting abortions or an adult bookstore, x-rated movie theater, topless bar, or similar establishment.  Justin said if the County gave away the land, the restrictions would have to be followed by the new owners as well. Justin said there is a newer buried gas tank there which is used for the generators.    CHC has some of the land at this location, Justin said the helicopter pad is part of CHC’s portion.  Justin said there are currently tenants there and their leases would have to be honored.  Justin said some title work has been started through Security 1st Title Company; Clifton made a motion to allow the local title company to move forward with the title commitment and that the title company do the closing, Jim seconded and all approved.  Rob Harrington presented the Commissioners with Cooperative agreement and asked that the Commissioners use $1 million of the ARPA funds (Bourbon County will be getting $2.8 million total in ARPA funds) towards a feasibility study. He said this cooperative agreement would be between Bourbon County and Noble Health Corporation to do a feasibility study regarding if it’s feasible to bring a hospital back to the community.  The Cooperative agreement would move forward with the feasibility study; the study would provide a market study, financial and demographic analysis and health data to show if this area can support a hospital.  Rob said if the feasibility study comes back positive then the developer would begin working on opening a new healthcare facility in Bourbon County.  Rob said the $1 million would be given to Noble Health Corporation to hire a 3rd party company to do a feasibility study.  Clifton said the study will cost close to $1.5 million total, which Noble Health will be paying a portion of.  Susan Bancroft said the major planned use for APRA funds is healthcare.  Rob said the feasibility study could later be used to go after grants for the facility.  Lynne said the closing of Mercy Hospital had a negative impact on the community and said he thought there was a good possibility of bringing back a hospital.  Rob said the study should take 3-4 months to complete.  Clifton said they have asked the City to participate in this as well and said if nothing else it will put to bed on whether we can have a hospital here or not.  Justin said they could have until next Tuesday to finalize this and said this is a different style of medical care.  Clifton said cooperate healthcare will not work in Fort Scott.  Noble Health has purchased and is operating 2 hospitals in Missouri; they are bringing back healthcare to rural areas.  Clifton said that Noble Health is not agreeing to bring a hospital here, but are agreeing to partner with Bourbon County to see what will work here, he said it will not be a full-blown hospital.  Clifton said if this works and Noble comes here, they are excited to work with Ascension, CHC and any other local providers.  Rob said this has been a great collaborative effort between Bourbon County, the City and Economic Development.  Justin said that Security 1st can get the commitment of policy next week.  The Commissioners plan to discuss the Mercy donation agreement again on June 29th.  Jim said he hoped this works for our healthcare.  Clifton said this is a community effort and said the community needs to support Ascension, CHC and Noble Health.  Clifton said that Ascension and CHC did a good job during COVID but said it could’ve been better with hospital beds in our area.  Clifton said they were not using property tax money to do this; he said they were using Federal money, he said if they don’t use this money, they would have to use a different way or give the money back.  Justin said the current service contracts would have to be assumed by the Commission and said the current tenants would need to have the same environment they are used to.  Clifton questioned if the County would have to use the current providers; they do not, but must provide the same service.  Justin said he thought that landscaping, mowing and waste management could be done internally.  Jim suggested, if necessary, when the current contracts expire that they look for different providers.  Justin said a current resident for the Mercy building hasn’t finalized their lease agreement with Mercy yet; Mercy is working on the lease.  Clifton said it wasn’t his intention to own the building for a long period of time; Justin said that could happen.  The ambulance service has been subsidized by Bourbon County for many years.

 

Jim made a motion to go into a 10-minute executive session for KSA 75-4319(b) (1) to discuss personnel matters of individual non-elected personnel to protect their privacy to discuss job performance, the Commissioners will meet in another location and reconvene in the Commission room at 11:11, Clifton seconded and all approved, (the session included the Commissioners, Justin Meeks and Josh Jones).  At 11:12, Clifton made a motion to resume the regular session with no action, Jim seconded and all approved.

 

Clifton made a motion to go into a 15-minute executive session for KSA 75-4319(b) (1) to discuss personnel matters of individual non-elected personnel to protect their privacy related to job function, the Commissioners will meet in another location and reconvene in the Commission room at 11:28, Jim seconded and all approved, (the session included the Commissioners, Justin and Josh Jones).  At 11:28, Clifton made a motion to resume the normal session with action, Jim seconded and all approved.  Jim made a motion that the County do a joint agreement with the City of Fort Scott regarding hiring an HR director as a shared service, the position will answer to the County Commission, Clifton seconded and all approved.

 

At 11:29, Clifton made a motion to adjourn, Jim seconded and all approved.

 

THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

OF BOURBON COUNTY, KANSAS

(ss) Lynne Oharah, Chairman

(ss) Jim Harris, Commissioner

(ss) Clifton Beth, Commissioner

ATTEST:

Kendell Mason, Bourbon County Clerk
June 29, 2021, Approved Date

 

Bourbon County Local News