The City Commission will meet at City Hall in the City Commission meeting room for their meeting at 6:00 p.m. this evening.
The City Commission will meet at City Hall in the City Commission meeting room for their meeting at 6:00 p.m. this evening.

USD 235 Board of Education Reopening Plan
(Approved November 24, 2020)
This is a working document and a fluid situation that can change with little warning or notice. For that reason, adjustments to the model of instruction, the requirements for personal protective equipment, and the suggestions listed within this document may change.
Learning Models- In-Person, Hybrid, Remote Partnership
Masks- Masks are Required
Winter Activities Students who choose the Remote Learning option will not be eligible to participate in KSHSAA or School-sponsored
extra-curricular activities.
USD #235 is planning on having all students who feel comfortable using the in-person model.
For those who feel concerned about that context, we are offering the Remote Partnership.
Students in this partnership would be able to transition to the In-Person model with ease.
The Hybrid model will only be used as deemed necessary by the Bourbon County Health Department.
Furthermore, using the Remote Partnership for all students will only be used in extreme cases where students are not allowed to come to the buildings. We hope to be able to provide some advanced warning of the need to transition, but we have not received a clarification on how much notice we can expect.
IN-PERSON
HEALTH
● Visitors-
○ In general, visitors will not be permitted to enter the building. The speaker connected to our door system will be utilized or someone will come to the door to address any situation needing attention from an outside party.
○ Students being picked up from school will be taken to their party at the main entry instead of the visitor entering the facility.
○ IEP meeting attendees will be required to complete the adult screening process and wearing a mask is required while in the building. Failure to pass the screening process by key stakeholders will result in a rescheduling of that meeting.
○ School Parties – At this time we will not allow outside visitors.
○ Lunch Visitors – No lunch visitors allowed.
○ TeamMates Mentoring- No mentors will be allowed.
● Masks-
○ All students and staff are required to wear a mask except when meeting the criteria listed in the executive order (20-68).
■ a. Persons age five years or under—children age two years and under in particular should not wear a face-covering because of the risk of suffocation;
■ b. Persons with a medical condition, mental health condition, or disability that prevents wearing a face-covering—this includes persons with a medical condition for whom wearing a face-covering could obstruct breathing or who are unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove a face- covering without assistance;
■ c. Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing, or communicating with a person who is deaf or hard of hearing, where the ability to see the mouth is essential for communication;
■ d. Persons for whom wearing a face covering would create a risk to the person related to their work, as determined by local, state, or federal regulators or workplace safety guidelines;
■ e. Persons who are obtaining a service involving the nose or face for which temporary removal of the face-covering is necessary to perform the service;
■ f. Persons who are seated at a restaurant or other establishment thatoffers food or beverage service, while they are eating or drinking,provided they maintain a 6-foor distance between individuals (not including individuals who reside together) with only infrequent or incidental moments of closer proximity;
■ g. Athletes who are engaged in an organized sports activity that allows athletes to maintain a 6-foot distance from others ;
■ h. Persons engaged in any lawful activity during which wearing a mask or other face-covering is prohibited by law.
○ Mask Definition-
■ a. “Face covering” means a covering of the nose and mouth that is
secured to the head with ties, straps, or loops over the ears or is simply wrapped around the lower face. A face covering can be made of a variety of synthetic and nature fabrics, including cotton, silk, or linen. Ideally, a face covering has two or more layers.
○ A face shield may be worn in conjunction with a mask, but does not meet the requirements in and of itself.
● Hand-washing or Hand-sanitizing
○ Students must complete one or the other at an interval no less than 1 hour. (20-59)
● Screening- To be completed once per day before entering the building.
○ Adults
■ Affirmation that they have not been in close contact with anyone who has COVID-19.
■ Questionnaire of symptoms – Must exhibit fewer than 2.
■ Has a temperature of less than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit
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○ Students
■ We would ask parents to check for symptoms and/or temperature while still at home.
● Please error on the side of caution when possible.
■ Has a temperature of less than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit
● Students with a temperature between 99 and 100.4 degrees will be sent to the School Nurse for additional screening
● Social Distancing
○ All individuals are required to maintain 6 ft. of social distancing except for while during in-person instruction in a classroom or while a mask is being worn.
● Isolation of Symptomatic Students
○ Any student who is exhibiting symptoms will be sent to a specific isolation room to be held there until someone arrives to take them home.
○ Staff supervising the student/s will:
■ Maintain 6 ft of social distancing unless emergency medical attention is needed.
■ Wear gloves while touching the student or his/her belongings
■ A mask is highly recommended.
○ COVID 19 Symptoms Screening List
■ Fever (100.4 or higher)
■ Chills
■ Rigors
■ Body or Muscle Ache
■ Fatigue
■ Head-Ache
■ Sore Throat
■ Lower Respiratory Illness (cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing)
■ New loss of taste or smell
■ Diarrhea
● Exclusion from school
○ Students exhibiting 2 or more symptoms without other obvious explanations, will be sent home.
○ Symptomatic and untested
● 10 calendar days have passed since the first date of symptoms AND
● Fever-free for 72 hours without fever-reducing medication
○ Symptomatic and tested
■ Confirmed COVID Negative
● May return to school
■ Confirmed COVID Positive
● 10 calendar days have passed since the first date of symptoms AND
● Fever-free for 72 hours without fever-reducing medication AND
● Released to return to school by the Multi-County Health Department.
○ Asymptomatic close-contact and untested (within 6 ft for 10 or more minutes)● 14-day required quarantine starting at last contact regardless of symptoms.
○ Asymptomatic close-contact and tested
■ Confirmed COVID Positive
● Released to return to school by the Multi-County Health Department. AND
● No less than 10 days from the date of testing.
■ Confirmed COVID Negative
● Must complete 14-day quarantine since last date of contact regardless of symptoms
○ Travel Related Quarantine- Students or staff that have traveled to a location listed on the KDHE Travel Related Quarantine List are required to quarantine for 14 days.
■ List can be found at the following link
● https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/175/Travel-Exposure-Related-Isolation-Quaran
● School Response to Isolation or Quarantine
○ Block off the area until cleaning is complete.
○ Immediately clean all desks, lockers, and workspaces of the person with disinfectant.
○ Immediately identify close contacts (within 6 ft for 10 or more minutes) and collect the following information where applicable.
■ Names
■ Email Addresses
■ Phone Numbers
○ Immediately notify guardians (the individual with COVID must not be explicitly or implicitly identified)
○ 14-day quarantine starts the day after the last contact (next calendar day)
○ Share a list of close contacts with the local health dept. (Rebecca Johnson/ Alice Maffett)
CLASSROOMS
● Use Hand-sanitizer at the beginning of class.
○ Teachers will distribute sanitizer.
● Furniture – Remove excess furniture or items of a nature that makes cleaning/disinfecting difficult.
● Arrangement-
○ Space students with as much social distancing as possible.
○ All students should face the same direction.
○ All students should have assigned seating
● Hygiene
○ Teach and model the following
■ Hand-washing
■ Mask usage and disposal
■ Coughing or sneezing into the elbow
■ No-touch celebrations (instead of high fives or handshakes)
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○ Disinfect after shared usage of spaces or items
● Breaks – We hope to be able to offer opportunities for students to go outside and remove their mask while social distancing. We hope to be mindful and empathetic to the need for students to have a break from wearing their mask.
COMMON SPACES
● Commons Area
○ All staff and students will be required to enter the building at the designated entrances for screening
○ If no screening adult is available, staff will report to the screening station at 7:30
● Hallways
○ Hand-sanitizing should be done prior to leaving.
○ Students will move through the hallways directionally in accordance with posted signs to access other spaces and limit bidirectional traffic.
○ Students will travel down the center of the hallway to limit touching of the wall/ lockers or interaction with other students.
○ Social Distancing should be maintained
● Lockers
○ Locker access will be limited as determined by the administration.
● Restrooms
○ Hand-sanitizing should be done prior to leaving the room.
○ Social distancing should be maintained
○ Students waiting to enter should not lean against the wall.
○ Custodial Staff will frequently clean handles, faucets, partition latches
● Cafeteria
○ Breakfast
■ Grab-and-go format available as students enter for those interested in participation.
■ Students will take their grab-and-go breakfast items to their homeroom/1st-hour class as they enter the building
■ Regular pricing per the Free and Reduced Lunch Application form will be applied.
○ Lunch
■ Hand-sanitizing should be done prior to entering the cafeteria.
■ Social distancing should be maintained. Students are only allowed to sit in designated seats.
■ Space in the cafeteria and commons area will be utilized.
■ Students will be served by kitchen staff instead of serving themselves.
■ Masks are not required while eating.
■ Tables should be thoroughly disinfected after each group of seated students
■ Regular pricing per the Free and Reduced Lunch Application form will be applied
● Playground-WBE
○ Hand-sanitizing should be done prior to leaving the room.
○ The playground will be divided into 4 quadrants. Students will play in their designated space during their recess.
○ Quadrants will rotate on a weekly basis.
○ Limited playground equipment will be available and be cleaned after recess sessions.
○ Hand-sanitizing should be done prior to entering the building for lunch
● Library-WBE
○ Hand-sanitizing should be done prior to entering the library and also before leaving.
○ Books must remain at school.
● Specials-WBE
○ Art, Music, Guidance
■ Staff will travel to the students or use an outside space.
■ Supplies cleaned between uses.
○ PE
■ Outside when possible, inside the gym as needed.
■ Supplies must be cleaned between uses.
TRANSITIONS
● Arrival
○ Buses and parent drop-offs will not be allowed prior to 7:40
○ Temperature screening of all students and staff
○ Must be less than 100.4 degree Fahrenheit
■ Isolation to the conference room if needed.
○ Students will go directly to class
■ Grab-and-Go Breakfast available to be consumed in the classroom
● During the day
○ Teachers will open and close the classroom doors to:
■ Aide in the supervision during transitions
■ Monitor directional hallway traffic and social distancing
■ Minimize contact spread opportunity on door knobs/handles
○ Social distancing should be employed
○ Travel directionally in hallways per posted signage
○ Hand-sanitizer upon entry of each new space
● Dismissal
○ Staggered release by cohort
FACILITIES
● Hand Sanitizing Stations
○ Main Entrances
○ Office Spaces
○ Cafeterias
● Signage
○ Directional Signs in Hallway
○ Social Distancing Markers
■ Cafeteria
■ Main Entrance
● Trash
○ Bags replaced daily by custodians wearing both gloves and a mask is highly recommended.
● Ventilation
○ Full-time use of ERV to constantly introduce outside air.
○ Ion scrubbers in HVAC systems
● Water Fountains
○ Water-bottle filling station utilized
○ Drinking fountain will be turned off and not be available
● Custodial Disinfecting
○ Fogging Disinfectant Daily
○ Touchpoint Cleaning- Daily
■ Doors/ Handles
■ Restroom Fixtures
■ Water Fountains
● Grounds and Exterior Surfaces
○ Playground Equipment (limited)- cleaning daily
○ Touchpoint cleaning on high-touch surfaces of playground structures
● Building Access/Use by Outside Group or Individuals – By Administrative Approval Only
FOOD SERVICE
● Breakfast
○ Grab-and-Go
○ Students eat in the classroom
○ Waste retrieved at 8:30 am by custodial staff
● Lunch
○ Hand-sanitizing before entering the cafeteria
○ Served lunches by the kitchen staff
○ Assigned seating that is social distanced
○ Disinfect tables/ seats between uses
● Vendors
○ All vendors must complete the screening requirements before entry.
TRANSPORTATION- BUS
● Sanitization- after each route
○ High touchpoint areas (rails, seat tops, etc.)
○ Vacuum seats
● Students
○ Assigned Seating
○ Hand-sanitizer for students entering buses
○ Social distance to the greatest extent possible
○ Masks are required.
● Drivers
○ Complete employee health screener prior to the 1st route of the day.
○ Masks are required.
● Screening
○ Daily temperature screening will be conducted when the bus arrives at school.
○ Students exhibiting symptoms of a fever of greater than 100.4 degrees will be sent home.
● Parent Drop-off/ Pick-up
○ WBE
■ Entry
● Students/ staff will enter through the East gym entrance
● Parents or other visitors will not be allowed entry unless for a pre-approved meeting.
● Staff will complete temperature screening upon entry.
● Guardians are asked to not pull away until this screening has taken place.
● Grab-and-go breakfast available
■ Exit/ Release
● All parent pickups will happen through the East gym doors.
○ UHS
■ Entry
● Students arriving who have not been transported by the bus will need to enter the East entrance (JH/ Board Office Entry).
● Temperature screening will be taken at the entry doors.
● If the student is being dropped off, please do not pull away until screening is complete.
■ Release
● Students will be released in a staggered format to limit hallway congestion.
● Students will need to abide by directional hallway rules during release.
The City Commission will meet for a special meeting at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 9th, 2021 at City Hall in the City Commission meeting room at 123 South Main Street, Fort Scott, Kansas. The City Commission will meet to interview candidates for the City Manager position. The City Commission will recess into Executive Session for these interviews.
This meeting is open to the public, but the Executive Session is not.
TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly will deliver the annual 2021 State of the State address virtually, on Tuesday, January 12, at 7:00 pm CT.
Who: Governor Laura Kelly
What: State of the State
When: 7:00 pm, Tuesday, January 12
Where: Governor Kelly’s Facebook page here:
https://www.facebook.com/GovLauraKelly,
or watch the broadcast on the following public television stations:
KTWU, KPTS, Smoky Hills Public Broadcasting.
TOPEKA – David Toland was sworn in as the 52nd Lieutenant Governor of Kansas in a ceremony today at the Kansas Statehouse.
Toland has served in the Kelly Administration as Secretary of Commerce since his appointment in January 2019. He will maintain the duties of Commerce Secretary while serving in this new role as Lieutenant Governor.
“There’s no doubt about it, this is a great day for Kansas,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “As Secretary of Commerce, David has spearheaded efforts to provide critical assistance for small businesses and rebuilt programs within the Department that make Kansas competitive on a global scale when it comes to business recruitment. He is a smart and dynamic leader, and is ready to step up on Day One to help our administration drive our economic recovery and keep Kansans healthy.”
Toland was sworn in by Judge Daniel Creitz, Chief Judge of Kansas’ 31st Judicial District and a fellow Iolan.
“I’m honored, excited and so very humbled to be Lieutenant Governor and Commerce Secretary working alongside Governor Kelly as she continues to rebuild our state and create a healthier, brighter and more prosperous future for all Kansans,” Lt. Governor Toland said. “I am sincerely grateful for Governor Kelly’s strong, steady quest to keep people safe and healthy, and help businesses and our communities recover and move forward. We will continue to work in a bipartisan, collaborative way on Kansas-specific strategies and solutions for the people of Kansas and the future of our state.”
As Commerce Secretary, Toland has overseen sweeping changes within the state’s lead economic development agency. Under his leadership, the Department has rebuilt its in-state, domestic and international business recruitment teams; launched the state’s Office of Broadband Development; re-established a Community Development division and the Kansas Main Street Program; and launched the state’s first new economic development strategic planning process since 1986.
Toland and his team have been at the forefront of Governor Kelly’s efforts to support the state’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, providing technical and financial assistance to thousands of small businesses. He also led negotiations on behalf of Governor Kelly that resulted in the end of the economic incentives “Border War” that existed between Kansas and Missouri for a decade.
Efforts across the Kansas Department of Commerce have resulted in over $2.5 billion in new capital investment by businesses in Kansas in 2020, an increase of nearly 80% over the previous year and the highest in state history.
Prior to joining the team at Commerce, Secretary Toland was the first CEO of Thrive Allen County, a nonprofit coalition that works to improve quality of life and economic conditions in Allen County, Kansas. A seventh-generation Allen Countian, Toland oversaw the organization in its efforts toward improving economic conditions, healthcare access and quality of life in the small, rural Kansas county. Toland holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Kansas.
Toland succeeds former Lieutenant Governor Lynn Rogers in this position after Rogers was appointed to be the 41st State Treasurer of Kansas, filling a position left by former Treasurer Jake LaTurner’s election to the U.S. House of Representatives.
Photos of the ceremony below available for media use:
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TOPEKA – Kansas’ December total tax collections continues the state’s trend of outperforming the estimate. Total tax collections were up $64.5 million, or 9.1%, for the month with $770.2 million collected. That is a $13.6 million, or 1.8%, increase from December of Fiscal Year 2020.
“While it appears that receipts are relatively stable, we must continue to be prudent and exercise caution as we move forward,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “Additionally, we are still determining the full impact that the recent federal COVID-19 relief package will have on state receipts.”
For December, retail sales tax collections were $201.9 million; a $6.9 million, or 3.6%, increase from the estimate. That is 0.5%, or $995,601, more than the same month of last fiscal year. Compensating use tax collections grew 34.4%, or $13.4 million, over last December with the collection of $52.1 million. That’s $7.1 million, or 15.9%, more than estimated.
“With the 2020 tax filing season starting this month, we will get a clearer picture of the economic implications the COVID-19 pandemic has presented over the last ten months and how to address those issues,” Revenue Secretary Mark Burghart said.
Individual income tax collections were $306.7 million; an increase of 2.2%, or $6.7 million, above the estimate. These collections were $9.5 million, or 3.0%, less than the same month of last fiscal year. Corporate income tax collections were $99.2 million for the month; $39.2 million, or 65.4%, more than estimated. That is $8.5 million, or 9.4%, more than last December.
Please find the revenue numbers here.
Agenda
Bourbon County Commission Room
1st Floor, County Courthouse
210 S. National Avenue
Fort Scott, KS 66701
Tuesdays starting at 9:00
Date: January 5, 2021
1st District-Lynne Oharah Minutes: Approved: _______________
2nd District-Jeff Fischer Corrected: _______________
3rd District-Clifton Beth Adjourned at: _______________
County Clerk-Kendell Mason
MEETING WILL BE HELD IN COMMISSION ROOM. ANYONE ATTENDING THE MEETING WILL BE REQUIRED TO WEAR A MASK PROVIDED BY THE COUNTY. MUST MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING.
NO MEETING

“The book is co-authored by my father, Russell Wilson,” said Connie Wilson. “He is a robust 91-years-old and he and my 91-year-old mother live in the house they have lived in since 1964 in Des Moines, Iowa.”
“It was a lifelong dream to write a book so that others could know the man he knew so well,” his daughter said in an email.

“I write to you because I think some folks in my hometown who remember me or know about Hughes’ legacy might
be interested in knowing about the book,” Russell Wilson said in an email.“During my time as a pastor at the Church of God in Ida Grove, Iowa, in the 1950s, I met Harold Hughes and we began a lifelong friendship.”
“I worked with him for four years in that capacity and we remained friends until his death,” Wilson said.“It has been my longtime dream to write a book revealing the character of this man as I knew him.”
Russell Wilson sent memories of his life in Fort Scott.
His parents were George and Ina Wilson, and they lived at 124 North Broadway.
“I went to Eugene Ware Grade School and graduated from Fort Scott High School in 1947, as well as attending a few classes at the community college,” Russell Wilson said in an email. “My
contemporaries would know me as ‘Guss’ Wilson.”
Russell Wilson’s email is
[email protected]
Due to the recent ice storm, the City’s tree dump will be open all week long from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Program to be Offered to Support Family Caregivers
A couple of months ago I wrote an article on supporting family caregivers. You might remember that I mentioned family caregivers, often referred to as informal caregivers, provide 90% of the long-term care offered in America. The value of the unpaid care they provide runs into the hundreds of billions of dollars.
Caregivers frequently experience the need to ‘do it all’. ‘Doing it all,’ from the caregiver’s perspective, may not include caring for themselves so they can thrive, and not just survive during their caregiving experience.
The Southwind Extension District is joining the Wildcat Extension District and also Sedgwick County Extension in offering Powerful Tools for Caregivers. This educational program is designed to support family caregivers in taking better care of themselves while caring for a relative or a friend. The program can benefit participants who are helping a parent, spouse, child, friend or someone who lives at home, in a nursing home, or across the country.
The 6-session course will be offered virtually on Thursdays, January 14 – February 18, 2021, from 1:30-3:00 p.m. A $5.00 registration fee covers the postage for sending out the Caregiver Helpbook. The helpbook includes topics on: Hiring in-home help, helping memory impaired elders, making legal, financial, and care decisions, understanding depression, and making decisions about driving.
Caregiver tools provided as part of the sessions include: Helping the caregiver reduce stress; communicating effectively; encouraging ways for the caregiver to take care of themselves; reducing caregiver guilt, anger and depression; helping the caregiver to relax; making tough decisions; setting goals and problem solving.
Register online by going to https://bit.ly/tools4care or call the Yates Center Southwind office at 620-625-8620. Class size will be limited. Registering early will allow staff to help participants be able to participate virtually and to receive the Caregiver Helpbook prior to sessions beginning.
The program is being offered at a reduced cost thanks to partial funding by the K-State Research and Extension Adult Development and Aging Program Focus Team and the Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas.
K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.