News

During a June 20 work session, county officials compared payroll expenses for county departments over a five-year period. Bourbon County Chief Financial Officer Susan Bancroft said she pulled all payroll expenses from 2017-21 to make comparisons. County leaders are continuing to discuss possible solutions to address staffing shortages at the Bourbon County Law Enforcement Center after concerns were recently raised by Sheriff Bill Martin and BCLEC Major Bobby Reed...

Bourbon County Commissioners on Tuesday heard more information on the purpose and impact of a transient guest tax in the county. Citizens Mark McCoy and Mary Pemberton appeared before commissioners to explain how a transient guest tax works and how it could potentially impact Bourbon County. Later in the discussion, commissioners elected to have the topic placed on the meeting agenda in a couple of weeks as Commissioner Clifton Beth was not present...

Nearly two decades of public service for one Bourbon County official will come to an end next month. During Tuesday’s meeting of the Bourbon County Commission, Commissioner Lynne Oharah announced he will soon be resigning from his position. Oharah will serve in his last commission meeting on Tuesday, July 12...

Recent discussions on possible solutions to address staffing shortages at the Bourbon County Law Enforcement Center have spurred talk on improving the county’s tax base. During a work session June 20, Bourbon County Chief Financial Officer Susan Bancroft said she was asked to compile some information for a discussion with Sheriff Bill Martin and BCLEC Major Bobby Reed after jail officials recently began transferring inmates to other counties...

Teacher. Coach. Historian. Father. Husband. Friend. These are just a few of the words that could be used to describe late Fort Scott resident Don Miller, who passed away June 17. Miller was to be honored by the Fort Scott High School Alumni Association as one of two grand marshals for the FSHS All-School Reunion parade which took place Friday...

During the first of a series of planned work sessions, Bourbon County officials on Monday began discussions on potential solutions to address staffing shortages at the Bourbon County Law Enforcement Center. See the print or online edition of the Tribune for complete story...

The Fort Scott City Commission agreed it might be best to build a new shower facility instead of renovating the existing shelter house at Lake Fort Scott. Parks Superintendent Doug Guns said the Smart Growth Committee, a branch of the Lake Fort Scott Advisory Board, has recommended constructing a new showerhouse, as it is believed it would be more economical than retrofitting the cinder block building...

The defendant in a 2021 double-murder case was bound over for arraignment Tuesday morning in Bourbon County District Court. Although Tuesday’s proceeding was initially set as a preliminary hearing, Robert Myers, the attorney for Dawson James Mitchell, informed Bourbon County District Judge Mark Ward that after conversations with the defendant, Mitchell planned to waive his right to a preliminary examination...

Staffing issues have forced changes to be made at the Bourbon County Law Enforcement Center, including a transfer of inmates to other facilities. Bourbon County Sheriff Bill Martin and BCLEC Major Bobby Reed took concerns to the Bourbon County Commission on Tuesday. Martin and Reed said several recent resignations have dropped the number of correctional officers to eight...

The USD 234 Board of Education has filled the final vacant administrative position in the district prior to the start of the 2022-23 school year. On Monday, the board approved the transfer of Nick Johnson, currently a teacher at Fort Scott Middle School, to the position of principal at the Fort Scott Preschool Center for the 2022-23 school year. The board also approved Johnson’s resignation as an assistant football and basketball coach at the middle school for the upcoming school year...

Residents in Bourbon County are being asked to complete a survey to determine what they think about their jobs and training. Those who are currently unemployed are also being asked to complete the survey. Bourbon County Regional Economic Development, Inc. (REDI), has contracted with Goldstone Consulting Group of Moberly, Mo., and O’Brian & Associates, LLC, of Joplin, Mo., to conduct the survey...

Bourbon County Commissioners plan to move forward with a dive into the county’s options for employee health insurance. On Tuesday, Chief Financial Officer Susan Bancroft reviewed some data and comparisons with commissioners. She said the goal is to determine the best plans to offer county employees...

Bourbon County and city of Fort Scott officials seek to work together to help with managing the Fort Scott Land Bank. On Tuesday, Bourbon County Commissioners approved a motion by Commissioner Clifton Beth to allow Bourbon County Chief Financial Officer Susan Bancroft to move forward with discussions on a shared service between the county and city concerning the land bank...

The person who was appointed city commission on June 1 became the city’s mayor during her first meeting. Having previously been sworn in as a newly appointed city commissioner, Katy Harrington took her seat at the commission table Tuesday. Within 10 minutes and following debate about how to fill a mayor’s vacancy, Harrington was given the duty...

Fort Scott City Commissioners held a special meeting Wednesday to appoint a new commissioner to fill a vacancy created with the third resignation in less than a year. On May 17, Mayor Kevin “Skitch” Allen announced his resignation from the council as he has moved to a home 300 feet from the city limits. ...

There will be a contested race for the Bourbon County District 1 seat in the November general election. The deadline to file as a candidate for county, ward and township committee seats was Wednesday. Bourbon County positions that will be on the ballot are County Commission District No. ...

Dealing with unruly behavior is nothing new for the staff of the Fort Scott Aquatic Center. On Monday, extra staff were on duty preparing for a large crowd on the pool’s opening day. Chasity Ware, pool manager, said staff dealt with an incident involving a group of young patrons who used profanity and other rude gestures and were asked to leave the pool. She said staff also had to clean messes found on the bathroom walls, which were caused by other patrons...

Continued concerns with the condition of Eagle Road south of Fort Scott were voiced by citizens during the Bourbon County Commission’s May 24 meeting, which took place at the community center in Garland. See the print or online edition of the Tribune for complete story...

Bourbon County Commissioners continue to field budget requests for 2023. During Tuesday’s commission meeting at the community center in Garland, Bill Fiscus, CEO of Tri-Valley Developmental Services, thanked commissioners for their continued support of the organization. He requested $65,000 in county funds for 2023, an increase of $10,000 from 2022...

Uniontown USD 235 patrons in the future will be asked for their thoughts on improvements to the district’s facilities. On Wednesday, school officials met privately with representatives from DCS, who are gathering information to create a survey for patrons to complete in the near future, according to Vance Eden, West Bourbon Elementary principal and soon-to-be associate superintendent...

Allen Warren will be remembered by many people as a person who was committed to the betterment of the community. The 78-year-old Fort Scott resident, who died May 18, served the community in several capacities, from county government to civic leadership. He served four years as a Bourbon County Commissioner, presiding over his final commission meeting in January 2015...

The Kansas Supreme Court has disbarred former Bourbon County Attorney Jacqie Spradling for unethical conduct while working as a prosecutor in Shawnee County. See the print or online edition of the Tribune for complete story.

The Fort Scott Community College Board of Trustees on Monday got a look at the status of the college’s financial aid department. FSCC Financial Aid Director Lillie Grubb said she has worked with FSCC for nearly 26 years. She provided data for trustees, as well as a list of the department’s recent accomplishments...

Mayor Kevin “Skitch” Allen’s announcement Monday of his resignation from the Fort Scott City Commission drew a discussion of the city’s residency requirement and how the vacancy should be filled. Allen said he is resigning because he is moving to a home he owns 300 feet outside the city limits. His residency and whether that allows him to serve as a city commissioner is an issue familiar to Allen...

The USD 234 Board of Education has chosen Fort Scott native Destry Brown as the district’s next superintendent. Following an executive session to discuss non-elected personnel matters during a special meeting Monday evening, the board approved the hiring of Brown, who will take the reins on July 1 after current superintendent Ted Hessong’s resignation takes effect June 30...

Bourbon County Commissioner Clifton Beth provided some highlights of a recently-completed health care feasibility study, as well as his thoughts on the county’s next steps during Tuesday’s commission meeting. Beth discussed the study, which is several hundred pages long and broken up into two sections – a Bourbon County hospital feasibility assessment, and a Bourbon County hospital building assessment. Beth said he just received the documents Tuesday morning...

Mayor Kevin “Skitch” Allen announced his resignation from the Fort Scott City Commission Monday night. His resignation was not accepted. See the print or online edition of the Tribune for complete story.

The deadline for candidates to file for the November general election, as well as to change party affiliation prior to the primary election, is noon June 1. Bourbon County positions that will be on the ballot are County Commission District No. 1, County Clerk, County Attorney, Township Clerk, Precinct Committeemen and Committeewomen. There will also be a Constitutional amendment questions on the ballot, according to information from County Clerk Ashley Shelton...

USD 234 patrons had an opportunity Thursday to meet with the second of two candidates for the district’s superintendent position. Two meet and greets were held with Pam Stranathan at the Fort Scott Middle School where patrons and staff were able to ask her questions in an informal setting...

USD 234 leaders have identified goals for the district’s accreditation process through the Kansas Education Systems Accreditation model. Superintendent Ted Hessong on Monday updated the USD 234 Board of Education on the process, which is required for all public school districts in Kansas...

Following an hour-long executive session Monday evening, the Uniontown USD 235 board of education approved new employments, including a junior/senior high principal. See the print or online edition of the Tribune for complete story.

A 32-year partnership will come to an end and a new partnership will begin this week when New Generation Day Care Center will close its doors. See the print or online edition of the Tribune for complete story.

The USD 234 Board of Education has scheduled a series of executive sessions this week to interview two candidates for the district’s superintendent position. See the print or online edition of the Tribune for complete story.