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Spring into a New Career at Upcoming Weekend Virtual Job Fair on March 27
KS Top Group For Wreaths Across America Announced
Wreaths Across America has announced that the local organization, Friends of Fort Scott National Cemetery, has been ranked #1 Sponsorship Group in Kansas for 2025. There are 80 registered Wreaths Across America locations in Kansas, with a total of 41,672 veteran graves honored in Kansas in 2025.
The hard work and dedication of this fundraising and sponsorship group made it possible to honor and remember each veteran at Fort Scott National Cemetery with a live balsam wreath last December 17. Diann Tucker and Mika Milburn, location coordinators for Fort Scott National Cemetery and group organizers for Friends of Fort Scott National Cemetery, want to thank this amazing community for their part in this achievement. Tucker said this achievement and the success of our local organization’s effort is only possible with the support of our community, and it is truly appreciated.
You are invited to help again this year as a sponsor. For more information contact Diann Tucker, 620-224-7054, or Mika Milburn, 620-223-6700.
Fort Scott Flight of Honor “Come Fly With Us” Gala is March 28
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Bourbon County Commission Approves Payroll Resolution, Plans Work Sessions
BOURBON COUNTY COMMISSION
When approving the accounts payable, Commissioner Mika Milburn moved to change the listing for $54,542.03 called Commissioner’s Wages to be labeled as Walker Settlement, since that’s what it is.
Jennifer Hawkins, County Treasurer and Susan Walker, County Clerk, both explained that it cannot be changed because it’s already been processed and the name of the account the money is paid from is called Commissioner Wages.
“It’s run through accounts payable because you process payroll outside of accounts payable. So you would have to void it and reissued it,” said Walker.
Commissioner David Beerbower said he had received questions from constituents about the same item in the accounts payable.
“We make about $4,000 between the five of us in a pay period,” Beerbower said.
Commissioner Samuel Tran offered to clarify, saying that the payment is not commissioner’s wages, but a pay out of a settlement.
Public Comments
County Clerk Updates
Susan Walker read a statement to the board and the public. She welcomed a review of the claims made against herself and her office. She said she welcomes transparency and they will fix any clerical errors that are found.
“You will not find manipulation of numbers and you will not find my office illegally processing payments,” she said. The allegations of illegal activity are unfounded and serious, especially when made to law enforcement.
Walker went on to explain that she has documents and recordings pertinent to the allegations of the commission, but advised that they be heard in executive session.
Mike Wonderly
Wonderly said he does not believe cutting the commissioner’s pay is the right thing in light of all that is going on in the county. He offered respect to Beerbower for standing by his original position.
“Sometimes we need to remind ourselves that we don’t always need to go with the lowest bid,” he said. He said that the amount of time involved in serving as a county commissioner deserves adequate pay.
“I am concerned that reducing the pay of commissioners could discourage good candidates from running in the future,” he said.
Owensby
Owensby thanked the commissioners and other courthouse people for their patience. He thanked Motley for bringing forth the comprehensive audit plan, which will build public trust.
“Please keep up the honesty, the transparency, and the try,” he said.
He invited those who are critical of the commission to run for the office themselves.
Executive Session K.S.A. 75-4319 (b)(1)
Five commissioners and Laura Krom, 10 minutes, returned to session, no action.
Department Updates
Public works- hard surface road plan
Milburn expressed concern about the lack of a hard surface road plan this year, in light of the county’s 1% hard surface road tax.
She said the commission needs to offer Public Works Director Kenny Allen help and support since he is new to the position and no longer has a second in command who is familiar with the county.
Beerbower said that the previous Public Work Director brought his hard surface road plan to the commission for approval in late April of 2025.
Since the county was unable to complete most of last year’s hard surface road plan, Milburn suggested they start with that plan and modify it as needed for 2026.
Commissioner Gregg Motley said that the 1% tax represents the priorities for the county.
Tran said the county’s asphalt tank is not repairable, which has taken some months to find out. Thus the county can either purchase asphalt somewhere else or lay down chip and seal.
Motley and Commissioner Joe Allen said they would like to see last year’s hard surface roads plan.
They decided to schedule a work session with Kenny Allen.
Old Business
108 w 2nd listing
Beerbower moved to lower the selling price of 108 W. 2nd and adjacent property to $170,000. Motion carried unanimously.
Salary Resolution
Commissioner Joe Allen brought up some information he collected from six different counties similar to Bourbon County: Lynn, Allen, Neosho, Anderson, Cherokee and Labette counties all have three commissioners. They all offer their commissioners benefits and pay them in the range of $21,000 to $29,700 annually. They all have either the county clerk’s office or an HR department as support for the commission.
Allen said that if those counties chose to go to a five-member commission and split the pay among the five, it would be about $15,000 per year for each commissioner.
“I think that should be taken into consideration if we’re looking at changing salary for us here,” said Allen.
“Most five-person commissions are in bigger counties,” he said.
Allen said that he has received a lot of feedback from his constituents saying not to change the commissioner’s pay. Tran said that he has heard the same message from lots of people. Motley agreed that he had heard the same thing.
Tran read a resolution setting annual salaries for elected and appointed officials.
MIlburn moved to approve, Motley seconded.
Beerbower then read a statement going over the history of the move from three to five commissioners and maintaining his position.
Motion passed with four voting for it and Beerbower abstaining.
Forensic Audit POC
Tabled until Sheriff Bill Martin is available to discuss the issue.
New Business
KORA (Kansas Open Records Act)
Beerbower said it appears that there’s a war going on regarding who is responsible and how KORA requests are processed in the county.
He and Motley both said that KORA requests should be handled entirely by the clerk’s office, since that’s where all records are kept.
Requests for records not kept in the clerk’s office would be forwarded by the that office to the appropriate department.
Tran said that the commission’s administrative assistant is part time. He expressed concern about her getting inundated and keeping her from her primary duties.
“I understand the law says 72 hours, but she’s not the POC (Point of Contact) for KORA,” he said.
Beerbower pointed out that the taxpayers foot the bill for KORA requests.
Jennifer Hawkins, County Treasurer, said that the new Sunshine Law has changed the allowable charge on KORA requests and the county should rework it’s fee schedule accordingly.
She also said that all KORA requests do need to go through the clerk’s office because those requests themselves are “requestable” so the record of them needs to be with the clerk.
$26,000 Walker Settlement Invoice
Commission voted to allow Tran to sign it.
CODE Red with Louella Howard Emergency Manager
Code Red is the public emergency alert system the county has used historically. Howard asked to switch to Genesis Alert System. Code Red currently costs the county $11,577 annually, split with the City of Fort Scott.
A three year contract with Genesis would be $15,465 for the entire three years, and could also be split with the City of Fort Scott. The Emergency Management budget can cover it.
The motion to change carried, full cost to be covered by the county.
Future Agenda Topics
Tran said the commission needs to hold a work session for county goals. He asked each commissioner to come to the table with at least three goals. This would be both for the budget purposes and to focus the efforts of the commission.
Beerbower said they need to have a work session with the elected officials to collect information about who has access card readers and access cards and clean it up for the future.
They scheduled a hard surface road plan work session for 4:30 PM Monday, March 23.
Commissioner Comments
Gergg Motley attended the SEK RPC board meeting last week. Bourbon County’s one loan with them is now current.
Joe Allen gave kudos to the courthouse custodial staff, who helped him today.
Gordon Parks Museum receives Historic Yearbooks and Two Glass Dish Artifacts
Fort Scott, Kan. – The Gordon Parks Museum has received a rare donation of historic items connected to the early life and legacy of Gordon Parks. The donation includes a 1926 Plaza School-Fort Scott yearbook, a 1925 Fort Scott High School yearbook, and two glass dishes, generously given by Cheri Dixon, a longtime family friend of Parks. Dixon, a former resident of Fort Scott, Kansas, now resides in Smyrna, Georgia.
The 1926 Plaza School-Fort Scott yearbook belonged to Dixon’s grandmother, Louella (Russell) Hill, a lifelong resident of Fort Scott. Hill graduated from the eighth grade at Plaza School in 1926 and was both a classmate and lifelong friend of Gordon Parks. Parks attended the segregated Plaza School from kindergarten through eighth grade at what was formerly 111 Hendricks Street, located on the east side of what is now the Fort Scott National Historic Site.
The yearbook is particularly significant because it is the same year Parks graduated from the eighth grade, and his graduation photograph appears in the book. The 50-page publication provides insight into student life at Plaza School during the 1920s, including academics, athletics, and school activities.
Also included in the donation is a 1925 Fort Scott High School yearbook that belonged to Dixon’s grandfather, Clarence Hill, who graduated from Fort Scott High School in 1925.
In addition to the yearbooks, Dixon donated two glass dishes that appear in a well-known photograph taken by Gordon Parks of Clarence and Louella Hill inside their Fort Scott home. In the photograph, Louella Hill is holding one of the dishes. The image was taken in 1950 as part of Parks’ assignment for Life magazine for photo essay, when he returned to Fort Scott to do a story on segregated schools and follow up on the lives of his former classmates from Plaza School. The photograph later appeared in the 2015 book Gordon Parks: Back to Fort Scott.
The items were donated in honor of Louella Russell Hill, Shirley Hill Hutt, and the Cheri Dixon family.
“We are beyond excited to receive these incredible historic items from Cheri Dixon,” said Kirk Sharp, Executive Director of the Gordon Parks Museum. “The 1925 Plaza School yearbook, will offer valuable insight into the history of the school and student life during that time in the 1920s when Gordon Parks attended school there.”
The Plaza School was later renamed Hawkins School in 1946 in honor of Professor E. J. Hawkins, a longtime educator, administrator, and coach at the institution. The original two-story school building with a full basement was demolished during an urban renewal project in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Today, a memorial wayside marker recognizing the school stands at the Fort Scott National Historic Site recreational vehicle parking lot behind the Chamber of Commerce building.
MORE
The newly donated yearbooks, along with other Plaza-Hawkins School artifacts and the glass dishes, are now on display at the Gordon Parks Museum on the campus of Fort Scott Community College.
For more information or to schedule a museum visit or tour, contact the Gordon Parks Museum at (620) 223-2700, ext. 5850, or email [email protected].
| (Left to Right) Kirk Sharp and Cheri Dixon at her home in Smyrna, GA, holding the 1926 Plaza School Year book. |
| 1925 Fort Scott High School Crimson Yearbook. |
| (Photo Left to Right) Kirk Sharp and Cheri Dixon at her home in Smyrna, GA, holding one of the dishes and the book Back to Fort Scott which features the 1950 photograph taken by Gordon Parks in the home of her grandparents, Louella and Clarence Hill, while her grandmother is holding one of the same dishes. The photo below is an image of the photo that Gordon Parks took in 1950. |
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U.S. Senator Jerry Moran Newsletter
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The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports March 17
Obituary of Robert A. “Skip” Thomas
Robert A. “Skip” Thomas, age 78, resident of Fort Scott, KS, passed away Thursday, March 12, 2026, the University of Kansas Hospital, Olathe KS. He was born on November 23, 1947, in Oakland, CA. the son of Frank Thomas and Esther Marzolf Thomas. He attended Walla Walla High School and graduated with the class of 1965. Skip worked as a Court Services Officer for Bourbon County for many years. He married Anita Hurst on December 7, 1969, in Dayton, Washington.
Survivors include his wife Anita of the home, his children, Shawn Thomas (Christy), Mound City, KS. Stephanie Kinsley, Baldwin City, KS., five grandchildren, Ryan Thomas (Sierra), Collin Thomas (Ella), Allie Thomas, Quentin Kinsley, and Rylee Kinsley, one great-granddaughter, Braxton Thomas. He was preceded in death by his parents.
There was cremation Father Yancey Burgess will conduct a funeral Mass at 2:00 P.M., Thursday, March 19, 2026 at the St. Mary’s Catholic Church. Burial will take place at a later date at the U.S. National Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the American Cancer Society (Hope Lodge) and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main St., Fort Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted online at cheneywitt.com.
Core Community Class Graduation is March 24
KS Supreme Court Seeking Application to Fill Justice Marla Luckert Vacancy
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CFSEK 25th Anniversary Story Series: “Right Place, Right Time”
The Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2026. This is the second part of CFSEK’s story series honoring the 25-year history of the organization, while also looking ahead to the next 25 years of positive impact in Southeast Kansas.
Kayla Joy was serving as the President of the Pittsburg Area Chamber of Commerce in 2001. She was attending a conference in Wichita in early January hosted by the Kansas Community Leadership Initiative (which eventually became the Kansas Leadership Center). Kayla recalled a particular lunch session at the conference that she remembers fondly:
“We were just chatting over lunch when a Kansas Health Foundation representative casually mentioned a matching funds opportunity to benefit leadership in local communities,” Joy said. “I still laugh that it was so nonchalantly mentioned when it could mean so much to a community, but it stuck with me!”
The matching challenge mentioned that day was to raise $300,000 by the end of 2001, and those funds had to be housed at a community foundation. With a challenge to meet and no community foundation, work had to start quickly.
“I’ve found that if you want something done, you need to involve the right people. Namely, Lynda Wilkinson,” said Joy. “I went and presented her with the idea of doing this challenge and starting a community foundation. She jumped right on board, and we got to work getting a leadership team and laying out the groundwork! I also remember calling Judy Scudamore and talking to her about becoming the first executive director for the foundation, which was so amazing and she was a perfect fit!”
Kayla thought about where the foundation began, and seeing what it has grown to be over 25 years.
“When the foundation started, my daughter was just a baby, and now she has a baby of her own! Time flies, but the work of the foundation is for forever, so who knows where we will be in another 25 years!”
The Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas awarded over $2.8 million in grants from all foundation funds in 2025 and has facilitated over $28 million in total granting to Southeast Kansas since its inception in 2001. CFSEK serves the region by providing donors with various charitable interests and encouraging charitable giving, which addresses present and future needs in our area. The Columbus Area, Fort Scott Area, and Girard Area Community Foundations are affiliates of CFSEK. More information about CFSEK is available at SoutheastKansas.org.
Kai Nelson Obituary
Kai Alexander Nelson, age 3, of Nevada, MO passed from this life on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, in Ft. Scott, KS.
Born August 20, 2022, in Winfield, KS, Kai was the “Most beautiful boy in the world, a big ball of joy with an infectious laugh you will never forget.”
Kai is survived by his loving parents Blake Ryan and Annabelle Nobellee (Swisher) Nelson of Nevada; his grandparents, Paul Swisher, Derby, KS, Samantha Stewart, Ft. Scott, KS, James Nelson, Nevada, and Christina Ellzey, Nevada.
Memorial services was held on Saturday, March 14, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at Ferry Funeral Home in Nevada with Pastor Jeff Fagins officiating.
Memorials are suggested to the family in c/o Ferry Funeral Home.