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NEWS Updated 9/1/10 County’s 2011 budget includes slight mill levy increase Jackson County’s assessed valuation has increased by $507,920 this year and that is good news for officials who finalized the county’s proposed 2011 budget on Monday. During the Jackson County commission’s meeting, the commissioners approved the publication of the proposed 2011 budget, which uses 67.46 mills to fund county departments compared to 67.006 utilized last year. The total estimated property tax levy for 2009 was 66.909 mills, an increase from the 66.106 mills used to fund the 2008 budget. In 2007, the commissioners budgeted 65.441 mills. “Most of the increase is for funds budgeted for a three percent tax delinquency,” said County Clerk Kathy Mick. “It might not reach three percent, but we want to be covered.” The county department budgets for 2011 are the same as the 2010 budgets with no salary increases. The fair association fund did see an increase back to its 2009 budget allotment of $29,200. Last year, the commissioners gave the association $10,000 and asked officials to request additional funding as the year progressed. Mick said that the election fund decreased by $15,000 because 2011 is not an election year. The county’s assessed valuation has steadily increased over the years and is expected to be $88,369,208 up from last year’s $87,861,288 and 2009’s $87,965,903. The total maximum budget authority purposed in the 2011 budget is $12,845,885, which is $789,714 more than last year’s $12,056,171 expenditures. In 2009, total expenditures reached $10,272,596. The county’s outstanding indebtedness totals $1,005,000, which includes $580,000 in general obligation bonds and $425,000 in revenue bonds. The bond and interest and the detention center budgets were adjusted to cover the indebtedness payments for 2011. The final payments on the detention center and the 2001 bridge construction bonds will be made in 2011. Phase 1 of the jail was approved in 1997, and Phase 2 was approved in 1998. (Holcomb) Members of Hoyt UMC congregation restoring chapel One hundred years ago, the trustees at the Methodist church in Hoyt decided to build a new church on two lots on Highland Avenue near Fourth Street. Construction of the church building was complete soon after, and the new building was dedicated on Feb. 26, 1911. Today, the members of Hoyt United Methodist Church are working together to restore the building to its original state - or as close as possible - in anticipation of the 100th anniversary of the church’s construction. A centennial celebration for the church building is being planned, but church pastor Rodge Moore and United Methodist Women treasurer Mary Beth Figgins said they’re not sure of an exact date yet. “It’s been discussed,” said Figgins, whose husband, Don, is overseeing the building restoration project. However, it’s likely that at the 100th anniversary celebration, the church will also celebrate the 125th anniversary of the church’s charter, which was filed on Aug. 24, 1885. But for now, Figgins noted, church members are concentrating on getting the renovation done. The great thing about the restoration work, Moore added, is that with only a few exceptions, it’s being done by members of the congregation. “They’re very much motivated to do as much of this as they can themselves,” he said. “It’s a community project, and they’re hiring out only the things they can’t do. It’s a really great team-building activity.” The church’s history stretches back to 1876, when the Methodist Church Society in Douglas Township had 35 members, and the first church services were held by the Rev. John Woodburn in the Woburn Schoolhouse three miles west of the present site of Hoyt. Nine years later, the church’s charter was filed with the Secretary of State, and a church building was put up on an acre where the northern section of Hoyt Cemetery is now located. In 1896, church trustees purchased two lots on Highland Avenue and moved the original church building to the site where the present church now stands; it was rededicated that July. A parsonage was built in 1905, and five years later, trustees decided to tear down the old church building and put up a new one, dedicating the building in February of 1911. (Sanders) Commissioners say no to sign reconstruction on Square Holton Main Street volunteers are headed back to the drawing board after the Jackson County Commissioners decided against funding a project to renovate the City of Holton sign on the southwest corner of the Courthouse lawn. The estimated cost of the project was $10,000. Stacy McClintock, a member of the Holton Main Street design committee, Roger Hower, Holton Main Street representative, and Teresa Scheidegger, courthouse custodian, met with commission on Monday to discuss the proposed plan for the renovations. The approximate cost of the renovation project, $10,000, would have included replacing the current railroad tie sign with a brick retaining wall, they said. “This is the second year in a row our county employees will not be getting a raise, and it doesn’t look good to them if we spend money on this,” said Commission Chairman Roy Hallauer. McClintock and Hower said they understood where the commissioners were coming from but asked if there was a fund specifically for courthouse improvements. Hallauer said the improvements come from the parks and recreation account, which currently has a balance of $38,000 after donations were given to the Linscott Park Playground project and area cities for parks and ball clubs. The parks and recreation fund is also used for Banner Creek Reservoir, and the commissioners are considering using those fund to expand the campground and for an additional bathhouse at the lake. Randy Pool, road and bridge administrator, said that he had an abundance of landscaping rock that could possibly be used for the sign. The rock is two feet thick and three or four feet wide. Pool said it could be broken down into smaller pieces and that piles of the rock were located two miles south of Larkinburg. Hower and McClintock said they would consider other options to replace the sign. In other business, the commission learned from Pool that the county received a $277,235 check from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the December snowstorm. (Holcomb) 8/30/10 This year’s flu shot to incorporate H1N1 vaccine: Reith Last year, the H1N1 virus was the headline-maker during the 2009-10 influenza (flu) season, with at least 29 deaths reported across Kansas from H1N1-related illness. This year, vaccination against the H1N1 virus will be incorporated into the annual flu shot, according to Jackson County Health Nurse Angie Reith. Vaccinations for the 2010-11 flu season will be available soon in Jackson County, Reith said. “We’re working with all of the local medical providers to coordinate a start date to keep the public safe and provide as much protection as possible,” Reith said. The flu season normally begins in September and October, and Reith said that with the threat of H1N1, last year’s season got an earlier start. However, many in northeastern Kansas and around the country have expressed an interest in getting their annual flu shot now, and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), that’s not a bad idea, particularly with the H1N1 vaccine incorporated into the shot. “We were told that it is going to be one of the strains to be incorporated into the vaccine this year,” Reith said, noting that the shot will also protect against an influenza B virus and an H3N2 virus. “We had multiple reports (of H1N1) last year, and we want to be prepared.” Last year, millions across the country were unprepared for H1N1, and at least one case was confirmed in Jackson County. Reith said the county’s small population necessitated its inclusion in the “Topeka metropolitan area” by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment with Jefferson, Osage, Shawnee and Wabaunsee counties, and as a result, exact numbers for Jackson County could not be released. “We did have multiple reports (in our county),” she added. Vaccine manufacturers have pledged that there will be no shortage of vaccines available this flu season, with reports of anywhere from 160 million to 165 million vaccines set to be produced for the coming season. Once the vaccine is administered, it may take up to two weeks before the body produces enough antibodies to ward off the flu, but CDC officials have stated that the inoculation would last for a full year. (Sanders) Royal Valley officials note state test score improvement This week marks the start of competition for high school athletes across Kansas. Before they can take to the field or court, however, Jackson County students must first be meeting academic standards of eligibility set by the state and their schools. Although the standards differ slightly from district to district, administrators say they are trying to send a clear message to any student who participates in extra-curricular activities - academics come first. Like many schools in Kansas, Royal Valley High School adheres to the Kansas State High School Activities Association’s guidelines when it comes to academic requirements for athletics and extracurricular activities. The KSHSAA states that students must be enrolled and passing at least five subjects to be eligible to participate in extra-curricular activities. Royal Valley High School Principal Jim Holloman said that all students at RVHS are enrolled in eight subjects since the school is on a block schedule and that each student who wishes to participate in extracurricular activities must be passing at least five of those classes. To help combat the issue of students failing coursework, Holloman and Assistant Principal Aaric Davis instituted an “extra help” policy at RVHS three years ago. Jackson Heights High School also abides by the KSHSAA guidelines for participation in extra-curricular events. JHHS students take seven curriculum classes, and they must be passing five of seven classes to be eligible, said Jackson Heights High School Principal Reid Martin. “We plan to continue to follow the KSHSAA guidelines and see how things go,” Martin said. “Our rate of athletes passing classes is pretty strong.” At Holton, Mitch Beims, USD 336 athletic director, said HHS students must be passing at least six of their eight classes in order to compete in athletic competitions, one more than required by the state. Each Wednesday a “students not in good standing” list is compiled with the names of students who are failing a class. Beims said the list has been in place since before he became AD five years ago. If a student is failing more than two classes and is ineligible to compete, they must get their grades up and be signed off by their teachers before they can return to competition. (Holcomb) Cicadas making their presence heard as summer ends As the evenings get cooler and the days get shorter, one sound clearly signals the end of summer - the chirping, rhythmic song of the cicada. There are more than 100 species of these vocal insects in North America, and 17 species call Kansas their home. The cicada’s song is truly unique, according to Bob Bauernfeind, entomologist with Kansas State University Research and Extension. “Each cicada species has a distinct ‘call’ to supposedly attract a female of the same species,” Bauernfeind said. Male cicadas produce sounds by vibrating a pair of tympanyl membranes housed within their abdomen, Bauernfeind said. “With little difficulty, people can actually discern which species is ‘singing,’” he said. Many cicadas are categorized as “annual cicadas,” but the term is somewhat misleading as “annual” implies a one-year development cycle, Bauernfeind said. “Due to the complexity of the underground development of cicada nymphs, precise seasonal life histories have not been defined for these species,” he said. “The general belief is that a two to four year time span underground is required for the development.” Bauernfeind said that cicadas are not predators, noting that they have specialized mouths so they can “probe trees and shrubs and suck out plant sap.” “Other than serving as a food source for other animal species, I do not believe that they have a documented useful function in the ecosystem,” Bauernfeind said. In the world of insects, cicada killer wasps are the cicadas’ main predators, he said. “Other predators would include birds, and given that my cat and dog also catch and eat cicadas, I suppose that coyotes, foxes and bobcats would also snack on them,” he said. “It’s possible that other wildlife such as skunks and raccoons might scavenge them.” Bauernfeind said the cicada population this summer has been average. Some northeast Kansas resident however, may disagree and say the summer has been better than average. “At this time of year, four larger cicada species are currently active,” he said. “But I wouldn’t say that the number of cicadas this year is more plentiful than any other year.” The emergence of the 17-year cycle cicadas occurred in Kansas in 1998, and they are expected to make another appearance in 2015, Bauernfeind said. (Holcomb) 8/25/10 Jackson Heights fitness trail incorporates ‘geocaching’ Combining physical fitness and science education with the opportunity to go on a “high-tech treasure hunt” is the purpose of a new fitness trail at Jackson Heights, open not only to students but also to the community. It’s the “treasure hunt” aspect of the trail - a relatively new pastime known as “geocaching” - that has Jackson Heights High School science teacher and cross-country coach Gary Keehn especially excited about getting more people from the community at large involved in the trail. “This is our school, but it belongs to the community,” said Keehn of Hilltop Trail, a project of the Jackson Heights Educational Foundation at the school grounds. “What we can do is open this to the people of our community and give them some ownership of what we have.” In addition to geocaching, where people with global positioning system (GPS) devices can seek out four different outdoor “treasures” at the school grounds, Hilltop Trail features four outdoor fitness stations along the high school’s existing cross-country course. The course is located south and east of the school. The fitness stations and geocaching project were made possible by a $6,000 grant from the Kansas Health Foundation of Wichita, awarded to the Educational Foundation last December. “We wanted something unique that would incorporate science education, fitness and community health,” said Peggy Hill, assistant board clerk for Jackson Heights USD 335. “Gary outlined how he wanted the trail to go. There was also some planning on how we would get the science classes, the fitness classes, and even the community, to participate.” Hilltop Trail affords the community an inexpensive way to exercise “without having to have a membership at a fitness center,” Hill said. A variety of exercises and fitness activities are located at each of the four fitness stations, which were put together over the summer by Keehn and his son Cory. But it’s the geocaching aspect of the trail that has Keehn eager to open the site up to the community. (Sanders) Royal Valley officials note state test score improvement After another successful year of state assessment testing, USD 337 is closer to reaching its goal that by 2012, 95 percent of all tested student will score “Meets Standards” or “Above” on the Kansas State Reading, math, social science and science assessments. During the Royal Valley Board of Education meeting on Monday evening, board members received preliminary Adequate Yearly Progress reports from Bonnie Williams, director of curriculum and instruction. The official results won’t be posted until October. Throughout all three schools, students met AYP in all subject indicators as well as met AYP as a school building. “We had a 100 percent participation rate all the way through the testing, which is not easy,” Williams said. “It’s hard to keep track of all the students being tested, but our staff does an excellent job.” Williams said the district will continue to work on areas that need improvement including assisting students with disabilities reach confidence levels in testing as well as math standards throughout all grade levels. “We’ve still got some work to do, but everyone is working,” Williams said. Between 2006 and 2010, the district’s reading and math scores improved drastically, and the district-wide averages for all RV students in those subjects in 2010 were above the state averages, which is a first at RV. “We’ve seen a great deal of improvement,” Williams said. “We can look at the indicators in each grade level and know our strengths and weaknesses.” In other business, the board received a summer school participation report from Williams. A total of 35 students were enrolled in summer drivers education, and 22 completed the course. Williams said that four students will finish the course in the fall after they complete the required driving hours. Nine students failed. Two of the nine only had one test to go and the instructor offered to let them come back an additional day to complete it, and they chose not to. (Holcomb) Investigation into sheriff’s department continues: AG The KBI’s investigation into allegations made against Jackson County Sheriff Charles Cornell is still in progress, according to Gavin Young, a spokesman for the attorney general’s office. “We typically don’t comment on ongoing investigations, but with the latest information we’ve received, the investigation won’t be finished this week,” Young said Tuesday afternoon. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation began its investigation on July 26 after a former inmate at the Jackson County Corrections Center made an allegation of misconduct against the sheriff, it was reported. No other details about the allegation have been released. 0In early August, Chris Joseph of Topeka, an attorney for Cornell, said he was confident that the state investigation would soon clear Cornell of any misconduct. Since it is an ongoing investigation, Sheriff Charles Cornell said he could not comment on the matter. Cornell previously worked for the Salina and Holton police departments and took office in 2004 after defeating former Sheriff Bruce Tomlinson. He was re-elected in 2008. The KBI receives allegations involving law enforcement departments throughout the state. Not all result in active investigations or charges. (Holcomb)