The Episcopal Church of  the Covenant will turn 160 years old on Sunday, Sept. 22. The congregation still worships in the same church building that was built beginning in 1859. Church officials said Covenant is the oldest church building in continuous use in the Episcopal Diocese.

Governor Laura Kelly has signed a proclamation declaring Sept. 22 Episcopal Church of the Covenant Day in Kansas.

The church was founded in 1859 by Ft. Riley officers.  Lt. J.E.B. Stuart, of Confederate Civil War fame, helped raise money to build the church. Through the years, the church has been home to other famous soldiers including Gen. George Patton, Jr. and Gen. Jonathan M. Wainwright, IV.

The Rev. Doreen Rice said the congregation and community will honor the 160th anniversary with a worship service on Sept. 22 at 10 a.m. that would have been held in 1859 followed by a celebration lunch.

Today, the people of the Church of the Covenant continue to be engaged in the community, especially with regards to efforts to combat poverty and food insecurity among school-aged children and their families. For example, members of the church founded a mobile food pantry called Wheels of Hope. The congregation also provides laundry money to residents at a low-income apartment building.

Junction City Fire Department personnel that deployed to Florida and North Carolina as part of Kansas Task Force I were applauded by Governor Kelly Wednesday at  the south steps of t he State Capitol in Topeka.

Junction City Fire Chief Terry Johnson said the governor and Maj. Gen. Lee Tafanelli, Kansas Adjutant General offered their appreciation to the responders of the Task Force and the support from the communities that sent equipment and personnel to the hurricane preparations and responses during Hurricane Dorian.

JCFD peronnel Technical Rescue Team Leader Jason Lankas, FF/EMTZA and FF / EMTP Adam Powers responded with the task force.

The Kansas Search and Rescue program provides highly specialized technical rescue services to local jurisdictions that are overwhelmed by natural or manmade disasters.

 

The Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer at Geary Community Hospital have resigned.

Officials at the hospital released information to hospital employees, which was forwarded to JC Post.

On behalf of Mark Stenstrom, DVM, Chairman, Board of Trustees, Geary Community Hospital:

The Board of Trustees of Geary Community Hospital is working to finalize a new relationship with Community Hospital Consulting (CHC Consulting), the management and consulting arm of Community Hospital Corporation (CHC). Beginning on or about October 1, 2019, CHC Consulting will provide management services for the hospital for an initial period of one year.

Many employees are already familiar with CHC Consulting through the Operational Assessment conducted by the

firm early in 2019, and through a Support Services agreement in place since May 1. The new Management Services

agreement would replace the Support Services agreement with the goal to help us improve across all areas of hospital. Through the Operational Assessment and the Action Plan developed in cooperation with CHC, we have a plan in place to restore the financial health to the hospital in the near future.

Our CEO Joe Stratton, DBA, FACHE and CFO Steve Doherty have resigned and left the organization. Plans include moving forward with CHC Consulting providing oversight of day to day operations, assistance with Interim replacements and beginning the search process for permanent leaders. Until CHC Consulting begins the management services, all departments will report to the existing executive team leaders. Emily Emery-Shea will be the Interim CFO.

The Board of Trustees is confident that Geary Community Hospital will strengthen to continue our mission established a century ago: Providing quality healthcare and promoting the well-being of those we serve.

You, the employees are the heart and soul of Geary Community Hospital. Thank you for all you do!

• Our care teams provide compassionate care to help patients get better
• Our loyal providers make clinical excellence possible
• Our administrative and clinical staff members are integral to the delivery of quality healthcare services to our patients

Loren Streit, SHRM-SCP

Chief Human Resources Officer

Geary Community Hospital

 

 

Junction City businessman Todd Godfrey wants to put a Gastro Park featuring food trailers, a dining area and possible concert stage in the current city-owned vacant lot at Tenth and Washington. He submitted the idea to the city commission two weeks ago, but now the governing body has decided to initiate requests for proposals on the use of that lot.

City Manager Allen Dinkel said Godfrey made an offer of $30,000 for the site but if his project was implemented within the first year he would get all $30,000 back, “within the second year he would get $15,000 back. So the argument could be it would range the price from zero to $30,000.” Instead Dinkel submitted a recommendation to the commission, which was adopted on a 4-1 vote, “public if you want to bid on the lots you can but the RFP is going to include both a price for the land as well as the intended use.”  Dinkel also noted during the commission meeting that one other offer for the site had been received as well.

Commissioner Jeff Underhill spoke out in support of Godfrey’s proposal while Mayor Pat Landes said it was a sellable property, the commission needed to support the value, adding it was worth $50,000 at least.  He noted the city shouldn’t give away taxpayer dollars that paid for the purchase of that lot.

Commissioner Tim Brown expressed concern that since another party was also interested in the property that it would have to go the RFP route with a fair bid process. Commissioner Phyllis Fitzgerald noted she liked the concept proposed by Godfrey for the Gastro Park but she supported the RFP plan.

Any requests for proposals that are received will be brought back to the city commission for consideration at their first meeting in November.

The current Flint Hills Regional Leadership Class was recently challenged to bring hats, gloves and socks to the Junction City – Geary County Day. They were challenged by graduates of the program the past two years.

The current class met the challenge, which will result in hats and gloves, single hats, boys and girls socks, newborn hats with gloves and single glove sets for children in local schools.

Phyllis Fitzgerald, Vickie Bobbitt, Susan Kamphaus, and Montika Atkinson accepted the donation from the Leadership Class and will donate the items to the schools.

There will be a sale of properties in Geary County on which delinquent taxes are owed, but county officials cannot say exactly when that occur.

County Commission Chairman Charles Stimatze said, “The new court system stuff is down and the state doesn’t know how to fix it. So they’re trying to work through the bugs on that.”

The amount of delinquent property taxes collected so far total $779,447.20.

Donna Martinson was awarded the grand champion purple ribbon in the open class quilt category at the State Fair.  She posed for a photo with Governor Laura Kelly.

Martinson has been a leader in overseeing the Quilt of Valor effort in the the Geary County community. Volunteers make quilts and present them to veterans to help them with healing and to recognize their efforts in service to the country.

The Kansas Brigade Band was one of the highlights of the 29th annual Geary County Historical Society Ice Cream Social on Sunday afternoon.  The event, which served as a fundraiser for the Historical Society,  was held on the grounds of the Historical Museum.

Historical Society Director Katie Goerl noted that they’re always excited to have new musical acts. There was other entertainment as well including the Junction City High School Jazz Band and Orchestra. Goerl estimated attendance at approximately 200 people, who braved the heat on Sunday.

The event also included ice cream. pies and numerous other food items.

The 2019 Flint Hills Regional Leadership Program Class spent two days learning about Geary County this past week. One of their stops was Rathert Field where they were briefed on the history of the 87-year old ballpark and the current summer collegiate team that plays there, the Junction City Brigade.

Class member Dana Wiegand, Junction City said they participated in team building, trust building and communication during a trip to Rock Springs 4-H Center. The class also participated in a project where they responded to a challenge from the 2018 class. “Had some donations of socks, hats and gloves. I’m anxious to see how much we really brought in because there were a lot of bags there and it barely fit on the front seats of the buses.” The items will be provided to local school children in need by I.C.A.R.E.

Class member Jason Hudson said they learned about the history of Rathert Field. He has attended baseball games at the ballpark. “It’s a great time, so I got to learn a little bit about the history here which I was wondering about when I was here previously. ” Hudson added that he really appreciated how much the Brigade are involved in the community. “Getting the children out here in the summers, improving their lives.” Hudson pointed to one example where Brigade players went to the library to read to children.

Class members come from multiple area counties and Fort Riley. They will participate in a series of class sessions in different counties and at Fort Riley.

Junction City / Geary County United Way began their 2019 fundraising campaign Friday night at Al Simpler Stadium, which served as the host site for the Blue Jay football game with Washburn Rural.

There was a raffle to help raise funds for United Way. Participants could purchase tickets.

According to United Way Executive Director Nichole Mahder the winners included:

–Touch of Home, Tony Waldo

–Hildebrand Basket, Nick Zimmerman

–Get Fit, Toi Cole

–Date Night, Rina Neal

–Blue Jay Experience, Ralph Coy.

All winners also received a United Way t-shirt.

The fundraising goal for the campaign is $140,000.