The Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Board on Thursday elected their slate of officers for the coming year.
Mark Powers will serve as the Chair, Rich Jankovich Past Chair, Brad Johnson Vice Chair, Teresa Bramlage Secretary and Jeff Underhill as treasurer.
In his comments to the board, Powers noted that the Chamber is finally staffed so the organization is in the driver’s seat as they move forward. He wants more continuity and training of officers on the board as they go forward. So officers will spend multiple years serving on that panel, starting as secretary, then moving to the treasurer’s post, vice chair and the chair position. The person who just completed their year as the chair serves as a past chair for one year.
Powers explained by the time they chair the executive board a member will have spent three years serving on that panel. He feels that continuity is imperative for the Chamber to move forward.
The JROTC at Junction City High School is working on a service learning project that will involve a food drive to try and help alleviate hunger problems in the community. The Open Door homeless shelter will be one beneficiary.
JROTC representatives Corbin Sanner and Ronnie Prather spoke to the Junction City Commission this week about the project. Ronnie said they are accepting food donations, and they’re due in the main office at the high school by January 18th. Sanner said they want this to become an annual effort. Prather stated that they want to get the community involved as much as possible. “The biggest thing in Junction City is the number of people that are involved and we really want to bring that into the high school as well.”
Junction City Commission in session Tuesday night.
The Junction CIty Commission has approved a request from the Community Partnership Empowerment Program for the use and waiver of fees at the 12th Street Community Center on the second and fourth Tuesday evenings of 2019.
City Manager Allen Dinkel said, “They’re trying to offer another program to help people help themselves in this community and they just want to have a place where they can get together. Counsel people from job searches and everything else. I think it’s a great thing to serve people in our community.
The program will be designed to allow participants to get those resources needed to empower them in areas ranging from hospital clinic assistance to spiritual help. It will take a holistic approach to helping a person change their life style and learn about opportunities that exist.
The executive director of the program Rhonda Whitaker, will be a guest on JC Now on 107.9 FM / 1420 KJCK at 7:48 a.m. Friday to talk about the Community Partnership Empowerment Program.
Amnah Madkhali and Khulood Al-Jizani were two of the Saudi Arabian teachers that observed in USD 475.
Participants in The Khbrat Summit Program took time to celebrate Tuesday afternoon at the Devin Center in Junction City.
The USD 475 Liason to the Khbrat Program, Susan Pender, said it’s a scholarship program through KSU where certified teachers from Saudi Arabia have partnered with the university. “They’ve placed them in schools. We have had five teachers here ( in USD 475 ). They started with a four-week observation at Washington Elementary School. then they went to the middle school for four weeks, and then they just concluded a four-week period at the high school.”
Pender explained the purpose of the program is for the teachers to see the school system here. “There are many things they’re not used to seeing, and so they each had to do a capstone project on a concept they want to take back to Saudi Arabia and try in their own country.”
This program session at Kansas State University ends in February, but K-State officials are hoping for a second round so it’s possible more teachers from Saudi Arabia could spend time in USD 475. In this first session approximately 40 teachers participated in the KSU program and were sent to multiple school districts including Geary County, Manhattan, Lawrence and the Kansas City area.
Reginald Eggleston speaking during a public forum in Junction City this month
Dr. Reginald Eggleston will be the new Superintendent of Schools in Geary USD 475.
The Geary USD 475 Board of Education voted 7-0 Monday evening to hire Eggleston. They authorized an interim contract for the new superintendent that will run from April 15th to June 30th, 2019 followed by a two-year contract extending from July 1st, 2019 to June 30th, 2021. He will be paid an annual salary of $185,000 plus fringe benefits.
Board of Education President Tom Brungardt noted that Eggleston was chosen from among 41 applicants for the job. “We think Dr. Eggleston will lead us in the direction we want to go. ” Brungardt stated the Board wants Eggleston to provide leadership. ” We want him to make some significant improvements in our graduation rates, make sure that we are fiscally sound, we want him to help build this new high school that we’re working on.”
Brungardt stated Eggleston was appointed on an interim basis for the Montgomery County school district by the State of Alabama. He worked there for some time and then returned to the Alabama State Department of Education. On the interest in USD 475 the BOE president noted Eggleston was interested in the superintendency, liked the size of the community, liked the military aspect and he is a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Reserve which appealed to him.
Board member Rina Neal said Eggleston comes with a lot of experience in pre-intervention strategies, and working with the State Department of Education in Alabama. “Working with larger districts such as the Mobile and Montgomery public school systems, has similar demographics and the leadership skills that he brings forth I think will be beneficial to our district.” Neal said Eggleston provided good information on strategies and tools to improve the district, has leadership background from the military and above par professional development skills and good communication practice.
During a public forum in Junction City December 4th Eggleston stated he needed to be visible and in the schools. He referred to his last position in Mobile, Alabama where he was an area superintendent noting he supervised 29 schools and evaluated all 29 principals. “I was in all of my schools at least once a month. And the reason why I was in there is becauses when people say things about the school the only way I’m going to know it’s true or not is that I’ve been in the school.”
Eggleston wants to put a focus on all students, and bring collaboration to the process. “Will allow all of the members of the community to be involved. I think we have to be concerned with the military community because based on what I’ve read 60% of four students have some association to the military. But we also want to make sure that the 40% of students who live here in Junction City and the surrounding area feel that they are a part of the district and that they have a voice as well.”
Westar Energy and KCP&L are alerting customers that imposters claiming to work for the companies are threatening to disconnect service and asking for prepaid cards as payment. In some cases, the caller is using a prerecorded voice. Several customers have called to report receiving suspicious phone calls.
Some imposters are convincing. They may use websites that allow them to manipulate caller ID, making the call appear to come from Westar or KCP&L. They may use a prerecorded message. They speak with authority. When the targeted customer calls the phone numbers provided, the person who answers sounds like they work for Westar or KCPL. In some cases, callers may even provide information like amount due that makes them sound credible.
Gina Penzig, manager, media communications, said, “We will never require a pre-paid card for payment. Also, we notify customers multiple times in advance if service may be interrupted for non-payment.”
Before acting on one of these calls, check your records to see if a recent payment has been made. If you are still unsure, check your account online or call the Westar Energy Customer Relations Center, 1-800-383-1183, or the KCP&L Customer Contact Center, 1-888-471-5275, and check your account status.
If a customer receives a suspicious visit from an individual, you should also report it to your local law enforcement agency.
Planning with the architects and general contractor for the new Junction City High School project has revealed an area for potential cost savings.
The Chief Operations Officer for USD 475 David Wild, noted one thing discovered in the estimating process is that there could be some savings generated in site development. “So the engineers have gone back to work looking at how we might improve the actual site itself. So we’ll now probably go out for bid on the site development piece about mid-January, about two weeks later than anticipated.”
The long term goal is to have the school completed and in use by August of 2021.
Wild was a guest on the JC Now show on 107.9 FM / 1420 KJCK on Monday.
The Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association participated in Wreaths Across America on Saturday. Members laid wreaths at the foot of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Heritage Park. Also attending were members of the Junction City Police Department and other community members.
Wreaths Across America observances were held across the nation on Saturday.
Community member and prominent banker Robert Munson completed a 45-year career at the Central National Bank on Friday. Munson, President of the Central National Bank in Junction City, retired.
Munson said it’s amazing how time passes. “As I’m approaching 70 years old it’s time for me to retire. My wife ( Chris ) and I can spend some time doing things we’ve looked forward to.”
Munson began working at the bank as a teller 45 years ago at the Main Bank downtown. “One of the folks I’ve worked alongside of was Bill Caspar, who of course was killed in the September 11 attack in New York City. In those days it was before direct deposit so we would have lots and lots of Fort Riley Soldiers cashing their checks on payday, quite an exciting time.”
Robert began the bank’s first computer department. “I tell our ‘IT’ staff today that the complexity today in the systems is so far beyond what we were doing back in the late 70’s.” Munson added he helped set up the first ATM’s in Junction City, which was something he enjoyed.
Munson enjoyed interacting with the bank’s customers and noted there was always a very good staff. “We’ve always recognized how you can get a lot done when you have team play and the team spirit, and we’ve had that here. It’s a great community and I’ve enjoyed being involved with some community activities too over the years.”
In the future Robert said with more time available he’s sure that he and his wife can take a few more spontaneous trips and looks forward to spending time doing different things
Lindsey Snider will be the new president of the Central National Bank in Junction City. She begins in that role on Monday.
The Walmart Supercenter was the site of Shop with a Cop Saturday morning in Junction CIty. Through this program local children are identified for participation, provided breakfast at the Second Missionary Baptist Church and then taken Christmas shopping at Walmart.
Al Babcock of the Junction City Police Department said each child that is selected for the program receives a $100 gift card to spend however they choose. “Normally when they come to Walmart they have more than $100 so we cover that as well. “Babcock noted there are a lot of donations throughout the community for this effort.”Sponsorship has been really, really good this year so we have enough money to cover the extras.”
A total of 55 children attended on Saturday. Approximately 45 volunteers also participated in helping put on this event. Babcock said it’s a good feeling to help. ” It feels very good to give back.”
