34 Pages • Four Sections
Volume 23 • Number 3
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Published in Scott City, Ks.
$1 single copy
Dighton gets $150K in additional funds Randy Freeman tried to be optimistic when he appeared at the Senate Finance Council’s meeting in Topeka with representatives from 39 other school districts who were seeking additional state funding. With so many schools competing for $12.3 million in “extraordinary needs” fund-
ing from the state, the school superintendent from Dighton was just hoping to get a small portion of the $182,742 that he was requesting. Freeman and Dighton fared much better than expected. He left Topeka on Monday afternoon with a guarantee that the district will get $150,679.
The additional funding was requested to offset a sharp drop in Lane County’s assessed valuation due to plummeting oil and gas prices. That loss of valuation resulted in a tax revenue loss of $182,742. State Budget Director Shawn Sullivan presented the Council with a formula for determining
how the state could distribute additional funding to the 22 school districts who had experienced significant revenue loss due to declining assessed valuations. Freeman said that part of the process was based on a formula that was “pretty cut and dry.” “Based on the spreadsheet
they presented to us, it was evident what we were going to receive. I didn’t even have to make a presentation,” said Freeman. Not everyone was pleased with what the Council was proposing. Several school superintendents in the packed meet(See DIGHTON on page 10)
Enrollment climbs 27 in SC district
you can go back Scott City Elementary School kindergarten teacher is among the growing number of SCHS alumni who have returned to their hometown to pursue careers. (Record Photo)
Four SCHS alumni have joined USD 466 staff to start new year For the last 30 to 40 years, Kansas - and Western Kansas in particular - have lamented the “brain drain” as young people leave, never to return. In far too many instances, young people can hardly wait to get their high school diploma and see their former town in the rear view mirror. The lack of job opportunities in many Western Kansas communities which are struggling for survival is a driving force that
keeps many young people from considering a return to their home town. While Scott City isn’t immune to that same concern, a thriving Scott County Hospital, a healthy agricultural economy and school enrollment that has been experiencing a slight increase have all contributed to a stronger job market. And former Scott City residents have shown they will take advantage of the opportunity to return home.
06 Main, St. Scott City • 620-872-2090 www.scottcountyrecord.com
Kindergarten students enjoy their first day of school Page 27
Of 11 new teachers in the Scott County school district this year, four are SCHS alumni. “I think it’s pretty neat to look around and see friends here that I used to go to school with,” says Shelby Kite, a 2009 graduate who is now a kindergarten teacher. After attending Pratt Community College on a volleyball scholarship and attending Ft. Hays State University, Kite returned to Scott City and finished her
Early enrollment numbers show an increase of 27 students in the Scott County school district (USD 466) for the 2015-16 school year. Grade Year ‘14 ‘15 Total enrollment 35 34 is 969 students, up ECH K-Prep 28 22 from last year’s offiKinder. 69 63 cial count of 942. First 67 62 Enrollment doesn’t Second 84 75 become official until Third 73 83 Fourth 66 79 September 20. Fifth 67 67 Enrollment Sixth 57 77 increased signifiSeventh 77 63 cantly in Scott City Eighth 67 80 Middle School Freshmen 69 61 (grades 5-8) where Soph. 82 76 there are 287 stu- Juniors 53 80 48 47 dents, compared to Seniors Total 942 969 268 a year ago. A larger freshman class and a small graduating class has contributed to an increase of 12 students in Scott Community High School which currently has 264 students. In years past, an increase of 27 students would have meant a substantial increase in state funding. Basic state aid combined with various weighting factors would have meant roughly $200,000 more in state aid. However, a block grant program approved by the state legislature has frozen state funding at the same level it was in 2014-15, regardless of any enrollment changes. (See ENROLLMENT on page two)
Council okays runway project for new tenant
degree while living here. “Even while I was away I always thought of Scott City as my home and this was where I wanted to raise my family,” she says. “When the teaching position opened up that was great. And when I was also given the chance to coach that was perfect. It’s just what I wanted.” Amanda Kennedy, the vocal music director at Scott Community High School, wasn’t quite so sure about
The Scott City Council has agreed to fund a project which will allow an aerial spraying operation access from their proposed hangar to a runway. However, the $56,000 project could take money away from new hangar construction that the city has on the drawing board. Frontier Ag has approached the council with plans to construct a hangar. While the aerial spraying business will be responsible for most of the cost to lay concrete that will connect their facility with the runway, the city will bear the cost for a taxi lane connector. The city’s share of the project will involve about 560 yards of concrete at an estimated cost of $56,000. The city has been putting aside $150,000 per year in Federal Aviation Administration cost-share funding. This year’s installment would give the city $450,000 toward build-
(See ALUMNI on page eight)
(See RUNWAY on page two)
406 Main, St. Scott City • 620-872-2090 www.scottcountyrecord.com Opinion • Pages 4-6 Calendar • Page 7 Youth/education • Page 11 LEC report • Page 12 Health care • Pages 14-15 Deaths • Page 16
Church services • Page 17 Sports • Pages 19-26 Pigskin Payoff • Page 24 Farm section • Pages 28-29 Classified ads • Pages 31-33 Delinquent taxes • Page 34
SCHS fans get a glimpse of Beavers in first football scrimmage Page 19