The Scott County Record

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SCES third graders continue a Columbus Day shipbuilding tradition Page 25

34 Pages • Four Sections

Volume 22 • Number 10

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Published in Scott City, Ks.

$1 single copy

County, Waste Connections pursue recycling While no one is disputing the benefits of recycling, there’s also one other indisputable fact. It’s expensive. To operate a recycling center cost Scott County just over $57,000 in 2013. Costs are on pace to be about $50,000 in 2014. That has prompted the Scott County Commission to ap-

proach Waste Connections about the possibility of the company offering a recycling program as part of its trash collection service. Representatives of the company have indicated they are willing to study the feasibility of a program and what it would cost the county. “In more and more of the

communities we serve we’re hearing requests to offer recycling,” noted Jeff Fawcett, municipal marketing manager for Waste Connections, which is the parent company of Northend Disposal. “It’s something we’re willing to look at doing.” Commissioners are hopeful the change might solve the dual problem of declining participa-

tion and rising costs. Costs have ranged from a low of $25,343 in 2009 to last year’s $57,195. Meanwhile, tonnage collected by the recycling center and sent to the Northwest Kansas Regional Recycling Organization in Colby peaked at 199.5 tons in 2009 but has dropped to 129.5 tons in 2013. Public Works Director Rich-

ard Cramer says other counties have reported similar declines after a program has been in effect for a few years. “When you start everyone has stuff stacked away and they start bringing it in. And some people just don’t recycle like they used to because it becomes an inconvenience,” he says. (See RECYCLING on page two)

Mini-health fair is Sat. at Scott Co. Hospital

setting sail

The Scott County Hospital will sponsor a mini-health fair on Sat., Oct. 18, from 7:3010:00 a.m., at the hospital. In recent years the hospital has alternated between the minifair and the full-scale health fair that includes booths from businesses and health organizations. The mini-fair is limited to providing vaccinations and blood work. There will be vaccinations available for influenza, pneumonia, tetanus and TDAP. Costs range form $20 to $70.

Participants can also get a prostate test ($20) and blood chemistry profile ($30). All persons planning to have blood work will need to fast after midnight. Health fair Gold Sponsors include Wheatland Electric, the Scott Community Foundation, Scott County Hospital, Scott County and The Scott County Record. Bronze Sponsors include First National Bank, the Scott Co-op, Security State Bank and the Scott City Pharmacy.

Local entities hearing public input on NRP

It was a Columbus Day shipbuilding event, but that didn’t keep third grader Emma Wheeler from thinking about the Pilgrims by constructing the Mayflower during Tuesday’s annual event at Scott City Elementary School. (Record Photo)

Local taxing entities will conduct public hearings over the next couple of weeks to hear input from individuals and businesses regarding an extension of the Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP). The program must be renewed every five years. If it is not renewed it will expire on Dec. 31. The NRP provides a substantial property tax break for new construction that’s appraised in excess of $40,000, or for improvements to existing businesses or homes that increase the appraised value by $40,000 or more. Those who qualify for the NRP receive a 90 percent rebate on the property taxes applied to the new construction/improve-

ment in the first year of the program. The rebate declines in subsequent years to 70, 50, 30 and 10 percent. Property owners are required to pay the full amount of taxes owed and the county rebates the qualifying amount in each of the five years. Persons wanting more information about the NRP and how they can qualify can contact Scott County Development Director Katie Eisenhour. Hearing dates include: •City of Scott City: Mon., Oct. 20, 7:30 p.m., at City Hall. •Scott County: Tues., Oct. 21, 3:30 p.m., commission room in the courthouse. •USD 466: Tues., Oct. 28, 5:00 p.m., at the board meeting room.

New ER procedure to take effect at SC Hospital Imagine that you’re in the waiting room at the Scott City Medical Clinic for your scheduled appointment. The time of your appointment passes by and you wait . . . maybe another 30 minutes, maybe an hour. Why the long wait? In an increasing number of instances it’s because the physician’s assistant or nurse practitioner scheduled to see a patient in the clinic had to respond to a call in the emergency room. It’s a concern that hasn’t gone unnoticed by the hospital administration as the number of emergency room visits climbed to an all-time high of 2,628 during 2013.

“It creates a lot of added stress on our mid-levels who have the responsibility of working in both the clinic and the ER. And it means that we have customers who aren’t happy, and understandably so, because they’ve had to wait for a long time in the clinic, or in the exam room when they scheduled an appointment,” says Scott County Hospital CEO Mark Burnett. “It certainly hasn’t been fair to them.” Burnett finally has the staff available to address the situation. Since August 1, Burnett has hired three new mid-level care staff boosting the total to five - with one

06 Main, St. Scott City • 620-872-2090 www.scottcountyrecord.com Future cheerleaders show their support for the Beavers Page 9

(See ER STAFF on page eight)

Staff who will be providing additional coverage for the SCH emergency room are (from left) Caley Roberts, Joie Tedder, Melissa Batterton, Megan Dirks and Ryan Michels. (Record Photo)

406 Main, St. Scott City • 620-872-2090 www.scottcountyrecord.com Opinion • Pages 4-6 Calendar • Page 7 Youth/Education • Page 9 LEC report • Page 10 Health • Pages 12-13 Deaths • Page 14

Church services • Page 15 Health Fair • Page 16 Sports • Pages 19-26 Pigskin Payoff • Page 24 Farm section • Pages 28-29 Classified ads • Pages 31-33

Scott City spikers are fourth in own invitational Page 19


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