Elk Konnected Hand out at County Commissioners meeting on 4/25

[Diane Amberg]

Ross, do you really find that EK is somehow interfering? How?
I'm sorry you took the way the circle meeting was set up so personally. That is just one way of getting a sharing of ideas among several diverse groups. Otherwise they would tend to cluster in their own existing town groups and talk among themselves rather than talk to people from other towns. It is one way of sharing and cross pollinating ideas in a relatively short and efficient time. Do you really think only those who now live in Elk County should be  interested and involved? May I ask why?

[Ross]

Ross, do you really find that EK is somehow interfering? How?
I'm sorry you took the way the circle meeting was set up so personally. That is just one way of getting a sharing of ideas among several diverse groups. Otherwise they would tend to cluster in their own existing town groups and talk among themselves rather than talk to people from other towns. It is one way of sharing and cross pollinating ideas in a relatively short and efficient time. Do you really think only those who now live in Elk County should be  interested and involved? May I ask why?

Diane, I wish you could just see the control by lollipops, and that Elk Konnected represents very few of the counties citizens. Why do you think they avoid answering questions and avoid being transparent? They would lose the control they appear to be pursuing, that's why? I don't know what their goal is, but they have spoke of the old guard and how it never accomplished anything. But you know what? I think Elk Konnected, LLC is the old guard with a new face.

If you were to study Public Square Community, LLC's web site I think you might come to the same conclusions. But again I must repeat this is just my opinion. And will remain so until there is a bunch of questions answered and there is transparency with in Elk Konnected, LLC. I am not a lemming, it's that simple.

You said, "Ross, do you really find that EK is somehow interfering? How?" Why do the county commissioners need a privately owned business to hold meetings for them? Especially on that has a commissioner proud to be a founding member of that organization. Why do we need the County Commissioners or County Government if we have a private organization running things. Refering to the list on page one of this thread,  "Unified Gov't (w/in the county) to save money and become more unified (do away with city gov't, councils­ (cont.) all centrally located-one managing body) (Big Ideas's)"  what's next? Do away with Elected County Commissioners and County Government and let Elk Konnected, LLC run everything, because they hand out lollipops? I know they deny any responsibility for the list but, "The committee felt as if most all comment could be grouped into 1 of 6 primary categories. Then after analyzing, the committee prioritized the 6 groups by group discussion and vote. The
6 categories, and order of priority, are:". It's the citizens that made the decisions. What citizens? Who were they? Why are they hiding? Everyone from Elk Konnected, LLC seems to be hiding? They say they are only suggestions, really. Where do actions come from, ideas and suggestions.

Do you find any problem with me trying to be polite as others have on this thread?

I don't really have any answers, just questions? Who? What? Where? When? Why? And How? Perhaps you can help ask the questions and do a better job than I can. After all I was recently told on this thread I am a poor conversationalist. Your help would be appreciated.

[Diane Amberg]

Ross, you are still relatively new here and haven't been the target of some really nasty verbiage that some of us have. I understand why some are very cautious with you. They are not used to someone who can debate without rolling around in the gutter. I personally have been smeared any number of times to the point that it was suggested that my husband should beat me up and I should have my hand slammed in a door for having a difference of opinion.
  No, you have not been rude to me, but everyone has to decide for themselves what is offensive. As far as asking questions, I wouldn't know where to start. I haven't seen any "bread and circuses" except for  the usual hot dogs and " bean feeds" (to me that's a really funny name) that happen every year and are sponsored by the same people every year. Sometimes a hot dog is just a hot dog.  Perhaps that makes me an old foolish lady.  I tend to assume people are good and honest until something bad happens, which it rarely does. I'm afraid some of those who did stand up to help are feeling very threatened now and don't know how to handle it. The small but active groups that make projects go in any small community aren't used to feeling unappreciated. Especially the volunteers. As far as not representing many people...there aren't many people, period. Can't that also be said of turnouts when the politicians come to town? People don't show up,even though they could and should? That's just they way many people are. Don't bother them unless it's personal .

[Wilma]

Quote from Ross:  "The six categories and order of priority are:.  "It's the citizen's that made the decisions.  What citizens?  Who are they?  Why are they hiding?"

"What citizens," indeed.  You can find them at every community event, at the school, at church.  Everywhere you go, you will find the citizens.  "Who are they?"  Your neighbors, lifelong members of Elk County, offspring of the citizens that have been keeping Elk County alive for many, many years.  "Why are they hiding?"  Because you continually hound them with questions that they have answered, not to your satisfaction maybe, but the questions have been answered.  You just refuse to hear what you don't want to hear.  Selective hearing, I believe.

[Ross]

I don't believe in physical or verbal abuse and especially when it comes to women and children.

e food is good. We have a terrific yearly hog feed coming up and I go every year. It's the same small group that does it very year to raise funds. Each community has something going onby their own little groups and that is the greatest diversity in Elk County. The visiting with people is fun and the food is good. They don't go around writing letters of praise to themselves and I do believe each one of them knows they are appreciated by the attendance of people from through out the community.

You said, " As far as not representing many people...there aren't many people, period. Can't that also be said of turnouts when the politicians come to town? " We would have to assume that Elk Konnected, LLC is an elected or politically appointed organization to apply the same assumptions to a governing process not just visiting politicians. But you knoe I have been to two of those type meetings with visiting politicians and never heard a straight answer to anyones questions or concerns. You are right there are not many people but to say you represent the people of the community as a private company, well couldn't that be considered false advertising when you don't represent the majority. The company won't even name 100 members of Elk Konnected, LLC. out of a population of 3000. And no body accepts reponsibilty as a registered member for anything Elk Konnected, LLC does.

[Ross]

Quote from Ross:  "The six categories and order of priority are:.  "It's the citizen's that made the decisions.  What citizens?  Who are they?  Why are they hiding?"

"What citizens," indeed.  You can find them at every community event, at the school, at church.  Everywhere you go, you will find the citizens.  "Who are they?"  Your neighbors, lifelong members of Elk County, offspring of the citizens that have been keeping Elk County alive for many, many years.  "Why are they hiding?"  Because you continually hound them with questions that they have answered, not to your satisfaction maybe, but the questions have been answered.  You just refuse to hear what you don't want to hear.  Selective hearing, I believe.

o own up to it.

That is just saying people are people? I can't accept that as an answer. Try names of registered members? What's difficult about that? If they really want to be the ones that save Elk County I would think they would be proud to own up to it. We can all use a few hero's, and give them the credit they are due.

[Lookatmeknow!!]

I have to say words just get twisted every which way!! No, I guess your right about the school, it's not in Howard. But you know what I meant, not Longton school. Is that better?

I'm sorry Ross your not getting the direct information that you want. But by saying that Elk Konnect hands out lolly pops or whatever, is kind of rude to us people that added meetings that they have held. I went to the meeting to get information that was out there, to find out others opinions, and to discuss my concerns. Isn't that why we go to meetings? As for not sitting by my husband, well it's nice to talk to other adults, too. I love my husband, but I can discuss my concerns with him at home and he will me at home.

As for why the school bond didn't pass, its because it didn't. Yes, I voted for it. Why? Not to close the other schools, but to put money into a permenant place for my children to go to school not portables. I don't mind the portables at all, but to me they are a waste of money that could have been put into permanent classrooms. But that's my opinion. And no Elk Konnected had nothing to do with the school bond losing or it even being brought up. Money had all to do with it!!

[Patriot]

Amazing.  Absolutely amazing.  This thread has been running for almost a month, and the answers to a dozen or so questions are still not forthcoming.  Questions that have been posed clearly and directly as well as by gentle inference.  Questions that are neither difficult nor out of line considering that they generally involve the actions and involvements of government and or government officials in our lives.

Yet even so, responses have ranged from 1) assaults on the identities and place of residence of the questioners to; 2)  responses displaying complete ignorance of basic business structures and no concept of acceptable ethics in government to; 3)  exhaustive diatribes attempting to deflect the discussion away from the original questions into arenas of work done by volunteers to; 4) totally irrelevant personality contests.

Why?  Why is it so difficult for a community of people to see that simple questions are just that... simple questions?  We've heard that an LLC isn't really an LLC, even when records from the State of Kansas has been proffered as proof.  We've been told that EK has not taken government (taxpayer) money, when even their own newspaper prose and web presences indicate otherwise.  We've been told that these questions are somehow a personal attack on one individual, when in fact that feedback is solely a diversion from questions that any public official should not fear, unless they have something to hide.  

At every turn, we've been reminded of the great things the private LLC is accomplishing through adult and youth volunteers though none of those things have been proven to be in any way capable of growing Elk County in any significant way (economically or otherwise).  We've been rebuffed with volumes of hyperbole at the suggestion that a government official is (or was) at the founding core of a privately owned company that markets itself as soliciting community development input when such solicitation is the job of those who have been elected by the people and not some privately held company or outside consultant.  When the suggestion is made that such relationship smacks of collusion and conflict, the response seems to be that the ends justifies the means.  We've been told to ask our questions of the owners of the LLC, when it should be obvious that we don't have a clue as to who those members are.  Even Wilma, bless her heart, in her last post continues to present non answers as answers.

Could it be perhaps that this same ignorance of fact and willingness to accept & defend the status quo are really at the root of Elk County's weakening stance?  Have the citizens of Elk become so sheep like that they can be easily led in spite of seeing realistic questions that would have made their ancestors sit up and take serious notice?  Have our residents reached the point of being so accustomed to a daily dose of rhetorical pablum that they can no longer assimilate meat? Or is the answer that simple questions don't deserve direct answers?  

1.  Who is/are the originally admitted members of Elk Konnected, LLC?
2.  Who are the currently admitted members of the LLC?
3.  Is the LLC being taxed as a non profit or otherwise?
4.  How much taxpayer money has the LLC received either directly or through its' volunteer representatives?
5.  To what use has that money been placed?
6.  Why is the LLC acting as a de facto agent of the county commission to solicit public input on the usage of government revenues?
7.  Why would a commissioner say he "didn't want to listen to public bitching" when asked about getting public input from open government forums?
8.  Who negotiated for the county on the solicitation and placement of the Caney River Wind Project?
9.  What, if any, involvement did Elk Konnected, LLC (or any predecessor organization) have in solicitation of the Caney River project?
10.  What is Elk Konnected's long range plan for the development of Elk County & how will that development be accomplished?
11.  Why the lack of transparency of the formal structure of Elk Konected, LLC?

There's a summary of several of the questions asked.  It has been 600+ hours.  Are the real answers forthcoming?  Or shall we spend another month asking?

[ELK@KC]

Quote from Ross:  "The six categories and order of priority are:.  "It's the citizen's that made the decisions.  What citizens?  Who are they?  Why are they hiding?"

"What citizens," indeed.  You can find them at every community event, at the school, at church.  Everywhere you go, you will find the citizens.  "Who are they?"  Your neighbors, lifelong members of Elk County, offspring of the citizens that have been keeping Elk County alive for many, many years.  "Why are they hiding?"  Because you continually hound them with questions that they have answered, not to your satisfaction maybe, but the questions have been answered.  You just refuse to hear what you don't want to hear.  Selective hearing, I believe.

Well said Wilma. I think Ross just wants some attention, maybe he wants to run for a political office, GOD forbid that. He is always making petty little remarks about the Perkins family, the Perkins Family have always worked hard for youth and community programs. They have been long time sucessful Ranchers, State Representative, business people on main street and have worked hard for the fair, 4-H and many other programs.
If Ross wanted answers to the questions that he repeats over and over he should go to the meetings where these questions could be addressed, the Elk County Forum is not the place, the answers shouldn't and won't be answered here. Why don't all of you quit even responding to his posts, totally ignore them, at least he wouldn't have the opportunity to just keep posting the same nothings over and over. Try it, everyone that is tired of it, just don't answer his posts.

[Ross]

I have to say words just get twisted every which way!! No, I guess your right about the school, it's not in Howard. But you know what I meant, not Longton school. Is that better?

I'm sorry Ross your not getting the direct information that you want. But by saying that Elk Konnect hands out lolly pops or whatever, is kind of rude to us people that added meetings that they have held. I went to the meeting to get information that was out there, to find out others opinions, and to discuss my concerns. Isn't that why we go to meetings? As for not sitting by my husband, well it's nice to talk to other adults, too. I love my husband, but I can discuss my concerns with him at home and he will me at home.

As for why the school bond didn't pass, its because it didn't. Yes, I voted for it. Why? Not to close the other schools, but to put money into a permenant place for my children to go to school not portables. I don't mind the portables at all, but to me they are a waste of money that could have been put into permanent classrooms. But that's my opinion. And no Elk Konnected had nothing to do with the school bond losing or it even being brought up. Money had all to do with it!!

You may opt to allow who ever you want to seperate you and your spouse. I and my spouse have a strong marriage and won't permit it. But even Elk Konnected, LLC says they are for strong family's who ever they are.

I'm not the least bit interested in what or who you or anyone else votes for, that is personal and private information.
I was jus saying the meeting Elk Konnected, LLC had for the school issue proved to be non-productive or it would have prevented the waste of all that money for drawings and voting. And there could have been repairs to the Moline school at considerably less cost, since part of the roof was still under warranty. There is an alternative to the portable buildings. Move the school superintendent to his principals office in the high school and remodel the District Office into a grade school. The district office can be right there in the high school.

But hey, that's getting off subject. Who is Elk Konnected, LLC?