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

[srkruzich]

As usual, what I said was misquoted.  I said, "Someone is putting these grants together."  I did not say that someone was applying for them.  These grants are put together by the people who grant them.  I imagine that it is a state department and that it was originally done to benefit children that didn't have a chance of going to a day camp.  Mainly children from the poorer levels whose parents do not have the money to pay for a chance to do something other than run the streets all day.

Hmmm I ran the streets when i was a kid, rode my bike all over town, went to the local boys club back then, ran around with friennds, found dirt trails to ride, went fishing rode up to wally world to get fishing supplies.  Whats so bad about running around in the streets. 

[Patriot]

As usual, what I said was misquoted.  I said, "Someone is putting these grants together."

As usual, you've missed the point.  The grant in question was 'put together' by the Kansas Health Foundation (KHF).  But the issue is WHO applied for and received those grant monies (Elk County) and who passed the money to a private company (Elk Konnected) who, unless they are a 501(c)(3) are not authorized to receive those monies directly from KHF as the grant in question is a restricted recognition grant.  

The 3 questions still remain:  1) Why did the county apply for a grant that appears to be for EK?;  2)  Why does EK behave as if THEY sourced the money by trying to take sole credit for the day camp being paid for with that grant; and 3)  Why don't they get their own grant if activity ownership is so important to them?  And KHF can't answer those questions.

The taxpayers, through a county employee, applied for and received the grant, and the taxpayers, also through county employees, will pay for the recording and accounting of those funds on the county books.  The line between the private company called Elk Konnected and Elk County is sure blurred sometimes.

Stay connected, citizens.  Elk Konnected, LLC, while their intentions and activities may be good, are NOT Elk County, nor do they have a mandate to represent you.  You elect people to do that.  Are they?

[Ross]

Ditto srkruzich. Swimming, fishing, froggin'. Visiting friends from neighborhood to neighborhood. And we ddn't dream of getting in trouble because the word of trouble got home before we did.

This Day Camp is more like day care with babysitters. Just my humble opinion.

[readyaimduck]

As usual, what I said was misquoted.

Then Wilma, I aplogize for that misinterpretation.

[readyaimduck]

As to the grants that have been written, there are people that write up the applications for grants for entities because they have the training and the time to do it and they get paid for it.  Is that a crime?

Actually, that was the quote, and I was wrong.   

[readyaimduck]

Steve, that dip can be expensive, but I only do it about 3 times a year....

reminds me of people who are trained to write grants, and get them...
<<<<sarcasm button off!
ready

[readyaimduck]

1) Why did the county apply for a grant that appears to be for EK?; 

'appears' seems to be the key word.

[farmgal67357]

Hmmm I ran the streets when i was a kid, rode my bike all over town, went to the local boys club back then, ran around with friennds, found dirt trails to ride, went fishing rode up to wally world to get fishing supplies.  Whats so bad about running around in the streets. 

It can become a problem in the larger towns. Kids do get bored sometimes and get into things they shouldn't. I am afraid to let my 17 year old walk home after dark from his friends house who only lives 4 blocks away. And we're only a town of 10,000 or so. It definitely depends on the town and how kids are raised, and if the parents are responsible for their kids. From what I have seen of Howard, I don't see kids "running around" as much of a problem. Just today, I saw some boys riding their bikes in front of the grocery and thought to myself, "How nice!" Of course, my son would rather have the car......

Lisa

[Ross]

I went to a meeting last night.
No it wasn't called a Community Conversation, it was called a Town Hall Meeting.
When I walked in the door there was a table, but no paper to sign, no name tags, no grade school sticky stars.
But on the table were chocolate chip cookies, vegetables and probably a dip.
I had trouble looking past the chocolate chip cookies. Oh and ice tea or ice water.
That was what I call the lollipops. I happen to be a sugar chocoholic, so I looked right past the vegies.
There were people from all over the County present.
There were no circle of chairs.
No one was told where they could sit or who they could sit with.
Wow, there was no facialitator.    No peer pressure.
No, no. No sheriff was present that I saw.
And the sheriff wasn't called when someone asked a question. Wow!

It was concerning oil drilling in our area by Bluescape Resources. An introduction
and presentation was made by the president of the company. Big Wow, he wasn't hiding out behind a facilitator.
He told the names of all the admitted owners, double WOW!!

They had their hand outs which included a reprint of a Wall Street Journal on fragging.
I don't have any way to verify the reprint so it doesn't affect my decisions,
The other hand out was a lease contract.

After the presentation and after the question & answers got started a person got up and walked out
and then another and so on. No peer pressure to stay longer than you want.
There were some good questions asked. I didn't get to ask my question
because someone else asked before I could. Which is just great as far as I'm concerned.
But then another person walked out and then a couple walked out. Hey, I think that couple was husband and wife and
they were sitting to together, wow, sitting together.

Oh, my question was as I said, asked by someone else. That question was if my neighbor has a lease with you and I don't
can you stiill drill under my land. The answer was no. After numerous questions and answers I had enough and headed for the exit.

At the exit, same as the entrance there was that table with the goodies and a couple of pretty ladies. I believe the ladies were there to slow the exit and ask about signing a lease, you know sales pressure. Just my thought. One tried to talk with me and I smiled and said I only came for the chocolate chip cookies and eyecandy and laughingly kept moving.  

No, I don't plan on signing a lease.

Who steers the steering committee?

Who are the admitted members who own, and run,
Elk Konnected.

Who is your Puppet Master?

What are your real goals?

How do you plan to meet your goals?

[Lookatmeknow!!]

I didn't get to go to any summer camps as a kid like I let my kids do. We couldn't afford it growing up but I am lucky enough that my kids attend a wonderful church and are members of a wonderful 4-H club that help cover some of the expenses so that they can attend and cut back on some of the cost for us. But in the same boat other children don't have that luxury because many parents are so busy just trying to make ends meat in today's economy. Yes, some parents use it the daycamp as a part time babysitter, but also to give their child the opportunity to experience something that they wouldn't otherwise get to experience. That is the same with the soccer that EK puts on. I do see Patriot and Ross's point about there being a thin line between Elk County and EK, but in the same token there is money that is allocated each year in a Parks and Recreation fund. If Elk County choses to donate some of the funds to EK that is their choice, by their the commissioners. Notice I said commissioners not just one can vote on it, at least 2 of them have to vote on the money going to EK not just one. And my take on the Parks and Recreation fund is that all the communities have benefited from that fund, as Longton and Howard's ball club have all gotten donations in the past from it. The communities have also benefited from this fund, too. By fund I mean portion of the Elk County's budget that is set aside for this. This has been going on for many many years.

As a person that has worked with children for many years, some children are not as fortunate as others in our communities. It's really sad, but anymore both parents have to work and work hard just to survive. And during the summer, believe me, kids get very bored. If they are not in daycare or kept busy kids can and will get into trouble. We are not in the same generation as when I was a kid or anyone on this forum. There are to many things that can happen to children if not cared for, especially in the summer. I am just now getting to where I will allow my 13 year old to even ride her bike up town or even to the pool. You just can't trust that cars will see them walking or biking around town. I for one ran around Severy when I was a kid. We spent many long hours riding bikes or exploring the different places that we could find water to swim. But that was then, this is now and things have changed. I think that the daycamp is a nice thing to do for our youth and all the things that EK does for them. EK has volunteered hours in each community cleaning up, too.

As for youth and summer jobs, now in Elk County jobs for any age are hard to come by. So, to me offering pay to the kids that help at the day camps is a good thing. I think that if they weren't payed they would still help with the camp, too. Many of the youth that were helping in Howard volunteer throughout Elk County alot. I know that the 4-H club that my kids are in we do volunteer work around the community all the time if we are asked we sure try to do. My girls have also helped at other things around the community. But again, many youth are not taught that volunteering is a good and who's to blame for that their parents.

I know I am getting off topic, but I believe that our youth are our next leaders. If we don't give back to them and help them, they sure are not going to be any better off then our current leaders from around the world. And many youth are not raised in 2 parent loving households these days, especially ones from this area. I know several of my friends are single parents or have gotten a divorse. That isn't the childs fault, and they are usually the ones that suffer the most. Yes, there are things in Elk County and EK that we question and rightfully so as tax paying citizens we have that right. We need to look at things this way, too. Our children are the ones that are going to pay for the debt that has been created around the world. Why not raise them to be better caring adults, as I think that is what EK wants to do.