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

[Patriot]

If only they could answer a few real questions, wouldn't that be great.

You betcha.

[kshillbillys]

I heard that when Jennifer Brummel was at the commissioner's meeting wanting paid mileage to go pick up the water slide and take it back, that a nice couple from Elk county OFFERED to go pick it up AND take it back FREE OF CHARGE! And guess what? That nice couple are the ones that did so AND had to make the arrangements for pickup and return times with the company the slide was rented from. And since the money came from the COUNTY'S special recreation fund, then in my opinion, ELK KONNECTED didn't give the kids a damn thing like they are claiming on their facebook page.....and I quote...


Elk Konnected
Come cool off with Elk Konnected at the Longton Fair Friday evening August 5th by sliding down inflatable water slide. Thanks to these sponsors its FREE, co-sponsored by Elk County and Elk Konnected.
Wednesday at 11:07am

So if Elk Konnected "sponsored" it, exactly HOW did they do so? -----MRS. KSH

[Ross]

Yea, how about that hillbilly. And it wasn't no Elk Konnected volunteer/follower. Just great people and  they are
Elk County taxpayers who voluntered to help the COUNTY.

[Ross]

Thanks to all of the volunteers like Liz and others that make Elk county a great place to live, Liz keep on keeping on. I know a lot of people that appreciate all of the extra that you and others do. Ross what have you done to benefit Elk County besides put out all of the trash you have been posting that is anti Elk County. Most everyone I have talked to is pleased that Elk Konnected and its members have ignored you. If you run for public office I can see the campaign signs now, "TOSS ROSS".

I guess you must be talking about all the great work of taking advantage of our County Government Resources and taxpayers?
Like when they placed their unauthorizesd web page on our County Government Owned web site?

OR

When they used our public emergency crisis call system for it's personal use to send out messages 3 or 4 times on one day?

OR

When they took credit for the Elk County Summer Day Camp and the grant for it awarded to Elk County?

OR

Or are you talking about the front page newspaper articles of having Community Conversations which in my opinion are anything but? How can they be conversations when operated like a three ring circus with a Circus ring leader controling where you sit, who you can talk with and if you don't do as he says you are thrown out. And the Circus ring leader is from another county half way towards the Colorado state line, how is he part of the community?

OR

Perhaps you are talking about the letters of self praise?

OR

Perhaps you are refering to their Face Book web site where they are busy patting themselves on the back?

ELK@KC  what has Elk Konnected actually done that has so impressed you? Can you name a few things?
We want to be impressed too.

Here is a real easy qustion for you. Who are you and where do you live?

Did you know Elk Konnected Went to Howard West Elk Junior - Senior High. Where is Howard West Elk. I didn't know that Howard had a school inside their city limits? Or was West Elk renamed?

Can you provide any answers, please?

[kshillbillys]

From Elk Konnected's Facebook page:


The History of Elk Konnected.


by Elk Konnected on Friday, May 13, 2011 at 9:36am
.



In early 2007, citizens of Elk County began talking to Terry Woodbury with Public Square Communities. It was apparent that our small towns needed to work more together than pull apart. Terry's process – "rebuilding the public square" seemed like one option. The Public Square process embraced the idea of each of the four sectors - Business, Education, Government and Health/Human Services – working together. Terry travelled to Elk County three different times, exploring with various citizens this process. Each time he would encourage us to find citizens engaged in various communities and also across sectors. Finally after the 3rd meeting with Terry in March 2007, a steering committee was formed and charged with raising the seed money. The Steering Committee represented citizens from each of the six towns while also representing the four sectors of the public square – Business, Education, Government and Health/Human Services. While Elk County only has 5 incorporated towns, it was decided from the beginning to include Severy in the Elk Konnected community because Severy is part of the West Elk school district.



The nine member steering committee set off to raise the $3000 seed money - $50 at a time. This money helps pay for the services provided by Public Square Communities LLC and also measures the commitment of the community. By the end of July, the steering committee had donations from 74 individuals, businesses, civic clubs, etc and had raised $4250. To get a gauge of where our communities really were, we started interviewing "Konnected" people. Terry and the steering committee conducted interviews and circulated a "20 Clues Survey" (Community survey). By the end of the survey period, we had conducted 58 interviews and collected 140 community surveys. We were ready for our first community conversation.



The first Community Conversation, held in Longton, was open to all of the Elk Konnected area. Advertizement was in the newspaper and cable channel, flyers were hung in local businesses and announcement made at civic meetings and churches. On October 26, 2007, 126 people attended. With Terry's help facilitating, we looked at our top asset as identified by the "20 Clues Survey and identified ways to strengthen our weakest areas based on the survey information. We also identified examples of citizen engagement and looked for ways to build upon them throughout the entire area. At the end, people were asked to nominate one person from each of the public square sector who crossed over -"konnected" with – another sector. These names were then used to create our Vision Retreat attendance list.



By being a part of the Public Square Communities, LLC we have the opportunity to send attendees to a 2 day conference for no fee. We asked some of the vision retreat nominees to go and six were able to attend. Then on Jan 9, 2008 at Flint Oaks, we convened 51 engaged citizens from the Elk Konnected area whom had been nominated by their peers. Terry again led us through a day long retreat looking at the future of Elk Konnected. Utilizing the information from the Community Conversation, surveys and interviews, this motivated group created a mission statement, and formed five action teams, and identified 2 co-conveners and members for each action team.



With the mission statement of "Strong Families, Solid Education, Superior Lifestyle – Stay with us as we grow", the following action teams went to work. Their primary charge is listed below:

• Community Wellness: create the infrastructure for a community wellness and enrichment network

• Community Standards: establish standards in each community

• Communication: establish a community-wide publication of all activities and events to patrons

• Physical Image: organize a community appreciation day to clean up our physical image

including business, city/county government, civic groups, school working together for each community and in turn so that each community helps other communities

• Youth Development: establish a coordinated program in the Elk Konnected community.



Stay tuned for our next weekly article talking about the action teams and their missions. Elk Konnected will be doing a weekly article about itself in the Prairie Star Newspaper. We are very open to try and answer any civil questions about us and the process and Public Square Communities LLC. Please feel free to email questions to Elkkonnect@Gmail.com.

Okay...Very open to try and answer any civil questions about us and the process? Answer these please....

Who steers the steering committee?


Who are the admitted members who own and run
Elk Konnected?


Who is your Leader?
   

[Ross]

I agree Hillibilly, here are a couple mor questions from me. Mine are in blue.

The History of Elk Konnected.
by Elk Konnected on Friday, May 13, 2011 at 9:36am

My questions are in blue in the various paragraphs.


In early 2007, citizens of Elk County began talking to Terry Woodbury with Public Square Communities. It was apparent that our small towns needed to work more together than pull apart. Terry's process – "rebuilding the public square" seemed like one option. The Public Square process embraced the idea of each of the four sectors - Business, Education, Government and Health/Human Services – working together. Terry travelled to Elk County three different times, exploring with various citizens this process. Each time he would encourage us to find citizens engaged in various communities and also across sectors. Finally after the 3rd meeting with Terry in March 2007, a steering committee was formed and charged with raising the seed money. The Steering Committee represented citizens from each of the six towns while also representing the four sectors of the public square – Business, Education, Government and Health/Human Services. While Elk County only has 5 incorporated towns, it was decided from the beginning to include Severy in the Elk Konnected community because Severy is part of the West Elk school district.

The nine member steering committee set off to raise the $3000 seed money - $50 at a time. Didn't that $3000 seed money come from a scholarship fund that was paid directly to Terry Woodbury with Public Square Communities? That's what a commissioner told me in a County Commissioners meeting. This money helps pay for the services provided by Public Square Communities LLC and also measures the commitment of the community. How does it measure the commitment of the community if it came from a school grant?

By the end of July, the steering committee had donations from 74 individuals, businesses, civic clubs, etc and had raised $4250. To get a gauge of where our communities really were, we started interviewing "Konnected" people. Terry and the steering committee conducted interviews and circulated a "20 Clues Survey" (Community survey). By the end of the survey period, we had conducted 58 interviews and collected 140 community surveys. We were ready for our first community conversation. Out of a population of 3000 that's the best they could do, such small numbers for a concensus?

The first Community Conversation, held in Longton, was open to all of the Elk Konnected area. Advertizement was in the newspaper and cable channel, flyers were hung in local businesses and announcement made at civic meetings and churches. On October 26, 2007, 126 people attended. With Terry's help facilitating, we looked at our top asset as identified by the "20 Clues Survey and identified ways to strengthen our weakest areas based on the survey information. We also identified examples of citizen engagement and looked for ways to build upon them throughout the entire area. At the end, people were asked to nominate one person from each of the public square sector who crossed over -"konnected" with – another sector. These names were then used to create our Vision Retreat attendance list. Keep paying Terry Woodbury with Public Square Communities, and of course he requires taxpayer dollars to be a member of his private club, right? I do believe that's what I read on his web site.


By being a part of the Public Square Communities, LLC we have the opportunity to send attendees to a 2 day conference for no fee. We asked some of the vision retreat nominees to go and six were able to attend. Then on Jan 9, 2008 at Flint Oaks, we convened 51 engaged citizens from the Elk Konnected area whom had been nominated by their peers. What peers? Who? Terry again led us through a day long retreat looking at the future of Elk Konnected. Utilizing the information from the Community Conversation, surveys and interviews, this motivated group created a mission statement, and formed five action teams, and identified 2 co-conveners and members for each action team.

With the mission statement of "Strong Families, At supposed Community Conversations Husbands and wives are not permitted to sit together, how is that conducive to strong families? Solid Education, Superior Lifestyle You know it sounds sort of like the Stepford Wives to me, do as we say and live happily ever after. Doesn't it sound like that to you?   – Stay with us as we grow", the following action teams went to work. Their primary charge is listed below:

• Community Wellness: create the infrastructure for a community wellness and enrichment network Didn't Elk Konnected create a private business, an Elk Konnected Fitness Center by first using grant money then becoming Elk Konnected, LLC a private business in Howard, am I right?

• Community Standards: establish standards in each community What does this mean? Doesn't each community have it's own government and it's individuality? Does this mean Elk konnected want's each community to be an extension of Howard? Seriously what does it mean?• Communication: establish a community-wide publication of all activities and events to patrons We have Elk County Forum, snail mail, telephone, television and a newspaper. What more could we need?

• Physical Image: organize a community appreciation day to clean up our physical image This had already been going on before Elk Konnected in at least a couple of communities. But what has changed since Elk Konnected came up with the new idea? including business, city/county government, civic groups, school working together for each community and in turn so that each community helps other communities Does this mean 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)

• Youth Development: establish a coordinated program in the Elk Konnected community. Huh? What does this mean, details please?

Stay tuned for our next weekly article talking about the action teams and their missions. Elk Konnected will be doing a weekly article about itself in the Prairie Star Newspaper. What is the affiliation of the Editor to Elk Konnected and what part does he play? We are very open to try and answer any civil questions about us and the process and Public Square Communities LLC. Please feel free to email questions to Elkkonnect@Gmail.com. Why not right here if you are so open and willing to answer civil questions

Okay...Very open to try and answer any civil questions about us and the process? Answer these please....

Who steers the steering committee?


Who are the admitted members who own and run
Elk Konnected?


Who is your Leader?
 

[readyaimduck]

Ross?  Do you might think that there are 4 holes to blow up and only one stick of dynamite?

Take care of  one, and a 5th opens up?.  (Jarhead......don't even go there!   )

Good things happen for a reason.  We just have to know  'what is the reason?"  And if it is a 'need to know' basis, then I question the reason until all facts are in place...and that is yet to be determined...
or it is not up to us to know..ad nauseum.
I am not talking about hiding, I am talking about skirting an issue.  One would think one would defend, or at least come clean as to the hierarchy of the organization.....I have been there, and to defend means one is guilty...are they?

Now, I am not taking sides, just trying to understand how a 'service' to the people can be filtered through the county funds (our tax dollars)  with a conflict of interest with the Community Co-ordinator, if indeed that is happening.

My question is:  Is Jennifer a puppet of 'easy acquistion' based on her position....or is a 'slight of hand' happening with your hard earned tax dollars.  I do not mean any disrespect for Jennifer...just asking a question.

Personally, I donate anonymously....IF there is an up & up cause.
That being said....I have found no information (other than he said/she said, nor any viable facts that show true cause of an existing group...other than what has been in the Praire paper) to state that I would send money to Elk Connected..
Sorry, Elk Konnected...I question if your plan has gone 'awry'  (insert tu) and now you are hanging on by a thread of respect or disrespect.

Just my 2­ ¢
ready

[srkruzich]

You guys forgot that PSC and EK LLC are intertwined  Kansas Communities LLC to "build and rebuild community across Kansas.

[readyaimduck]

Good point steve....who is PSC?  and the monies raised went to pay them something that has been going on in Elk County for a lot longer then lPSC AND LLC!

Perhaps that tree of being connected is a different tree?
ready

[srkruzich]

Good point steve....who is PSC?  and the monies raised went to pay them something that has been going on in Elk County for a lot longer then lPSC AND LLC!

Perhaps that tree of being connected is a different tree?
ready

Public Square communities.