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

[Ross]

According to a small article on the "Prairie Star" web site dated Sept. 23, 2009,
I read the following snippet:  http://www.taylornews.org/pst/2009/09/23/wellness-center-opens-in-howard/#more-995

Now I haven't been following this thread and I'm not too crazy about going through all of the past posts to find out the following:

in simple terms, like 25 words or less, will someone please explain to me why they think Elk Konnected LLC is so bad for Elk County?  The Wellness Center sounds pretty good to me.  
Just curious.  

25 words or less can not begin to answer your question?

I doubt I can not answer your question in one response.

The wellness center which appeared to be funded by a grant to a non-profit organization, which now does not appear to be a non-profit organization but a privately owned company that accepts donations from a non-profit organization has shut down it's great contribution the Wellness Center in Howard on August 31st. It no longer exist.

An Elk Konnected follower said:

    NEWS FLASH  , Elk Konnected was started by Richard Fish, a well respected citizen who sought to bring all of Elk County together and quit quibbling over small things and work together as county. The original idea went through the Chamber of Commerce, DONATIONS were given by many people who want to see the county grow. TIME was , and is, VOLUNTEERED by many people , YOUR If you would ever give up your time to help "people wanting to start a business" ( some people don't know about the assistance the government has..... Stupid people who don't know what they're talking about ) , but wait, then you wouldn't have time to come up with your BS here.

How's that for bad mouthing Elk County citizens??

And Elk Konnected could not run their own businness??

Elk Konnected, LLC has a self proclaimed founding member listed as Liz Perkins Hendricks, our Elk County Commisisioner.
Who, I hear is also the founding member of the Elk County Community and Educationsl Foundation which is a non-profit organization.

Anbd it now appears that Elk Konnected , LLC is now the reciepent of funding from ECCEF the non-profit organization.
Please, Correct me if I am wrong but isn't it usually companys that provide funding for non-profit organizations, not the other way around???

I don't believe anyone has said EK, LLC is so bad but I think the question is what is so good.

They have held what they call community converssations but don't actually have community conversatios because if you want to address them or the community during one of their shindigs the sheriff will be directed to escourt you off the premisses. Their shindigs are a very controlled and manipulated affair with circles of chairs and name tags with little stars (little stars used by kindergarten teachers) and the shindigs have been controlled by a facilitator from Wichita County not someone from the community. And it is my guess that there facilitators in quite a few of the circles of chairs to control the conversations.
Page one of this thread shows the results of one of those shindigs. The list of suggestions have no proof that any citizen of Elk County made even on of those suggestions.

The main thing in my opinion is "What is so good about Elk Konnected, LLC?

Elk Konnected, LLC claims to have no owner, no membership, no president, no secretary, no treasurer. No treasurer, who takes care of the books for all the taxpayers money they have collected fro the county commissioners??? Think about that for a minute?

Elk Konnected, LLC has wrote letters posing as a third party, to themselves praising all that they do for Elk County. What have they actually done?? They claim to be the savior of Elk County from what I have read, how can that be??

Who steers the steering committee?

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

Who is their Leader?

How can seven people in an organization with no leader and no registered membership speak for the entire population of Elk County?  
In my opinion the lack of definitive answers regarding Elk Konnected, LLC reflects the reality that nobody knows anything about who owns them or who the admitted members are or the admitted members are ashamed of being admitted members? It would be nice to have some clarification.

Have we become the Infantile Society, eager only to be coddled, burped and entertained, with noise masquerading as music, and nicks and bruises as deep cuts and real wounds and lollipops as good deeds.

Why Are Americans 'Allergic To Brains?'
I have two brain cells ones dead and the other is asleep and I can see something is not quite right but I just can't put my finger on what, can you?

I'm just full of questions and Elk Konnected, LLC who claims they want to communicate won't communicate, why do you suppose that is?? We know they are reading this thread because it is their buisness being discussed.

[Janet Harrington]

I'm confuzzed.  Where are you going here?  If the Perkins clan were at issue, I surely wouldn't have missed Mac-O-Chee Farms, LLC and the myriad of tangled corporate & trust holdings involved in that package?  Why do you single out the Perkins family?  And is there something particularly Konnected with Wneglass or the list provided by ddurbin?  

Well, in the list that was put on this topic, were all those company names ones that had something to do with Elk Connected? If that is so, I was not seeing the connection. I was just seeing Elk County names.

I guess what I would need for someone to do is point out to me how that list is connected to this group that this topic is about. Such as the H W Allen Co LLC.

[Diane Amberg]

Does "research" in this case really meaning spying or butting into someones' private business affairs? I know I'm not there, but I don't understand the lists.  What exactly is the researcher supposed to be looking for and what is to be done with the "information? ''This and that" doesn't explain much.

[Patriot]

Look beyond the names.  Look for connections.  Try to analyze. Start with the understanding that there are some relationships that can carry the appearance of impropriety and may amount to cronyism or inappropriate use of, misuse of, and/or improper influence over government operations.  Realize that Ross, Red, myself, and others who question may not be the enemies of local growth and the well being of this community or simply the sh*t disturbers that some have tried to portray.  Perhaps the years of shrinking local economies, shriveling populations, dwindling infrastructure, etc. may be the result of 'we've always done it that way', or 'same management styles/different day', and that maybe somebody should have been asking questions a long time ago.

[Patriot]

Thanks to Mr K.R. Leibau, Chairman of the Elk County Commission, who in the open county commission meeting today, said he was on the board of Elk Konnected.  Progress?  Perhaps. But there wasn't sufficient time to clarify his statement. Does that mean he's a legally admitted member/owner or only on a volunteer committee of some kind?  Don't know.

Mrs. Hendricks indicated that "we" (Elk Konnected) had paid substantial monies from donations & grants received to Public Square Communities, LLC for their services in helping organize Elk County... something like $13,000 to $15,000.   During a discussion of the county fund of taxpayer monies that budgets $10,000/year for youth development activities, she also said that she was unaware that "we" (Elk Konnected, a heavily youth development oriented group) had received $10982, from ECCEF in 2008 or $31,573 from the same source in 2009. That fact was illustrated by the ECCEF federal tax returns provided by Mr. Ritz, District 1.

Did you know that the median income in Elk County is something like $32,000/yr?

When asked there seemed to be no information available about any measurable results from Elk Konnected's community development efforts.  As a matter of fact, Mrs. Hendricks said she couldn't see how such results could even be measured.  The same answers were offered in response to questions about the successes achieved via the county economic development directors work, past and present... How about new businesses established, old business retention/expansion, increases in population, new jobs, etc.?  Well, there was the fact that there's been a small increase in enrollment at West Elk schools.

Has anybody ever wondered why a newspaper doesn't attend and report the facts about these meetings?  Meeting minutes are necessarily abbreviated... but rarely cover a lot of what is discussed.

More to come... stay connected.

[kshillbillys]

I don't understand why a newspaper reporter isn't present to report what goes on at the meetings. When I was the assistant editor of the Sedan Times-Star, I went to School Board and City Council meetings and the Editor and I would both attend or take turns in going to the County Commission meetings and then we would report everything that went on at the meetings. I agree that very little of the actual discussions that go on in these meetings are ever in the minutes so it leaves a lot left out of what goes on...I guess leaving it out makes it bright and cheery and keeps the public pacified, especially when they don't fully understand or know what is going on in their city/county. That is why it is very important when information such as this EK stuff becomes public, that people don't just rely on word of a few to keep informed. People should go to the meetings themselves to ask questions and learn the truth!---Jennifer

[Ross]

To avoid any misunderstanding, not all quotes are full quotes. That would take up considerably more space. And to avoid the age old statement "Taken out of context" the reader can click on the line above each quote to be taken to the full quote. I am not trying to mislead or misrepresent any thing. I amsimply trying to refresh previous information.

Thanks to Mr K.R. Leibau, Chairman of the Elk County Commission, who in the open county commission meeting today, said he was on the board of Elk Konnected.  Progress?  Perhaps. But there wasn't sufficient time to clarify his statement. Does that mean he's a legally admitted member/owner or only on a volunteer committee of some kind?  Don't know.

I told Redclif some time back.

However, I think this thing is more of a social thing than a political one.
But there is no real line, it is al blurry......
What I see is a political action committe parading as supposed social organization.
What I see is an organization using people and tax dollars trying to create a powerful name for themselves and we don't know who they are.
I would just like to see the owners or registered members clarify the purpose of the organization.
Are they trying to represent me to the County Commissioners?
Are they trying to represent everyone in Elk County to the County Commissioners?
Or is it the County Commissioners using Elk konnected to avoid us, the taxpayers??
I'd like to see owners or registered members step up to the plate. Talk with the community of Elk County.
Afterall isn't the Elk Konnected Community just imagination, just words? They don't appear to have any real boundaries or borders they even extend themselves outside of Elk County? How far will they go?
Two of our County Commisiioners act almost like cheerleaders for the organization during County Commissioners Meeetings.
To me that is just plain inappropriate unless they want to tell us who the owners, registered members are. Don't you agree?

That sounds like the ethical thing to do. But do ethics play a part in politics today?

It's also as our newspaper editor described Elk Konnected as a loosly knit organization which I see as simply a play on words saying the organization is not really an organization. I sure wish he would clarify that one. How about it Mr. Editor would you care to clarify this for us? We know you watch the forum and your input is welcomed.

However, we do know that Elk Konnected is a privately owned company because it is Elk Konnected, LLC. Unless they care to correct us. How about it Elk Konnected would you care to clarify this information for us?

Perhaps our newspaper editor could answer a few questions to help Elk Konnected, do you suppose?

i agree everyone is entitled to their opinion. And my reason for posting this list was because I knew the newspaper wouldn't. The newspaper is Elk Konnected affiliated and therefore biased. And I also posted it to get a real conversation going. And i can agree to disagree and hopefully not offend anyone.

Why, even when I spoke with the County Commissioners Board on Monday I could barely draw a difference between Elk Konnected and the Board. I do believe only one Commissioner is not involved with Elk Konnected. and that is Mr. Ritz.

While expressing my opinion to the board about Elk Konnected it was like a switch from County Commissioners to Elk Konnected.
Elk Konnected presents it self as if they represent all the people of Elk County and I believe it is more like 5

That sounds like the ethical thing to do. But do ethics play a part in politics today?

It's also as our newspaper editor described Elk Konnected as a loosly knit organization which I see as simply a play on words saying the organization is not really an organization. I sure wish he would clarify that one. How about it Mr. Editor would you care to clarify this for us? We know you watch the forum and your input is welcomed.

However, we do know that Elk Konnected is a privately owned company because it is Elk Konnected, LLC. Unless they care to correct us. How about it Elk Konnected would you care to clarify this information for us?

Perhaps our newspaper editor could answer a few questions to help Elk Konnected, do you suppose?

i agree everyone is entitled to their opinion. And my reason for posting this list was because I knew the newspaper wouldn't. The newspaper is Elk Konnected affiliated and therefore biased. And I also posted it to get a real conversation going. And i can agree to disagree and hopefully not offend anyone.

In my opinion the fact that Elk Konnected suggest one government for all the communities shows that they want to control Elk County.

Why, even when I spoke with the County Commissioners Board on Monday I could barely draw a difference between Elk Konnected and the Board. I do believe only one Commissioner is not involved with Elk Konnected. and that is Mr. Ritz.

While expressing my opinion to the board about Elk Konnected it was like a switch from County Commissioners to Elk Konnected.
Elk Konnected presents it self as if they represent all the people of Elk County and I believe it is more like 5 or 6% as someone else has pointed out. If the commissioners were really interested in the county peoples opinions as a whole they would take the proper leadership role and hole a special meeting open to the public without the 3 ring circus that Elk Konnected holds.

It's not just about a commissioner, it's about Elk Konnected. And the time to wake up is now.   Not on election day. Look at the people running for the next president, they have already started positioning themselves. We need a couple of people to run for these offices that won't abuse the positions. We need to be looking now. I'd almost bet Elk Konnected has already got someone in mind.

Again it just my opinion.

     NEWS FLASH  , Elk Konnected was started by Richard Fish, a well respected citizen who sought to bring all of Elk County together and quit quibbling over small things and work together as county. The original idea went through the Chamber of Commerce, DONATIONS were given by many people who want to see the county grow. TIME was , and is, VOLUNTEERED by many people , YOUR fellow residents . Their agenda is making Elk County the best it can be.

What people donated?"

This weeks newspaper read the "Howard Chamber of Commerce" column.

What's that all about Elk Konnected and the Howard Chamber of Commerce wanting to ask the County fo part of the PILOT money

To be used to help purchase event policiies for county events. What county event? The Elk River Festival is a Howard event isn't it --- to raise funds for the City of Howard, right? 

You know while reading the newspaper I've noticed something interesting.
I believe the paper say's:
             The Elk Konnected/Elk County Summer Day Camp
and        The Howard Elk County Fair

I find it difficult to see a line between the Elk County government and the City of Howard.
and a line between the Elk Konnected organization and Elk County Government What's with that??

To quote flintauqua again:
Quote from: flintauqua on April 21, 2011, 04:08:44 pm
There are always individuals or small groups of individuals who try to distort facts by subjectively using them out of context, or in the case of imperical data, changing parameters of a statistical analysis so the numbers will fit a predetermined outcome.

When these individuals try to hide behind a cloak of anonymity, then others must ask why.

No, I did not list his opinion, nor my opinion because every person has their own opinion. I also did not twist the words.
But let me ask you isn't Elk Konnected a very, very small group of individuals?

I don't understand why a newspaper reporter isn't present to report what goes on at the meetings.

If we had a good investigative reporter on our newspaper they would disclose this information. But the editor informed me that he is affiliated with Elk Konnected. So there you go, it would never happen.

WHERE DOES ELK KONNECTED STOP AND ELK COUNTY COMMISSIONERS START ??
WHERE ARE THE ETHICS IN GOVERNMENT ?

PERHAPS OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS CAN EXPLAIN FOR US WHAT THEIR POSITIONS ARE ?

ARE THEY ELK KONNECTED, LLC SUPPORTERS OR ELK COUNTY SUPPORTERS ?

In my opinion the lack of definitive answers regarding Elk Konnected, LLC reflects the reality that nobody knows anything about who owns them or who the admitted members are or the admitted members are ashamed of being admitted members? It would be nice to have some clarification.

[redcliffsw]

Well, you boys have got yourself an Acorn in Elk County which is not news to you.

Republicanism is in season - it's blooming.  And the Democrats are watering.

[Ross]

That is why it is very important when information such as this EK stuff becomes public, that people don't just rely on word of a few to keep informed. People should go to the meetings themselves to ask questions and learn the truth!---Jennifer

Yea for you Jennifer.

I have missed the last few meetings due to to many events happening in my life. But, I sure wish I would have been at yesterdays meeting ot have at least seen the squirming?

I understand they still have a problem with seperating themselves from Elk Konnected. Asking questions similar to, "What difference does it make it it is Elk Konnected or Elk County that sponsers an event in Elk County? Ever heard of the word "ETHICS" ?

Had I been there, I would have told them if it is Elk County, then Elk County not Elk Konnected, LLC should recieve the credit for the event. An example, the Elk Konnected Summer Day Camp was funded by a grant to the citizens of Elk County's governing body, so why was it named Elk Konnected Summer Day Camp?

Perhaps because our county employee placed on the grant request to call it the Elk Konnected Summer Day Camp? I would simply like to know who may have authorized such an action of an emplyee to take such action on behalf of all the citizens of Elk County's governing body while on the county payroll ?

How does that work

Where is the "ETHICS" in that

Why does Elk Konnected, LLC a private business have such influence on our Elk County Government

Is it perhaps because the private company has actual members on our County Commissioners panel

Do our County Commissioners have any ethics or principles ?

Just asking?

And how about this???

The Community standards committee has been ENERGIZED with ideas such as drive by mowing, united legal communication about getting rid or old structures, and Ice Cream is a requirement at any and all meetings.  
Stop the blithe, approve by BROCK, and let the Bulldozer Roll.

What is "The Community Standards Committee", what standards are they authorized to form or enforce and how?
What the heck does this mean? "united legal communication about getting rid of old structures" united with who?
By what authority?

I just love these statements and I hope you do too!

" There are always individuals or small groups of individuals who try to distort facts by subjectively using them out of context, or in the case of imperical data, changing parameters of a statistical analysis so the numbers will fit a predetermined outcome.

When these individuals try to hide behind a cloak of anonymity, then others must ask why. "


" Pride costs us more than hunger, thirst, and cold."
    " How much pain the evils have cost us that never happened "
                                   
                                                                                   Jefferson

I can not take credit for these statements, I borrowed them from previous posts on this thread.
But perhaps they will stimulate some talk and conversation and thinking about this beautiful county.
That is my hope and prayers.

In my opinion the lack of definitive answers regarding Elk Konnected, LLC reflects the reality that nobody knows anything about who owns them or who the admitted members are or the admitted members are ashamed of being admitted members? It would be nice to have some clarification.

[flintauqua]

To avoid any misunderstanding, not all quotes are full quotes. That would take up considerably more space. And to avoid the age old statement "Taken out of context" the reader can click on the line above each quote to be taken to the full quote. I am not trying to mislead or misrepresent any thing. I amsimply trying to refresh previous information.

To quote flintauqua again:
Quote from: flintauqua on April 21, 2011, 04:08:44 pm
There are always individuals or small groups of individuals who try to distort facts by subjectively using them out of context, or in the case of imperical data, changing parameters of a statistical analysis so the numbers will fit a predetermined outcome.

When these individuals try to hide behind a cloak of anonymity, then others must ask why.

No, I did not list his opinion, nor my opinion because every person has their own opinion. I also did not twist the words.
But let me ask you isn't Elk Konnected a very, very small group of individuals?

I am posting here on the Ross billboard for one reason and one reason only.

Once again Ross has found a way to interject my words written about Patriot and his small group of followers into a post about Elk Konnected. 

And even though he said he would link each quote to the Forum post it came from, he somehow failed to link mine. 

So, here is the link to the full post, which didn't even take place in this thread:

http://www.cascity.com/howard/forum/index.php/topic,11733.msg160234.html#msg160234

Ross, please, come up with your own statements, and quit misusing mine.