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

[Janet Harrington]

I think that is nice, Ross. I think I know who Hefe de vaca, but I gave up a long time ago trying to figure out who people are. I look at it this was. Either they like what I say or they don't. I really don't care and I don't have to care. LOL It is, however; great to be able to put a face to a moniker. Thanks for sharing.

[Ross]

I think that is nice, Ross. I think I know who Hefe de vaca, but I gave up a long time ago trying to figure out who people are. I look at it this was. Either they like what I say or they don't. I really don't care and I don't have to care. LOL It is, however; great to be able to put a face to a moniker. Thanks for sharing.

I just happen to like most people I meet in Elk County.
Race, religion, politics none of that is relavent to me, honesty is.

Organizations and County Commissioners that are less then honest give me a pain, I think a person should be able to trust such things and expect hoonest answers from them, don't you?

[Janet Harrington]

I just happen to like most people I meet in Elk County.
Race, religion, politics none of that is relavent to me, honesty is.

Organizations and County Commissioners that are less then honest give me a pain, I think a person should be able to trust such things and expect hoonest answers from them, don't you?

Yes, I do. Totally agree with that.

[kshillbillys]

10/24/11 in Howard, I saw 3 or 4 boy scouts painting fire hydrants bright red. I say VERY GOOD BOYS! I know you weren't expecting any credit for the great job you have done and I'm pretty sure you didn't apply for any grant to pay for the paint, nor was the troop leader reimbursed for mileage and gas; Just saying, I appreciate the work that you've put out and thought I would mention this before Elk Konnected tried to put their name on it. You boys know the true meaning of volunteering your time (that means without pay) and knowing gratitude and satisfaction in a job well done.----Robert L. Walker, Jr.

[Ross]

*Elk Konnected name - reputation carries value

Don't you see The Reputation they are building?

Truth 1:  Commissioner Hendricks, at an open county commission meeting, denied that Elk Konnected used public funds.  

Truth 2:  At the same meeting, Elk Konnected was afforded access to public funds for two future events it intended to sponsor.  Also at the same county commission meeting, Commissioner Hendricks admitted that Elk Konnected had received scholarship grant funds from the Kansas State Department of Commerce (state taxpayer monies) which were diverted and used to pay dues/fees to Mr. Terry Woodbury at Public Square Communities, LLC.  At least one such grant in the amount of $3,000 was so used, possibly two.

Truth 3:  At Elk Konnected's Grenola meeting, steering committee member J Englebrect clearly and specifically admitted that Elk Konnected had solicited and received public funds tp pay its' membership dues/fees to Public Square Communities, LLC from the following sources:  the cities of Longton, Severy and Moline, and the County of Elk.  The county monies were said to have come from the Special Parks and Rec fund, and to use these monies for outside dues/fees to Public Square Communities, LLC may be in violation of Kansas Statues Annotated 79-4180a01(4)(d), which says, in part, "Moneys in the special community support program and parks and recreation fund may be expended only for (1) the establishment and operation of a domestic violence program operated by a not-for-profit organization or (2) the purchase, establishment, maintenance or expansion of park and recreational services, programs and facilities."

Truth 4:  Those dues/fees help fund the operations of a private company from which County Commissioner Elizabeth Hendricks receives compensation as an employee.

Truth 5:  According to public statements of the Elk Konnected steering committee, Elk Konnected funnels private donations through the Elk County Community Education Foundation (ECCEF) who manages the monies for EK, thereby evading requirements for EK to properly establish itself as a tax exempt organization under Section 501 (c) of the Internal Revenue Code.  Elk Konnected claims to then direct the disbursement of those funds by the ECCEF for EK's use.  Some $22000+ according to federal tax returns.

Truth 6:  Both Elk Konnected and the Elk County Community Education Foundation share a common founder: Elizabeth M Hendricks.

Truth 6:  Prior to Elk Konnected establishing itself an a limited liability company under Kansas law, Elk Konnected (the sole proprietorship) received funds from the ECCEF amounting to about $10,000.  At that time, the father of Elk Konnected founder Elizabeth Hendricks was on the board of directors of the ECCEF.  It is that board that designates where ECCEF grants and gifts are disbursed.

Truth 7:  The foregoing, when described to an attorney at the IRS Division responsible for tax exempt organizations described such activity as at best 'questionable', if not a 'violation' of the tax exempt status of of the tax exempt entity.

Truth 8:  According to EK steering committee member and primary contact David Whetstone, Elk Konnected has been attempting to 'brand' itself, largely by holding itself out as the sole sponsor of a number of events that were, in fact, funded by the taxpayers in and visiting Elk County.

Truth 9:  Elk Konnected has inferred that county money retained in the county Special Parks and Recreation Fund comes solely from Flint Oak Liquor sales and is not public tax money.  Both statements are untrue.  The money comes from sales of liquor and beer at ANY drinking establishment in the county (who patronizes those?) and IS a consumer tax according to Kansas law.  79-41a et seq.  The current tax rate is 10%.

Truth 10:  Elk Konnected steering committee members, supported by Founder Hendricks, admitted at Grenola that they  used the services of a county paid employees to write grants of which EK became the beneficiary.  

Truth 11:  Elk Konnected has exploited, or attempted to exploit, county paid emergency telephone services and internet assets.  They ceased such activities only when their founder, Mrs Hendricks, was confronted in public at a county commission meeting.  An inability to know impropriety in advance without being held to account?  Or simple arrogance?

Truth 12:  Elk Konnected has  utilized the county paid time of an employee, Jennifer Brummel, to print/copy fliers that advertise Elk Konnected 'sponsored' events.

Truth 13:  Those advertisements were printed/copied on county owned equipment and the county was not paid the generally required per page copy fees.

Truth 14:  That same employee has been reimbursed mileage charges by the county to deliver those save advertisements.

Truth 15:  That same employee has been compensated for mileage (and possibly time) from county funds to pick up and deliver equipment to Elk Konnected 'sponsored' events.

Truth 16:  Even Commissioner Ritz has recognized the problems with Elk Konnected's entanglement with government and has publicly called for Ms Brummel to be paid by Elk Konnected rather than by the taxpayers for her services on behalf of Elk Konnected.  Mr. Ritz also suggested that Elk Konnected needs to get its' hands out of the taxpayer's coffers.

Truth 17:  Elk Konnected steering committee members, at Grenola, admitted that one of EK's grand plans is to "create 'fond memories' for today's youth so they will return to Elk County 'someday' hopefully with their families and business ideas."  Seriously?  And in what shape will Elk County be  in 25 years or so IF those kids return?  Based on trends of the last 20 years or so, when (and if) the first 15 or so kids return, it will be bankrupt and have a population of around 1900, the majority of whom will be over 70 years old and/or on welfare.  Good plan or wishful thinking?

Truth 18:  The foregoing is only a fraction of the improprieties compiled to date about the business operations and methods of Elk Konnected, LLC.

Truth 19:  David Whetstone, West Elk USD 282, has officially recommended that the school board engage in 'long range strategy planning' with the help of an outside 'facilitator.'  One wonders, who might be available to 'facilitate'?

Wasn't Elk Konnected, LLC involved in the closing the Severy and Moline elementary schools?

Didn't they use Public Squares Communities, LLC facilitator at those meetings to acquire the results they wanted? In fact doesn't Elk Konnected, LLC use a facilitator from Wichita County at each and every one of their so called Community Conversations and Public meetings?

Didn't they say they could not afford to repair the roof on the Moline School which maybe half was still under warranty?

Didn't Elk Konnected, LLC push for the 5.5 million dollar school bond that failed?

So how come with an Elk Konnected, LLC member or two on the school board, they can now afford to spend money hand over fist?

Check out their spending spree and the big pay raises during a time of economic stress
for all the school districts in Kansas and else where.

Truth 20:  Much of what Elk Konnected and its' partner Public Square Communities are engaged in is nothing but the failed progressive liberal/socialist leaning agendas of 'community organization' of fraudulent groups like ACORN and the failed economic policies of the current US administration.  Hope and Change?  No, Dream and Scheme (on the taxpayer's dime).

More Truth:  Ross may not know truth in your opinion, but it's apparent that with all the information that has been presented on this thread and elsewhere, Chuck, that you don't know sh*t when you're sitting in it.  A true testament to your concept of 'truth' perhaps?  Ross' points about blind followers is on the mark.

Stay connected, citizens.  Sometimes finding the truth takes time and patience.  

I heard this a lot while I was in the military "It ain't nothin but a string and a thing." Now I'm not sure exactly what that means just like I don't know exactly what Elk Konnected, LLC means. They are on the County Commissioners Board in the majority and they are on the School Board and it appears to be President of the school Board.

Does this mean Plutocracy?

[Ross]

The steering committee met tonight in Longton tonight and spent most of the 3 hrs discussing Year 2 of our Community Building process.  For us, Year 2 means raising another $3000 to continue with Ks Communities LLC

And is this privately owned company, LLC still paying Public Square Communities, LLC with taxpayers dollars?
What is Elk Konnected, LLC other than a privately owned company?

We discussed some of our "best" from Year One -
* Laura Fry - our new Youth Development Coordinator
*Elk Konnected - Name acknowledgement and positive, inclusive term
*lowering barriers - between people and towns
*more positive culture - invites involvement
*Elk Konnected name - reputation carries value

That lowering barriers isn't working to well is it?
We already discussed that reputation didn't we?
Where is the value in that?
What is positive about having a very few Elk County residences Konnected?
What culture are you trying to develope?
Would that be anything like the hippy culture of the 60's & 70's?

We also discussed challenges for Year 2 -
*Keeping Konnected - those that aren't involved and the towns we need to work on
*Getting more people involved.
*Making sure to celebrate the victories.
*Encouraging everyone to support each other's events

What victories are you celebrating?
Is the battle over?
The high School plays football and occassionally has a victory over the opposing team, right?
We know who they are fighting when they play football and either the battle ends in a victory or not, right?
Who are you battling?

 If anyone would like to donate any dollar amount, checks may be made out to ECCEF (Elk Co Community & Education Foundation) and given to any of the steering committee members or mailed directly to the Foundation.... Stay with us as we grow!

Give, give, give and they wil take, take, take won't they?

[Diane Amberg]

Ross, why do you think EK LLC had anything to do with school closings? Why would they and how could they?

[kshillbillys]

Ross, why do you think EK LLC had anything to do with school closings? Why would they and how could they?

General Category / Archives / Re: School Meeting Community action reqired

on: December 01, 2008, 03:36:24 pm




Calling all residents of West Elk School district - please come out tonight and be heard.  Everyone will have a chance to speak - the format will be round table discussion, so you won't have to speak in front of a large crowd.  FCCLA will have helpers to watch your kids - so please come out to the West Elk High School at 7pm.


General Category / Archives / Re: Community Conversation on Our Communities and Our Schools

on: November 25, 2008, 11:48:50 pm


Remember everyone needs to come out to this event and be apart of the future.  This will not be like any other school public forum.  Terry Woodbury, Ks Communities, LLC will moderated and lead it.  West Elk FCCLA (used to be Future Homemakers of America) will provide daycare - no excuse you can not make it. Everyone's input is welcomed and needed.  The WE school board members have asked to be there as community members als.  Please this is important for the future of our school. Dec 1 7-9pm WE commons area -

Both posts quoted above were made by Liz Hendricks.

If EK, LLC wasn't involved with the school closings and such, why would there be a need for a round table meeting with Terry Woodbury moderating and leading it? The WE school board members have asked to be there as community members also? Why would the school board need Public Squares Communities' founder to run a meeting for local Elk County business if EK wasn't up to their eyeballs in it? That meeting was run by EK not the USD 282 School Board, so I will assume that is why Ross would think EK LLC had anything to do with the school closings!----Mrs. KSH

[Patriot]

As a side note, at the time of those posts & that meeting, Elk Konnected was not registered as an LLC with the State of Kansas.  It would have been, most literally, a sole proprietorship.  Now, who would that sole proprietor have been?  A sole proprietor who, by the way, appears to have received some $9000+ from the Elk County Community Education Foundation, which was founded by....... 

Redistribution of wealth from the bottom to the top?

[Ross]

Ross, why do you think EK LLC had anything to do with school closings? Why would they and how could they?

Thanks kshillbillys for the post, now I don't have to go back and look it up. Thank you very much.

Diane see it wasn't my imagination. Elk Konnected, LLC is doing a lot of things a lot of people don't know about, don't you see that now?

Sure they have a person from a couple of the communities but that does not give them a majority like they would like us to believe.

And personally I believe they are more of a Howard organization instead of the County orgnization they would like us to believe.

Don't you see the wool being pulled over everyones eyes with the use of lollipops at the expense of all taxpayers?

For instance closing the grade schools meant that Howards children did not have to ride the bus to schools 7 or 16 Miles from Howard. As in, "No not our kids".

Remember the vote on the 5.5 million dollar grade school with a community shelter for Howard? For maybe 100 kids?
The vote in Howard was 75% for and the rest of the County was 75% against, can you figure that one out?
And I believe that Elk Konnected, LLC held their controlled meetings about that as well?
They will be back with this one again, I'd bett on it?
Can't you see where all this is going?


Could all this mean Plutocracy?

And afterall at the last Elk Konnected, LLC meeting one of the Steering Committee Members stated that they were just stupid volunteers and I believe they meant they really don't know what they have got themselves into.

It's all food for thought?

Remember when County Commissioner Hendricks asked why I would not speak to her one on one? I stated truthfully when I replied that I don't trust her. Well, she came back with Ross I don't trust you either? Now what was her point? I have never lied to her and I have never denied the truth when confronted as she has and she has no real knowledge of me except in public County Commissioners Meetings where she denied using taxpayers dollars,  and on this forum. Also I am not relied up on to do the right thing for the citizens of Elk County as she is as County Commissioner. So there you have it more diversion from the truth, huh?

Could all this mean Plutocracy?