Elk Konnected Came About

[Ross]

Elk Konnected

Strong Families
Solid Education
Superior Lifestyle

Stay with us as we grow
2011

In early 2007, Elk County was experiencing some events that made a resident wonder "What is the future of Elk County"? With a county population of only 3000, one tiny town spends time and energy wanting to pull out of the county wide trash service. Yet on the other side, members across the county come together for a "tablesetting" event that raises over $3000 for the local foundation. How can these two polarizing events happen at the same time? We needed help! Conversations started with Terry Woodbury in January 2007. A month later, he travelled to Elk County to visit with two people, explaining the public square process and community building. These two people were tasked with finding engaged citizens from all six of the communities and representing the four sectors of the public square. Terry spoke to that group of 16 people a month later. They were interested, but not ready to commit. More people needed to hear about the process. Finally after the 3rd meeting with Terry in March 2007, a steering committee was formed and charged with raising the seed money. Without going into a lot of history of Elk County, finding engaged citizens who were not the "same old guard" from all of the communities was a challenge. While Elk County only has 5 incorporated towns, it was decided from the beginning to include Severy which resides in Greenwood County in the Elk Konnected community. Severy is part of the West Elk school district, which encompasses most of Elk County.

The nine member steering committee set off to raise the $3000 seed money - $50 at a time. We felt this amount was not going to break an individual and would encourage us to talk about "Elk Konnected" with more citizens. We spent time at a steering committee meeting discussing who would contact whom. And WE DID IT! We had 74 investors and raised $4250 by the end of July. To get a gauge of where our communities really were, we started interviewing "Konnected" people. Terry interviewed each steering committee members, who also filled out a "20 Clues Survey" (Community survey). Then each Steering Committee member proceeded to interview four people, each one representing a different sector of the public square. Meanwhile, Terry was interviewing people the Steering Committee had identified or other interviewees had named. By the end of the survey period, we had conducted 58 interviews with engaged citizens representing the public square. We had also collected 140 community surveys. We were ready for our first community conversation.

With a goal of having a successful first Community Conversation, the Steering Committee members each asked 10-15 people whom we thought would not attend otherwise, we distributed notices at the churches, and advertized in the local newspaper and cable channel. Elk Konnected's first community conversation was held at Longton - Elk Valley school's multi purpose room on October 26, 2007 with over 126 people in attendance. At the conversation, 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 attendees.

We quickly got to work by asking vision retreat nominees to go to the state-wide Public Square conference and six were able to attend. Our next step was planning the Vision Retreat, which we scheduled for Jan 9, 2008 at Flint Oaks. We asked those nominated to attend and 51 showed up for a day long retreat on 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

[Patriot]

Conversations started with Terry Woodbury in January 2007. A month later, he travelled to Elk County to visit with two people, explaining the public square process and community building. These two people were tasked with finding engaged citizens from all six of the communities and representing the four sectors of the public square.  Terry spoke to that group of 16 people a month later. They were interested, but not ready to commit. More people needed to hear about the process. Finally after the 3rd meeting with Terry in March 2007, a steering committee was formed and charged with raising the seed money. Without going into a lot of history of Elk County, finding engaged citizens who were not the "same old guard" from all of the communities was a challenge.

"These two people."  What two people.... this reads like the "but,everybody's doin it, mom!" routine,  Who are these mystery people, and where did Mr. Woodbury come from?  Seems like the two people laid a lot groundwork for what has so recently burst onto the greater public scene.  Why the mystery about these two dedicated souls?  For that matter, the next sixteen seem to have contributed greatly.  Do tell, to whom do we owe gratitude for their hard work?  And the steering committee.  Who are they?  Let's give credit where credit is due!  This steering committee seems to have driven Elk Konnected to its' present heights.  Why the cloak?

Seed money?  Seed money is generally associated with a business startup.  How about we get to see the Articles of Organization for EK that would have been filed with the Kansas Secretary of State on EK's formation as a limited liability company in accordance with Kansas Statutes?  Since an LLC has 'members' (not to be confused with contributors or non-member folks who give donations to a non-profit), who are those members?  Do they receive salaries or other compensation?  What percentage of money donated to EK by private citizens/businesses goes to administrative costs and/or wages?  How much goes back to the community EK is supposed to be 'organizing'?  How much is scheduled to be diverted to pay for the services/certifications of Mr. Woodbury and Public Square Communities, LLC?  If people are going to make wise donation choices, aren't these important questions?  Or are donations to be made blindly in some kind of faith that EK will make a substantial & positive long term impact on Elk County.  Surely they have a business plan.  What are the specific short, medium and long term objectives?  "To make Elk County a better place" is a nice platitude, but it reeks of generalities... just like the "two people" already mentioned.  Where's the detailed business plan?  I get calls and letters every day looking for donations.  If I gave to every one that promised great things in general, I'd run out of money long before the requests for money stopped. 

Now, about that "same old guard."  That statement seems pejorative.  Who or what are the 'same old guard?'  And what is or was wrong with them, or their approach? 

Bottom line?  What is known, is that EK has done a few nice things.  Things that any group of businesses and concerned citizens could have accomplished with much less fanfare, less than transparent organization, or the need for a long distance consultant.  There's one hell of a lot that is NOT known about Elk Konnected, past and present alike.  And folks complain about my anonymity!  Most of the people in this county aren't independently wealthy.  How about more background on folks who want to collect money from citizens and business.  Fewer generalities and more sunshine might even convert some who are skeptical...or it might not.

[Mom70x7]

Things that any group of businesses and concerned citizens could have accomplished with much less fanfare, less than transparent organization, or the need for a long distance consultant.

But they didn't!

I think Elk Konnected has been good for Elk County. There are more benefits than negatives. People are working together now that weren't earlier. Connections have been made outside Elk Konnected that would have taken longer to happen.

[redcliffsw]

You seem to be fascinated by the EK thing.  I'm sure they're looking for more people like you. 

As an outsider, I gladly oppose EK.

[Patriot]

But they didn't!

You're quite correct, and all that glitters isn't gold.  Now, what about the rest?  The ambiguity, the lack of real transparency, the stuff we don't (or aren't allowed to) see?  I realize some will call the next sentence extreme, but the principles are the same.  Hezbollah is seen in the western world as an extremist terrorist organization and are seen as philanthropic charitable god loving groups in their homelands because they build schools & hospitals and talk of liberty.  Like I said, all that glitters, ain't gold.  Motives matter.  If this is to improve our lives, then let's see all the facts as there should be no reason for non-disclosure.

[Ross]

Connections have been made outside Elk Konnected that would have taken longer to happen.

Would you list a few, please.

[Ross]

one tiny town spends time and energy wanting to pull out of the county wide trash service.

How does community bashing pull the communities together? What happened to the positive the EK
is always talking about.

[Ross]

Elk Konnected


The nine member steering committee set off to raise the $3000 seed money - $50 at a time. We felt this amount was not going to break an individual and would encourage us to talk about "Elk Konnected" with more citizens. We spent time at a steering committee meeting discussing who would contact whom. And WE DID IT! We had 74 investors and raised $4250 by the end of July. To get a gauge of where our communities really were, we started interviewing "Konnected" people.

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

That part right there about the $3000 seed money is simply not true. I brought that up at the County Commissioners meeting. Because they said they don't use tax paeyrs money. I made a point that EK recieved a $3000 scholarship grant from the Kansas Department of Commerce. Liz tried to deny it by saying the money was payed directly to Terry Woodbury's small business Public Square Communities. I told her it didn't matter how it got in to his hands the scholarship grant was for EK.
She reinterated that EK doesn't use taxpayers money. Sticking to the lie. I simply said wait a minute you just had Elk Konnected Youth Services up here in front of the commision asking for money. That's taxpayers money unless the county commissioners think part of the money they collect is not taxes, then I am wrong. No one however said I was wrong.

Now about that EK Youth Services and also Economic Development. We pay a person a salary to do those jobs, I told the commissioners we really don't need to pay for that position we have EK. Liz said she works with Elk Konnected. Well I say Okay le EK pay her salary.

None of this is about money the county may or may not get if the wind farm is built or not. It's about power and who runs Elk County. The taxpayers or EK. Do the commissioners work for the tax payers or EK.

Didn't you read one of EK's suggestions to the County Commissioners? A unified government. Shut down all the towns city government's city coouncils and hae one centrally located government all the communities. My would be the government would be located in Howard. Oh, they also suggest doing away with all but one fair. Again I bet that would be the Howard fair they would keep. I enjoy both the lOngton fair and the Howard fair.

Does't this sound like EK going somewhere with these suggestions. I think they are simply throowing out some lollipops to please a few people that are easily pleased while trying to take control of the county.

Again this is just my opinion.

[redcliffsw]

'Not Yours To Give'

http://fee.org/library/not-yours-to-give-2/

[flintauqua]

Some of my opinions:

1.  How many Kansas counties of 3000 have two county fairs plus a higher circuit (than the fair rodeos) two night rodeo in yet a third town?  Ask the business men and women of Elk County and the surrounding area if they can continue to provide the financial support for all three of these events going forward.

2.  None of the five towns in Elk County is individually responsible for the demise of any of the others.  The 100 year old continuing flow of dollars and citizens out of Elk County, and the lack of effort on part of the entire county to meaningfully stem that flow is at fault.  One not-so-distant future day Elk County could very well cease to exist.  I say the 3000 +/- residents of Elk County better continue down the path that leads to a settling of their hundred year old percieved differences; working together as citizens of Elk County to push that day as far into the future as possible.  If the other four communities of Elk County think Howard is playing the 800 pound gorilla, just wait until it is the 10,000 pound Independence, Winfield or El Dorado that the area has to get the attention of.  

Now, all the naysayers of Elk County can continue to focus on tearing down anything that might lead to a future Elk County that is more prosperous and thriving than it has been in the past, using every breath and stroke of the keyboard to try and smear the people who have the audasity to stand up and say a hundred years of bickering is enough.  Or they could choose to get their hands dirty helping to move the county forward.