TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A formula that Kansas lawmakers have used to determine which state workers would get raises this year has sparked confusion and resentment among employees.
The Lawrence Journal-World reports that state lawmakers approved a budget in June that gives some employees their first pay raise in several years.
The method leaves out employees who have received raises under separate contracts and divides the rest into two categories.
Workers who’ve been employed over five years and haven’t had a raise since at least 2012 were to get a 5 percent raise. Those who’ve been on the job less than five years would get a 2.5 percent raise.
University of Kansas employee Sara Vancil is excluded from the raise. She says it’s “kind of a slap in the face to longer-serving workers.”
WICHITA – A Kansas hunting guide pleaded guilty and was sentenced Tuesday for routinely violating state and federal hunting laws while taking clients on $300-a-day hunting trips, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.
Jerad Stroot, 26, Colwich, Kan., an employee of Eagle Head Outfitters, LLC, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the Lacy Act. In his plea, Stroot said his work included transporting hunters and their equipment to the field, directing hunters when to shoot, retrieving birds killed by hunters and keeping track of the number of birds killed by hunters and daily bag limits.
Stroot admitted:
Placing corn, wheat and soybeans around ponds as bait for waterfowl.
Helping hunters to exceed their daily bag limits by offering to say he shot some of the birds they shot.
Failing to tag, process and transport birds as required by state and federal law.
Stroot was sentenced to five years on probation during which he may not hunt, trap or guide and a $5,000 fine
Co-defendant Josh Hedges, 35, Grenola, Kan., owner of Eagle Head Outfitters, is set for a change of plea hearing July 31.
Beall commended the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster for their work on the case.
BARBER COUNTY – A Kansas man died in an accident just before 5:30 a.m. Tuesday in Barber County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2002 Peterbilt semi driven by William L. Pelzl, 68, Medicine Lodge, was traveling northeast on Kansas 42 at First Avenue.
The semi was unable to avoid a collision with a 2004 Ford Crown Victoria driven by Allen B. Babb, 59, Hazelton, that was as traveling southwest and made a left turn toward 1st Ave North.
Babb was transported to the Kiowa Hospital where he died. Pelzl was not injured.
Both drivers were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.
JUNCTION CITY, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say a man has died after he was found in a Kansas apartment where a fire was intentionally set.
KSNT-TV reports that 37-year-old Derrick Anthony Williams was found Monday while crews were putting out the fire in the ground floor apartment in Junction City. The fire department said in a news release that Williams was taken to a hospital, where he later died.
His cause of death wasn’t immediately known, pending an autopsy.
The fire damage was limited to the one apartment, where officials have determined the blaze was intentionally set in the kitchen. Some surrounding apartment units had smoke damage.
Authorities aren’t seeking any suspects, and no suspects are believed to be at large. The estimated amount of damage is $20,000.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, R-Kan., issued the following statement regarding the Senate’s action today on healthcare:
“For years, I have been committed to repealing and replacing Obamacare. As I’ve said, I will vote to proceed to and pass a bill that fully repeals Obamacare, puts a two-year expiration date on the damaging law and will allow for the full legislative process I have repeatedly called for – involving all 100 senators – to craft a replacement. I will work with my colleagues to develop healthcare policy that will provide greater personal choice, protections for pre-existing conditions, increased access and lower overall costs for Kansans.
“I will continue, however, to strongly oppose the BCRA. This bill missed the mark for Kansans, failed to adequately repeal Obamacare and did not address the rising costs of healthcare. Healthcare is too important to Kansans, our families and future generations of Americans to get wrong.”
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Response of the Kansas Democratic Party:
The following statement is attributed to Kansas Democratic Party Chairman John Gibson, regarding Senator Jerry Moran’s vote on the Senate’s Motion to Proceed:
“Earlier this month hundreds of Kansas gathered in townhalls across the state to tell Senator Moran how disastrous it would be for their families if he voted to repeal Obamacare.
“His decision to vote for a mysterious and reckless plan makes it clear — he has placed the partisan fights of Washington D.C. over the needs of Kansas families.”
The head of the union that represents state workers in Kansas has filed a formal grievance about working conditions at the El Dorado Correctional Facility. COURTESY KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Staffing shortages at the El Dorado Correctional Facility are creating unsafe working conditions, according to the head of the union that represents state workers.
Robert Choromanski, executive director of the Kansas Organization of State Employees, has filed a formal grievance with Secretary of Corrections Joe Norwood, alleging that prison officials are “coercing” guards to work a weekly 16-hour shift to ensure adequate staffing.
“They (prison officials) are doing it behind the scenes,” Choromanski said. “The majors, captains, lieutenants and sergeants are all pressuring the line officers to work those extra four hours.”
Guards at the facility, which houses medium- and maximum-security prisoners, were required to go from eight- to 12-hour shifts earlier this month in an effort to beef up security after a June 29 disturbance when inmates briefly controlled portions of the prison.
That was permissible under the union’s bargaining agreement with the Kansas Department of Corrections, but 16-hour shifts are not except in emergency situations, Choromanski said.
Currently, 73 of the prison’s 360 positions for uniformed correctional officers are vacant, said Todd Fertig, a spokesman for the Department of Corrections. In addition, seven of the facility’s 125 non-uniformed security positions are unfilled.
In recent weeks, the department has stepped up its recruiting efforts, mailing flyers to virtually every household in Butler County, where the prison is located.
Poor working conditions, low pay and the need for more protective equipment, such as vests that protect guards from stabbings, top the reasons for high staff turnover and vacancy rates, Choromanski said.
“They are worried about going to work,” he said of his members. “They’re worried about their safety.”
The Wichita Eagle reported Monday that the number of disciplinary cases against inmates has increased sharply in recent months. As of mid-July, there were more than 2,400 cases. In 2016, 2,841 were reported for the entire year. The rise in disciplinary actions coincided with an increase in the inmate population.
To compensate for staff shortages, prison officials emptied one cell house by transferring inmates to other facilities across the state, Fertig said in an email Monday.
“The professionalism of the EDCF staff and their practice of sound correctional procedures ensures that the facility operates in a manner that is safe and secure for both employees and offenders,” he said.
To gather more information, Choromanski has scheduled two days of meetings this week at the prison. However, because the room he was assigned is in the prison’s administrative offices, Choromanski is concerned that some employees may be reluctant to show up.
So he is also hosting an after-hours session at an El Dorado bar frequented by prison workers.
“They can show up there and talk to me one-on-one if they don’t want to do it at the facility,” he said.
Several lawmakers have said they would support a substantial pay raise for corrections workers in next year’s budget.
In the fiscal year that ended June 30, the state spent $5.1 million on overtime pay for prison workers, according to the Eagle, above the $3.2 million that had been budgeted.
Jim McLean is managing director of the Kansas News Service, a collaboration of kcur.org, Kansas Public Radio and KMUW covering health, education and politics. You can reach him on Twitter @jmcleanks.
TOPEKA – The Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) is strengthening its efforts to combat welfare benefits fraud by offering an online submission form to report suspected incidents of fraud. The online form was made available to the public this week.
The DCF Anti-fraud Unit works to aggressively investigate, detect, prevent and prosecute welfare recipient fraud in all public assistance programs administered by DCF, including cash assistance, food assistance, child care assistance and utility assistance.
The fraud referral submission form is housed on the DCF website, and it’s expected that this new online tool will contribute to the increased detection and prevention of benefits theft. The detection, deterrence and prevention of welfare fraud saves taxpayer dollars that would otherwise be wrongfully received by individuals who are not entitled to receive assistance.
“Offering the public multiple, convenient ways to report fraud will encourage Kansans to share that information for investigation,” Secretary Gilmore said. “These are scarce public resources, and our job is to ensure the integrity of the program, so these safety net services are available for those who truly qualify to receive them.”
In State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2014, the Anti-fraud Unit obtained more than 316 fraud judgments in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) program. These DCF fraud findings resulted in more than $1.3 million dollars being returned to the State. Additionally, in the same fiscal year, more than 79 fraud judgments were confirmed in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program as well, totaling more than $200,000 in fraud findings.
In Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2014, Kansas ranked second in the nation in the number of SNAP judgments obtained. Then again in FFY 2015, Kansas ranked third nationwide in the number of SNAP judgments. FFY 2016 and FFY 2017 rankings are not currently available.
DCF’s Anti-fraud Unit consists of four human service consultants, 11 regional attorneys and 16 special investigators.
“I am proud of the work the Anti-fraud Unit has done and am appreciative that we are continuing to strengthen their efforts,” Secretary Gilmore said. “The work they do is so important because taxpayers deserve to know their hard-earned money is benefiting families in need, not criminals.”
Those who suspect benefits fraud are encouraged to fill out the “Fraud Report Form” online at www.dcf.ks.gov. You can also call 800-432-3913.
Image of the bank theft suspects- courtesy Salina Police
SALINE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities continue investigating a reported theft of over $2,200 from the Central National Bank last week and have released security camera photos of the suspects.
Just before 3:30 p.m., a bank employee told Salina Police that a man entered the bank, located inside Walmart, 2900 South Ninth, and asked to exchange $4,800 in $20 bills for $100 bills, according Police Captain Paul Forrester.
The man then asked to exchange the $100 bills for Canadian currency.
When the bank employee told the man that the bank did not do currency exchanges, he asked for the $20 bills back.
While the clerk was collecting the $4,800 in $20 bills, the man pocketed $2,200 from the stack of $100 bills. He and a female suspect then left the bank with $7,000.
The suspects left in a white or silver GMC Acadia, according to Forrester.
TROY, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas judge has ordered a competency evaluation for a homeless man charged with killing a man whose body was found in the Missouri River.
Proceedings in the Doniphan County case against 40-year-old Christopher Colhour are on hold until the evaluation is completed. Colhour is being held without bond on charges of first-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping and felony theft in the death of 64-year-old Daniel Purvis, of St. Joseph, Missouri. Colhour’s defense attorney says Colhour previously has been diagnosed as being schizophrenic, bipolar and suffering from auditory hallucinations.
Law enforcement in Missouri and Kansas searched streams and rivers for Purvis after he disappeared around May 22. The Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department in Missouri recovered Purvis’ body May 27 just south of St. Joseph.
WASHINGTON— Kansas statesman Bob Dole has been nominated for the highest civilian honor Congress bestows.
Sen. Pat Roberts and Rep. Lynn Jenkins are seeking to honor the longtime senator with the Congressional Gold Medal. Roberts and Jenkins jointly introduced resolutions Monday, two days after Dole’s 94th birthday.
The resolution says that Dole has “embodied the American spirit of leadership and determination.” Co-sponsors include the entire Kansas delegation, along with a bipartisan list of representatives and senators from around the country. Two-thirds of the House and Senate must agree to co-sponsor the resolution to award the medal.
The Russell native served 27 years in the Senate and 10 years in the House. Dole was the GOP presidential nominee in 1996, losing the election to Bill Clinton.
SHAWNEE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities are investigating an aggravated burglary.
Just before 1a.m. Tuesday, police responded to a residence in the 1200 Block of SW Woodward in Topeka, according to a media release.
Officers learned three black men all armed with handguns kicked in the back door of the home. Once inside they restrained the women victims and stole items. There were no injuries.
Officers used a K-9 to track the suspects but they remain at large according to police. The first suspect was wearing a red hoodie and black or grey sweat pants. The second suspect was wearing a black hoodie and black or grey sweat pants. The third suspect was wearing a black or grey hoodie and similar sweat pants. Anyone with information is asked to call Topeka police.
Great Bend City Council during Monday’s special meeting.
By Cole Reif
GREAT BEND- The Great Bend City Council took a big step with handling any issues between the City Administrator and the Great Bend Chief of Police at Monday’s special meeting at City Hall.
For the past couple of months, the city council has tried to sort through the police chief’s concerns about, in his opinion, misconduct with the City Administrator Howard Partington and Mayor Mike Allison.
After a 45-minute executive session with City Attorney Bob Suelter, the council passed a motion 5-3 to have Allison sign the notice of suspension and potential termination of Police Chief Cliff Couch.
Council members Joel Jackson, Vicki Berryman, Wayne Henneke, Allene Owen, and Mike Boys all voted to have the chief suspended while Brock McPherson, Cory Zimmerman, and Dana Dawson voted against the idea.
Dawson made it immediately clear he was against how this investigation has been handled and asked for a roll-call vote so members had to state their name with their vote.
Issues that included the Police Department’s turnover rate, compensation, and potential harassing workplace were discussed in public at the June 5 council meeting by Chief Couch. As a 30-member staff, the Police Department is currently operating with 26 officers causing overworked and burned-out employees. Couch later went on to say he has been told by administration to keep quiet about the officer shortage and pay discrepancies. Both sides chose to hire attorneys for multiple discussions in executive session following the June 5 meeting.
On June 29, the city council approved the hiring of a firm to conduct a management and compensation study on the Great Bend Police Department.
Just reading through the notice Monday night, Couch was shocked he was being suspended with pay with possible termination.
Dawson said after the meeting that to his understanding, Couch has a month to hold a hearing for a rebuttal to the council’s decision. Couch stated he would research the notice and definitely call for a hearing. Dawson also noted the hearing would take place before the same council that voted 5-3 to suspend the police chief. Dawson felt the mayor and five council members were making decisions before finding out the results of the investigation.
The notice for the suspension and potential termination claim the reasoning for the action is because of “false or reckless” accusations made by Couch and Couch’s comments that he could not work with Partington because of the differences. The notice stated the governing body lacked confidence in the police chief’s ability to operate the department because of these violations to the employee handbook.
Couch was hired in the spring of 2015 after serving as the Goodland Police Chief prior to coming to Great Bend.
SALINE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged child sex crimes.
According to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester, on July 14, Jacob Balthazor, 19, Salina, purchased wine coolers from a friend. He and two 15-year-old girls drank the wine coolers at his father’s shop.
Balthazor then allegedly drove one of the girls to her home before taking the other to a residence in the 100 block of North Estates Drive where the incident occurred.
Police arrested Balthazor Friday for indecent liberties with a 15-year-old girl and furnishing alcohol to minors.
