Living In Fort Scott (Topeka: houses, employment, to buy)

[AnywhereElse]

Fort Scott is a town with a decreasing population in SE Kansas. They are having budget problems, our family distills our water after reading and comparing the stats, the city south of us has started making budget decreases because of decreased revenues and Fort Scott is wanting to buy the failing golf course, make improvements in the airport, and couldn't get rid of our tax dollars any quicker if they set fire to them. A local group has been trying to build an animal shelter for 10 years and the city can't find one spot in town where they can build it. There was recently a case where an out of state owner had a house she was restoring condemned and torn down by the city and although it fit the criteria, so did other houses in the city, yet, nothing could be done because of the discrimination allowed. We have some of the highest taxes already in both our city and the county and nothing that I can see to justify where the heck the money went. This is a city with less than 8,000 people. It is really important that when you consider moving to a small town that you understand that many don't want "outsiders" and that every day you spend there, that is the message that you will get. When you look at some of the states that haven't grown, well, there are reasons and its best to research them and learn from the mistakes of others. There are really so many good places to live and remember your best information doesn't come from the life long residents who have nothing to compare their town to.

[quesera]

You know, you always post such negative things about your town on this forum. I believe that with all this negativity on here, I'm sure it comes out in your day to day life in Ft. Scott, too. Maybe your standoffish attitude is what's keeping you from being welcome into your community.

Too bad.

[city_data_poster]

Well, I am somewhat familiar with Fort Scott...it is (like much of Kansas) an area that is struggling financially. Now who's to blame for that sort of thing? Who knows! There are lots of reasons why Fort Scott is the way that it is. To be fair to the OP...I wouldn't necessarily say that everything she's saying about Fort Scott is a direct result of her being "always negative-minded".

Actually, Topeka is poorly run too, in my book--and Topeka is the capital city with a population of over 100,000!

Fort Scott has a lot of history to it...and it's located in southeast Kansas..where all of the trees and green lawns are (unlike central and western Kansas). Unfortunately, all of them trees and that lush green grass in southeast Kansas also means....ticks! And lots of 'em! Yikes!

[AnywhereElse]

Well, it turns out that the country club is pawning off their golf course on the City for $400,000 and this when there is a hiring freeze and no temporary employment for the summer hires which means short on people who do things like mowing the grass. A City, Carl Junction, MO, just turned down the same sort of opportunity to purchase a golf course from a country club and decided to spend the money on the streets and infrastructure of the City - go Carl Junction, MO! The citizens had a sort of list of things that are important to them and listed were things like the streets, skate park, additional activities at a present park like miniature golf but no city golf course. They do this in the name of "economic development", yeah for who? From all the places we have lived and all others were progressing, economic development takes place when you have the cash to offer companies/businesses to come into your town. Average wages are very low here compared to the cost of goods, services and taxes. And actually, quesera, I am welcome in the community and most people I talk to agree with me - surprised? If surprised, you don't understand small town politics.