Candidates vying for FSCC Board of Trustees speak at Candidate Forum

Tina Rockhold, candidate for a spot on the Fort Scott Community College Board of Trustees, answers a question as fellow candidates Kevin Wagner, from left, Liz Meyer and John Bartelsmeyer listen in during a candidate forum Thursday at the Fort Scott Livestock Market.

Jason E. Silvers

Editor’s note: This is the second part of a report on the Candidate’s Forum held Oct. 26. A report on Fort Scott City Commission candidates appeared in the Saturday, Oct. 28 edition of the Tribune.

Candidates for open seats on the Fort Scott Community College Board of Trustees and the USD 234 Board of Education fielded questions on challenges and opportunities, as well as tax support and education funding at a candidate forum Oct. 26 at the Fort Scott Livestock Market.

Four candidates for three open seats on the FSCC board are incumbents John Bartelsmeyer and Liz Meyer, and newcomers Tina Rockhold and Kevin Wagner.

Wagner said he moved to Fort Scott in 1991 and attended FSCC, where he met his wife.

“So we’ve been here since 1992,” he said. “I have some ties to the college. I want to give back to what the school gave us.”

Meyer said she moved to Fort Scott in the 1980s.

“I was asked to be a clinical nursing instructor at the college,” she said. “The people here are real.”

Bartelsmeyer, a small business owner, said he was born and raised in Bourbon County, attended Fort Scott schools and FSCC. He has spent a total of 11 years on the board.

Rockhold thanked attendees for “supporting the candidates.”

“I think I have a better understanding of the needs in that capacity,” she said of her decision to run for the board position.

Candidates were asked what they feel is the biggest challenge the college faces and how they would address it.

Wagner said a focus should be on what draws students to the college as students can take online classes and not have to visit a campus.

“Why does a student go there these days?” he said.

“I think we need to be open to what is happening in the city and education,” Meyer said. “We need to make sure jobs are prevalent in the future, and make changes to grow. I think we need to be mindful of our fiscal ability, search for grants and maybe look at new programs and courses.”

Bartelsmeyer said funding for higher education continues to be a challenge.

“We’ve had it taken away a little bit at a time,” he said.

Also of importance are solid classes and instructors, and “speaking to our legislators about the importance of education,” Bartelsmeyer said.