Editor’s Note: The Monitor welcomes letters to the editor on topics of public interest. Letters may be edited for clarity and grammar; views expressed are the writer’s own and do not reflect those of The Monitor. Publication is not guaranteed, and selection is at the editor’s discretion.
Millie Lipscomb, who is discussed in this letter, has previously contributed reporting and columns to The Monitor. Lipscomb has also offered her HR experience to Bourbon County, which is scheduled to discuss HR contracting and sourcing at tonight’s meeting.
My name is Kelly Irvin, and I am a Bourbon County resident. I grew up in Fort Scott and returned to the area two years ago when I was hired as Human Resources Director at Cottey College. I have 15 years of HR experience in healthcare and education. Although I have not worked in HR for a local municipality, most HR rules and regulations apply broadly across organizations.
I am writing to support Bourbon County hiring Millie Lipscomb as a Human Resources Consultant. Millie has the qualifications and experience needed for this role, and I believe she could help restore a more peaceful and productive working relationship among the commissioners, county employees, and Bourbon County citizens. As a local resident, Millie would also be available to work on site, which is something we do not currently have with our HR consultant.
I want to start by giving a little of my history so you can understand why I care. My mother’s side of the family has been in Bourbon County for generations. My great grandparents built and ran the grain elevator in Hammond, which is still standing today. My mother is a lifelong resident of the Fort Scott Community, a retired teacher who likely taught many of your children how to read. She has always loved living in Bourbon County and has put her heart and soul into bettering the community through various organizations.
My father is a retired architect who has been the designer on many community buildings and projects such as the downtown pavilion, the scale house, and the former Family Physicians building, which is now owned by USD 234. I am proud to be their daughter and to live in the community that they have contributed to.
My experience in this community has not always been pleasant. Being born with a cleft lip and palate would often make me the target of bullying. I left Fort Scott in 1998 thinking I would never return except to visit family. I don’t tell you this so you feel sorry for me or to call anyone out, I mention it because I can happily say I was wrong about Fort Scott and Bourbon County and as I’ve grown into an adult, I see a beautiful town in a county full of people who care.
Like many others, I have been watching and following the issues within our county government. It has been difficult to see good people struggle to set aside their differences. What I do not think is said often enough is that I sincerely believe every commissioner and county employee are in their jobs because they love and care about Bourbon County, and each of them deserves a seat at the table.
Last year, when it was suggested that the county hire an HR consultant, I fully supported the idea and commended the commission for bringing in an outside professional to help mediate the many issues the county was facing. I still believe it was the right decision at the time. As with anything, you cannot know whether something will work until you try it, and I believe we have reached a point where considering a new approach is worthwhile.
I also want to share a few thoughts about the current HR consultant. Dr. Cohen is clearly knowledgeable, with impressive credentials, and I even ordered a copy of his book, Mess Management, because I believe many of his ideas are useful. I do not think the issue is incompetence; rather, his services may not be well suited to the day-to-day challenges our county is facing. Although he has nearly 40 years of HR consulting experience, his LinkedIn page indicates he has not worked directly in an organizational workforce since 1988.
He is certainly knowledgeable as a consultant, but I believe Bourbon County needs more hands-on support—someone who can be on site, get to know the people and issues involved, and help address the problems that continue to create conflict and controversy. Ideally, if funding was no issue, the county would have both an on-site HR professional and a consultant available for complex situations that do not have simple answers.
I would like to make a comparison to the recent recall of the county clerk. I will confirm that I was a signer on the petition to recall Susan Walker, but my reason for signing was in no way personal. Based on my 15 years of HR experience, I can often recognize when someone may need to move on to a different role. From my perspective, it appeared that our county clerk was deeply unhappy and had reached a point where she could no longer put the county’s best interests ahead of personal conflict. I sincerely hope her new position gives her a fresh start.
Regarding Dr. Cohen, I do believe that he has helped our county in meaningful ways, and I still think hiring him was the right decision at the time. However, sometimes a new approach is needed. I believe it is worth exploring whether someone local could step in, get to know the people involved, and help create a more peaceful and productive work environment for all county employees. I know Millie Lipscomb only in passing, but she appears to have the right experience. If she can approach the work objectively, I believe hiring her is worth considering.
In closing, I want to share a common quote from the HR field, author unknown: “Leadership is not a position or a title; it is action and example.” While disagreement and conflict among our county leaders can be difficult to watch, they also show us that they care enough to stay engaged, take action, and try to lead by example. I sincerely thank each of the commissioners, as well as all county employees, for their hard work and service. I remain optimistic that Bourbon County can come together, move forward, and continue building a stronger community for everyone who calls it home.
Kelly Irvin
Fort Scott, KS
