Sunday Feb. 16, 2020

Volume 159, No. 61 www.junctioncityunion.com $1

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Today’s Weather

Will Ravenstein

sports@jcdailyunion.com

With the passing of the U.S. Army Garrison Fort Riley gui-don from Col. Stephen Shrad-er, USAG Fort Riley com-mander, to Command Sgt. Maj. Timothy V. Speichert, he assumed responsibility for the care, welfare and morale for the more than 60,000 people who live, work and use Fort Riley Feb. 13 during a ceremo-ny at Riley’s Community Cen-ter.

“I can officially say this now, my name is Tim Speich-ert and I’m a Big Red One sol-dier, and the newest member of the best-kept secret in the Army which is being stationed

here at Fort Riley,” he said. “I’d like to say thank you the entire enterprise of profes-sionals who have provided me with a world-class transition and onboarding, that I feel has completely prepared me for the upcoming responsibil-ities. I know that we just scratched the surface on all that the garrison entails, yet I feel extremely confident that I can manage this organization with you, sir. I look forward to everything that follows.

“Maj. Gen. Kolasheski, sir the garrison is charged with keeping the division’s sol-diers, families and civilians safe and I will continue to make that my priority sir,” he added. “Col. Shrader, thanks

for the warm welcome. We’re going to have plenty of time to have conversations and make decisions here ... but I truly appreciate what we’re build-ing right now sir and I’ll con-tinue that once you leave.”

Speichert assumed respon-sibility from Command Sgt. Maj. Andrew T. Bristow II, who has been the garrison senior noncommissioned offi-cer for the last 24-month and who will be leaving to become the senior noncommissioned officer for Task Force Sinai, a regiment-sized element of the Multinational Force and Observers, the peacekeeping organization in place in the Sinai Peninsula since 1982. The mission of the MFO is to

supervise the implementation of the security provisions of the Egyptian-Israeli Treaty of Peace and employ best efforts to prevent any violation of its terms.

“(The) time’s gone by quick, and I’ve enjoyed every moment of this job,” Bristow said. “This job has been very rewarding and educational in understanding how military installation are run. I have formed some friendships and bonds with people here at Fort Riley that are very special to me. It was truly an honor serving at Fort Riley, support-ing all the soldiers, families, civilians and veterans.”

Bristow took time during

Speichert assumes responsibility for care of Fort Riley soldiers, families, civilians

Junction City Union Staff

No one was injured Thurs-day morning at around 10:28 a.m. when Geary County fire-fighters responded to a house fire at 2714 Liberty Hall Rd.

According to Geary County Rural Fire Chief Garry Berges, smoke was seen pouring out of the residence when firefighters arrived on the scene.

Using a hardline, firefighters knocked down most of the fire and were able to contain it to the middle of the attic, where it started.

The cause of the fire has

been determined to be electri-cal.

The structure’s owner, Bret Reich of Junction City, had his residence turned back over to him later that afternoon, according to Berges. About $40,000 was done to the struc-ture. Geary County firefighters called for aid and received it from the Junction City Fire Department. In total, between the two fire departments, three pumpers, a water tanker, two support vehicles, a med unit and 16 firefighters responded to the scene.

Fire does $40,000 worth of damage to Junction

City residence Thursday

Junction City Union Staff

After 21 years of service, Junction City Police Department Detective John Berrios-Gonzalez has decided to retire from the police force, effective March 6. He was first hired by the JCPD Feb. 22, 1999. Berrios-Gonzalez achieved

the rank of detective March 27, 2006, a little more than seven years after he started his career with the department. He has worked on many different assignments within the JCPD’s investigations division, with his most recent assignment being work as a crime lab detective. Berrios-Gonzalez has no intentions of leaving the Junction City community, though he will no longer be helping to police it. He and his wife, Paula, will continue to make the community their home.

On his last day with the JCPD, the police department will hold a retirement reception for him, which the pub-lic is invited to attend. From 3 until 4:30 p.m. March 5, the reception will be held at the JCPD training room at 210 E. Ninth St.

JCPD detective to retire after 21 years on the force

lydia Kautz

Junction City Union

Last Monday, at its regular monthly meeting, after a lengthy executive session to discuss personnel matters, the Unified School District 475 Board of Education voted in favor of accepting a grievance against the district, 4-3.

Thursday afternoon, however, the board held a meet-ing after which it decided to change its decision. The board voted to recess into executive session for personnel

matters, after which it came out and voted unanimously in favor of rescinding its original vote in favor of the griev-ance. There was then a motion in favor of seeking an equitable solution to the grievance, which the board pro-ceeded to vote in favor of, also unanimously.

The original votes, cast at the board’s regular meeting, were members Anwar Khoury, Rina Neal, Kristy Haden, and Ron Johnson in favor of accepting the grievance and members Sarah Talley, Jim Schmidt, and David Walker against.

BOE rescinds acceptance of grievance after executive session at special meeting

lydia Kautz

Junction City Union

The Military Affairs Council held its monthly meeting Thursday after-noon, where Geary Community Hos-pital’s current financial situation became a topic of discussion.

County Commissioner Brad Scholz, who sits on the MAC as a county rep-resentative, brought the subject up.

He suggested a level of account-ability — of checks and balances. Scholz cited his own career as Assis-tant Director of the North Central Kansas Detention Facility, where anonymous peer reviews are con-ducted.

“If we’re going to ask the taxpayers to increase the mill levy is what we really have to do — and the county commission is hamstrung by statutes a lot harder than they then the city is because they’re really set up different — but you have to have something in place,” Scholz said. “So if you’ve got a CEO who may not be completely — I’ll try to do this politically — honest with regards to the trustees, you need to have some form of oversight for the CEO. You have to have some standard operating procedure policy procedure to where there is some oversight.”

The county commission was recently approached about increas-ing the mill levy to save the hospital, which had fallen into $6 million in debt.

Former CEO of the hospital Joe Stratton and the hospital’s CFO Steve Doherty resigned at the same time in September of 2019, after which Inter-im CEO Don Smithburg took over and the information concerning the hospital’s debt came out.

Scholz said it was his belief that, if there were checks and balances in place, there would be red flags pop-ping up prior to anything drastic hap-pening, something that might pre-

Financial problems of Geary Community

Hospital a topic of discussion during

MAC meeting

Will Ravenstein • UnionJunction City Fire Department responded to a structure fire in the 900 block of W. Chestnut Friday morning. No injuries were reported with the fire that was quickly extinguished.

Fire and ice on Friday morning

Will Ravenstein • UnionCommand Sgt. Major Timothy V. Speichert secures of the colors of the U.S. Army Garrison Fort Riley from Col. Stephen Shrader, U.S. Army Garrison Fort Riley commander, during a change of responsibility ceremony inside Riley’s Community Center Feb. 13. Speichert replaces Com-mand Sgt. Major Andrew T. Bristow II as the senior noncommissioned officer in charge and will advise Shrader on policy decisions.

Please see GCH, 3APlease see Change, 3A