Wellsville Chamber Strategic Planning Meeting -

We will be holding a strategic planning meeting on September 5th at 5:30PM at Wellsville Health and Rehab. Dinner will be provided. All Chamber members and some other key players in our town will be invited to participate. Paul Bean with the Franklin County Development Council will facilitate.

Meeting agenda to include:

• Outline of projects the Chamber was working on prior to Coordinator position
• Outline of projects the Chamber has been working on since the Coordinator position
• Solicit feedback on existing Chamber projects
• Request ideas of other projects those in attendance and who they represent would like to see
• Determine what those in attendance and those they represent are willing to do to make their ideas a reality
• Resources necessary

Mark your calendar. You won't want to miss this meeting!

Wellsville Business Directory -

Whenever you are wanting to shop local and keep your business in Wellsville and the surrounding areas, please visit our website at https://wellsvillechamber.org/business-directory/ where you will find Chamber businesses broken out by industry. We are planning a marketing piece with all Wellsville businesses listed by industry as well. (The marketing piece will be delivered early 2024.)

You can also read Entrepreneurial and Organizational Leader Spotlights here.

If you would like to showcase your business by hosting a Chamber meeting and/or luncheon at your location, please let us know. This is a great way to familiarize other business owners with the tools and resources you have to offer the community and show off your physical space. Or you can cater the lunch and hold it at the Wellsville City Library or Wellsville Health and Rehab has also offer their space and can cater on site.

Lunch is Served -

• Mid-America Bank will host on August 8th at 11:30AM for lunch and 12:00PM for monthly meeting.
• USD #289 will host on October 10^th and provide a tour of all the new updates at the high school. FACS class will provide food. Additional details to follow.  

Entrepreneurial Spotlight -

Nicole Vlcek-Sullivan

Nicole Vlcek-Sullivan is the entrepreneurial business owner of Wellsville Chiropractic in Wellsville, Kansas. Her business is located at 711 Main Street. Nicole began her business in August of 2013.  When asked, Nicole said, “I never imagined being a business owner.” She knew she wanted to be in the medical field, but initially, she thought she’d be a surgeon. Nicole attained her EMT certification with plans of going to medical school.   

Nicole said an accident in collage had left an impression on her regarding chiropractic care. As the story goes, she had a lifeguarding accident which caused a dislocated shoulder and a severe neck injury that left her with frequent migraines. She had tried going the conventional medical route, but the solution was only to use medication, physical therapy, or finally either neck surgery or nerve oblations. She had tried the medication and physical therapy to no avail. Nicole would have migraines several times each month that would knock her down for three-four days at a time. She had a tough time with her medical school classes due to this suffering.  

Finally, Nicole had graduated pre-med in Health-related Sciences and was working at a hospital. From the inside, she learned she didn’t love what healthcare had to offer the patient as a solution.  Basically, she said, “the remedy for everything was to take a pill or have surgery.” At age 21, Nicole had been referred to a chiropractor and thought that sounded less scary than surgery or a nerve oblation.  The chiropractor was able to talk to her and explain the problem. Nicole said, “I was finally given some hope!” She was impressed by the time he spent helping her understand her problem versus what she’d previously experienced.  Within two adjustments, she said she was 90% better.  Her headaches and migraines were mostly gone, and she could turn her neck and move her shoulder again. 

Over time, she developed a friendship with the chiropractor, and he encouraged her to go to chiropractic school. Her parents thought she was crazy to abandon the medical education she’s worked so hard toward. She initially started school in Kansas City but ended up finding the best fit for chiropractic school was in St. Louis. For three full years, she would leave on Monday and come home on Fridays. At this time, she lived in Wellsville and had two small children. She would go to school, study, and work around the clock while she was away during the week and spend the weekends giving her family her undivided attention. She had a chiropractic mentor in St. Louis who owned his own practice. She was able to work for him around her school schedule, learning the essentials of running an office.   

Nicole was wanting to start her own practice in Wellsville, but several instructors were telling her it was too small to support her business. But Nicole loved the “country feel” of Wellsville, the rural community, being close to the schools her kids attended and thought she’d really enjoy having an office here. When asked, she said, “I’m so glad I decided to take the risk and start my practice here, but I honestly had no idea it would take off so quickly.” 

The biggest challenges at Wellsville Chiropractic for Nicole were building her confidence as a chiropractor without having an ego take over. Nicole said, “Doctor means teacher”. She wanted to be approachable and perceived as a regular person. “Early on, I had to get out of my own way a few times, trusting my education, and give credit to the art and practice of chiropractic.”  

“I’ve enjoyed owning my own business for many reasons, one of them being the ability to make the business my own.” said Nicole. She said she doesn’t really feel like she’s her own boss, though. The said, “My patients are my boss!” She said in the beginning, her business was like an infant that she had to care for all the time. Now, 10 years later, she feels the business is a little more self-sufficient. She mentioned, “I can now make up for the time I missed when my kids where smaller.” Nicole says that word-of-mouth or referral-based marketing helped her and continues to help her grow her business. 

Nicole says that it’s very satisfying to look at the business now. She states, “I treat my patients as I would my family members.” She knows chiropractic is sometimes a “last option” for people as it was for her when she had her lifeguarding injury. She feels that experience helps her relate to her patients better since she’s lived through her own health issues, and experienced how chiropractic can work.   Nicole said, “I’m humbled daily by how people trust me and my techniques. I know that chiropractic is only one means to aid in healing, but for some, it IS the answer. I see miracles in my office every day. We celebrate the small things, and I always want to give my patients hope as my first chiropractor did for me. It’s important to me to be able to look at myself in the mirror each night and know I tried my best with every patient.”   

Nicole mentioned that it’s very important to her that she can communicate to a patient when she doesn’t feel chiropractic is the answer. “Sometimes, another medical modality might be necessary,” says Nicole. She also appreciates that her patients feel comfortable coming to her with their questions and concerns so that they can make educated decisions about their care. Another thing that’s very important to Nicole is that she can keep the prices affordable for most everyone.   She doesn’t want money to be a barrier for people in need of care.   

When asked about work-life balance, Nicole admitted that balancing the business and her family is hard. She’s learned she can’t please everyone. As her five kids have grown, as well as her business, she’s had to decide on hours that fit her patient’s needs AND her busy family’s needs. “Sometimes I miss out on my kids and sometimes I need to take some time off from the office.” She understands that when people are hurting, they want help right then and don’t want to have to wait until Monday.  She said, “It’s really hard when you’re your own worst critic.”   

We were talking about anything Nicole would like to change about the journey to where she is now with her business. She said, “Everything I’ve gone through has provided life lessons to shape me and my business into what it is today, so I wouldn’t change a thing!” She feels these experiences help her to connect with her patients about other things that trouble them. She said that besides chiropractic care, her patients will often confide in her about problems like anxiety and depression issues because they are areas, she has openly struggled with herself. 

Nicole admits her greatest inspiration is her mom. She says the older she gets, the more she can sense her mom’s influence. She said, “I can really relate to my mom because she was a strong, military wife, who raised three kids mostly on her own.” Nicole is the oldest. “If someone told my mom she couldn’t do something, she went out of her way to prove them wrong. I see that in myself,” says Nicole. Another of her mom’s favorite sayings was, “If you’re reaching your bar, you have it set too low.” Nicole feels she gets her perfectionism and work ethic from her strong-willed mom. And it wasn’t just her mom who inspired her. At 55-years old, Nicole’s dad graduated from nursing school, after 25 years of active military service, currently still working at the Nebraska VA hospital.   

If you have a chiropractic need and would like to visit Wellsville Chiropractic, please call them at (785) 883-2234 to book an appointment or visit them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/WellsvilleChiropractic/.   

Wellsville Chamber Sign Advertising program -

Have you noticed the beautiful banners displayed every two weeks on the Wellsville Chamber sign sitting on Highway 33 in the field next to Bert's and across from Auburn Pharmacy? If not, take a look next time you are driving by. We have received lots of positive feedback about the program. You can use the sign to celebrate a milestone, award, an employee or anyone or anything about our town.

If you would like to advertise to the thousands of cars passing by our billboard on Highway 33 each day, we can help produce and display a banner designed just for your business. This Chamber sign is especially important to your business if you are a business located somewhere other than on 33 highway. Many people who live outside Wellsville or are coming off the highway to stop at Bert's or Casey's don't know what other businesses Wellsville has to offer. They might make it a point to use your services each time they are in town if they only knew where you were!

We have NO dates remaining for the 2022-2023 Chamber year. We will be soliciting 2023-2024 Chamber dues soon. Platinum members will get first pick of dates. We will publish remaining spots in August of this year. Please reach out if you would like to book a spot.

Wellsville Cemetery Rules -

1. The cemetery lots, or any part of any lot, in the city cemetery shall be conveyed by a deed.
2. Transfer of lots is permitted upon notification to the City Clerk.

Interments:

1. A burial permit must be obtained from the city clerk, providing name, age, sex, race, date of death, place of death, cause of death, date of interment, number of lot or part of lot on which interment is made. 
2. All interments and disinterment’s shall be made under the supervision of the sexton after payment of the proper fee. All excavation will be done by the City.
3. No interment of any body other than that of a human being shall be permitted in the cemetery.
4. All caskets shall be enclosed in a vault, which shall be constructed of concrete or metal.
5. It is the responsibility of the funeral home to arrange with a vault company for the vault to be at the cemetery for a scheduled burial.
6. It is the responsibility of the funeral home to make arrangements for the tent and chairs to be delivered and set up.
7. The City of Wellsville will allow the interment of two cremations per one grave space or the interment of one cremation with one full vault interment in one grave space.

Plant and Flower Displays:

1. Shrubs, bushes, flowers or plants are not permitted.
2. Care. The cemetery sexton shall have the right to trim, prune and/or remove all trees and shrubbery as necessary.
3. Temporary Display of Plants, Flowers & Artificial Arrangements – The City of Wellsville assumes no responsibility for plants or flower arrangements or any other items. No glass containers are permitted. Winter decorations are permitted to be placed between November 1 and March 1, but must be removed by March 2. If not removed, the City will remove them. Decorations shall be allowed outside of the monument only on the Holidays of Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Memorial Day and Christmas. The Cemetery staff will remove and dispose of all decorations left outside of the monument (7) days after EACH of these holidays at such time the Cemetery staff determines necessary to maintain the Cemetery. Hanging plants and other decorations may be displayed on “shepherd hooks” or similar device placed directly next to (touching) or attached to the monument or headstone; but shall not interfere with maintenance or made of glass. A maximum of one shepherds hook per grave. Decorations not conforming to these guidelines shall be removed by Cemetery Staff. All decorations MUST be placed upon the actual monument. Items may not be placed on the base pad.
4. Wreaths Across Franklin County allowed without regulations.
5. Items placed on a grave prior to the placement of a monument or headstone will be permitted for a period not to exceed six months following the date of burial. If not removed by that date, the City will remove all items.
6. The City will remove any items found to interfere with maintenance.
7. Items that are prohibited on lots or graves; all toys, cases, boxes, globes, shells, rocks, all glass, all metal and wire objects of every description whatsoever; containers of cereal malt or alcoholic beverage, any obscene items or words, weapons of any type or any illegal substances or paraphernalia; any article so found on same will be removed without notice to the owner.

Monuments and Markers:

1. The face of all markers, monuments and headstones within the city cemetery shall be set true and square and shall be set inside of an area of five foot long by 2 foot wide at the head of each grave space. All monuments and markers shall be of granite, marble or granite and marble composition of
2. Approved standard quality or brass. All monuments & markers shall have concrete foundation with a minimum 4” thickness and must exceed length and width of monument or marker by minimum of 4”.
3. All monuments, markers and headstones require permits from City Hall before placement and require a (72 hour) notice must be given prior to setting. The monument company will haul off dirt, concrete, boards and all trash from setting the monument or marker. 
4.  Above ground mausoleums are allowed but must be centered within four grave spaces.
5. Stepping stones shall not be permitted unless the stone is made of the material required for monuments and headstones and used in place of a monument or headstone with an appropriate foundation and a permit obtained for its installation and shall not exceed length and placement requirements in Paragraph 1.
6. Permanent Vases above ground are permitted only when attached to or made a part of the monument or headstone.
7. Benches are permitted when made a part of the monument and constructed of the same material required for a monument or headstone. Benches integrated with the monument or headstone shall only be at the head of the grave and cannot exceed the dimensions in Paragraph 1.
8. No walkways, boxes, fences, edging material, mulch material, gravel, chairs, settees, structures or other materials or items of any kind shall be permitted.
9. Any item placed on a grave in violation of Paragraphs 2 through 6 shall be removed by the City.
10. Care & Maintenance of Headstones, Monuments, and Benches – The owner will be responsible for maintenance with the exception of damage caused by the City or where owners cannot be located and the damage to the stone is a safety or maintenance issue.
11. All foot stones should be flush with the ground.
12. Temporary funeral home metal markers will be removed after one year.

Prohibitions:

1. It shall be unlawful for any person to willfully or maliciously injure, mar, deface, destroy or remove without permission any headstone, monument, marker or decoration on any cemetery lot. Exception: This does not apply to the cemetery sexton, or anyone authorized by the sexton, in the performance of maintenance duties.
2. It shall be unlawful to disturb or molest any grave. Exception: This does not apply to the cemetery sexton, or anyone authorized by the sexton, in the performance of maintenance duties.
3. It shall be unlawful for any person to drive any vehicle in the cemetery faster than 10 miles per hour.
4. No person shall use the cemetery grounds or any driveway therein as a public thoroughfare.
5. No person or persons with refreshment merchandise for sale, firearms, or dogs shall be permitted to enter the cemetery or to be therein.

Please let us know if you have any job opportunities you'd like to share with the Wellsville Chamber members and the Wellsville community.

Monthly FCDC Review -

Revenue -

Our revenue comes from public and private funding. Our largest financial contributions come from the City of Ottawa and Franklin County. Each of those entities currently provide us with $64,375 per year. Paul Bean has recently asked them to each co-sider a 5% increase in their support for 2024. Membership has grown since 2019. They have grown from 62 members to 90 and your total support is 42% more than 4 years ago, thanks to this growth in our organization. They will receive over $51,000 this year from members. Other revenue comes from grants and interest on our reserve funds.

Expenses -

Paul Bean believes they are managing expenses prudently. In 2019 expenses were low due to the fact this organization did not have an Executive Director. They were high in 2020 as we spent considerable funds building our marketing materials and social media presence. Their marketing and promotional materials were nonexistent. In addition, they purchased several studies to help them in their branding and marketing. They also provide a housing report every two years and purchased this in 2020 as well. As a side note, they are purchasing a new housing report this summer.

E-Community Impact -

As you are aware, FCDC is the sponsoring agency for the Franklin E-Community. This allows them to support new and expanding local businesses. This is more of a commercial and retail focus and not so much industry. Paul Bean am a believer that they work to raise all boats to improve their chances at landing a larger industry. Quality of life and a healthy local economy are important as they work to attract new industry. Our E-Community Programs provide GAP funding for interested businesses. They partner with local banks to provide additional funding. Their funding is in the form of loans and grants. The funding comes from Network Kansas, not FCDC. This year they have provided $125,000 in loans and $30,000 in grants to new and/or expanding businesses in Ottawa. Paul is working to assist some interested parties in Wellsville at the time of this report. We fund these loans with the sale of Kansas Income Tax Credits. They hope you will consider purchasing some as an individual or as a business this year to help support these great programs of support that are happening in our community!

All of this is possible thanks to the great support FCDC receives from ALL of our partners. They are making a difference and it is only possible due to your support.

Paul Bean has provided a link to software he has purchased called SizeUp. It is useful to new and potential business in our community. You can look up demographics, competitors, suppliers, areas to market, etc.

Feel free to add a link to your website.

Franklin County Optimist Club -

During this past school year, the Franklin County Optimist Club has recognized:

• 30 Wellsville Middle School students as a Student of the Month
• 3 Wellsville High School students as Unsung Heroes
• Distributed reading books to every student in the 4^th Grade
• Donated $450 in snacks for the Snack Pack program

Wellsville School District Projects and Programs -

Facilities Update -

The USD 289 bond project continues to move forward. Below are a couple of important announcements regarding the project and notes regarding access to district facilities this summer.

• Work on the project will continue this summer. The elementary school building will be closed beginning May 19th for the summer so that the roof replacement, HVAC replacement, and secure entrance can be completed.

• The front parking lot, front exits, Blue Gym, and most of the 6-12 building will be closed beginning May 19th. The weight room, wrestling room, KD Gym, and previously completed classrooms will be open and used at times throughout the summer for weights, camps, Driver’s Education, etc.

• We greatly appreciate all of our staff, students, and parents' flexibility that has allowed the project to be worked on during the school year and summer! The majority of the project will be completed by the start of school next year. 



• We genuinely THANK all stakeholders for their support of this project and the new facilities and learning areas it has provided our students, staff, and community!

Monthly Meeting -

• August 8th at noon at Wellsville Health and Rehab. Lunch provided by Mid-America Bank at 11:30AM.

Annual Chamber Golf Tournament -

• Wellsville Chamber Golf Tournament - Saturday, July 15th @ 8AM

Check out all the Wellsville Recreation Commission has planned for our community kids and seniors this month!

Library Updates -

Here's a glimpse of the inside of the new addition. So as you can see sheetrock is looking good, electrical work is starting to decorate the room, and HVAC is being installed.

Thanks, Loyd Builders, BCI Electrical, Adamson Bros., and to you all of Wellsville!

Wellsville Days Events Details -

• The 2023 Wellsville Days Booth Application is now available on the Wellsville Days website: https://wellsvilledaysks.com/booths/.

• All Main Street businesses need to complete the booth application for their 10X10 space

• Parade Registration: https://wellsvilledaysks.com/parade/

• 5K Registration: https://wellsvilledaysks.com/5k-runwalk/

Sunday Service -

• Three identical in-person services at 8:00AM, 9:30AM, and 11AM
• Live online service at 9:30AM

Helping Hands Food Pantry Grocery Distribution -

• Fri Jun 16
• Sat June 17

Open Table Community Church

Sunday Service -

• One in-person service 10AM
• Live online service at 10AM

Sunday Service -

• One in-person service 9AM
• Sunday School for all ages at 10:30AM
• Potluck on the 1st and 3rd Sundays at 11:30AM

Vacation Bible Study -

• July 24-28
• 6-8 PM
• Ages 4 through 5th Grade

Bible Study -

• Wednesday mornings from 9:30-10:30AM
• No matter how little or how much you know about the Bible, we guarantee you’ll learn something new at this study
• All are welcome to join us for an hour of study followed by a visit to Hot Off the Press for snacks

Men’s Bible Study -

• Tuesdays at 7PM

Revelation Bible Study -

• Wednesdays at 9:30AM

Youth Group -

• Wednesdays from 6:30-8PM

Small Groups -

• Wednesdays from 6:30-8PM (starting this summer)

Homeschool Co-op -

• Thursdays from 9AM-12PM

Men's Breakfast -

• Saturdays at 8AM

Women's Brunch -

• Every third Saturday from 9AM-12PM

Sunday Service -

•  In person worship and Church@Home - 10:45AM

2022/2023 Wellsville Chamber of Commerce Officers