PCDI Elects New Officers, Views Holly Tornado Anniversary DVD

Anne Marie Crampton stepped down as PCDI president Tuesday, March 29, as board members voted for Cathy Buxton as incoming president, Michael Bryant as vice-president, and Lawrence Brase as secretary/treasurer.

Board member Marsha Willhite presented a brief DVD showcasing the transition from devastation to community restoration. Willhite, Holly town administrator reminded the board the 4th anniversary of the Holly tornado was March 28. She said the town’s website should be able to broadcast the DVD in the near future. The video offers a number of before and after photographs, depicting how brand new homes and buildings were renovated from the destruction caused by the tornado.

Lisa Nolder, PCDI director recommended a caretaker for the Washington Street property, the former Big R warehouse. $20,374.47 has been budgeted for insurance, marketing, maintenance and utilities for the building. Some alteration of the property is needed to alleviate drainage issues. The 3.2 acre property is being developed as a potential factory site for one or several businesses interested in locating in Lamar. Future discussions will broach how the property could be incorporated into the Urban Revitalization Project.

Board members voted to approve funding for Nolder to attend the annual AWEA conference in Anaheim, CA. The wind energy trade show highlights manufacturing business developments which range from large turbine oriented companies such as Vestas, to those that supply and nuts and bolts of the mechanisms. Nolder said last year, the Lamar representatives were oriented to transmission line development and financing. This year’s ventured will seek supply manufacturers to the turbine industry. Nolder added, “nacelles, towers and blades comprise only 13% of a single turbine. We’re going to make contact with manufacturers that build the other 87% of the parts needed to construct and maintain a turbine.”