Lamar Council Reviews Ball Field Misuse and Unemployment Fund

Citizen’s Ballfield at the Lamar Sports Complex has recently received some rough treatment. Rick Akers, city Leisure Services Director expressed his concern to the city council during Monday night’s meeting, May 23. Akers said the backstop pads at the new softball field had baseball imprints embedded into them, apparently from baseballs hit towards them at close range. Akers was worried that the protective mats, which cost from $4,500 to $5,000 to replace could be damaged, and spoke to several league teams that had recently been using the field. The council agreed with Akers, stating that a replacement or repair bill would be sent to those deemed responsible for that kind of misuse of city property at the ballfields. Citizen’s Field, the second of four to be built at the Sports Complex, will host the 16U Babe Ruth Softball World Series this August.

The council work session focused on the best means to maintain a balance in the city’s unemployment fund, in light of lowered interest rates and the nationwide high unemployment rate. The last contribution to the fund was in 1997, and interest earned from the investments has kept the fund balanced at about $130,000. Council members said they’d like maintain the investments in local banks and would prefer to keep the account underfunded given the current lower returns on investments.

Councilwoman Bev Haggard reported she was appointed to the Ports to Plains board during a recent Fly-In meeting in Washington, D.C., replacing Leroy Mauch in that position. Haggard said representatives were divided by city and country boundaries on a push to develop transportation in more rural sections of the country. The rural area’s strengths stemmed from a nationwide concern for energy development and transporting ag-based products from coast to coast. Haggard said she had the opportunity to meet with U.S. Senator Michael Bennet and Congressman Cory Gardner during her visit.

City offices will be closed for Memorial Day, May 30; the monthly city council breakfast will be held June 1 at 7am at the Perk on West Elm Street; mayor pro-tem, Skip Rudeman read a proclamation regarding Lamar’s 125th anniversary celebration and councilman P.J. Wilson, deputy city administrator Bill Pfeilsticker and mayor Roger Stagner will meet with representatives from the Prosperity Lane Board to discuss their water and wastewater financing issues.

By Russ Baldwin