Lamar City Council to Discuss New Fees and Policy on Use of Cultural Events Center

The Lamar City Council is expected to raise the fees of the Cultural Events Center to match those of the Lamar Community Building during the Monday night meeting, June 13.

The Center was remodeled in 2004, and this spring, a question was brought to the council concerning its availability for political and religious purposes. The Library Board met earlier and has developed a policy to match the best practices and suggested policy of the American Association. The changes will be explained to the council by city librarian, Debra Reynolds, and will allow the use of the Center without restriction based on race, sex or religious creed. The board will decide on a case-by-case basis for its use by commercial or profit-making organizations. A new policy for patrons checking out electronic equipment from the library will also be discussed.

Bids were requested for a new sound system for the Lamar Community Building. Only one vendor submitted a bid, and it’s expected the council will hear a brief description of the attributes of the new system before making an award.

A 1996 agreement for well water use for Escondido Park between the city and a private landowner was never executed by either party. A recent meeting was held this month to enact the agreement, and it’s expected the council will give their approval. A separate water matter concerning city use of an augmentation station owned by LAWMA, Lower Arkansas Water Management Association, will be addressed on Monday by the council.

The council will discuss making a payment to the Lamar World Series Committee to offset the shortfall currently being realized by the Prowers Lodging Tax Panel. The Panel has recently been short in funding due to an apparent absence of timely quarterly payments from the state to the Panel to help finance tourist oriented events in Prowers County.

There will be no work session scheduled for the Monday meeting, and as such, it is scheduled to being at 7pm.