Lamar Council Annexes Properties, Appoints Board and Commission Members

Property off Memorial Drive Annexed by Council

The Lamar City Council held a brief session Monday evening, March 26, approving several ordinances on their second reading, relating to annexing several properties into the city.

The ordinance annexing the property on Yucca West Drive, known as Langston First Annexation, was amended and approved by the council. The amendment altered the zoning designation from O-E Estates to R-1 Residential. The council also approved annexation and a zoning change for an adjacent property also owned by Langston. The Bosley-Straily-Lauritsen property along south Memorial Drive was also annexed by the city council and has been zoned O-E. City Senior Survey Analyst, Wiley Work, told the council that the road adjacent to the land will also be annexed, along with a 60 foot strip of land, north of the property.

Langston Property Annexed into City Boundaries

Council members took no action on approving the city’s share of lobbying funds to be donated to what is known as a TIGER grant, seeking federal funding for the upgrade of a rail line extending through Kansas, Colorado and New Mexico. The Kansas Southwest Coalition is comprised of various cities which are on the current Amtrak Southwest Chief route. Over $90 million is needed for rail line upgrades to preserve the Chief’s route through the three states. Interim City Administrator Steven Rabe said the city will have representation at a regional meeting on April 10 in Garden City, KS for those communities which share a financial stake in maintaining the Southwest Chief route through their municipalities.

Rabe related the language which was used to modify a curfew request for the approaching Lamar Days activities. The curfew was approved by the council. The council also approved a curfew request for the annual Relay for Life, fund-raising event that will be held June 2-3 at Savage Stadium. Heather Burkhart read the ordinance before the counci. A similar ordinance has been approved for the Relay activities every year since 2006. Mayor Stagner and the council commended the members attending Monday night’s meeting for their fundraising efforts on behalf of the American Cancer Society.

The council is advertising for a replacement for the late Ernie Hofmeister on the advisory board of the Lamar Community Resource and Senior Center. The deadline for applications is April 11. The replacement will serve Hofmeister’s unexpired term ending December 10, 2012. The council appointed City Attorney, Garth Neischburg to replace former City Administrator Bill Pfeilsticker to the ARPA Board of Directors. Neischburg said he could serve until a replacement administrator was selected, if that individual decided to represent the city on the ARPA board.Several vacancies to local boards and commissions was created with the resignation of city councilman P.J. Wilson. The council named Oscar Riley to the Planning and Zoning Commission, as well as the Golf and Airport boards.

Future dates for community activities included the Library Spring Book sale, April 1-4, the council’s informal breakfast meeting will be held April 4 from 7 to 8am at The Perk on West Elm Street. The City Spring Clean Up Day will be Saturday, April 21, volunteers for the semi annual event will be offered passes to the municipal pool instead of tee shirts. It was noted that the city was paying out almost $1,000 in tee shirt purchases each year.

Prowers Medical Center Chief Executive Officer, James Fairchild briefed the council on the need for a $5 million bond to be passed by hospital district voters during the May 8 election, scheduled by PMC. Fairchild said the approved funds will finance construction of the Prowers County Hospital Outpatient Rehabilitation Center. The construction will free 2,000 square feet in the facilities, as well as provide space for cardio/pulmonary rehab clinics, something he said topped the list of medical needs for Prowers County residents. Fairchild said any left over funds from the construction project would be applied to equipment and HVAC upgrades at PMC. The council will discuss a resolution of support at their next meeting as well as outline the steps the countil will take to find a permanent city administrator, expected to range between five to six months.  The council delayed action on a liquor license renewal for Coronica’s until their next meeting.

by Russ Baldwin