PCDI Rents Warehouse to ARPA, Hickenlooper Visit to Lamar Confirmed

ARPA, Arkansas River Power Authority, is now renting a portion of the Washington Street property in Lamar, owned by PCDI.  Last week, the Colorado State Patrol held an open house for its new local headquarters at the site, renting three of the nine buildings.  ARPA will rent one of the warehouses for equipment storage for the Lamar Repowering Project.  The rent agreement will run for 90 days with subsequent 30 day renewal periods as needed.  That leaves five buildings still available for rental or purchase from the Prowers County economic development group.  The ARPA rental was ratified during PCDI’s monthly meeting, July 30. 

Drainage improvements at the site were also discussed by the PCDI board.  The property, which abuts the Lamar Canal, has had a history of drainage problems which periodically develop during periods of brief, intense rainstorms.  Some problem areas have been improved, but concern about office flooding still exists due mostly to different heights along the bed of the property and some old pumps which are not capable of dealing with the run off.  Board member and city councilman, Skip Ruedeman provided other board members with an update on improvements and plans to eliminate some sidewalk and curbing that hinders rain water flow.  The board also authorized Ruedeman to purchase a trash pump with incentive funds, not to exceed $1,000. 

Board members listened to a comprehensive overview from Jillane Hixson and her associates on the latest developments to purchase Juniper Village on South 10^th Street in Lamar, and develop a new non-profit nursing home on property owned by High Plains Community Health Center.  Hixson said her group has been working on a funding proposal since the start of the year which involves petitioning the county to declare a Public Improvement District and approve a bonding question for the November ballot to authorize a property tax to fund the $15 million project.  Hixson said the nursing home project is keyed to the purchase of the current Juniper Village property from the New Jersey corporation.  She hoped that word on a sale would be available before the end of August.  PCDI board members voted to support the overall project, but would not be able to provide any incentive funding. 

A combination golf tournament and business seminar will be held Friday and Saturday, September 6 and 7 at the RodeWay Cow Palace Inn and Spreading Antlers Golf Course.  The fund raising event will feature business improvement/development seminars featuring Bill Dutro from the Small Business Development Center for Southeast Colorado and perhaps some local business owners who will provide information on generating a business in the county.   

Local businessman, Frederick Esgar, addressed the board about developing an on-point list of topics for Governor Hickenlooper’s visit to Lamar on August 13.  Esgar did reference the economic impact of the continued drought, but also offered some suggestions to help sway the state legislature to consider rural Colorado for business development instead of continuously focusing on the Front Range.  After several written invitations from the Prowers County Commissioners and others, members of the Colorado Drought Task Force will be in Lamar on August 12 at 4pm at the Lamar Community Building, preceding the Governor’s brief visit to Lamar the next day.  It was confirmed this Tuesday that Hickenlooper will be in Lamar on August 13 between 4:15pm and 4:45pm for the public gathering.

By Russ Baldwin