Library Shredding Party Highlights Early Improvement Bond Paydown

Back: Nada Renken, Kaye Hainer, Jack Van Hook. Front: Mikki Cartwright, Kathy Wootten, Chris Wilkinson

Lamar residents, city council members, county commissioners, library employees, volunteers, Friends of the Lamar Library and the Library Board gathered for a party to retire a finance bond ahead of schedule.  The document shredding was held at the Cultural Events Center in Lamar, Monday evening, December 23.    

Board President, Jack Van Hook and Chris Wilkinson welcomed the guests and provided a brief overview of how the Citizen Advocates for Lamar Library (CALL) had been formed over a decade ago, to petition for a bond election to finance needed remodeling improvements to the library.  Wilkinson said that without the support of concerned groups and the residents and voters of Prowers County, the bond would not have passed the election, even though it was approved by only a 143 vote margin.  Wilkinson remarked that if not through the spending efforts of the area communities, the bond would not have been retired four years ahead of schedule. 

As a result, the Lamar City Council recently passed a resolution which will reduce the city sales tax by 0.25%, making the Sales and Use Tax a flat 3% as had been intended by 2018.  City Treasurer, Kristin Rau, said there is a $74,000 surplus which will be kept in a special account to be used for capital improvements to the library.

By Russ Baldwin