KVAY Receives Urban Redevelopment Grant, Landfill Fees Explained

The Lamar Redevelopment Authority and Beacon Broadcasting finalized a Development Agreement needed for a grant for property rehabilitation at 114 South Main Street in Lamar.  KVAY Radio purchased the property, the former Main Café, to renovate into new business offices and broadcast studios.  The grant will cover about 50% of the rehabilitation work planned for the address. 

The grant is $71,804 which will be paid from the Urban Renewal Authority budget in two segments to help cover the costs for façade and roof rehabilitation and infrastructure improvements.  The city will provide $5,050 for in-kind services for replacement of a 70 foot sewer line and for administration of the grant.  The project is expected to be completed by the end of February when KVAY moves its current rental location from 224 South Main to 114 South Main Street in Lamar.  Shawna Hodge, Lamar’s Main Street Director, asked that if anyone had photographs of the front of the property taken between 1931 and 1940, please contact her, as the pictures would be useful in developing the proposed façade. 

The Lamar Police Department received approval from the Lamar City Council to upgrade the aging motor vehicle fleet.  The total lease/purchase price for four Chevrolet Tahoe vehicles is $136,720.37 and was approved in the city’s 2014 budget.  As these are four wheel drive vehicles, Police Chief Gary McCrea explained that they will not be used as primary patrol cars. 

A cost analysis of garbage service to the city’s customers was provided by Public Works Director, Pat Mason.  Wiley Town officials recently approached the council with concerns over recent disposal fee increases.  They met with Mason and Lamar City Administrator John Sutherland to see if any relief could be possible on the price hike.  Mason’s breakdown showed that each customer pays $18 a month for collection and disposal on a cubic yard reference.  The City of Lamar charges $7 per cubic yard for disposal at the landfill.  The fee is just under 14% of the total cubic yard cost ($51.03) for collections and disposal. 

Sutherland, briefed the council on the latest minimum wage level for Colorado.  He explained that the new wage is $8 per hour, which is below the starting salary of municipal employees at $8.40, so there will be no impact to the city’s payroll budget.  

The council approved a one year contract for rental of the Cardio Vascular and Weight Room at the Lamar Community Building.  Rick Akers, Parks and Recreation Director, said the monthly rental charge will be $150 to Kelsey Herrera, Personal Trainer. 

The City of Lamar had filed as an objector in LAWMA’s water court application, Case No. 10CW85.  The action provided the city with updated information as the case moved through the courts.  It also helped protect the city’s interest in the Ft. Bent Ditch and to ensure that LAWMA did not agree to terms and conditions that the city could not live with in Lamar’s change of its Ft. Bent shares.  The trial is now pending and LAWMA has proposed a decree to “get Lamar out of their case” as an objector and have requested that Lamar stipulate to the decree. 

Several locations and media outlets were approved for the annual posting of meeting notices for the City of Lamar.  The annual approval includes council chambers, the Recreation, Street and Water Department offices, the bulletin board at the south end of the City Complex hall outside the Cultural Events Center entry and the hallway entrance between the City Complex and the Lamar Library.   

Four bids were received by the city for the annual purchase of aggregate materials such as asphalt, concrete and road base materials.  Awards for materials were approved for All Rite Paving and Ready Mix, Carder Inc, Robin’s Redi-Mix and Riverside Aggregates LLC.

By Russ Baldwin