Lamar Council Appoints New Mayor Pro-Tem, Receives ARPA Briefing on Coal Plant

Lamar has been designated as an official “Relay for Life City” by the American Cancer Society and the city council approved a proclamation in recognition and support of the Lamar Relay for Life event Friday through Saturday morning, June 6-7 at Savage Stadium.  Sherry Kerr, representing the Relay committee at the council meeting said the team numbers are down from last year, now at 15 with 137 participants expected.  Their current pledge level is $10,000.  She expects 93 cancer survivors and 150 caregivers to take part in the traditional Friday evening dinner and noted that the Lamar event outperforms other communities in fiscal responsibility.  “Usually, 7% to 8% of donations are used to promote the annual event in Colorado,” she explained, adding that, “We are able to organize and publicize our event using only from 2-3% of our donations.”  The proclamation reads in part that the overall, age-adjusted mortality rate for cancer is declining for the first time in human history.

ARPA General Manager, Rick Rigel, briefed the Lamar City Council on current financial assessments conducted by several consulting firms regarding the Lamar Repowering Project.  He said their studies will help ARPA board members come to a decision regarding the future of the coal fired plant.  (A more detailed account of his findings was presented on Tuesday, May 28, to the Lamar Utilities Board and may be read online at www.theprowersjournal.com or in the Wednesday, May 29 publication-Editor)

June 23, 2014 has been set as a public hearing date by the council for an application for a special events permit to host a Beer Garden during the ‘Hotter than Hell’ Music Festival by the Lamar Chamber of Commerce offices on East Beech Street.  Lamar Partnership Inc is hosting the first time event on July 19 from 11am to 10pm.

The council voted to ratify an earlier phone poll to sub-lease 300 shares of water from the Lamar Canal and Irrigation Company which is leased from the Lamar Utilities Board.  Nova Somina, LLC from Holly, Colorado was the low bid of four, submitted at $5,000 down and $80 per acre foot.  The next closest bid was $1,000 down and $40.50 per acre foot.

An intergovernmental agreement between the City of Lamar and Prowers County was approved, allowing for pension benefits for the volunteer firefighters of the city and the county through an affiliation with the State of Colorado Fire and Police Pension Association and the creation of a joint pension administrative board.  This action will allow Prowers County to receive matching funds from the Department of Local Affairs.

Kirk Crespin was unanimously elected by council members to replace former councilman Skip Ruedeman as Mayor Pro-Tem.  Ruedeman’s position was left open when he moved to another state earlier this spring. His remaining term on the council was filled by Gerry Jenkins during the last council meeting.

City Administrator, John Sutherland, noted that the next informal council breakfast meeting will be held at the Hickory House on North Main Street on Wednesday, June 4 from 7am to 8am.  He also noted and thanked Detective Reid and Police Chief McCrea for their efforts in helping secure a federal JAG grant for $290,000 for equipment for the E911 dispatch center.  The grant will require a 20% local match.  Sutherland briefly mentioned city finances, remarking that the General Fund is still healthy with a $325,000 surplus, but noted some concern over decreasing revenues in the city’s water and sanitation departments.

A bid for janitorial services at the Colorado Welcome Center was awarded to Daniel Nuehold. His was the lone bid for the services he provided last year, at the same amount of $675 per month.  The city is reimbursed by the State of Colorado under the Welcome Center annual contract.

By Russ Baldwin