All Entries in the "Utilities" Category
Lamar Utilities Board Discusses Potential November Rate Increase
Editor’s Note: Light Plant Superintendent Rick Rigel pointed out that potential rate increases at this time have not been finalized. Mr. Rigel stated that although purchased power costs will have an impact on future rate increases, the ones given in this article are not set in stone. Rigel added that he believed […]
Lamar Council Okays Initial Plans for Water Connect Project to PMC, High Plains Clinic
The Lamar City Council appointed City Administrator Bill Pfeilsticker to the Lamar Building Finance Corporation, replacing Ron Stock. Stock had been serving a ten year term that expires in 2019. Previous board of director presidents had been city administrators. The term will expire on November 8 of that year. Pfeilsticker was hired by the council […]
Lamar Light & Power Continues to Restart Repowering Project
Photos Courtesy of Lamar Light and Power – Click on a picture to see a larger image. Additional equipment tuning and modifications are needed to get the Repowering Project back online. The plant has been offline since a December power outage, and engineering firms have been working to prevent future, similar problems. It has not been easy, […]
Candle Cause of Sunday House Fire in Lamar
Photos and Video by Russ Baldwin – Click on a picture to see a larger image. A candle left burning on a desk, ignited in a bedroom in the 200 Block of South 12th Street in Lamar Sunday afternoon, July 24. The Lamar Fire and Police Departments and EMT’s responded to the call […]
Lamar Light and Power Update on July 13 Power Outage
Lamar Light and Power, Press Release Update It is our understanding from discussions last night (July 13) with Tri State Transmission dispatch and an article in today’s Pueblo Chieftain, that at approximately 5:30 Wednesday night, Xcel Energy had four of their transmission lines trip off line as did both the Comanche #1 and Comanche #2 […]
Power Loss, Minor Inconvenience to Communities
Photos by Russ Baldwin Wednesday night’s power outage disrupted evening plans for most residents across southeastern Colorado. Breaker failure is attributed to the loss of four Xcel transmission lines which caused power outages between Canon City and Kansas as well as from Pueblo to the New Mexico border. This reporter placed a phone call to […]
Power Outage -/- Press Release from Lamar Light and Power
It is our understanding, after visiting with Tri-State Transmission dispatch that at approximately 12:10pm this afternoon, a main transmission breaker opened causing the Tri-State transmission facilities to trip off-line. We understand that power was out from La Junta east and included the communities of La Junta, Las Animas, Lamar, Springfield and Southeast Power. The outage […]
Lamar Light and Power Replacing Burned Poles
The Lamar Utilities Board meeting on Tuesday, June 28, covered a limited agenda, before moving into executive session for discussions. A dozen power poles were burned during the Ft. Lyon fire this spring, and the board authorized $16,961 to replace the custom-made transmission structures. The delivery date will take three to four weeks, according to […]
Lamar Redevelopment Board Postpones Hospital District Agreement
The Lamar City Council, acting as the Redevelopment Board on Monday, June 27, tabled approving a resolution for an intergovernmental agreement to pay the Prowers County Hospital District a portion of the TIF revenue generated by the hospital district levy. Although the amount equals about $2,000 annually, the authority board was reluctant to set a […]
Aftermath of a Fire
Photos by Russ Baldwin – Click to see full version of picture. The apartment complex in the 800 block of South 13th Street in Lamar will be torn down. The complex general manager, Anthony LaTour said recently, the owner has decided to raze the four unit complex, plus the storage garage and make an assessment […]
Prowers Commissioners Meet with Xcel and Tri State Representatives
Representatives from Tri State Generation and Transmission and Xcel Energy requested a resolution of support from the Prowers County Commissioners for a joint Lamar-Front Range Transmission Line Project. Fourteen counties in eastern Colorado, including the six in southeast Colorado, will be impacted by the 400 mile long power line project. Exact figures weren’t available, but […]
As Real as It Can Get
Photos by Russ Baldwin – Click on a picture to see a bigger version. There’s nothing like the real thing. Lamar firefighters and Prowers County Rural fire department members were put through their paces in a training exercise this past Wednesday night, June 15, at the former Big R warehouses on Washington Street. A reality-oriented […]
Littleton Fire Engine Comes to Aid Wiley Fire Department and Southeast Colorado
(Wiley, CO) A donated fire engine from the Littleton Fire Rescue Department arrived just in time for Wiley Fire. According to Wiley Fire Chief Jim Farmer the 1989 Pierce Lance fire engine donated by Littleton Fire Rescue has been very active in a short period of time. “We never anticipated how needed this engine was […]
Repowering Project Restart Pushed Back to July
Additional work on the project’s air compression piping system has pushed back the online operation date from June to July, according Rick Rigel, Lamar Light and Power Plant Superintendent. Rigel told the utilities board, about half the insurance claim for the outage has been approved. The remainder is for the expense for removing and stock […]
Granada Board CDOT Signage and Town Water
Mary Root, Prowers County Land Use Administrator met with the Granada Town Board during last Wednesday’s monthly meeting, June 1. The discussion centered on the best location to erect signs in the town to direct visitors to various attractions. Granada is one of the four gateway communities in southeast Colorado, including Eads, Springfield and Fowler […]
Holly Experiencing Steady Economic Growth
Holly residents have had a busy four years since the spring tornado swept through their town. Many of the destroyed homes were completely rebuilt or upgraded, along with several businesses and churches. Most recently, new curbs, gutters and sidewalks along Main Street gave downtown Holly a newer, more prosperous appearance. Marsha Willhite, Holly Town Administrator, […]
State Recommends Improvements at Holly Landfill
The Holly landfill has been hit with 10 deficiencies, and has been given from 90 to 180 days to respond with specific suggestions for improvements or to make the corrections. Town administrator, Marsha Willhite, briefed the town board on the findings which resulted from an October inspection last year. Willhite stated, “The survey was done in […]
Rigel Becomes ARPA Interim GM
The Lamar Utility Board approved a joint operating agreement making light plant superintendent Rick Rigel interim ARPA general manager, replacing Bill Leung, effective July 1. Rigel will serve in that capacity until a permanent replacement has been found. ARPA, Arkansas River Power Authority, unanimously approved the LUB proposal during their May 11 meeting, and the […]
Lamar City & County Office Schedule: MEMORIAL DAY
All City offices will be closed on Monday, May 30, 2011 in observance of Memorial Day. The Community Building will also be closed on Monday, May 30, 2011. The Public Library will be open Saturday, May 28th from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and will be closed Sunday, May 29th and Monday, May 30th in […]
Water/Sewer Problems Continue for Prosperity Lane
A water main leak and sewer pumps failures are driving up costs for members of the Prosperity Lane Sewer District. Ken Cullen and George Schmidt, Prosperity Lane Board members, approached the Prowers County Commissioners Thursday, May 19 seeking guidance on establishing a special assessment for district members to cover the cost of current repairs and […]