Public Hearings Set for Beer Garden and Country Jam
Barbara Crimond | Apr 28, 2016 | Comments 0
The Lamar City Council set May 23rd for two public hearings during their meeting, Monday, April 25th. One pertains to a request from the Buzzard’s Roost for a temporary modification of premise application for their annual Country Jam, scheduled for June 11th-12th and the Road Jam September 17th and 18th. The same date was set for a hearing for a special event’s permit for the Prowers County Fair Board to host a beer garden August 5-6 and August 11-13 during the annual Prowers County Sand and Sage Fair. Both events have been approved by the council in the past. (Corrected information-The earlier article listed the Country Jam for September when it is actually held June 11-12. The Road Jam is September 17-18. We apologize for the error)
A license agreement between the city and the Arkansas Valley Wind and Percussion Ensemble was approved for the development of a “pocket park” between the Shore Arts Center and Daylight Donut at 111 South Main Street in Lamar. Funding is available for the final design and construction of the park. The city will provide construction, maintenance and management of the property. The fee simple agreement was for $10 and the stipulation that the considerations for the property listed in the agreement will be maintained as long as the premises are used as a pocket park.
In a similar matter, Angie Cue, Lamar’s Community Development Manager, discussed a CDOT grant application, Transportation Alternatives Program. If approved, the city could receive up to $400,000 for downtown amenity upgrades. A 20% match is required which would come from the city’s 2018 Urban Renovation Authority budget. The grant will be awarded in 2018 and will provide funding for streetscape improvement to downtown Lamar following the CDOT renovation project running between Cedar to Colonia on Main Street and from Main Street to Division on Olive Street. City Administrator, John Sutherland, noted that because of the timing of the state’s fiscal year, the city can receive $10,000 now to finance the planning portion of the project and can re-apply after July, the end of the fiscal year, for an additional $10,000 to be used for continued planning. Councilmember Beverly Haggard asked if that 20% match, amounting to $80,000, could be made up with in-kind contributions. Cue said she wasn’t certain at this point, but would let the council know about their options. The street-scape funding will be put to use after the CDOT Main Street renovations have been completed. “This is like icing on the cake,” Sutherland remarked to the council.
Administrator Sutherland listed a full page of future events and community developments for the council. Two projects focused on outdoor activities including an update on the Lamar Loop and bike path that has been under development for over a year. Another is receipt of a conceptual drawing of the proposed skate park, which had been intended for the southwestern edge of Willow Creek Park above the berm.
“We’ve had some new developments here which I believe will be for the better,” Sutherland announced. He said he’s reviewed the site and the final plans with the skate park architect and they believe that moving the park east of the creek and more northward toward the swimming pool would be the better choice. “There’s an open field that will serve nicely and that spot is mostly unused throughout the year,” he stated, adding that in this other location hardly any trees will have to come down. Sutherland said the plans call for a skate board park using 10,000 square feet of space.
By Russ Baldwin
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