Construction Work to Begin on Lamar Loop
Barbara Crimond | Aug 14, 2018 | Comments 0
The Lamar Loop came a step closer to construction with the Lamar City Council approving the mayor’s signature on the Owner-Contractor agreement and general conditions with MonCor LLC during the August 13th council meeting. The council has had plans for the Loop for some time while funds have been pending for the project, but was insufficient to match the single bid on construction, causing the plans to be re-written to match the funding. The GOCO grant was for $900,000 and the construction bid was at $1.3M. Instead of concrete for some of the pathways, crusher fine materials will be introduced. Craig Brooks, Chief Building Inspector, said the first area of construction will be in Willow Creek Park and proceed to the Savage Street area for the next segment of the Loop. The Loop will eventually encircle the City of Lamar in a nine mile multi-use trail system to be built in segments when funding allows.
A loan proposal between the City of Lamar and Frontier Bank for a Lease-Purchase agreement for a Pierce Type 3 fire engine did not come to fruition. The contract was for ten years. As such, the council went to GN Bank and their proposal for authorization for the loan which comes to $431,079.93 with payment and interest of $363,347 and $67,732.93, respectively.
Lamar Police Chief Kyle Miller explained the city will begin to use fingerprinting service from IDEMIA, a third-party company approved by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. The service will be used for required background checks and will be available on Fridays. Members of the community will be provided with a website or toll-free phone number to set an appointment. There will be no cost to the City of Lamar for the service. Chief Miller said the cost to customers will be $38.50.
The city has signed off on their one-year agreement with the town of Holly to house stray dogs at the Lamar Animal Shelter that are collected in Holly at a fee of $20 per dog. After five full days, the dogs become the property of Lamar and may be adopted out to a new home. This is a similar agreement now in place with the town of Eads. Miller said the policy will operate only when the Lamar shelter has space for out of town dogs.
Chief Miller informed the council, the department has received $9,607 from the Colorado Peace Officer Standards and Testing in-service grant. The department had applied for $11,254.44 to cover the costs of mandated training.
Trevor La Cost and Chris Duffy recapped their Downtown Custom and Classic Car Show, set for August 17-18. La Cost said musical groups, vendors and an array of cars will be on display around the downtown area that weekend with musical entertainment kicking off the event at 6:30pm featuring the Valley Jazz Orchestra followed by a Main Street Drag from 8 to 9pm and a movie showing at Shore Arts Center Park from 9 to 10:30pm.
Jennifer Mortimeyer was reappointed to the Lamar Historic Preservation Board by the council and Ms Cody Laughlin was appointed to a five year term on the Lamar Housing Authority Board. The council also approved Anne Marie Crampton as it’s appointment to the Colorado Municipal League’s Policy Committee.
A recent phone poll was ratified by council vote on its earlier approval to apply for a DoLA EIAF and a WQIF grant to pay for costs associated with rehabilitating the WWTF Headworks and the city’s Life Station Project. The DoLA Grant is for $165,350 and the possible Water Quality Improvement Fund Grant is for $135,000. The city’s matching portion would be $30,350 to help complete the project.
The Lamar Library Advisory Board has submitted a report to the council, which was accepted, detailing the steps and safeguards enacted by Sue Lathrop, Lamar Librarian, to implement measures to prevent sexually explicit materials which were thought to be filtering into databases accessible to young people in the community using library computers and databases. Heritage Defenders, a local organization, mailed a written complaint to the library last September with their findings. Subsequent meetings and a demonstration in October of the library’s web access programs were held with members of the library, the council, the city’s IT department, city administrator and library board as well as representatives from Heritage Defenders. Lathrop said an advisory group will be developed which will include a seat for a local resident.
The city will begin a search for a Community Engagement and Communications Coordinator, an action that was a recommendation from the council’s strategic plan. The person chosen will be responsible for, among other duties, leading the city’s efforts to develop communications strategies to build the city’s brand and visibility both locally and regionally. To enact this, the Coordinator will use the city’s website, social media, marketing, special events and community relations and outreach. The candidate should have a Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, real estate, public administration, marketing or a related field and five years’ experience in economic development or public policy. The job classification is listed as 16, which City Administrator John Sutherland said will be in the salary range of from $30,000 to $36,000 and will be allocated in the 2019 budget, now under development by city department heads and the council.
Franklin Cave, Lamar’s newest police officer, was sworn in by Mayor Roger Stagner. City Administrator, Sutherland, noted several local events on the calendar, including Trailblazer Theater Company Auditions on Thursday, August 23rd at 7pm at the Lamar High School Auditorium; the annual Tri-State 9/11 Tribute, Saturday, September 8th with a 10am parade and other events held at the county fairgrounds and the free Lamar Memorial Air Show/Fly In Sunday, the 9th from 8am to noon at the Lamar Municipal Airport.
The Lamar Redevelopment Authority Board approved an economic development agreement with Haley May, owner of the Tail Wag N Grooming business at 108 South Main in Lamar. May owns the building and requested funding to help replace the air conditioner/heating unit which will cost $4,658.30. The board approved the request this past July and will cover 21.46% of the cost, or $1,000. The work is expected to be completed no later than October 31st, 2018.
By Russ Baldwin
Filed Under: City of Holly • City of Lamar • Consumer Issues • Economy • Employment • Featured • Law Enforcement • Recreation • Sports • Tourism • Transportation • Utilities • Youth
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