Melcher Appointed as Holly Mayor

Calvin Melcher, Mayor of Holly

Calvin Melcher’s lone application for Mayor of Holly was unanimously approved by the Holly Trustees during their board meeting on Wednesday, July 17^th.  Melcher will serve the unfinished term of five months, replacing former Mayor Tony Garcia who resigned this past May.  He will be eligible for two full terms at the start of the New Year.  Interim, pro-tem mayor, Larry Sitts has been filling the seat during the vacancy.  Prior to the announcement, Sitts said he was willing to do more as mayor, but he was limited by his job demands and municipal experience.    Melcher said he had some governmental experience in the past and was confident that his work relationship with the Trustees would help benefit the community.  He currently serves as an ARPA Board representative for Holly.  His first official meeting as mayor will be Wednesday, August 7^th.

David Willlhite, the other ARPA representative informed the board that the state legislature is pushing forward for a coal or emissions free status for Colorado sometime in the future which would impact the ARPA bond obligation purchase agreement pending with Tri-State G & T. Willhite said the state regulator, PUC, will write the rules on how that benchmark would be attained but he was unaware any specific deadlines had been mentioned.  The purchase agreement has been pending while the six member municipalities decide if they want to move forward and to date, one member, La Junta, has been negotiating for additional consideration for the agreement.  “It appears as if another municipality may be siding with La Junta at this point,” Willhite told the board while not mentioning the town.  The next ARPA meeting will be on July 25^th at which time he said he’d convey the wishes of the Holly Trustees to continue the negotiation process, but to keep options open for interest from other potential purchase groups.

Regarding vacancies, the Trustees are moving forward with maintaining the consulting contract of Stephen Rabe who will continue to seek a town administrator for Holly while assuming those duties. His contract was coming due in August, and the Trustees decided it would be to the town’s benefit to have him handle the municipal aspects of running the town government which a search continues.  Trustee Jacob Holdren said, “We’ve been unable to move forward on a number of issues with the absence of an administrator.”   Trustee Aaron Leiker agreed, explaining that while the Trustees and Mayor may make recommendations and decisions on resolutions or ordinances, it’s the administrator who is actually given the authority to get things done regarding contracts, purchases or personnel issues in the town government.

Following a brief public hearing, the Trustees approved the requested special event liquor permit for the Holly Pride Committee. The event will be held on September 13^th of this year as the town is hosting the statewide bicycling event, Pedal the Plains.  The permit will be for West Buffalo at North Main Street in Holly from 2pm to 9pm that evening.

By Russ Baldwin