Holly Hires Interim Administrator, Melcher Sworn in as Mayor

Steve Rabe of Canon City was hired as interim town administrator and Calvin Melcher took his oath of office as Mayor of Holly this past Wednesday, August 7^th during the regular Trustees monthly meeting.

Rabe, (pronounced Rob) who has had extensive municipal leadership experience, has been working with the Trustees since this spring in an attempt to find a permanent administrator and will continue that search until his replacement is found. The Trustees moved to accept a contract stipulating his schedule which includes his presence in Holly four days a week and salary.

As administrator, Rabe will have the capability to run the day to day affairs of the community including interaction with residents, businesses and municipal workers. The Trustees prepared an overview of assignments he will cover including:  secure grant funding for a new drinking water well and water tower, secure a replacement garbage truck, development of a Personnel Management Manual and a salary survey and compensation plan, develop a strategy to resume the town’s Municipal Court, re-establish a Utility Master Plan, develop a budget for 2020 and secure grant funding for a sewer lift station or an estimate of an upgrade.

Calvin Melcher and Town Clerk Megan Jara

Melcher, who was appointed Holly Mayor last month, took his oath of office from Town Clerk, Megan Jara, relieving Trustee Larry Sitts who has been Mayor Pro-Tem since former Mayor, Tony Garcia’s resignation this past spring. Melcher said he intends to review the most immediate and pressing needs of the Trustees and the community.

Jara noted future events for the Trustees consideration including a recycling group meeting in Lamar and Granada on Wednesday, August 14^th which includes tours of their landfills and the ARPA monthly meeting will be held on Thursday, August 29^th at the Holly Senior and Community Center.  The Trustees approved the license renewal for Trailside Liquor and letters of engagement with Amanda Brown for her annual audit of the town’s financial statements and the solid waste disposal site for $5,800.  The Trustees decided to set a firm minimum offer of $1,500 for parties interested in the purchase of property at 825 West Cheyenne Street.

Reconstruction work on the deck of the town’s municipal library is expected to take two weeks and librarian Elaine Anderson said she’ll transfer the most requested-use items from the library into the Town Depot until the work is completed. The library is attached to the western side of the Depot and there is only one entry, from the deck.  Anderson said financing is still a struggle based on the need to keep the library open the required 20 hours a week for state aid, plus the cost of payroll.  The Friends of the Library help defray expenses with various fund-raising projects through the year.

When you’ve been sold a pick-up truck that turns out to be a lemon, reach for a lawyer. The Trustees have been communicating with an out of state dealership regarding a mostly inoperable pick-up truck.  Trustee Sitts requested the board allow him to involve the town’s attorney for some additional leverage to either have the vehicle fixed or find out why a buy-back policy has been denied to the town.

The Pedal the Plains bicycling event is five weeks away and the community, one of the stops during the three day event beginning September 13^th, is continuing to plan for the impact 1,000 bicycle riders will have in the community for an overnight stay.  Keith Dennis, Holly Field Services Supervisor, said there’s a need for additional dumpsters for the event and to permanently replace the ones that have worn out.  He noted the Trustees should begin to plan for a request for a power line from a group developing an agriculture project about one and a half miles on the outskirts of the community.  The next Holly Trustees meeting is set for Wednesday, September 4^th at 7pm.

By Russ Baldwin