Lamar Council Approves 2020 Budgets, Selects Two New Councilmen

The council approved the 2020 budget for the City of Lamar, passing Ordinance 1234 which provides for the appropriation of revenues and expenditures for the fiscal year. The general fund is $8,681,941 and the sales tax fund is listed at $3,921,246. Other areas covered include E-911 Fund, Conservation Trust Fund, Sanitation, Water & Sewer and Ambulance Fund. The ordinance to levy and collect taxes was also approved on second reading, with the mill levy, unchanged at 13.239 mills and estimated to provide revenue at $450,288 in 2020, a 4.7% increase over 2019.

The Lamar Redevelopment Authority adopted the 2020 budget during their meeting, Monday, November 25^th. The Resolution, LRA 19-11-01, providing for the appropriation of revenues and expenditures, was under the consent agenda and adopted with Revenues posted at $157,400 and Expenditures at $175,350.

Lamar Light Plant Superintendent, Houssin Hourieh was selected by the council to serve as the City’s representative on the board for Arkansas River Power Authority, a position held by Hourieh for several years. His four-year term will expire on December 31, 2023.

Manuel Tamez was appointed by the council to fill the seat in Ward 1 left vacant by Kirk Crespin when he was elected Mayor of Lamar this past November.   Joe Gonzales was appointed to the vacant seat in Ward III. Both men will receive their oaths of office during the December 9^th council meeting.

The Lamar Animal Shelter was given approval by the council to accept stray dogs from the City of Las Animas in an agreement similar to the one that exists for Granada, Springfield and Holly. Las Animas will transport the stray dogs to Lamar and pay a fee of $20 for each dog delivered. After five days, the Lamar Animal Shelter will have the right to adopt out the stray dogs.

The council also approved the receipt of a $15,000 grant from the Animas Assistance Foundation which will be applied to the manager’s salary and general operating budget. The grant will be in effect until November 30, 2020.

A contract between Daniel’s Construction and the City of Lamar was approved for the construction of planters and benches that will be used for the beautification of downtown Lamar in conjunction with a CDOT TAP grant. The estimated unit price cost of the project is $271,470. Daniels Construction’s bid was approved this past October. The city was also awarded a $10,000 grant from the DoLA Mini-Grant program with a city match of 25%, or $3,335. The funds must be used by the end of 2020 on streetscape and alleyway improvements.

The council approved a proclamation presented by Zonta Club of Prowers County declaring the 16 days between International Day to Eliminate Violence against Women on November 25^th and International Human Rights Day on December 10^th as the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence.

Resolution 19-11-03 was approved, setting the comprehensive listing of fees charged by the City of Lamar for the private use of public facilities, provided services, licenses and permits.

The council noted future activities including the closing of city offices, Thursday and Friday for the Thanksgiving holiday, the city council informal breakfast at Taco Johns on Wednesday, December 4th and the Lamar Chamber Parade of Lights on Main Street on Friday, December 6th at 6pm. Lamar Rotary will conduct its annual holiday gathering with Santa at the Shore Arts Center on Saturday, December 21st from 10am to 2pm.

Former Lamar Mayor, Roger Stagner, advised the council that the City of Lamar had received full funding in a DoLA grant to cover the costs of infrastructure improvements to a lift station which will help increase the accumulation of rain water moved off roads in the vicinity of Washington Street.

The council moved into executive session for the discussion of a review of the applications for City Administrator.

By Russ Baldwin