2019 Year in Review – OCTOBER

Gateway Flare Company on North Main Street

The following articles are a recap of various news events which have had an impact on residents of Prowers County this past year.

Gateway Safety Flare acquired by Orion Safety Products

LAMAR, October 10, 2019 – As of Friday, October 4, 2019, Gateway Safety Flare (GSF) of Lamar announced that it has completed the sale of its Lamar business interests to Orion Safety Products. Orion Safety Products, a leader in safety flare and emergency signaling devices, has facilities in Maryland, Indiana and Pennsylvania. GSF owners Todd and Sarah Horning will retain ownership of GSF building on North Main in Lamar.

Under the terms of the agreement, the business interests will be consolidated within the current Orion locations. The current employees of GSF will not be relocated with the transaction. Todd and Sarah Horning are currently in negotiations with other potential businesses to locate in the Lamar facility, which may include the rehiring of former GSF employees. With the sale now complete, the Horning’s’ next priority is to make sure that their employees are given opportunities for success while remaining in Prowers County. “Our employees were our main asset, and we intend to do all we can to give them options for employment during this transition,” said Todd Horning.

Gateway Safety Flares started in Lamar in 2017 with continued growth each year. It recently expanded its operations from a smaller facility in Lamar to the current location on North Main Street.

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Food for Thought at Colorado Mills

Colorado Mills

Colorado Mills hosted its 4th annual chef’s tour of the facilities in Lamar, providing an opportunity for Front Range representatives to learn about some aspects of field to market production in hopes of adding to the growth of rural agriculture products along the Front Range and throughout the state.

Rick Robbins, CEO of Colorado Mills, along with Kent Wollert and Kevin Swanson, took about 40 visitors on a tour of the plant off North 2nd Street, explaining how sunflowers and other grains are processed into livestock feeds as well as cooking oil and most recently, a line of cosmetics.

Robbins said the 4th annual visit has grown to using a tour bus to transport Front Range visitors, “We’ve expanded our scope with the help of Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, the Kansas and Colorado Farm Bureaus and Prowers County to sponsor this event. They get a feel of what it takes to process our harvests to the point where it enters their kitchens.” He said last year, some of the visitors got a chance to run a combine and see that our providers are not a government sized operation, but family farms, some from five past generations who provide employment and a product in our state.” The visitor’s afternoon agenda included a stop at R Triple T Farms.

By Russ Baldwin

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Lamar Redevelopment Authority Uses Grant for Downtown Improvement

New on East Beech, Paved Parking and Tables and Benches

The Lamar Redevelopment Authority recommended a CDOT TAP (Transportation Alternative Program) grant be awarded to Daniels Construction in Lamar during its October 28th meeting. The grant is for $500,000 which includes 30 permanent benches, 20 movable benches, 48 trash receptacles, 197 flower pots and one sound system to be used for downtown Lamar events.

All items except the permanent benches were a direct purchase from the City of Lamar.   The permanent benches were put to bid for which only Daniels Construction had applied for the deadline of October 16th. The bid was $271,470. While the bid came in high, the city is under budget overall and the funding can make up the $26,925 difference.

The bid included removal of some sidewalk, structure excavation and backfill as well as brick masonry veneer, concrete and other materials.

By Russ Baldwin