2019 Year in Review – NOVEMBER

 

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

Crespin in as Lamar’s New Mayor

 

The new council line-up was presented to the public with the oath of office by incoming Mayor of Lamar, Kirk Crespin who replaced Roger Stagner. Crespin was elected mayor during the November 5th General Election, defeating challenger, Beverly Haggard who steps down as a member of the city council. Oaths of office were also taken by councilpersons, Anne-Marie Crampton, Rafael Rodriguez, and Gerry Jenkins and was administered by Judge Lane Porter. They ran unopposed for their new council seats. Oscar Riley was not up for re-election. Anne-Marie Crampton was selected as Mayor Pro-Tem, replacing Crespin who had served in that capacity.
In closing remarks regarding his municipal service, Mayor Roger Stagner offered thanks to his current city council members as well as those he served with during his past ten years as Mayor of Lamar, including city staff and several former City Administrators. “It’s been a learning experience and it’s been a lot of fun, too,” he told the audience as he moved on to the next agenda item for the council meeting.
By Russ Baldwin

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Lamar Council Approves 2020 Budgets, Selects Two New Councilmen

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 9th council meeting.

The Lamar Redevelopment Authority adopted the 2020 budget during their meeting, Monday, November 25th. 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.

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.

By Russ Baldwin

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Granada Trustees Receive Update on Amache Status

Ian de Bono provided an update for Granada Trustees regarding a future visit to Camp Amache by representatives from the National Park Service during the board’s monthly meeting on November 13th.

He said the visit, which should take place by mid-December, would be similar in nature to past community-oriented visits to gather information about the status of the former Japanese-American Detention Center from WW2.

“Mr. Hopper and I spoke over the phone to the representative who said they had reviewed the letters of support from various municipal organizations for the potential park designation from NPS,” he said, adding that the visit will focus on the site and not the Amache Museum. A former bank in Granada will be re-purposed to house the museum which has more artifacts and displays than room. De Bono said he’d like to be able to begin to move some materials into the former bank before the December meeting. He explained the representative felt that it would be at least three years before a decision to move forward for park status comes due. In the meantime, the high school would be the entity to maintain and operate the museum, which apparently, does not fit into the plans of the National Park Service.

By Russ Baldwin

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Holly Trustees Hire New Administrator

Michael Tanner, who hails from Arkansas, accepted the offered position of administrator for the Town of Holly following final discussions among the Trustees and interim administrator, Steve Rabe who oversaw the search and hiring process. Rabe said Tanner will be in Holly on Tuesday, November 12th to begin his duties during the Trustees regular board meeting on Wednesday, November 6th. The hiring culminates a months-long search for the position which has been vacant for almost three years. Final interviews with Tanner and another candidate were held in a special meeting on October 10th. Rabe had compiled a task list of areas of concern for the community which he presented to the Trustees this past September. Those areas included plans to close the town landfill and develop a transfer station, water system upgrade, garbage truck replacement, personnel policy guidelines for municipal employees, utility master plan and sewer lift station, to name a few.

By Russ Baldwin

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LUB Continues Power Project for Hemp Farm

Lamar Light Plant Superintendent, Houssin Hourieh, informed utility board members, work continues with Nature’s Alternative Farms, LLC (NAF), owned and operated by Bill Grasmick and Karl Nyquist, on from three to five megawatts of electric load for the McClave facilities.

Hourieh explained the power will supply greenhouses and processing facilities for hemp. He said NAF decided to go with the General Service Large Power Primary Service rate option. This choice will allow the light plant to install two primary metering p9ints on its 25kv system and NAF will procure, install and maintain the transformers, high voltage conductors and associated accessories. He told the board electricity should be provided by the end of the year.

The plant’s line crew completed construction of 600 feet of line that will power a 500 KVA padmount transformer for approximately 600 hp of conveyers at Prowers Aggregates east of Lamar at the gravel pit works.

By Russ Baldwin