New City Administrator Hosted

A public welcoming reception for new Lamar City Administrator, Steve Kil, was held Monday, February 10, 2020, prior to the city council’s meeting. Kil began his official duties on February 3rd of this year, replacing former Administrator, John Sutherland. “I’ve been made to feel very welcome by the people of Lamar and the various departments within the City of Lamar during my first official week,” he said, adding that he’s looking forward to getting started on the job, which he says will focus on economic development for the community. “I’ve had a chance to visit with the new PEP executive director, spent quite some time with Pat Mason reviewing the city’s infrastructure and I feel very positive with the type of encouragement I’ve received,” he told the council.

The Lamar Redevelopment Authority met to consider the economic development incentive agreement for Wild West Athletics as presented by Community Development Director, Angie Cue. Twice before, she presented an overview of the building rehab project and was instructed to have the owners, Joette and Cody DuVall supply the Authority board will documentation on the funds the couple has already spent in the building’s renovation project. Board member, Manuel Tamez requested more specific documentation, signed receipts from the contractor on work performed and materials purchased to upgrade a portion of the façade which, once the project began, was found to be in need of more work, due to the deterioration of shaker shingles on the front of the building. Tamez was explicit in saying he supported the project, but felt the purchases be more detailed. The board moved to approve the funding for the project, $5,105, with the provision that future agreements would require the specificity that Tamez requested. The vote was six to one in favor with Tamez voting no.

In council action, Kil was appointed to two committees, replacing John Sutherland as the City of Lamar representative. Kil will serve on the Colorado Municipal League. The CML committee reviews legislative and policy proposals and makes recommendation on legislation introduced by the Colorado House and Senate. Kil was also appointed to the Lamar Building Finance Corporation for a term expiring in 2022.

Eric George was re-appointed to a vacancy on the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission. George’s former five-year term expired on the first of February. Jane Felter and Jack VanHook were re-appointed to the Lamar Tree Board for three-year terms and the council recommended Dewey Norfleet to the board to fill an unexpired term until 2022, replacing Darrell Finney who resigned earlier in the year. The council approved some 20 locations and businesses through the city as well as several private citizens who will receive postings of scheduled meetings of the Lamar City Council. Margaret Saldana, the city’s HR manager was designated as its representative to the County Health Pool.

Lamar Police Chief, Kyle Miller, received permission for the department to recycle recovered bicycles which have been abandoned and place in in storage until owners claim them. Miller said the department now has 58 bikes of all types and sizes and has contacted Lamar Scrap and Salvage to recycle the unclaimed bikes. The funds for the bikes will be donated to Sparrow Ministries. Chief Kyle said the dollar amount for the scrap metal would probably be under $50.

The council decided to terminate the agreement with the Polsinelli law firm to represent the city in the power purchase agreement with Tri-State Generation and Transmission now that the talks have fallen through. The City of Lamar and the Lamar Utilities Board have been sharing costs for legal service with the firm for representation in the negotiations. The LUB will also end the agreement.

Curtis Temple will be given a non-binding, letter-of-intent from the Lamar City Council in his efforts to develop a small-scale meat packing project in Granada. Temple is requesting an agreement that will allow him to deposit offal from the business in an isolated section of the Lamar landfill. Administrator Kil observed that the Lamar letter will be contingent on Granada allowing the project to begin, a topic that will be discussed at the Granada Trustees meeting this Wednesday, February 12th at the Granada Complex.

Temple said he expects to begin with 30 head of beef per week, and within five years, expand the operation to 100% capacity, which would be 150 head per week. “We’ve been planning this for about three years and anticipate around 520 tons of treated refuse per year by the first year. Based on the $70 per ton tipping fee, that amounts to $36,000 a year in fees we’ll be paying to the Lamar Landfill,” he explained. Lamar Public Works Director, Pat Mason, explained that an extra cost of $100 per hour will be estimated for the special handling of the offal with two trips per week expected in the summer and one a week in the winter, according to Temple. “We’re using a refrigerated dock and will be working under the guidelines set up by the Colorado Department of Health and Environment,” he told the council.

Temple expected to be shovel-ready in Granada by the fall if he receives approval and would start operation within a year.

The council adjourned into executive session to discuss personnel matters with no action following. The Redevelopment Authority Board has scheduled a work session for March 2^nd and the next regular city council meeting will be February 24^th.

By Russ Baldwin