Prowers Journal Annual Year-in-Review, November 2021

 

 

Council Approves North Main Street Land Purchase

The Lamar City Council approved buying two, twenty-foot parcels of land adjacent to the property at 1002 North Main Street.  During a prior meeting on November 8th, the council expressed its willingness for the purchase, but tabled the matter pending receipt of the contracts from a potential business developer and a review by City Attorney, Lance Clark.  Mayor Crespin said the larger land purchase of $250,000 by the city, held the property for a business developer who would reimburse the cost of the purchases in the final contract.  While not specifying any particular franchise, he did say the developer wanted the additional parcels to accommodate two, drive-through lanes.  One property was purchased for $25,000 and an estimated $8,000 in kind work by the city.  The other section of land sold for $37,500.  Mayor Crespin, during the November 22nd meeting, said the deal, in his view, was a “Win-Win” transaction.  The building that now occupies the land will be dismantled and rebuilt to be used to store city-owned equipment on a different location.
By Russ Baldwin

 

 

Evans and Bellomy on Board for New Line-Up

The Lamar City Council hosted a reception for the outgoing and incoming council members this past Monday, November 8th at the Cultural Events Center.  Two council sessions were held with the outgoing council meeting at 7pm and the incoming council meeting followed at 7:30pm.  A work session was also conducted at 6:30 to discuss and review proposed rates and fees for the City of Lamar which were approved in the later session.  The fees will apply to the cost of complying with local code enforcement violations, performed by the city, but charged to the property owner.

Councilmembers bid farewell to Rafael Rodriguez who is stepping down from his seat following the recent November General Election.  He is replaced by Mike Bellomy who was seated for his first meeting with the incoming council.  Rob Evans, the newly hired city administrator, also attended his first, in-person council meeting.
By Russ Baldwin

 

 

City Votes to Approve Recreational/Medical Marijuana Sales

Voters in Lamar approved the two-part November ballot question to legalize sales of marijuana within the City of Lamar.  Both questions, 2A and 2B had to pass in order for the city to join other communities with legalized sales.  The vote was 1,106 to 912 on 2A which set the level of taxes on marijuana sales.  2B passed by a vote of 1,086 to 923 to allow the actual sale of the various forms of marijuana including cultivation, manufacture and testing of the plant.  The Lamar City Council, which took no stance on the ballot initiative, set the ballot question so that if 2A failed on passing a tax, 2B, to allow the actual sales of marijuana would be moot and the ten-year old city moratorium would remain in effect.  Las Animas is the town closest to Lamar where legalized sales have been in effect for the past two years.  Sales of marijuana were approved in a state ballot, Proposition 64, in the November 2012 general election.
By Russ Baldwin

 

Lamar Rotary Celebrates a Century of Service

Rotarians and the Lamar community-at-large gathered this past Friday, November 5th to celebrate the centennial observance of the Lamar Rotarian organization which was founded in 1921.  Co-President for 2021, Anne-Marie Crampton, emceed the historic event which was held at The Max Hotel, East Olive Street in Lamar.    Crampton introduced guest speaker, Kris Sarlo-Koelher, the Rotary District 5470 Assistant District Governor who told the gathering how pleased she was to be invited to the celebration, noting the history and impact of the local Rotary throughout Lamar and how member dedication benefitted southeast Colorado.  George Small, former District Governor was also introduced by Crampton.
By Russ Baldwin

 

 

New MRI Unit Arrives at Prowers Medical Center

The long-awaited MRI unit, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, arrived at Prowers Medical Center this past Tuesday, November 16th.  Amber Rider, Project Manager for Prowers Medical Center, provided a detailed tour of the new offices and suites that will accommodate the 10,000-pound imaging unit and associated equipment.  MRIs help providers diagnose various diseases and injuries, and they can also be utilized to monitor treatment plans.  MRIs enable a provider to evaluate an issue with your brain, neck or spinal cord, or to diagnose issues in your joints, chest, heart, abdomen or blood vessels.

Prior to the MRI arrival, PMC patients accessed a unit which was located in a trailer, parked adjacent to the building on the east side of the hospital.  This entailed braving the elements through the years to receive treatment.  The hospital board of directors approved the initiation of plans to replace the MRI unit that has been in use since 2008, as well as construct an in-house treatment area.
By Russ Baldwin