Lamar Public Works Department Quarterly Report

Pat Mason, Lamar Public Works Director, presented the city council with the department’s quarterly report at their November 14^th meeting.

Mason said his department had to work around some of the problems that plague many areas of our daily life including staffing shortages, supply chain issues and increased costs for materials.  “We were down by eight employees earlier this year and at this point, we’ve made up six of those positions thanks to the recent salary survey.” he told the council.

Each year, the street department tends approximately 64 miles of roadway within the city limits and rates those in need from poor, fair, good or dirt and rotomillings.  Mason said 3,400 tons of asphalt was used to complete construction of two new roads, Sword between Scooters and the Cobblestone Inn under construction and Anderson Street north of the Subway sandwich shop.  That project, which should aid the pending Arby’s fast food restaurant, included new curb, gutter, handicap ramps and pans.

Those streets that were milled and overlaid or rebuilt included:
North 10^th from the railroad track to Poplar
West Maple Street from 10^th to 11^th
South 10^th from Parmenter to Pearl
South 5^th from Parmenter to Pearl
2^nd Street from Olive to the RR tracks
East Maple Street from Main to Sandoval Lane

Mason said improvements continue at the Southeast Colorado Regional Airport as the self-serve fuel operation is almost complete and should be operational by the end of December.  “Pilots will be able to use a charge card to fuel their planes with 100 LL fuel by that time,” he said, adding that the 15-year Master Plan Draft is now being reviewed by the FAA.  The two-year task will cover future expansion for such areas as taxiway and runway upgrades and expansion alternatives for future commercial development.  A $330,000 grant from CDOT Aeronautics will be used for design work for reconstruction of Taxiway A which will begin in 2024.

The Water/Wastewater project has made improvements in the 100 Block area of east Washington Street to increase storm drainage along east Maple and north 4^th Streets as well as Main and Washington and Main and Sherman Streets.  That project should be completed by the end of December.

Future business development for Lamar depends on the completion of the city’s Water/Wastewater Master Plan.  The plan covers such projects as a Waste Water Treatment Plant, upgrades for service and transmission lines and improvements to the city’s drinking water infrastructure.  It also covers funding possibilities as well as an independent rate study and should be completed for the city council’s approval in the next several weeks.

By Russ Baldwin