LUB Selects Jill Bellomy as New Member

Jill Bellomy was chosen as the latest Lamar Utility Board member.  Her application was approved by the Lamar City Council during its September 11^th meeting on the recommendation of the Utilities Board and her term will expire in 2028, replacing former member, Clifford Boxley.  Bellomy will be sworn in at the next board meeting on September 26^th.

Light Plant Superintendent, Houssin Hourieh, noted a decrease in electricity sales during his system operating report.  Through August 2023, sales of electricity dropped 4.69% when compared to the same time in 2022.  Residential sales dropped 6.07%, irrigation was down 21.29% and commercial/industrial sales were off 1.9%.  These three classes comprise 96% of total system sales.  Hourieh noted that at least three employees are expected to retire within the next several months and the board is currently advertising for lineman.  “We’ve posted ads from as far away as Grand Junction and in the Pueblo area and locally, but it’s difficult to find replacements,” he acknowledged.  The plant now operates with about 31-32 employees, while as many as 75 employees were needed while the plant continued to generate its own power.

The plant’s electric maintenance crew and Cross Canyon Testing completed testing seven digital 351S-SEL relays in LAMSO and the 25 kv substations.  This involved breaker operation and maintenance which included exercising all high voltage breakers.  There were no power outages during the process.  The line crew replaced a 40 foot, class II wooden pole that was struck by a semi-truck on August 31^st on the west side of Hwy 287, across from Spreading Antlers Golf Course.

The board approved $1,008,506.16 in purchase orders from a total of $1,022,296.58.  This included the monthly estimate of power purchased from ARPA of $990,833.73 for the August estimate.  Raptor protection and line material was priced at $11,704.50.  Monthly bills totaled $189,275.19.

By Russ Baldwin