Prowers County Commissioners meeting of September 24, 2024

During the morning’s work session, representatives of SCEDD (Southern Colorado Economic Development District) gave updates concerning the Broadband project.  This has been a 3-year project to bring broadband access to rural Colorado.  SCEDD was allocated 15% of the entire state’s awarded funding towards the local project.  There are currently 2 projects in the works for Prowers County which are the Granada and Wiley areas.  Approximately 435 people in these areas will be serviced by the project, at a cost of almost $2.2M.  SCEDD partnered with SECOM for the project, with SECOM providing most of the monetary match.  SCEDD today asked the Prowers Commissioners to allocate $8,439 over two years towards the project.

Also speaking to the commissioners was Todd Horning with Lamar Outdoor Sports.  With him was Larry White, who owns a motorsports park in Ordway.  Horning has spoken to the commissioners before concerning his suggestion of constructing a motorsports course near the fairgrounds.  Today, he and White wanted to talk about the possibility of using the Prowers County Fairgrounds for a 2-day supercross/motocross event to be held sometime in 2025.  White would be the promoter of the event and would pay the costs of insurance as well as provide construction and tear-down of the course.  He said he would need the help of the county to provide machinery in able to do this.  Horning said he would also personally donate money towards the event, as he feels it would be of financial benefit to the Lamar area for local hotels, restaurants, gas stations, etc.  White said he had previously put on several races of this nature, saying it was a lot of work as well as being very expensive to do, but said he was “doing this for the kids” who would be the participants.  The commissioners felt the idea had merit but that much more discussion needed to be had concerning the idea, particularly being able to work it into the schedule around all the other previously-scheduled events held there.  Horning and White will meet with Faron Williams, Operations Manager for the county and then come before the commissioners at a future meeting to talk more about it.

The final person to speak before the commissioners was Gene Sobczak, High Plains Community Health Center Interim CEO.  He reported that HPCHC was the recent recipient of a $600,000 yearly federal grant that will be used exclusively to expand behavioral health services for our area.   In other news, he reported that a new Family Practice M.D. just signed a contract with the facility and is anticipated to begin December 30 of this year.  When asked by Chairman Ron Cook how their staffing currently is, Sobczak said that hirings and applications are up, but they are still short one receptionist and one custodian.  He credits the leadership of Dr. Claire Reed with much of the success, saying that leadership positions are “solid” currently.  He wants the community to know that that High Plains “doesn’t just care for patients, but cares for one another”.

The afternoon meeting included 6 new action items, including considering approval of a request by Glen and Connie Koeller for a Certification of Completion for Farm No. 62A for full release from requirements from the county.  Also for approval was a lease agreement between the Prowers County Department of Human Services and Otero College for lease of a location at 607 Savage Avenue in Lamar with annual terms beginning 10/1/24 and ending 3/31/29 with the initial term amount of $35,596.80.  Ratification of an email poll to approve replacing signatures of Wendy Buxton-Andrade and Mark Westhoff with those of Roger Stagner and Don Wilson was also expected.

The next meeting of the Prowers County Commissioners is October 8, 2024 at 1:00 pm.

By Barbara Crimond