Lamar Utilities Board Meeting of December 10, 2024

Board reorganization had to be tabled once again due to city attorney Lance Clark being unable to attend the meeting.  Minutes from the November 26, 2024 meeting were approved.  Purchase orders 630452 – 630486 totaling $685,100.50 were presented, $666,810.81 of which needed board approval which was unanimous.  The ARPA power purchase was by far the largest of these, in the amount of $658,520.81.  Bills in the amount of $855,988.19 were approved to be paid.  PERA contributions were $21,219.05, County health pool contributions were $41,363.31 and payments to the City of Lamar were $15,867.42, $120.00, $30,000, and$11,875.00.  Stuart Iby Corp presented a bill for $11,956.53 and Sunbelt Soloman and Western United Electric Supply presented bills for $16,250.00 and $22,555.20 respectively.

Bid # 2056 for ACSR and Service Wire for stock inventory received 5 bids.  The low bid from Stuart Irby for $111,691.00 was accepted, which was significantly lower than the other 4 bids.

The board voted to approve Resolution #24-12-03 “A Resolution Adopting a Modification to the Charter Appropriation Adjustment Tariff”.  This is an annual housekeeping resolution that establishes the Charter Appropriation Adjustment for 2025.  Rate modifications adopted in 2009 called for stabilizing the Charter Appropriation Adjustment (CAA) by dividing the budgeted amount for the CAA by kWh sales from the preceding 12 months of energy sales, December 1 through November 30.  The City of Lamar approved Resolution 24-09-01 Amending resolution 17-12-03, terminating the City’s payment of $350,000 annually from the city’s General Fund to Lamar Light and Power and for said payment to be retained by the city’s General Fund each year thereafter, beginning in 2025.  Previously, resolution 17-12-03 authorized the payment of $350,000 per year from the city’s General Fund to the Lamar Utilities Board for the purpose of reducing electric rates paid by Lamar Light and Power customers.  The rate will become effective with the January 1, 2025 billing and it will be $0.0191 per kWh.  This is an increase from the $0.0158 from 2024 due to the city’s amendment to the resolution.

Superintendent Hourieh’s System Operating Report shows that sales of electricity through November 2024 are up approximately 11.79% when compared to the same period in 2023.  Residential sales were up approximately 11.00%, commercial/industrial sales were up 9.30% and irrigation sales were up approximately 42.92%.  These three customer classes represent an estimated 96% of the total system sales for the year.  With Cross Canyon Engineering on site, the substation crew completed the needed repairs to the L-1 circuit breaker at the LAMSO substation.  This breaker had faulted internally on November 9, 2024.  The repairs included new gaskets and seals on all breaker bushings.  The old gaskets and seals failed on phase A, which allowed moisture to penetrate the breaker.  Doble, Hi-Pot and Ductor tests were performed to ensure reliability and performance of the breaker.  All tests provided acceptable results that meet industry standards and allowed the breaker to be put back into service.

By Barbara Crimond