Lamar City Council meeting of May 27, 2025

Council member Manuel Tamez was not present at the May 27 meeting of Lamar City Council.  Mayor Kirk Crespin opened the meeting, wanting to give thanks to several people and the community in general for the recent events in the city – Cinco de Mayao, the Lamar Days parade,  and the Rod Run and car show.  He wanted to thank Ron and Lonna Cook for all the hard work they put into the Rod Run and car show and wanted to thank all who participated, saying it was a “great weekend with a lot of great events”.

Approved was a renewal of a Hotel and Restaurant Liquor License for Tavern 1301 with two changes.  There were two minor clerical errors on the application which were changed and approved.  The city will review the license yearly for renewals, as is usual.  In reports from Council members, Joe Gonzales said the Memorial Day golf tournament was canceled due to lack of participants.  On June 7^th, the Chamber will hold the 4^th annual “Glow Golf” event at Spreading Antlers.  Information and entry forms are available at the Lamar Chamber of Commerce and interested parties can also call 719- 336-4379.  DECA will hold a tournament on June 14 and the Wiley Panther Open is June 28^th.   He spoke about the great condition the course’s greens are in and that there is a board position open as well.  Shalah Mata said the Airport Board also has one available vacancy.  Gerry Jenkins said the Public Safety Board would be meeting soon and wanted to remind citizens of the posted speed limits as well as asking them to drive more carefully as there are still a lot of speeding vehicles which are a concern for safety.

City Treasurer Kristin Schwartz gave grant updates.  The city was awarded an EPA Brownfields Cleanup Grant in the amount of $660,759 to be used for asbestos abatement for the old Main Café.  A grant for the new wastewater treatment plant is still in progress.  The archery range is moving forward and should be ready soon.  City Clerk Linda Williams had no report for this meeting.

Mayor Crespin gave the City Administrator report, starting with the next Common Grounds scheduled for 7 am at the Cultural Events Center, featuring the Lamar Fire Department.  The new McClave State Bank’s Lamar location on E. Olive will be having a grand opening on Friday, June 6 from 11 am to 1 pm.  Lunch will be provided.  The city’s annual Community Social will also be held on Friday, June 6 in Willow Creek Park next to the covered pavilion.  The entire event is free to the public, sponsored by Prowers Medical Center, The City of Lamar, Lamar Community College, and High Plains Community Health Center.  Free swim periods are from 1-5 pm as well as from 7-9 pm.  The meet-and-greet and meal will be from 5-7 pm and the movie will start at 9 pm.  Repairs to the swimming pool have been completed.  Sod installation at the soccer field in Escondido Park will begin the week of June 2.

The first agenda item under New Business was a report by Mike Duffy about the Ports to Plains Alliance. His main topic was the proposed Lamar Reliever Route and the necessity for same due to the substantial increase in truck traffic through downtown Lamar over the past few years.   He gave statistics from 2010 to 2023 which showed an increase in truck traffic on Main Street (Hwy 287) as follows:  From US 287 south of the US 50/Olive Street intersection, daily truck traffic has increased from 1,310 per day in 2020 to 2,580 in 2023. North of the US 50/Olive Street intersection, 287 truck numbers rose from 1,550 in 2020 to 1,910 in 2023.  US 50 east from Main Street had the only decrease in daily truck traffic, with 670 in 2020 and 450 in 2023. Duffy then introduced Beverly Haggard who gave Council and the audience an overview of what Ports to Plains is and how it has not progressed in Colorado.  She said the recent 4.2 miles of what is a new interstate (I27) in Texas took 32 years to come to fruition and that while that doesn’t seem like a very long stretch, it represents the first new interstate construction in the US since 1992.  CDOT remains the biggest challenge to expanding this into Colorado, with many feeling that the focus is and has been on the I25 corridor.  The completed Ports to Plains corridor would stretch from Texas north to the Canada border and is planned to be an extension of 287 when and if it is completed.  Several politicians have pledged their help and support in the project.  Visit www.portstoplains.com for more information.

Council approved a Display and Services Agreement for the 4^th of July and the August 9^th rodeo fireworks displays with Tri-State Fireworks.  Cost for the 4^th of July display is $12,000 awith the rodeo display’s $3,000 cost being paid for by the Fair Board.  Lamar’s Comprehensive Plan Final Review will be up for a vote from Council at the next meeting on June 9.  In the interim, residents are invited to review the plan on the city’s website and any concerns must be brought to the attention of City administration, as a vote to finalize the plan will be held June 9.   The city’s website has full information, at www.ci.lamar.co.us   Also approved was Resolution 25-05-01 which is a resolution opposing new annexations to Colorado Springs which would increase their future water needs, potentially negatively impacting SE Colorado including the Lamar area.

Lamar City Council’s next meeting will be at 7 pm on Monday, June 9, 2025.

By: Barbara Crimond