Lamar Utility Board meeting of September 9, 2025

All board members were present for the meeting. Minutes from the August 26, 2025 meeting were approved unanimously.  Purchase orders totaled $1,069,831.48, of which $1,063,225.94 needed board approval, which was unanimous.  Power for July purchased from ARPA came to $1,053,726.86.  An annual service contract with Digitcom Electronics Inc. amounted to $9,499.08.  The remaining purchase orders were for telephone, office supplies, IT training, plumbing repair in the kitchen, copier contracts, internet services, Starlink equipment and other smaller misc. items.  Bills totaling $129,367.29 were approved for payment.  Two large bills for PERA were included in this amount – $18,387.50 paid on August 19 and $18,127.55 paid on September 3.  Various payments to the City of Lamar made up the bulk of the remaining amount, including $23,749.00 for Light and Power Sales Tax.

Due to the ongoing Tyler System Conversion, July Financial reports were not available.  Superintendent Hourieh’s System Operating Report stated that sales of electricity through August of 2025 are down approximately 2.0% when compared to the same time period in 2024.  Residential sales are up slightly 0.10%, irrigation is down approximately 13.52% and commercial/industrial sales are down approximately 1.91%.  These three customer classes represent an estimated 96% of total system sales.  The wind turbine crew is in the process of conducting the annual maintenance on all turbines.

Mayor Crespin was present at the meeting and acknowledged the letter received the day prior from the Board concerning City Council’s decision to retain money from the ARPA settlement in the city’s General Fund which was voted on last night.  He explained their reasons for doing so.  He also told the Board of the news he just moments earlier had learned concerning closure of Lamar’s Safeway store and the implications it will have not only financially for the city in various ways but also how it will impact the 53 employees of the store and their families.

The next meeting of the Utility Board will be Tuesday, September 23, 2025 at noon.

By: Barbara Crimond