City Council meeting of October 13, 2025 includes update by LCC President Dr. Reyes and discussion of parade routes

Mayor Kirk Crespin opened the evening’s meeting with a laugh, explaining his attire, which consisted of a La Junta Tigers shirt worn under his suit jacket.  He explained that for the second year, he and La Junta’s mayor Joe Ayala have had a friendly wager that the mayor of the town whose football team lost in the annual “Whistle Game” had to sport a shirt for the opposing team at the next respective City Council meeting.  As the Lamar Thunder lost this year’s game with a score of 21 to 12, following the game La Junta mayor Joe Ayala presented Mayor Crespin with the shirt and a hat.  Crespin said the purpose of the bet was to show students and communities that friendly rivalries are possible and that “a bet is a bet”.

City Clerk Linda Williams did not have a report but said that due to the Tyler software conversion, she has ot been able to provide sales tax reports for the past few months but that the city has maintained a strong sales tax revenue and reports will be available soon.  Ballots for the upcoming election were mailed out October 10 so voters should be receiving them soon for the November 4 election.  The City Administrator’s report had information about several upcoming events, which follow.  The Prowers County Public Health and Environment is holding October flu shot clinics on Thursday, October 16 from 9 am to 5 pm at the Prowers County Annex at the tent located on the lawn, Friday, October 17 from 8:30 to 11:30 am at the Health Department and Thursday, October 30 from 1 to 5 pm at the Health Department.  A candlelight vigil honoring Charlie Kirk will be held October 14^th at 6 pm in Bicentennial Park. Prowers Medical Center is holding health fair screenings Wednesday, October 15 from 7-9 a.m. and people call them to schedule.  Cost is $25 for lab work.  Moonlight Madness will be held on Thursday, October 23 from 5-7 pm in downtown Lamar.  Election ballots were mailed out October 10 and are due back by 7 pm on November 4 and can be dropped off at 301 S. Main Street in the parking lot east of the County Courthouse building. Mayor Crespin said that the fencing and gates have been installed at the new archery range which is expected to open by the end of October.  The street crews have been busy finishing projects.  The new City Administrator will begin his position on October 27 and is anxious to get started.  Ann-Marie Crampton has been acting as a mediator in the ongoing issue with the Shore Arts park issue.

Dr. Rosana Reyes, President of Lamar Community College, presented updates to Council.  She apologized for having been unable to update them recently but had lots of exciting news to share with them.  The past fiscal year ended strongly and the budget is balanced.  Fiscal year 2025 ended with positive revenues over expenditures, which allowed the college to spend money for improving infrastructure on the main dormitory.  She expressed that the college is very grateful to the City of Lamar for its help with the Escondido Park improvements and that the college is also grateful that they could help contribute.  LCC had secured an energy improvement loan in 2011 that was to be paid back by 2030 but she said they were able to pay it off in full this past year which “puts our institution in solid place” to be able to free resources to use on student-centered initiatives.  LCC is investing in their people by utilizing equity-based salary adjustments.  This past year, they have been able to elevate earnings (above the usual salaries) for 18 positions and that 80% of full-time staff have received increased wages.  This allows the college to remain competitive and increase retention of staff.  She said the college has also developed a new tuition reimbursement program for staff, which is allowing many with Associate’s degrees to work towards their bachelor’s or PhD degrees with 50% of their tuition eligible for reimbursement.  Several staff members have already taken advantage of the program, per Reyes.  She said “we ae running out of parking spaces which is a good problem to have” referencing increased enrollment.  She also said there has been a 9% increase in degree-seeking first-time college students and enrollment is up 5% compared to last fall.  There have been 13 new staff positions, all grant-funded.  LCC is one of only two Colorado colleges who are recipients of a $20 million state grant to improve accelerated studies in Associates programs.  The program is in its first phase, and is hoped to expand to other schools in the state. The college has expanded its focus to include programs aimed at achieving family-sustainable wages from its degree and certificate programs.  She said that 60% of students are first-generation college students and that “if we do our job well, it will be the last first generation”, adding that they want to make sure their work impacts generations behind them.  The college has expanded its welding certificate program to include four local high schools by adding welding bays to those facilities, with Holly High School being the first of the four.  Plumbing and heavy construction programs are also being added to the LCC curriculum soon.  She said that two weeks ago, LCC received a formal approval letter to allow them to add a Bachelor’s degree in business, a first in the college’s history which they are very proud of and hope that it will be the first of many more.  There have been $19 million in capital renewal projects, including a new library and administrative department remodeling.  Finally, she said, LCC is finalizing plans to add 3 more certificate and 1 more bachelor’s degree in health care, hoping to allow the community to be able to employ more local nurses and not be as dependent on traveling nurses.  The college is also adding cybersecurity, range and livestock management and agricultural education Associate’s degree programs.   Mayor Crespin thanked her for the updates and for reminding everyone how integral LCC is to our community.

A public hearing was held concerning the proposed 2026 budget but no one in the audience had any questions regarding same so the hearing was closed.  Next up was a discussion concerning having parades on Main Street.  Following the Sand and Sage parade, questions were raised to Council as to why other parades were not allowed to use Main Street.  Mayor Crespin and Police Chief Kevin Ridder explained several issues that holding parades along Main Street presented.  These included the prohibitive costs associated – utilizing Main Street involves closing two major highways within the city and requires much more staffing and planning, as CDOT and the Colorado State Patrol need to be involved.  There is increased liability as well, as having semi traffic re-routed through residential areas is dangerous due to the possibility of hazardous materials being hauled there.  Also, the side streets are not structurally designed for such heavy traffic which could potentially damage road surfaces and underlying utilities.  Intersections and streets are narrower and signage and fire hydrants are at risk of damage.  Crespin presented several solutions for Council to consider, including using alternate routes such as along  4^th Street and a shortened Main Street route to minimize expenses.  Originally, the proposal was to use Main Street only for the Sand and Sage and Lamar Days parades, with the county and city covering those extra costs, but the issue was eventually tabled for more discussion.  Council member Brent Bates asked whether Main Street could be used for the upcoming Parade of Lights if Chamber members or private citizens could donate money towards the expense.  A work session will precede the next Council meeting to discuss and vote on this,

Lamar Light and Power Superitendent Houssin Hourieh presented the department’s 2026 budget, calling for a $17.5 million budget.  Full budget information is available in our Lamar Utilities Board meeting article.  Also on the night’s agenda was approval to apply for a grant to offset costs of body cameras for the Police Department, approval of Resolution 2025-10-01 to participate in the Rural Jump-Start Program, approval for pool repairs in the Spring of 2026, approval of the appointment of Robert “Jay” Brooke to the ARPA Board of Directors, approval of adopting the 2026 City Budget, and approval of an ordinance to collect City taxes (with a mill levy of 13.239 which has seen no increase for 38 years).  It is expected that the mill levy will provide the City with a 27% increase for 2026 without increasing the mill levy percentage.  Tabled was a vote on approving a sublease by Vertical Bridge to Verizon Wireless pending review of dates of the contract.

An Executive Session followed the meeting to allow Council to discuss an issue with Evergreen and DZ Construction.  The next Council meeting will be Monday, October 27, 2025 at 7:00 PM.

By: Barbara Crimond