Lamar Utilities Board Meeting of May 26, 2026

At the May 26, 2026 meeting, Board members approved meeting minutes from both the May 12 and May 19 meetings as well as Purchase Orders 2025-04951 through 2025-05167.  Purchase orders totaled $89,883.94, of which $79,697.05 needed Board Approval for payment.  $52,002.00 of this amount was to the Stella Jones Corporation for the purchase of 40-foot wooden poles for stock inventory.  Line material and hardware cost was $19, 845.05, payable to Western United Electric Supply.

Due to the ongoing Tyler software conversion, financial reports from November are still not available for review.  Superintendent Hourieh’s System Operating Report stated that the line crew completed the reconductoring in the 1000 block of South 9^th Street from #6 cu to #4 ACSR wire.  Installed were three-phase 75 KVA pole-mount transformers that will power McClave School’s pump house.  The crew also installed two new services in town and are in the process of upgrading the 800 and 900 blocks of South 5^th Street.  The upgrade includes reconductoring, poles, crossarms, and insulator replacement.

With SD Myers on site, the substation crew completed the annual system transformers oil testing.  This routine oil testing checks for dissolved gases and moisture content in the transformer oil, in addition to a particle count in the load tap Changers (LTCs).  The testing included substations, wind turbines, and all major transformers in the distribution system.  A complete testing results report will be provided by SD Myers.  This proactive approach will improve system reliability and efficiency.

Linear Labs continues with the T-2 dada collection and monitoring of the turbine.  T-2 is still operating at a reduced capacity of 400KW for two more weeks.  Multiple improvements have been made to the blade pitch system’s PLC code by Keba and Bachman, which are being tested in Germany before uploading it to our turbine.

The regular meeting was then adjourned so the Board could go into Executive Session to receive legal advice on specific legal questions regarding the LUB’s Discharge Water Permit.  The Executive Session is pursuant to D.R.S. 24-6-402(4)(b).

The next regular meeting of the Lamar Utilities Board will be held Tuesday, June 9, 2026 at noon.

By: Barbara Crimond