Mayor Kirk Crespin, Council member Joe Gonzales recognized for awards at City Council meeting May 26, 2026

Mayor Kirk Crespin, center, and Council member Joe Gonzales, right, were recipients of awards from the Colorado Municipal League’s MUNIversity program. At left is City Administrator Mitch Hammes who presented the awards.

The Lamar City Council held a regular meeting on Tuesday, May 26, 2026 – rescheduled from its usual Monday meeting due to the Memorial Day Holiday.  Mayor Kirk Crespin began by thanking all who were involved in making recent events successful.  He thanked the Lamar Chamber of Commerce and David Zavala for the Cinco de Mayo celebration, as well as everyone involved in the Lamar Days Events.  He thanked Ron and Lonna Cook for another great Rod Run and car show as well as the Lamar Parks and Recreation for their work in getting the park and cemeteries in wonderful condition for the car show and Memorial Day.

All council members were present for the evening’s meeting.  After the invocation by Jeff Alexander and the Pledge of Allegiance, Crespin asked Council to consider adding another Agenda item – an executive session regarding the wastewater treatment plant, eminent domain process and potential improvements to North Gateway Park.  Council agreed to add the item.

During the Public Comments portion of the meeting, Barbara Weed of Total Health Care, 409 S. Main Street, wished to address Council.  Her concern was the light in the alleyway behind her business.  She said she recently received notice that she either needed to make payment for the operation of the light or that it would be taken down.  She said she had no idea that the operation of the light was the responsibility of business owners in the city and cited public safety concerns.  Having a dark alley, she said, was unsafe for herself and her clients who access the business from the alley instead of having to park on busy Main Street, saying she can’t even get the city to fix the alley, and now has to deal with the prospect of it being unlighted. She also said that homeless persons often sleep in that area, which she feels contributes to it being a public safety issue.  As a business owner in that location for four years, she said she has never been asked to pay for the light and mentioned other business owners who told her that, for many years, they have not been asked to pay for their lights either.  She asked why the city is just now “catching it”.  She took issue with the wording of the notice, saying she wasn’t asked to make payment but that it was demanded.  Mayor Crespin said the issue had just been discussed at that day’s Lamar Utilities Board meeting and he was told that a recent audit of lights throughout the city was done and that it was found that many of these “yard lights” had not been billed for a long period of time.  City Administrator Mitch Hammes added that these alley lights are considered “yard lights” as they are installed by request and that they are not paid for by the City as it does with regular street lights.  As such, they are under the purview of the Light and Power department and subject to billing the person or business who had requested them.  He said that it was admitted that an audit had not been done for some time, and many of these lights “slipped through the cracks” by Light and Power.  Weed asked if the city can make exceptions for who pays for these when there are safety concerns, Crespin said that there is a process for that but it hasn’t been clearly defined in the past and cited such a request made by the Buzzard’s Roost which the city had denied twice.  Weed said that safety issues near a bar aren’t the same as safety needed for a medical practice.  She said she felt someone needed to be held accountable for these audits not having been done for many years, saying the city lost money during the time that businesses/residents had not been asked to pay for the lights.  Crespin said Council could find a way to discuss how these exception requests are reviewed and which lights are considered critical for public safety.  Weed thanked Council for listening to her.

City Treasurer Kristin Schwartz told Council that she recently received an email from the Colorado Department of Economic Development and International Trade that due to a $1M cut in the tourism budget, Lamar’s Colorado Welcome Center would see a cut in funding from the usual $80,000 yearly to just $55,000 beginning in July of 2026.  She said the city would be meeting with the Welcome Center’s director Leslie Stagner to discuss this issue.  City Clerk Linda Williams had no updates for Council.

City Administrator Hammes announced several upcoming events.  The Prowers County Youth Council’s “Chalk the Walk” event will be held Saturday, June 6^th from 10 am to noon starting at the Lamar Bike Loop at 14^th and Oak.  The event is open to all ages.  Chalk will be provided, as will snacks and prizes.  The PMC “Spring Sprint” 5k will be held Saturday, May 30^th with an 8:00 am registration at the Willow Creek/swimming pool parking lot.  Registration fee is $10.  The event begins at 9:00 am.  The Lamar Chamber of Commerce’s 5^th Annual Glow Golf Tournament will be held Saturday, June 20.  He also said the city received a compliment on the Lamar Police Department’s Sargeant Peck and Office Lozoya as well as the Fire and Ambulance Crew for quick response, kindness and professionalism on a recent call.  Flixbus is now making a Lamar stop for passengers on its bus service, across from the Welcome Center.  The city is still waiting on signage to arrive for the locations.  He then had an announcement that the Colorado Municipal League’s “MUNIversity” program recently recognized Mayor Crespin for reaching the Leadership Level of 100 hours of training as well as Councilman Joe Gonzales for reaching 60 hours of training.  The program honors mayors and town council members who voluntarily invest time in training and resources to enhance their governance skills.  Both were presented with certificates by Hammes.

The first agenda item of the night was a presentation by Dr. Rosana Reyes, giving a bi-annual update on Lamar Community College.  Dr. Reyes spoke on many subjects, including enrollment numbers.  She said that the recent spring semester saw a 4.3% in enrollment and that the fall enrollment was the highest it has been since 2019.  56% of LCC students are first-generation college students, with 44% from Colorado, 47% from outside states and 9% international students.  50% of the students are Pell-eligible.  The college’s adult learner enrollment is up 31%, with the Colorado average being only 3%.  In the past ten years, Reyes said, the college has graduated 1,800 students, who received 2,500 credentials.  Fiscally, the general fund balance has increased by 95%, with the college investing heavily in students and staff, and proudly remaining competitive in being able to offer family-sustaining earnings.  $1.6 million will be invested this summer in improvements to student housing. Capital projects have included lighting and parking lot improvements.  The college recently awarded the first BA degrees in Business Administration and the new adult student GED program recently awarded GED certificates to 14 students.  She said there are 25 of these students starting classes this summer.  A large grant allowed the college to install welding equipment in 3 local high schools for students to achieve welding certificates.  The college’s nursing students achieved 90-100% job placement upon graduation and the equine program saw 90% of graduates being fully employed within 6 months of graduation.

Agenda Item #2 asked for authorization for city staff to apply for the yearly Walmart Local Store Giving Grant.  This $5,000 grant has no city match and funds are used for the Corporate Cup. Council voted unanimously.  Agenda Item #3 was a request for extra-territorial water and sewer service at 27528 Highway 287.  The request was made by Kenneth Specht.  The service would be installed on existing city water and sewer lines that extend along Memorial Drive and private lines would extend from that point.  Council voted unanimously.  Agenda Item #4 concerned awarding Bid 46-001 for roof replacement at the city’s Community Resource and Senior Center.  The lowest bid was from Weathercraft Companies and Council voted unanimously to award the bid to them.

Agenda Item #5 was a discussion and update on the recent “Win Local” campaign.  Crespin explained the campaign, which focuses on the community coming together to highlight positive aspects about the city, aiming to improve community pride and to positively portray all the city has to offer to tourists and community members.  He said that in the coming months, the city will be holding a local town hall meeting to encourage conversation between consumers and businesses.  Also planned is a PEP/Chamber roundtable regarding customer experiences as well as programs at the library for people to learn how to leave reviews and share experiences on social media.

The last regular Agenda Item concerned the city sending a letter of support concerning the I-47 Interstate Act which has been proposed by a congressman from Texas.  Letters would be sent to representatives, senators and congress members and would ask for their support of the Act’s plan to redesignate Highway 287 to Interstate I-47.  Council was split on their vote, with Gerry Jenkins voting “no” on the request.  Council then adjourned for the executive session mentioned above.

The next meeting of Lamar City Council will be held on Monday, June 8^th at 7:00 pm.

By: Barbara Crimond