Lamar Utilities Board meeting March 24

All board members were present for the March 24 meeting.  Purchase orders 2025-03522 through 2025-03908 were approved.  Purchase orders needing board approval amounted to $343,780.54.  Total purchase orders were $352,345.31.  Large purchase orders for this time period were $186,895 to Midwest Electric Transformer Services, Inc. for transformers, $81, 809.55 to CIRSA for 2^nd quarter property insurance, $19,312.50 to Western United Electric Supply for dead end crossarms, and $31,154.60 to Wesco Distribution Inc. for line material and hardware.  Bills presented for payment were approved, totaling $538,964.06.  The largest bill was $506,267.52 from ARPA for power purchase. Due to the ongoing Tyler software conversion, again, there were no financial reports for August, September, October, November, or December of 2025 as well as January and February of 2026.

The board voted to approve Amendment #1 to Contract Number 17-SLC-0854 between Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) and the Lamar Utilities Board.  The information provided to the board for approval read:  “WAPA, through the Salt Lake City area integrated projects, which administers our Colorado River Storage Project (CRSP) power allocations, is making available Renewable Energy Certificates (REC’s) for resale.  The ability to resale the REC’s will be accomplished by the approval of Amendment #1 to our CRSP original Contract # 17-SLC-0854, which replaces section 13 and 14 of the existing contract to allow the resale of the REC’s.  We also need to establish a Western Renewable Energy Generation information system (WREGis) account through ARPA who manages our wind REC’s.  These hydro certificates will be added to the wind certificates to be marked for resale.  One MWH = One REC”.

The Superintendent’s System Operating Report read: “Due to the Tyler system conversion, we are unable to provide an update on sales of electricity through February of 2026.  The line crew replaced a 35-foot class II wooden pole at County Rd LL and 31 in Bent County, a 45-foot class II ductile iron pole at Rd 8 and the Amity Canal, and a 30-foot service pole at 2^nd and Paseo in Lamar.  These poles were damaged by the high windstorm on February 15.  Linear Labs: Continuing with the commissioning process of the T-2 wind turbine Pitch Pro system.  The commissioning involves programming, testing motor fans wiring and functions, complete battery testing in auto mode using Visupro software, confirm pitch control and generator speed at various RPM’s and bring the system on-line”.   Superintendent Hourieh added that a recent “controlled burn” north of Lamar near the truck plaza quickly got out of control and caused extensive damage to utility poles, transformers and meters.  A police report has been filed and a claim filed with CIRSA.

By: Barbara Crimond