All Entries in the "Economy" Category
Colorado Employment Situation in November 2016
Total non-farm payroll jobs declined 12,500 from October to November to 2,620,200 jobs, according to the survey of business establishments. Private sector payroll jobs decreased 12,600 and government increased 100. According to the survey of households, the unemployment rate decreased three-tenths of a percentage point in November to 3.2 percent. The number of people actively […]
Finance on the Agenda as LUB Closes 2016
Two action items on the Lamar Utility Board’s agenda dealt with finances for the approaching year. Board members unanimously passed the annual resolution for the Charter Appropriation Adjustment Tariff. The appropriation for 2017 is $1,610,223 and is derived from a formula involving the amount budgeted to the City of Lamar for the next year which […]
Holly Commercial Club Holds Last Meeting of 2016
The Holly Commercial Club board reviewed several community activities for the Christmas season which included the Holly Jolly Country Christmas Concert. It was reportedly sold out with 178 tickets purchased and the committee received $2,200 in donations. Rod Swisher reported that the Bluegrass Committee had received $2,500, the full request from the Prowers Lodging Panel, […]
City Sales Tax Shows Slight Monthly Drop
Sales tax for the City of Lamar dropped slightly for the October 2016 sales which were collected in November. City Sales Tax was off 3.08% for a decline of $7,941.41 putting 2016 collections for the month at $249,570.96 compared to 2015 figures of $257,512.37. Total Sales and Use Tax collections came in for the month, […]
Council Approves Ambulance Fee Rate Hikes
In an attempt to shore up the city’s balance regarding unpaid bills for ambulance service, the Lamar City Council approved rate increases for seven different levels of service. Lamar Fire Chief Jeremy Burkhart listed the current fees, the suggested range of increases considered by the council and the final fee schedule. Current Fee Proposed Rates […]
Lamar Receiving $1.3M in GoCO Grants for Youth Oriented Inspire Projects
The Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) Board awarded the first round of implementation funding for six Inspire Initiative pilot communities, totaling $13.5 million in grants. GOCO’s Inspire Initiative will invest in places, programs, and pathways to get kids outside in communities across the state. This innovative framework is being looked at as a national model, and […]
Senator Crowder Attends Christening of Submarine “Colorado”
A large Colorado contingency was on hand at Groton, Connecticut General Dynamics Ship Yard for the Christening of Virginia Class Submarine “Colorado”. The 377 foot nuclear powered vessel will undergo testing prior to her commissioning this coming summer. The Sponsor, Annie Mabus, daughter of the Secretary of the Navy, did the honors of breaking […]
PEP Takes New Direction for Executive Director Search
Prowers Economic Prosperity board members, at the suggestion of new member, Craig Loveless, will initiate a more aggressive search mode to find a new executive director for the economic development group. A sub-committee has been formulating a job description for the new executive director since this past summer. PEP is looking for a person who […]
Private Property Trespass and Vandalism Part of Police Update
The act of designating a thief as a trespasser has become an important tool of the Lamar Police Department. According to Chief Kyle Miller, the practice began two years ago as a means to combat degrees of intersecting crime, eventually relating to illegal drug sales in the community. Miller briefed the Lamar City Council on […]
Lamar Chamber Seeks Board Member from City Council
The Lamar Chamber of Commerce conducts its annual transition between outgoing and incoming board members at this time of year. With several positions still open on the board, the Chamber and Lamar City Council are exploring having a council member sit on the board. Council members discussed the options among themselves during a limited […]
Groundwork Starts on Lamar Pocket Park
Preliminary construction work on the proposed Pocket Park for downtown Lamar has begun. An excavation crew from Carrigan Construction was on the scene, Thursday, December 1st, scraping away the top most layer of asphalt and dirt, making way for a sand base which will be more concrete friendly, according to Mark Carrigan. “We should be […]
Lamar Rotary Helping Foster the Holiday Spirit
The Lamar Rotary is laying the groundwork for a holiday tradition, Saturday, December 17th, that may develop into an annual Christmas themed event. Rotary President, George Gotto, said Rotarians will use the Shore Arts Center as their holiday headquarter for a series of events beginning at 10am on the 17th, the Saturday which corresponds to […]
State Agencies Create Resource for Smart Downtown Planning
DOLA, CDPHE and CDOT collaborate to create community resource for smart downtown planning Denver, CO – Thursday, December 1, 2016 – The Department of Local Affairs (DOLA), in partnership with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), has announced the release of Colorado Downtown Streets, a […]
Repairs for Municipal Pool Approved
The Lamar City Council approved funds and awarded a bid to resurface the Lamar Swimming Pool. Rick Akers, Lamar Parks and Rec Director, told the council one bid was received from M & M Pool Specialists from Poncha Springs. Akers presented a breakdown of costs associated with improvement options over a two year span. It […]
Spate of Counterfeit Bills Being Noticed in the Community
Counterfeit bills are showing up among Lamar retail stores this month. Daily summation reports from the Lamar Police Department and Prowers County Sheriff’s Office have indicated one or two events for the past several weeks; perhaps as many as a dozen have been reported since the first discovery of false currency. Retailers are impacted […]
