City Council Minutes

Monday, August 26, 2024

The City Council met in a regular session at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Room with Mayor Crespin presiding.

Present: Joe Gonzales, Shalah Mata, Gerry Jenkins, Kirk Crespin, David Zavala, Manuel Tamez, Brent Bates, Rob Evans, Kristin Schwartz, Lance Clark

Absent:

Consent Agenda

Councilmember Bates moved and Councilmember Jenkins seconded to approve the consent agenda Items 1-4 with the removal of 2 checks to Gonzales Unlimited to be voted on separately.

Item #1 – Approval of Council Meeting Minutes – 8/12/2024

Item #2 – Approval of Minutes for Board and Commissions

a) Utilities Board –7/23/2024

b) Airport Board – 7/17/2024

Item #3 – Payment of Bills

General Fund-Vouchers #100082-100196

Item #4 – License – New and Renewal - None

Voting Yes: Mata, Jenkins, Crespin, Zavala, Tamez, Bates
Voting No: None
Abstain: Gonzales

Mayor Crespin stated “Let the record reflect that all Councilmembers voted an affirmative, motion passes 6-0”.

Approve Check #100138 & 100196 to Gonzales Unlimited

Councilmember Jenkins moved and Councilmember Zavala seconded to approve check #100138 in the amount of $2,665.85 and check #100196 in the amount of $750.00 to Gonzales Unlimited for vehicle repairs.

Voting Yes: Mata, Jenkins, Crespin, Zavala, Tamez, Bates
Voting No: None
Abstain: Gonzales

Mayor Crespin stated “Let the record reflect that all Councilmembers voted an affirmative, motion passes 6-0”.

Audience Participation

None

City Treasurer Report

City Treasurer Schwartz provided a grant update on the following.

Received grant award noticed from LAVAAA which is the money that we use towards the Senior Center. We were awarded $25,589.00. She will bring the contract to the next meeting for approval and signatures.

Regarding the potholing grant for the water/wastewater we went out for bids last week and will accept bids until September 19, 2024.

Working on gathering information on the traffic study to put together an RFP, she is waiting on a scope of work from Chief Fear and City Administrator Evans.

Thomas and Kristin have been working with Tyler both last week and this week to allow for the first data upload this week. Financials will be the first upload with other modules to follow. Once uploads begin and the employees do the training modules we will begin running it to start the process.

City Clerk Report

City Clerk Williams reported in the month of July there were 2,203 sales tax returns processed, 6 new licenses for Lamar and 6 for none Lamar businesses along with 2 terminated Lamar businesses and 5 outside businesses.

City Clerk Williams reported that they processed 63 electric connects, 60 electric disconnects, 44 water connects, and 43 water disconnects for residential customers, 2 electric connects, and 2 electric disconnects during the month of July.

She reported that there was 1 cemetery lot purchased in Fairmount Cemetery with 5 opening/closings at Fairmount, 1 opening/closing in the Veteran’s section, and 4 opening/closings at Riverside.

City Clerk Williams gave an update on the local newspaper issue: With audit completed and budget process began City Treasurer now has a bit of time to put an RFP together for sending bid requests out for a newspaper of posting. If you remember in July I had made the suggestion of using the Bent County Democrat in the interim. We have posted a few items and have found that it is not going to work for the City of Lamar. It is very cumbersome process placing the postings and they do not follow all of the requirements per state statute as they stated.

I have been in contact with the Kiowa County Press, Ms. Sorensen and they have guaranteed publication along with following all state statute requirements. At this time it would be her suggestion that until we receive the RFP’s back we utilize the Kiowa County Press for the City’s legal publications along with also posting on our website and social media if applicable.

City Administrator Report

Coffee with Rob

City Administrator Evans announced schedule for Coffee with Rob is below.

August 28, 2024 – TA Express

Lamar Cub Scouts Pack 223 – Movie Night

City Administrator Evans announced that Lamar Cub Scouts Pack 223 will be hosting a Movie Night with Ice Cream on August 29, 2024 beginning at 6:00 p.m. with Despicable Me 4 playing at the Lamar Christian Church Fellowship Hall.

Project Update

City Administrator Evans gave project updates on the items below:

Public Works have been heavily working on storm cleanup from last week’s storm. They are also gearing up for street paving. He also stated that for the cleanup citizens could place any fallen limbs on the curb in front of home and street crews would be by in the next day or two to pick up. Once they have went down the street they will not be back tracking. No limbs in alleyways, they will not be pick up.
Library is working with the Amache Rangers to put together a program in September.
IT Department is implementing the suggestions made during the security audit and working on the Tyler preparation.
Police Department is working on building the scope of work for the traffic study so that City Treasurer can put out RFP.
Community Development reported that there is new home building between 8th & 9th St.
Parks has put extra maintenance in place over the next few weeks to make needed repairs to the parks. They have received some advice from previous employees and the needed repairs.

Miscellaneous

None

Reports and Correspondence from Council

PEP Update

Councilmember Bates reported that PEP had a presentation by Stephanie at SECED regarding the many programs that SECED has available.

Public Safety Board

Councilmember Jenkins reported that they met on Thursday and the discussion was to do some research regarding Neighborhood Watch program.

Airport Board Update

Councilmember Mata reported that discussion at the board meeting was the rehabilitation of Taxiway A.

Golf Board Update

Councilmember Gonzales reported that the golf course was shut down today due to the High School Boys golf tournament. He also stated that the Labor Day Tournament is August 31, 2024. The golf board is hosting a match play that will run in September with Championship being held September 21st or 22nd. He also reported that the Two Shot Golf Tournament will be September 27-29, 2024 with JVA being one of the biggest sponsors of the tournament.

Councilmember Gonzales reported that during the recent storm there was a small amount of damage to the course that is being cleaned up.

Planning and Zoning Update

Councilmember Gonzales reported that Planning & Zoning has scheduled a public hearing for Thursday, August 29, 2024.

Miscellaneous

Mayor Crespin announced that the Lamar Utility Board has received a letter of resignation from Boardmember Stagner resigning from both Lamar Utility Board and the ARPA Board. Advertisement for openings will be posted.

Mayor Crespin wanted to say thank you to AM Breakfast for expanding their business from just serving on the weekend to six days a week and hiring some of the Hickory House staff that were recently let go due to the closing of the restaurant.

Mayor Crespin informed Council and citizens that he has received calls and emails requesting us to look at the US Corridor between Newton, KS and Pueblo, CO. They would like to make this a 4-lane highway and convert it to I50 instead of Highway 50. Council would like some additional information regarding this.

Mayor Crespin gave a thank you to owners of Casa Azteca for the invitation to their soft opening on Sunday, August 25, 2024.

NEW BUSINESS

Oath of Office for New Chief of Police

Mayor Crespin administered the Oath of Office to the New Police Officer Jose Lozoya. Pinning of Badge was done by Officer Lozoya’s brother Jesus Lozoya.

New Public Safety Building Discussion

Mayor Crespin announced that there has been further discussion on the Public Safety Building. As everyone knows they had an architect draw up plans of not only a conversion to the current building but a new standalone building, which both plans came in significantly higher than what was set aside to do the building. He stated that Police Chief Fear has done his due diligence in looking at a potential building to convert into a Public Safety Building for both Police and Fire. There have been two buildings identified as possible locations. After all of Council input Mayor Crespin asked if this is something that they wish to move forward on and that he, Mayor Pro-Tem Tamez, City Administrator and City Attorney could begin negotiations. Nothing would be done without further Council approval.

Boardmember Bates moved and Boardmember Mata seconded to approve negotiations for a public safety building by the Mayor, Mayor Pro-Tem, City Administrator, and City Attorney.

Voting Yes: Gonzales, Bellomy, Jenkins, Crespin, Duffy, Tamez, Bates
Voting No: None