FREE Take One! FARM & RANCH RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL 719.336.7802 Gene Cruikshank, Broker www.cruikshankrealty.com HOT TOPICS LOCAL NEWS COMMUNITY EVENTS Volume 5, Number 37 October 28, 2015 SUBSCRIPTIONONLY $60/year Thur Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue home delivery OFFER!JOURNAL ALERTS CLASSIFIED PUBLIC NOTICES Hi 59o Hi 55o Hi 67o Hi 75o Hi 77o Hi 72o Lo 39o Lo 33o Lo 33o Lo 37o Lo 44o Lo 41o ✓ YES we are still FREE Online! ✓ YES we are still FREE at Local Drops! ✓ YES we are now offering home delivery City Resolution Will Divert Funds from PCDI for your convenience at only $60 per year! Contact us at (719) 336-9095 for more information or A resolution passed by the Lamar City Council during their October 26th meeting email us at theprowersjournal.com called for funds normally earmarked for Prowers County Development Incorporated in the 2016 city budget, to be redirected for community development to be used in conjunc- tion with the city’s Main Street Program. The City of Lamar and Prowers County have shared the costs of funding PCDI for several years, each with a $50,000 contribution. FIXEDFFIIXED RATERATE LLOANSLOANOANS The council, with one nay vote from Anne Marie Crampton, approved the resolution to with our own mortgage company divert funding for next year. City Administrator, John Sutherland, said the discussion about funding is not new, “We’ve Visit had this same discussion for each of the three years I’ve been here and I know it’s been on-going www.gnbmortgage.com longer than that. The council is unhappy with the lack of results from the city’s annual invest- or Stop by ment. We’ve reached the point where we feel more could be done if we kept that funding right here.” He added that individually, the council would welcome an opportunity to participate in a county-wide effort if there was some economic development gain. 204 S. 4th St. 336.4381 Lamar, Colorado Visit Us @ theprowersjournal.com or Call 336-9095 www.valleynationallamar.com When asked if the funding would be used to augment a salary or pay for a city eco- nomic developer, similar to the position formerly held by Shawna Hodge, Sutherland re- plied, “That is exactly what last night’s resolution stated.” The council, he continued, left the door open with that resolution to further joint cooperation if it results in something Shopping for meaningful. He added that during annual budget discussions we look at the county over joint PCDI funding and we struggle with its fate, how to make it work or reboot it and a Mortgage? out of frustration both entities just continue to put money in. Sutherland said that faced with a tight budget, the council decided to do something different. He said he is unaware Anna Carere, Agent We have a great selection. State Farm Agent of any changes in a mission statement or hiring direction for a new PCDI executive di- As life changes, so do your 701 S Main St needs. Let State Farm Bank ® Lamar, CO 81052 Bus: 719-336-5212 help with a mortgage that fits rector that might be developed in light of the lack of funding. The city and council had your life and your budget. Let us NMLS #139716, NMLS MLO #320639 MLO License #100033307 help you make the right move. been working with the PCDI board on developing some new hiring guidelines for a future Bank with a Good Neighbor.® CALL ME TODAY FOR permanent director. The PCDI board met in regular session today, and held an executive MORE INFORMATION. session regarding the resolution and funding, but took no action at this point. Sutherland went on to say some smaller communities make the mistake of thinking 1001306 Some products and services not available in all areas. that their economic development director will be their savior; a person who will be able State Farm Bank, F.S.B., Bloomington, IL to fix all the problems in a couple of years, and that’s not the case. He added, “That wore Life, off for me a long time ago and I think others are feeling the same way. We won’t hire a Health miracle worker who will come in and get us a GM plant. That’s not the way economic development works. I’ve never seen it work like that.” With regard to the city’s role in 529 Plans economic development, Sutherland explained, “We have a basic mission to provide infra- Annuities, LTC structure and a safe working environment for citizens in our community. That’s our core IRA’s, Mutual Funds competence. That’s what the city government should focus on. Do a good job and use Individual Stocks & Bonds our resources to lever positive momentum and development when there’s an effort that LAMAR HOLLY SPRINGFIELD WALSH 401(k)s & 401(k) Rollovers looks like it will move us in a positive direction. We can use our influence, networking 109 W. Lee Ave., Ste. 16 127 S. Main St. 27925 US Hwy 287 508 N. Colorado St. 111 W. Parmenter • Lamar, CO 81052 capability, dollars, street and water money, to do the best job we can do and attract a busi- Lamar, CO 81052 Holly, CO 81047 Springfield, CO 81073 Walsh, CO 81090 719-336-5550 Estate & Business Planning (719) 336-8292 (719) 537-6100 (719) 523-1892 (719) 324-5212 www.core-fi nancial-lamar.net ness to our community in that manner.” Securities and investment advisory services through Transamerica Financial Advisors, Inc. Prowers County Commissioner, Ron Cook, attended the council and PCDI meet- Farm/Ranch - Homeowners - Commercial - Bonds (TFA) Member FINRA, SIPC and Registered Investment Advisor. Non securities Products are Boat - Event - Specialty Types - Multi Peril Crop not offered through TFA. Core Financial and TFA are not affi liated. ings and is aware of the impact this will have, but said the commissioners need to discuss what this will mean for their annual funding. Cook added the result from the council does not come as a surprise, “We were discussing this as far back as 16 years ago when I was a council member.” He added that the commissioners share the same interests as the city as FRONTIER BANK seeing some return on investment for their annual donations, but it just hasn’t happened. www.frontierbankco.com He said he’s doubtful that the county will have the funding to carry it alone for 2016. NEW EXCITING The County’s budget is finalized in December, so there’s some time for added discussion, Serving Southeast Colorado but not a lot. He added that PCDI is one of the areas where the city and the county have CHECKING OPTIONS a hard time finding common ground on joint funding. “We have concerns over PCDI, CLAY PEACOCK JOHN SY KES Call us for details or stop by and sign up as well as who funds how much for the E-911 Center, the ambulance or PATS funding. for all the advantages now available with Unfortunately, it’s hard to get a joint agreement on those shared costs. By Russ Baldwin CASSANDRA Espa rza an “ADVANTAGE CHECKING” Account 209 South Fourth Street 200 South Main Street Lamar, Colorado 81052 Phone 719.336.4351 P.O. Box 988 Phone: (719) 336-2234 Fax 719.336.4352 PCDI Board of Directors Respond to Lamar’s Lamar, Colorado 81052 Decision to Pull Funding www.peacockfuneralhome.com EQUAL HOUSING LENDER FFourFoourur GGenerationsenerattifioi ns ofof TTrustust andandSd ServiceSeS rviicce $POUBDU:PVS 3FQSFTFOUBUJWFT 644FOBUPS$PSZ(BSEOFS Senator Dirksen Office Building SD-B40B • Washington, DC 20510 202-224-5941 • 303-391-5777 $JUZPGMBNBS 719-336-4376 • 102 East Parmenter Steet, Lamar, CO 81052 1SPXFSTDPVOUZDPNNJTTJPOFST 719-336-8030 • 301 South Main Steet, Suite 215, LamaLamar, CO 81052 5PXOPGIPMMZ 719-537-6622 • P.O. Box 458, Holly, CO 81047 5PXOPG(SBOBEB 719-734-5411 • 103 South Main Street, Granada, CO 81041 5PXOPG8JMFZ 719-829-4974 • 304 Main Street, Wiley, CO 81092 (LAMAR, COLORADO) – Brilliant innovator and business man Henry Ford had a vision for success. He said, “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is prog- ress. Working together is success.” Since its inception, Prowers County Development, Incorporated (PCDI) has been honored to have the support from and work with the Prowers County and City of Lamar governments. At their meeting Monday (October 26), the Lamar City Council removed funding to support economic development. Since the departure of the past economic director in February, the PCDI board of direc- Respond continued on back... LCC Hosts City Council Breakfast Continuing our efforts to reach out to our citizens, the City of Lamar invites you to visit with your City Council representatives at an informal breakfast. The next community breakfast get-together will be on Wednesday, November 4, 2015, 7:00 a.m. at LCC Caf- eteria. Please come share your concerns with your City Council representatives. Respond continued from front... Normandy Gardens tors has continually sought input from all supporting governmental bodies as to the direction PROWERS MEDICAL GROUP 400 East College Rd. they wanted the organization to head for the future. The Prowers County Commissioners have tried to have discussions with the City of Lamar multiple times over the course of several Lamar, CO 81052 months, but have been unable to develop a plan for PCDI. The County has had representation CLINIC HOURS for multiple discussions with the PCDI board during this time. Unfortunately, the City of 719-336-4096 Lamar administration had limited participation in discussions in which they were invited. 403 Kendall Drive • Lamar CO 81052 This lack of communication and now the decision to remove funding has left not only I mmediate Occupancy! PCDI in a tough spot, but also Prowers County residents.