By Richard Cooper

(July 23, 2008) LAMAR - When requirements are met and restrictions observed, golf carts will be allowed on all city streets, except one. They will not be allowed to travel on 12th Street (U.S. Highway 160) at any time except for the purpose of crossing that thoroughfare. Also, they may not be operated for personal transportation purposes beyond the city limits. That effectively bans them from being used to go to any business located west of U.S. 71.
Before any golf cart is to be operated on city streets, a permit costing $6 must be obtained at Lamar City Hall. Along with the permit, which must be displayed on the cart, will be a set of regulations for use. Included will be requirements for two working headlights and taillights, a working horn, and a rear view mirror. Numerous other requirements will apply including operation only during daylight hours and proof of insurance. Police Chief Ron Hager said that for the most part rules that apply to operation of motor vehicles will apply to operation of golf carts. A notable exception is for golf cart operators to be at least 18 years of age. The ordinance defining golf carts and allowing them on city streets became effective with the signature of Mayor Keith Divine following its passage at Monday night’s city council meeting. The vote was 5 to 1 with Third Ward Councilman Denzel Gordon dissenting. Gordon said he had received numerous telephone calls opposing golf carts on city streets.
A proposed ordinance authorizing landfill methane sale by Allied Waste to the city for purposes of generating electric power was presented to the council for examination but tabled until one or two final questions can be cleared up. The Bank of America, who will initially purchase the bonds to finance the project, wanted to know who would come into control of the operation in the unlikely event Lamar should default on the bonds. The answer was the Missouri Joint Municipal Electric Utility Commission (MJMEUC), but Allied knew nothing of MJMEUC. That was expected to be explained to Allied in a conference call between City Administrator Lynn Calton and Allied officials on Tuesday morning.
On a related note, one of the bills approved for payment by the council was $1,346,554 to Fabick of Joplin, Caterpillar dealer in Joplin, for the first two generators of the plant to be built by the city at Prairie View landfill. Eventually, five generators are planned for the site in the years ahead.
The recent water clarity problems and the state ordered boil order came in for some discussion. Calton said a heavier safety cable is now installed on the intake pipe at the city lake, correcting the cause of the problem. When asked if any fines could result, Calton said the possibility exists, but the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has not mentioned it. Councilman John Gilkey offered the thought of having an open house at the city water plant as a public relations gesture and to display the new control system that was installed in May to replace the old system that was damaged by the December, 2007 ice storm. Calton also brought up the plan that has now been adopted to compensate those customers who used additional water in flushing their home systems of turbid city water. Those customers will be allowed to have the first 1,000 gallons removed from their next billing. They can identify themselves by calling Lamar City Hall at 682-5554, extension 314.
In response to a question about the sale of the vacant O’Sullivan buildings to 1900 Gulf Street Partners, LLC of Dallas, Texas for redevelopment, Calton said it is being held up by an appraisal of its value. Not until the appraisal is complete will negotiations between 1900 Gulf Street Partners, LLC and Wachovia Bank be able to resume. Also still pending in federal court is a lawsuit between the remaining legal entity of O’Sullivan Industries and Structured Equity Advisors (SEA) of California. SEA withdrew from its original plan to purchase the empty buildings, and O’Sullivan is suing for breach of contract.
Presented to the council for study was a revision of electric rates charged to heavy users of power (over 400,000 kilowatts). The energy charge to those customers would be lowered, and at the same time the demand charge would be raised to equal the demand charge paid by the city to its electric supplier. The possibility of adding “industrial” to the city’s classes of electric customers was also discussed; currently, the city only has the categories of residential and commercial. Such a change would be used as a tool to attract new manufacturing industries to Lamar. The effect that the revision would have on residential rates would be little or none.
An ordinance was unanimously approved incorporating state law pertaining to misdemeanor domestic assault and misdemeanor assault of a law enforcement officer, emergency personnel, or other officials into city ordinances.
Approval was given to a number of changes in the city’s personnel manual. Among the changes were revisions in family medical leave to match up with the federal policy on family medical leave, some liberalization of sick leave usage, and inclusion of a sexual harassment policy. Chief of Police and Assistant City Administrator Ron Hager said that most of the changes amounted to some tweaking of existing policy. The last changes to the personnel manual were in July, 2003.

by RAYMA BEKEBROCK DAVIS
Democrat editor


(July 23, 2008) LAMAR - The Lamar R-I Board of Education approved a bid from VersaSport International of Kansas to resurface the south tennis courts at the high school for $6,000 at their regular meeting on July 17. Those voting to accept the bid were Dale Norwood, Tim Riegel, Marilyn Selvey, Danny Little, Mike Hull, Kurt Swartz and Arty Torbeck. Other bids were from Trans Texas Tennis, Inc. for $9,346, Q-Sports for $9,346, McConnell & Associates Corp for $12,795 and Atlas Track & Tennis for $14,028. VersaSport can have the courts refurbished by the start of tennis practice on August 11.
New superintendent of schools Dr. Dennis Wilson presented an organizational chart to the board which shows the chain of command and who supervises whom in the school district. It includes the responsibilities of the superintendent and the steps to be followed for staff complaints which should go through the immediate supervisor, the building-level supervisor and the superintendent. Public complaints should be handled at the building where the situation arose through appropriate staff and supervisors, and each building will have procedures for handling complaints. If the procedure has been followed, and satisfaction has not been received, then the complaint can be appealed to the board. For students, they shall appeal to principals who will schedule a conference with students and staff and parents if need be. If the student and parents are not satisfied, they can appeal to the superintendent and then to the board. The board voted unanimously to approve the organizational chart.
The tax levy hearing will be held on August 19 at 7 p.m. with the regular board meeting to follow.
Little asked if the board could discuss the building trade houses since there are two for sale still and another school year is about to begin. Wilson said the administration will discuss current costs and possible options, and Karl Morey, vo-tech director, gave information concerning the houses.
The board voted to accept a bid from Berry-Moore Furniture for carpet in the superintendent’s office, middle school library and middle school band room at a cost of $11,662.41.
The board learned there will be some price changes for some items in food service for students for the 2008-09 school year. Spicy chicken sandwich will be $2; Bosco sticks will be $2; corn dogs will be $1, corn dog nuggets will be $1.25 and ice cream will be $.50 to $1. The increase, of course, is due to rising food prices.
Wilson also advised the board the cost for the new school year for Special Education Entitlement Part B will be $237,228. The district pays that in 12 installments of $19.769. The first payment is due now.
Wilson also announced a change in title for Gale Williams; rather than assistant to the superintendent, she will now be assistant superintendent.
A special meeting will be held on August 14 at 7 p.m. in the middle school library to set goals for the district.
There was no closed session.

by RAYMA BEKEBROCK DAVIS
Democrat editor



(July 23, 2008) Over the weekend the solar cars competing in the North American Solar Challenge were still en route to Calgary in Canada. It is very clear that Continuum, the University of Michigan solar car is going to win the race, and on Monday Solar Miner VI was in seventh place.
Continuum was in first still on Saturday but had lost some of their lead due to some penalties which they chose not to challenge but also will give the judges the reasons they made choices they did that caused the penalties. Anyway, on Saturday they were only 14 minutes ahead of Principia.
They drove into Morris Mt. and ran into a parade. The people there asked them to join in the parade, and they did. The announcer said he didn’t know what the yellow car thingy was, and he prefered horses.
On Sunday, the team left Winnipeg headed to Regina, Medicine Hat and ending up in Calgary. The Continuum team camped out at Regina on Monday night.
As for the Missouri Solar Miner VI, they did arrive in Fargo Friday evening and had tried in a gas powered car all day to catch up with Continuum, but never did.
Unfortunately, Solar Miner VI had to be trailered through North Dakota and across the border into Canada. The team spent the night on the outskirts of Regina on Sunday and headed into Regina on Monday morning. The team said on Sunday they would get to Calgary any way they could.
On Monday Continuum arrived in Medicine Hat and was resting and recharging until the last day of the race on Tuesday when they would arrive at Calgary. Solar Miner VI ran from the eastern outskirts of Regina on Monday to somewhere which the team said was the middle of nowhere, and then they trailered the car into Medicine Hat to reach the final check point before going on to Calgary.
The cars that got into Medicine Hat on their own solar power besides Michigan’s Continuum, were Waterloo, Germany, Minnesota, Calgary and Iowa State. Principia, the car that had been in second all along hit a pothole on Sunday, and the team was having some problems.
Anyway, the teams plan to cross the finish line on Tuesday, and the Solar Miner VI team plans to go in with their own solar power no matter what.