Check Out Mediacom's Savings Inside!!!
Serving Lamar, Golden City, Lockwood, Jasper, Sheldon, Mindenmines and Liberal for 145 years. Incorporating The Daily Democrat, Golden City Herald & Lockwood Luminary.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2015
There will be several Easter egg hunts this year, with the ones that we know of being listed below: The Eagles Club No. 4405 of Lamar will hold their annual hunt on Sunday, April 5, 3 p.m. The Eagles aerie is on E. Hwy. 160. Orscheln's Farm & Home of Lamar will hold its annual hunt on Saturday, April 4, 10 a.m. There will be three different age groups. Orcheln's is located at 805 W. 12th St. An Easter egg hunt, sponsored by Immanuel Lutheran Church Golden City Satellite, will be held Saturday, April 4, 1 p.m., at the Golden City Park. This hunt is for ages two through fifth grade. The Lamar Elks will hold its annual Easter egg hunt on Saturday, April 4, beginning at Noon, at the Lamar City Park. Children ages infant to 12 years are invited to hunt in areas designed by age groups. After the egg hunt the Elks will have a hot dog lunch for the hunters and families at the enclosed shelter.
2 SECTIONS, 12 PAGES
On March 13, the Democrat mailed surveys to the two candidates for mayor of Lamar. The surveys contained five questions that have a bearing on the city’s future. A picture of the candidates was an option if they chose to send one. The deadline for returning the surveys to the Democrat was March 23, and all responses to the questions were to be printed in our April 1 issue. The questions and the candidates’ responses appear below. Q. Should the city aggressively the square. I want to keep our Lamar, too. Candidate Name: pursue the elimination of nui- city a nice place to own a home sance structures? and the kind of city people want Q: The total cash reserves of A. It takes several months to come in and live. the city, including all checking to have a structure legally reaccounts and investments, as of moved. We have to follow a city Q: How and when should the January 31, 2015, had an aggreordinance. This gives the own- city go about improving Gulf gate balance of $4,543,025. Is this ers time to refurbish or remove Street from 12th Street south to sufficient to meet the city’s needs the nuisance structure first. We the BNSF Railroad? in the event of an emergency? need the owners to accept their A: There are two choices: 1. A: Most cities, including Laresponsibility and fix the prob- Grind down two lanes of Gulf mar, like to keep a 25 percent relem without burdening the tax- Street and repave for approxi- serve of the annual budget. With payer. Lamar allocated $30,000 mately $50,000. We were go- the current amount, we would in the 2014-2015 budget to de- ing to do this in the 2014-2015 operate over four months. In molish structures. $13,580 plus budget but had to replace the an emergency, we would reduce grant money was used to re- bridge on Gulf Street at a cost spending until we were able to Tom Shields move the old Gilkey building on of $120,000. The state down- operate with an incoming cash graded the bridge weight limit flow. In December of 2007, from 40 to 15 tons, and we felt our ice storm damage totaled replacement was important due $1,500,000. The city paid all exto safety issues.2. We could take penses before being reimbursed By RICHARD COOPER all of that increase, but it will the street down to the base and by FEMA and SEMA. We had Democrat staff writer have the legal authority to do replace infrastructure (water “out of pocket” for the city for a so. lines, sewer, gutter, sidewalks, total of $12,000 after FEMA and In the forthcoming April 7 What will such a levy inetc.). This would be million dol- SEMA claims were paid. We general municipal election, crease amount to in increased lar project and would need to have city employees who have Barton County voters will be taxes? That will vary from one be completed in phases to do it been trained to fill out FEMA asked to approve Proposition taxpayer to another. As purewithout a loan. and SEMA paperwork correctly. 1, placed on the ballot by the ly a single example, let’s conThis could be as important as board of trustees of Barton sider a homeowner whose Q: What do you feel is the best having the money in reserve. County Memorial Hospital. home has an assessed value way to improve the city’s drinking Proposition 1 is a request by of $90,000. The formula for water? the hospital’s board of trustees figuring the tax on that home A. What do you feel is the best Candidate Name: to increase the current tax levy would be $90,000 x 19 perway to pay for such improve(which is at its allowable limit) cent (.19), divided by 100, x ments? There have been many by 32.49 cents on each $100 of the amount of the levy, which improvements over the years. assessed valuation. The cur- would be $0.4332. However, We added three aeration pumps rent levy is 10.83 cents on each if the board does not choose at the intake and treat the lake $100 of assessed valuation, to use all of the authorized to control algae. The basins at which has never changed since increase, only the portion the water plant have been covthe hospital opened in 1949. If used would be the levy. ered to prevent growth of algae. Proposition 1 is approved in It should be remembered Other options would be to try the April 7 election, the board that the levy applies not only reverse osmosis treatment (this of trustees will be authorized to to real estate, but also to pershould further reduce the taste increase the levy to 43.32 cents sonal property. and odor) or drill two wells. The on each $100 of assessed valu- A simple majority is rewells would have to be drilled ation. The board may not use quired for approval. outside of the sulfur vein and piped to town. With those opKent Harris tions we would need to increase our water bill to pay for it. Q: Should the city more aggressively pursue the elimination of Q: Should the city of Lamar nuisance structures? renew its effort to annex Lamar A: Yes. My campaign flyer I Heights? have had in circulation for some A: Explain your answer. No, time indicated this as one of the the city of Lamar approached six priorities and why change By RICHARD COOPER sons under the state operated Lamar Heights in 1999 with a is needed. Historically speakDemocrat staff writer Medicaid program make up proposal to consolidate with ing, Lamar city budgets had approximately 14 percent of Lamar. In the proposal Lamar no funds set aside for nuisance LIBERAL-About 20 Liberal BCMH services provided in would provide police and fire structures. However, last year’s area residents, plus three mem- 2014. protection, make sewer connec- budget designated $60,000 to tion available to residence and help with clean up primarily for bers of the board of trustees In the same year, the hosbusiness, sanitation pickup two a few large projects. The current of Barton County Memorial pital expended $1,632,025 times a week, seasonal services nuisance budget is now only Hospital (BCMH), attended an in providing medical ser(leaves, limb and snow removal) $30,000. If we are serious about informational forum, March vices to persons who had no landfill and city disposal area elevating Lamar to attract new 26, in Liberal’s Kneeland Cen- insurance coverage of any west of park, along with street families and businesses we need ter. While presented in an in- kind. The property tax levy maintenance. Lamar Heights to devote additional resources formational format, the forum is designed to cover these exrejected the proposal. I feel it towards this process than curwas designed to garner support penses. However, this leaves is up to their board to initiate rently provided. Lastly, we need for Proposition 1, which will $1,445,601 of such costs that consolidation with Lamar, but it be on the April 7 election bal- must be absorbed into the must be beneficial to the city of see SURVEY, page 6A lot. Proposition 1 would raise operations of the hospital. the property tax levy by 32 and The projected property tax one-half cents on each $100 revenue is only $186,424. of assessed valuation. All of Since BCMH is a tax supthe additional revenue would ported public hospital, it go toward meeting operat- must provide emergency sering expenses of the financially vices to any persons requirtroubled county-owned hospi- ing them regardless of their tal. Paul Stebbins, emergency ability to pay. services director, served as The question must be spokesman. raised about changing pubFifty-one percent of BCMH’s lic support for the hospiincome comes from Medicare tal from a property tax to a reimbursement from the fed- sales tax. It is possible, but eral government. From 2005 to difficult. The governor must April 1, 2013, the reimburse- be petitioned to allow it. If ment was at 101 percent of the he approves it, the request cost of providing services to must take the form of a bill Medicare patients. When the to be introduced by a legislafederal government imposed tor in the General Assembly. Lamar Democrat/Richard Cooper sequestration in 2013, Medi- It must then be referred to Mayoral candidate Kent Harris chatted with George care reimbursement was re- the appropriate committees Sheat, left, and Robert Stump, right, during a recent visit duced to 99 percent. for public hearings in both to the Lamar Senior Center. Neither Sheat nor Stump is a Reimbursement for healthLamar resident and can’t vote in the mayoral election, but care services provided to per- see BCMH, page 5A that didn’t seem to matter to Harris.
Proposition 1 explained
Celebrate Easter in BCMH makes case for Golden City Proposition 1 in Liberal forum
GOLDEN CITY-The Immanuel Lutheran Church Golden City Satellite will celebrate Easter with a Golden City Community Easter Egg Hunt and Easter Sunrise Service. The Easter egg hunt will be held Saturday, April 4, 1 p.m., at the Golden City Park. The hunt is for ages two through fifth grade. On Easter Sunday, April 5, a sunrise service will be held in the Golden City Community Building at 8:30 a.m., followed by breakfast. Everyone is welcome to attend these Easter celebrations.
INDEX SECTION A Correspondents......................... 2 Friends & Family....................... 3 Friends & Family....................... 4 School.......................................... 5 Area News.................................. 6 SECTION B Records....................................... 2 Records/Legals........................... 3 Legals........................................... 4 Classifieds................................... 5 Fugate.......................................... 6
Kent Harris, candidate for Lamar mayor, visits senior center