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Lamar City Council approves appointments, permits and multiple grant applications; insurance renewals accepted
Summary
At its Sept. 22 meeting the Lamar City Council appointed a new tree-board member, authorized multiple grant applications (library, T‑Mobile Main Street, EPA Brownfields, victim-assistance), approved the October Fest permit and accepted 2026 insurance renewal quotes for CHP and CERSA.
The Lamar City Council on Sept. 22 approved a series of routine but consequential items: the appointment of Shauna Ray Falconberg to the Lamar Tree Board (term expiring March 1, 2028); authorization for the library to apply for a $5,000 John Henry Eldridge Jr. Foundation grant; permission to apply for a Main Street America/T‑Mobile revitalization grant (staff requested $49,300 for the Enchanted Forest improvements); authorization to apply for a $500,000 EPA Brownfields assessment grant; permission for the Lamar Police Department to apply for the 2026 victim-assistance and law-enforcement-bail grant; approval of the October Fest permit with a requirement to keep electric-vehicle chargers accessible; and acceptance of insurance renewal quotes.
Council voted to appoint Shauna Ray Falconberg to the tree board during a motion recorded at the meeting; the appointment was approved unanimously. The library received council approval to apply for the invited John Henry Eldridge Jr. Foundation grant; Sue Lethrup said invited applicants are roughly 95% likely to receive funds if selected for invitation.
Staff requested and council approved applying for a Main Street/T‑Mobile grant to fund stage cover, framing, lighting, signage and seating improvements at the Enchanted Forest. Council likewise authorized staff to pursue an EPA Brownfields assessment grant (no local match required) and approved the Police Department’s continued pursuit of the victim-assistance grant, noting an added request this year to cover an estimated three SANE exams at about $1,000 apiece.
The council also accepted CHP insurance quotes for 2026 (health increase ~6.65%, dental ~8.5%, vision ~3.5%) and preliminary CERSA renewal quotes: property/casualty coverage (≈5.42% increase) and workers' compensation (≈23% increase, attributed to salary increases in Parks/Recreation and Police). For most motions the meeting record shows unanimous approval by voice vote; the consent agenda earlier in the meeting passed with Councilman Joe Gonzalez recorded as abstaining on that item.
No ordinances were adopted at the Sept. 22 meeting; most items were permissions to apply for grants, appointments or administrative approvals. The council announced an executive session to follow and scheduled its next regular meeting for Oct. 13, 2025.
