The Las Animas City Council voted to revise the rate structure for electrical power at their meeting on Jan. 12.
The increase will occur in two steps, charging a $7.50 service charge per meter per month for residential customers effective Jan. 22, then increasing the meter charge to $9.50 on Dec. 22.
The energy and demand charge will be .1255 effective Jan. 22, then increase to .1283 in December.
Other customers, including the prisons and irrigation electric consumers will also see increases.
Las Animas residents Herb McDermed and Judy Thomeczek attended the meeting to protest the proposed increase.
McDermed said he knew of people who were paying more in gas bills than they were paying on the mortgage on their houses and Thomeczek asked that the rates not be raised.
Phil Euler, manager of planning and engineering with NMPP Energy, said that the rate increase was needed to stop the operating loss experienced by Las Animas Municipal Light and Power.
Without the increase, Light and Power would be significantly in the red in a few years, without the money to operate.
“You have to have some margin over expenses to stay in business,” Euler said.
The council voted to accept the revised rate structure, with council member Janice Cline opposing.
Medical marijuana
Tina and Juanita Stanley with Pot Pie, LLC requested permission to open a medical marijuana clinic in Las Animas.
Tina said one of the primary reasons for wanting to open the clinic in Las Animas was to “keep it local,” as opposed to her clinic in Pueblo.
Council informed her of the moratorium they had placed on medical marijuana outlets and suggested she come back in March, when they would decide whether to continue the moratorium.
The Bent County Commission also placed a moratorium on medical marijuana businesses, as did the City of La Junta.
Sales tax requests
The Sales Tax Use Fund has $23,000 available for non-profits to request and Mayor Lawrence Sena informed council that $36,000 had been requested by the deadline.
The Sales Tax Use Committee recommended that the following requests be filled:
The Bent County Senior Opportunities Center - $1,000
Boggsville – Pioneer Historic Society - $1,000
Christian Motor Club - $500
Cockleburr Combers - $500
Boy Scout Troop - $375
Las Animas Fire Department - $500
Las Animas/Bent County Chamber of Commerce - $500
Las Animas/Bent County Library District - $4,000
Little Britches Rodeo - $750
Helping Hands - $6,500
Police Reserves - $1,500
Post Prom Committee - $600
Prairie View Village - $500
Senior Center downtown - $300
Youth Chamber - $500
Not all of the funds have been given out, Sena said, in case other non-profits wish to make a request.
Cinco de Mayo
Council voted to donate $300 to the Arkansas Valley Community Center for the Cinco de Mayo celebration to take place May 1 in La Junta.
