City may hire PRPC man to be administrator

The Clarendon Board of Aldermen considered contracting for a part-time city administrator during their  regular meeting October 10.

Gary Pitner of the Panhandle Regional Planning Commission (PRPC) spoke about the possibility of the PRPC providing city management services to Clarendon.

Under the proposed agreement, the city would contract with the commission to have a PRPC employee serve as a part-time City Administrator for an estimated $32,539 per year.

Pitner said the PRPC already provides this service to the City of Bovina and two other Panhandle area communities. He listed several benefits and outlined proposed duties of the administrator. The Board of Aldermen would still set policy for the city and oversee the city administrator. The city administrator would oversee daily operations of the city including the areas of personnel and business and financial matters.

Pitner said PRPC Local Government Services Program Specialist Colby Waters would be the person he recommends for this position. Waters currently serves Bovina in addition to his PRPC responsibilities.

The board requested Waters and his supervisor, PRPC Local Government Services Director Jarrett Atkinson, to appear at the next possible board meeting. A special meeting may be called for the purpose of speaking to Waters and Atkinson.

In other city business, attorney Kevin Brennen spoke on behalf of the Donley County Appraisal District to answer questions regarding an ordinance to defray the costs of collecting delinquent taxes. The penalty required by the ordinance goes to offset the attorney costs involved. The board voted in favor of the ordinance, 3-1 (Smiley Johnson, Bobbie Kidd and Billy Jack Land, Yes. Michael Tibbets, No.)

Sara SoRelle asked the board if she could purchase 600 brick pavers to finish a project she had started. Alderman Johnson moved, seconded by Tibbets, to have Ms. SoRelle check with Lynn Floyd to see if he still had the bricks first; and if not, then the City might open up the sale of bricks with the understanding that they not used outside the city or for resale and with a 3,000 bricks per household limit. Motion failed, 2-3 (Johnson and Tibbets, Yes. Kidd, Land, and Stavenhagen, No.)

Dr. Guy Ellis and Gene Hommel spoke on behalf of the Clarendon Chamber of Commerce, which is working to promote wildlife observation in our county to increase tourism. They requested $400 from the Motel Bed Tax to purchase a banner to be hung over US 287. The board voted to do this.

The Clarendon Economic Development Corporation budget was presented and approved. The board also voted to accept the resignation of Jack Hall from the EDC board and to appoint Dr. Myles Shelton in his place.

The municipal judge contract with Jimmy Johnson was discussed. Alderman Tibbets voted to table the contract. Motion failed for lack of a second. The board voted 3-1 to approve the contract (Johnson, Kidd, and Land, Yes. Tibbets, No.)

The TxDOT building was discussed and was tabled.

The tower rental agreement for A-1 Communications was discussed. The board approved offering the company a five-year agreement of $1,680 per year.

The airport was discussed. A notice or letter will be written concerning the airport agreement.

The equipment policy was tabled, and department reports were given.