Archives for January 2003

Work on the exterior of the 1890 Courthouse continues at a slow pace as Donley County representatives negotiate chimney heights with the Texas Historical Commission.

Stephen Dodge of Phoenix I Restoration said in a construction conference last Wednesday that rebuilding a chimney on the northwest side of the building is keeping the roof from being completed.

“The roof has to be put on left to right, and we can’t go further until the temporary bracing on the chimneys is removed and this other chimney is finished,” Dodge said.

The northwest chimney was missing prior to the current restoration project, which restored it to a height of 23 feet above the roofline. But the poor condition of the original supporting masonry and unknown original construction conditions caused the chimney to collapse in November, knocking a hole in the roof and sending an 8,000 lb. section crashing into the scaffolding around the courthouse.

A subsequent report from the structural engineer on the project has recommended the chimney and its twin on the northeast corner be lowered from 23 feet to 17 feet to reduce weight load and wind load on the structures. The Texas Historical Commission, however, has not approved the design change.

“The THC believes this to be a restoration project, and we’re going to require the chimneys to be put back like they were,” said THC’s Lyman Labry.

County Judge Jack Hall said the county was not in favor of the chimneys being the original height due to safety concerns. It was a point echoed by project architect Chris Hutson of Volz & Associates.

“We’ve all learned now that masonry deteriorates over time,” Hutson said. “We’re not going to put our professional license at stake here.”

Labry said the THC was not unsympathetic to the county’s position but that his agency believed the engineer should be able to come up with a design that meets the original height and is safe.

Judge Hall said this week the engineer has a new plan to allow the chimneys to be rebuilt to 20 feet. That plan is pending THC approval.

Meanwhile, work is progressing on the interior of the building. Dodge said last week the ceilings are 75 percent done and the carpentry work is 96 percent finished. Staining of woodwork is “substantially completed” with only touch up work remaining.

Replacement tiles for the main corridor are being manufactured now, and painting of the interior walls and ceilings are coming along well.

Dodge also said workers are ready to proceed with bricking the third floor of the tile. Much of the new stonework is also now on site. Some of the stone is manufactured, and real stone quarried in Kansas will be used near the entrance.

County officials are still waiting for pricing information to determine what formerly deleted work to add back to the project. A completion date cannot be set until all change orders have been issued.

Cheryl Johnson, Clarendon Enterprise

Trisha Church, Greg Wootten, Kristin White, and Sade Cobb were the top exhibitors during the annual Donley County Junior Livestock Show last Saturday.

Eighty-two local young people from 4-H clubs and FFA chapters showed 113 animals at the show.

Trisha Church had the Grand Champion Steer, which was purchased by McLean Feedyard. Donley County State Bank bought Greg Wootten’s Grand Champion Lamb. Kristin White exhibited the Grand Champion Goat, which was purchased by Herring National Bank. The Buyer’s Club bought Sade Cobb’s Grand Champion Swine.

As of Tuesday morning, figures showed the sale brought in just under $31,000. That number is expected to increase in the final tally as more donations are received. Last year, the sale raised an estimated $29,900.

In the Beef Division, Travis Hrbacek was named the Junior Showmanship winner while Joe Don Patterson took Senior Showmanship.

Ashley Petty won the Junior Showmanship for the Swine Division, and Senior Showmanship went to Ronna Edwards. Caden Farris won the Pee Wee Showmanship award.

Junior Showmanship in the Lamb Division went to Dalton Askew. Hoss Watts won the Senior Showmanship. Pee Wee Showmanship went to Kati Adams.

In the Goat Division, Jenci White was named the Junior Showmanship winner while Ronna Edwards took the Senior Showmanship.

Complete results of the show are as follows:

Steers: Trisha Church, grand champion; Travis Hrbacek, reserve grand champion; Michael Hall, first place; Paul Goetze, second; Joe Don Patterson, second place; John Patterson, second place; Matthew Glover, third place; Jared Patterson, third; and Lisle Rowland, third place.

Heifers: Sade Cobb, grand champion; Jared Patterson, reserve grand champion; Dalton Askew, first place Brangus; and Paul Goetze, first place Hereford.

Lambs: Lt. Wt: Ty Tubbs, first place; Ashlyn Tubbs, second place; Kelsey Floyd, third place; and Kaysea Green, fourth.

Medium Wt: Greg Wootten, grand champion; Jordan King, reserve grand champion; Hoss Watts, third place; and Kaysea Green, fourth place.

Heavy Wt: Dalton Askew, first; Katie Askew, second place; and Shelby Stepp, third place.

Swine: Cross: Sade Cobb, grand champion; Braden Montgomery, reserve breed champion; Lee Tolbert, first; Dustin Thomas, second; Dustin Knowles, second place; Will Monroe, second place; Jordan King, third; Lindsey Brinson, third place; Braden Montgomery, third place; Calvin Edwards, fourth; and Clint Watson, fifth place.

Spot: Brayden Bennett, reserve grand champion; Wesley Shields, reserve breed champion; Richard Rodriguez, first place; Joe Don Patterson, third; Ashley Petty, third; and Reid Copelin, third place.

Duroc: Eloy Camacho, breed champion; Haley Hall, reserve breed champion; Will Verstuyft, first place; Eric Pitts, second place; Taylor Shelton, third place; Kasi Woodard, third place; Robert Johnson, fourth place; Kelsey Mullins, fourth place; Julie Woodard, fifth place; and Megan Hall, sixth place.

Berk: Skyler Conatser, breed champion; Ronna Edwards, reserve breed champion; Elizabeth Hrbacek, first place; and Roper Copelin, second place.

Gilt: Autumn Dillman, breed champion; Kaylee Shields, second place; Sade Rae Cobb, second; Kelby Shields, third place; Elizabeth Hrbacek, third; Travis Hrbacek, fourth; Brayden Phillips, fourth; Brayden Phillips, fifth; Jasie Sargent, fifth place; Justin Dillman, sixth place; Ruth Ann Howard, sixth place; Kent Chase, seventh place; Marlee Sargent, seventh place; Dustin Thomas, eighth; Dustin Thomas, eighth; Skyler Conatser, ninth; and Jaci Copelin, ninth place.

Hamp: Cole Farris, breed champion; Dustin Thomas, reserve breed champion; Lauren Hill, first place; Bradley Conatser, second place; Kevin Green, second place; Michael Newhouse, second place; Devon Monroe, third place; Brayden Phillips, third place; Joshua Ward, third place; Seth Koetting, fourth place; Lee Tolbert, fourth; and Brittney Bennett, fifth place.

York: Shandy Koetting, breed champion; Ben Shaw, reserve breed champion; Ronna Edwards, second; Jennifer Williams, second place; Calvin Edwards, third place; and Kallie Verstuyft, third place.

Chester: Jenci White, breed champion; Ryan Petty, reserve breed champion; Ashley Petty, second place; Ryan Petty, second; Kristin White, thrid; Candice Hall, third place; Janae White, fourth place; and Brittney Hall, fifth place.

Poland: Travis Hrbacek, Breed Champion; Kelly Linquist, reserve breed champion; Lauryn Kellas, second place; Kelly Linquist, second; and Zack Mayo, third place.

Goat: Kristin White, grand champion; Ronna Edwards, reserve grand champion; Will Wallendorff, second place; Janae White, second; Jenci White, third; and Blake Frye, third place.

Donley County Commissioners voted to give Judge Jack Hall the authority to add certain items back into the Courthouse Restoration Project when the court met in regular session Monday. The items would only be added back if the county has no choice but to do so.

Among the items that were deleted to reduce the cost of the budget were the lightening protection system, a standpipe for fire protection, and a fire-rated door in the first floor corridor. But the county’s grant administrator, John Kiehl with the Panhandle Regional Planning Commission (PRPC), told the court it may become necessary to add those items back into the job.

The county is still waiting for a final determination as to whether City Fire Marshal Duane Garman will allow the removal of the standpipe and fire-rated door, Kiehl said. Officials had hoped to eliminate the $8,000 standpipe and the $1,050 door and instead rely on a nearby fire hydrant in case of a blaze.

“You know you could say, ‘Well, there hasn’t been a fire in the courthouse for 111 years,’ but then just today there was a fire in the Santa Fe Building,” Kiehl said, referring to Potter County’s recently restored office building in Amarillo.

Kiehl also said he thought the Texas Historical Commission (THC) may become adamant that the 1890 building have some form of lightning arrestor system. The system is estimated to cost $12,540, but officials hope to negotiate with the contractor to find a less expensive system to accomplish the same goal.

Kiehl said it was necessary to give the county judge the authority to act quickly in case the fire marshal or the THC decides to require the items.

“We’re getting to a point where the demolition work will be finished and things will be going into the courthouse instead of coming out,” Kiehl said. “These [items] have to be done in a certain order to keep the project moving.”

Phoenix 1 Restoration’s Dwight Smith says the project is on schedule. Scaffolding is expected to be erected soon around the exterior, and parts of the roof will be coming off soon to make way for the third story tower and dormers.

In other county business, commissioners decided to give $2,500 to the Donley County Jr. Livestock Association Building Fund and $500 to Lori Leffew for her secretarial work during last week’s livestock show. The money will come from salaries which were budgeted but not spent in the Extension Office.

Chris Sharp with the PRPC addressed the court regarding a proposed resolution to enact and enforce a floodplain management program as set fort by National Flood Insurance Program Regulations. Sharp said the resolution is necessary as part of a grant the county is seeking following flood damage around the county last spring.

If approved, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) would create floodplain maps of Donley County. It would then be the county’s responsibility to furnish those maps upon request when a developer wishes to build in the county. The court took no action on this item to give commissioners time to read the actual regulations.

A contract with OJD Engineering to repair and rehabilitate the bridges over Troublesome Creek and Mulberry Creek was approved.

The court authorized the Courthouse Annex hallway and Conference Room to be used for the Democratic Primary on March 12, 2002.

Commissioners approved sending the county clerk and her deputy to a training seminar in Amarillo and sending the judge’s secretary to training in Austin.

County officials were declared ineligible to serve on the County Grievance Committee, and a list of names to serve on that committee was drawn from the Grand Jury list. A letter will be sent to those people asking them to serve.

And the court approved the annual audit report as presented by Gordon Maddox.

AUSTIN – Governor Rick Perry has proclaimed January 2003 as School Board Recognition Month. Districts across the state will use this opportunity to show their appreciation and bolster understanding of the crucial role elected boards of education play in their local schools and communities.

“Texas’ public education system is key to the success of its citizens, providing young Texans across this great state with a solid foundation for the future. School boards guide our public education system at the local level. Working without pay, dedicated school board members give of their time and expertise, to ensure that young Texans have the skills needed for lifelong success,” Perry said.

“As we look to the future and the challenges ahead, school board members will continue to play anincreasingly important role to ensure that young Texans are prepared to excel,” he said.

“The Texas Association of School Boards, created in 1949, represents and serves school board members throughout our great state. To raise awareness of the valuable service that school board membersprovide to the schools and children of Texas, TASB conducts an awareness campaign during January. At this time, in support of this outstanding effort, I urge all Texans to recognize the contributions that localschool boards make to our education system. Through their service, they are building the future of Texas,” Perry said.

“Today’s public schools face enormous challenges and great opportunities, making the school board’s role more critical than ever before,” said James B. Crow, TASB executive director.

“Local trustees work with community leaders, families, and educators to develop sound educational policies in their districts.Trustees offer vision and leadership, and work purely for the common good of our schoolchildren,” Crow said.

“We hope every community will acknowledge the contributions of their local school board members, who share their vision and voice as dedicated advocates for Texas youth.”

Parents of students attending Clarendon Public Schools now have a new tool to keep up with their children’s academic performance by viewing grades online.

WinSchool is familiar name to teachers, principals, and school secretaries in the Clarendon CISD.  It is a program that is used daily to post daily student attendance, grades, and vital information that is sent to the state.  Soon it will become familiar to students and parents as well.

A program within WinSchool called K-12 Planet will allow parents and students to explore parts of this information from the comfort of their own computer. 

Clarendon High School will be having an introduction to K-12 Planet from 5:45 until 6:30 on January 23, 2003, immediately before College Night.  Parents will be given a virtual tour of the site and an opportunity to express any questions or concerns.  Parents are asked to meet in the CHS Auditorium where they will be given the logins and passwords for them and their children. 

Those logging onto the K-12 site will be immediately asked to change their login and password so that only they will be able to login to their student’s information.  The library will be open during College Night from 6:30 until 8:00 p.m., and computers will be available for those wishing to test-drive the site.   

Using a name and password, parents can access K-12 Planet through the Internet which would put them into the school’s information which will be held at the K-12 site so that actual access to the school’s network is not possible.  Each day grades, attendance, discipline, and notes from teachers will be posted at the remote site so that the parents and students can see it.

Each student’s site on K-12 is secure, and only the parent using the name and password will have access to their student’s information.  Any computer at home, at work, or even at a nearby public or school library, can be used to access the secure site.

Report cards can be made immediately available to parents on their student’s K-12 Planet site.

The program is being launched district wide.  All three Clarendon campuses are linked to the program.    High school students can use the program to monitor day-by-day how they are doing in each class. 

CISD officials can leave confidential messages for parents on the K-12 Planet Web site to alert parents if their child is having a problem with schoolwork, attendance, or behavior.

Joe Don Patterson and Sade Rae Cobb exhibited the top animals in the Beef Division during the annual Donley County Junior Livestock Show last Saturday at the Clarendon Community Center.

Patterson’s Grand Champion Steer was purchased by the Donley County State Bank, and 3-H Cattle Co. had the winning bid for Cobb’s Grand Champion Heifer.

Other top winners were Dalton Askew and his Grand Champion Lamb, purchased by the Herring National Bank; Ronna Edwards and her Grand Champion Goat, purchased by the Donley County Buyers Club; Justin Dillman’s Grand Champion Gilt, bought by 3-H Cattle Co.; and Sade Rae Cobb’s Grand Champion Barrow, also purchased by 3-H Cattle Co.

Sixty-seven local young people from the Donley County 4-H Club and local FFA chapters showed 109 animals. Last year, 82 exhibitors showed 113 animals at show.

As of Tuesday morning, figures showed the sale brought in $34,000. That number may increase in the final tally as more donations are received. Last year, the sale raised an estimated $31,000.

In the Beef Division, Joe Don Patterson received the Senior Showmanship award, and the Junior Showmanship award went to Sade Ray Cobb.

Ronna Edwards took home the Senior Showmanship honors in both the Swine Division and the Lamb Division. Dalton Askew got the Junior Showmanship for Lambs, and Ashley Petty received the Junior Showmanship for Swine.

The Senior Showmanship in Goats went to Katie Askew, and the Junior Showmanship went to Elizabeth Hrbacek.

Complete results are as follows:

Steers: Joe Don Patterson, grand champion; Paul Goetze, reserve champion; Sade Rae Cobb, first and second (class 401); John Patterson, second (class 402); and Charlie Watts, second (class 403).

Heifers: Sade Rae Cobb, grand champion; and Paul Goetze, reserve champion.

Lambs: Dalton Askew, grand champion; Ronna Edwards, reserve champion; Katie Askew, first (class 102); Nathan Gribble, first (class 101); Ashlyn Tubbs, second (class 102); Ty Tubbs, second (class 101); Kaysea Green, third (class 103); and Ty Tubbs, third (class 102).

Goats: Ronna Edwards, grand champion; Katie Askew, reserve champion; Elizabeth Hrbacek, first (class 203); Dalton Askew, second (class 201); Megan Hall, second (class 202); Ruth Ann Howard, second (class 203); Clint Watson, third (class 201); Jenci White, third (class 202); Haley Hall, third (class) 203); Kristen White, fourth (class 202); and Janae White, fourth (class 203).

Swine:  Hamp – Class 608 – Sade Rae Cobb, grand champion barrow; Autumn Dillman, second; Dustin Thomas, third; and Marlee Sargent, fourth.  Class 606 – B.J. Like, breed champion; Brittney Bennett, second; Calvin Edwards, third; and Lee Tolbert, fourth.  Class 605 – Christine Holden, first; Skyler Conatser, second; Kallie Verstuyft, third; and Shandy Koetting, fourth.  Class 607 – Ronna Edwards, first; Deston Chambless, second; Will Monroe, third; and Treva Rowland, fourth.

Gilt – Class 502 – Justin Dillman, grand champion gilt; Brandi Martindale, second; Jaci Copelin, third; and Sade Rae Cobb, fourth.  Class 503 – Autumn Dillman, reserve champion gilt; Brayden Phillips, second; and Kirsten Tolbert, third.  Class 501 – Calvin Edwards, first; Kelsey Mullins, second; Julie Woodard, third; Sabra Patton, fourth; and Reid Copelin, fifth.

York – Class 613 – Cole Farris, reserve champion barrow; Ben Shaw, second; and Justin Dillman, third.  Class 612 – Brandi Martindale, reserve breed; Seth Koetting, second; and Bradley Conatser, third. 

Berk – Class 601 – Skyler Conatser, breed champion.

Duroc – Class 604 – Roper Copelin, breed champion; J.C. Blackburn, reserve breed; Brittney Hall, third.

Cross – Class 617 – Ronna Edwards, breed champion; Ruth Ann Howard, second; and Dustin Thomas, third.  Class 615 – Lisle Rowland, reserve breed; Braden Montgomery, second; and Richard Rodriguez, third.  Class 614 – Lee Stegall, first; Wesley Shields, second; Ryan Petty, third; and Jasie Sargent, fourth.  Class 616 – Calvin Edwards, first; Thaddeus Hall, second; and Haley Chambless, third.

Chester – Class 602 – Michael Newhouse, breed champion; J.C. Blackburn, second; and Brayden Bennett, third.  Class 603 – Ryan Petty, reserve breed; and Ashley Petty, second.

Poland – Class 610 – Ashley Petty, breed champion; Travis Hrbacek, second; and Brayden Phillips, third.  Class 609 – Will Verstuyft, reserve breed; and Brady Montgomery, second.

Spot – Class 611 – Lee Stegall, breed champion; and Lee Tolbert, reserve breed.

Two years after it began, Donley County’s constable saga has come to a close.

“It is officially over now,” County Attorney Pro Tem Kaye Messer said.

Former constable Jimmy Swinney had until January 3, 2003, to appeal his last legal setback and did not do so.

In October, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Amarillo let stand a January ruling by District Judge David McCoy and returned the case to the lower court.

“Judge McCoy dismissed every count and all counts against all defendants on December 3,” Messer said. “[Swinney] had 30 days to appeal, which has now expired.”

Previously, Judge McCoy had found that the commissioners’ court had not abused their discretion in setting Swinney’s salary.

Messer said the county incurred no cost in mounting its defense. While her contract only calls for her to prosecute the Donley County’s criminal cases, she chose not to charge anything for her services in this case. Also, the appellate court ordered Swinney to pay any court costs, she said.

Swinney won a write-in campaign in November 2000 to fill the position of constable in Donley County’s Precincts 1&2, which had been vacant for more than three decades. He took office in January 2000 and six months later sued the county and the members of the commissioners’ court alleging, among other things, that his $3,170 annual salary was unreasonable. He later resigned from office after he failed to become a certified Texas peace officer.

County Judge Jack Hall said he was happy with the way Messer had served the county.

“I give all the credit to Kaye Messer for representing the commissioners’ court and me in this lawsuit,” Hall said. “We are well pleased that it has ended.”

Messer said the future of the Precinct 1&2 Constable’s office has not been determined.

Because Swinney never officially qualified for office and because his appointed replacement – Gerald Mullanax – also resigned without qualifying, the office is eligible to be declared dormant under a new constitutional amendment approved by Texas voters in November.

“We have not discussed that issue yet,” Hall said, “but I’m sure we will.”

The Donley County Sheriff’s Department wrapped up the old year and started the new one with several significant arrests recently.

According to Sheriff Butch Blackburn, officers exercised a search warrant on the Clarendon home of Shannon Thomas on January 2 at 4:45 a.m. and arrested him. Thomas was charged with two counts of possession of methamphetamines, sexual assault, sexual performance by a child, and possession and/or promotion of child pornography.

Thomas was arraigned by County Judge Jack Hall on January 2 and was released January 4 on $90,000 bond.

Also arrested was Tommy Thompson, who was charged with possession of marijuana.

As a result of the search at Thomas’ house, Blackburn said more than 100 items were logged into evidence, including several items that had been stolen in Donley County over the last six months.

Among the items found by officers were a printer and computer scanner taken from the Saints’ Roost Museum, a 1999 Polaris 4-wheeler, and a Sea-Doo personal watercraft.

“This was part of an ongoing investigation over the last three months,” said Blackburn. “We’ve cleared up four church burglaries, the museum burglary, and the burglary of eight vehicles.”

The sheriff said his department arrested Stephen Randall and Billy Aaron Curry on November 27, 2002, in connection with the museum break-in and burglaries at the Assembly of God, Methodist, Nazarene, and Presbyterian churches. Mac Dunham was arrested on November 20, 2001, on charges related to the vehicle burglaries.

All three men are now out on bond, and Sheriff Blackburn said Monday that Dunham is now wanted on other charges as well.

The sheriff says he expects several indictments to result from these and other cases and says the arrests should help deter burglaries in Clarendon for a while.

“We had a lot of luck at the end of 2001, and I want to commend the officers for their hard work,” he said. “This also could not have been done without a good working relationship with District Attorney Stuart Messer and County Attorney [pro tem] Kaye Messer and being able to call them at 3 a.m. for warrants.

Officers participating in the arrests were Sheriff Blackburn, Deputies Randy Bond, Bruce Burrell, Joe Stewart, Reserve Deputy Mike Spier, and Texas Ranger Gary Henderson.