Archives for August 2005

Figures released Friday by Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn show the local economy continuing to grow with Clarendon, Hedley, and Howardwick all making gains.

“With just weeks remaining in the 2005 fiscal year, sales tax revenue is running 5.9 percent higher than the same point in FY 2004,” Strayhorn said.

The state collected $1.45 billion in sales tax revenue in July, and the comptroller sent local governments $466 million.

The City of Clarendon took in $28,191.03 for its August allocation, up 11.93 percent for the same period one year ago. That pushes the city’s year-to-date total to $179,525.85, an increase to 7.58 percent.

This marked Clarendon’s fifth straight month of increased allocations. The April allocation was up 14.88 percent, May rose 15.71 percent, June saw in increase of 10.7 percent, and July was up 20 percent.

Hedley was up 10.6 percent for a total of $594.15 in August, and Howardwick was up less than one percent for a total of $1,060.48. Both cities are still trailing for the year-to-date.

August sales tax allocations statewide to local governments are up 8.1 percent compared to August 2004.

Calendar year to date, city sales tax revenues are up 7.5 percent compared to 2004. July state sales tax collections are up 14.5 percent compared to July 2004.

July state sales tax revenue and August allocations to local governments represent sales taxes collected in June by businesses that report sales taxes monthly, and sales taxes collected in April, May and June by quarterly filers.

The Comptroller’s next sales tax allocation will be made on Monday, September 12.

Clarendon Aldermen unanimously voted to increase sanitation rates during their regular meeting last Tuesday.

City officials say the trash service is losing money and is facing higher fuel costs. The city has also been out an estimated $12,000 in maintenance costs for one of its trash trucks.

Sanitation rates would increase $1 per month per each active account. If an account has more than one trash bin, the increase would be $1 per trash bin per month. The rate for hauling trash for Greenbelt Water Authority would increase $410 to a total fee of $2,500 per month.

The board also voted 3-1 to increase deposits for water service. The city currently requires a $50 deposit on a new account, and aldermen approved raising that to $125, noting that most past due accounts that get closed are over $100. Alderman Tommy Hill opposed the measure, saying he felt setting the deposit at $100 would be sufficient.

The aldermen must still vote on the sanitation charges and water deposit fees again. If approved, the new rates would go into effect October 1, 2005.

Water service tap fees were also on the board’s agenda, but aldermen decided to leave those rates unchanged.

In other city business, Judy Burlin addressed the board on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce regarding funds the chamber receives from the Motel Bed Tax.

Twenty-five percent of the money raised by that tax is directed to the chamber.

Burlin outlined upcoming chamber activities and said her board is reviewing the guidelines for spending Motel Bed Tax funds.

The chamber has set up a separate account so that tax funds are not co-mingled with other chamber funds, and Burlin said she would give a quarterly report to the city to keep aldermen up to date on how the money is being used. Alderman Michael Tibbets also encouraged the chamber to conduct surveys during events sponsored with Motel Bed Tax funds.

The board discussed closing the Burton Memorial Library on Saturdays. Librarian Jerri Shields suggested the measure as a way to cut utility expenses and noted that traffic was not very high on Saturday. The board voted in favor of the measure, which will take effect September 1.

The city’s ad valorem tax rate was discussed. No action was taken as the board is waiting to find out what the city’s insurance rates will be.

The board approved an engagement letter from Doshier, Pickens, & Francis to conduct the 2004-2005 audit.

Aldermen discussed the city’s random drug testing policy and voted to test five employees at random every quarter. The policy previously called for testing three employees per quarter.

The topic of paying the salary of city employees while they attend training for the volunteer fire department was discussed.

Aldermen Hill and Janice Knorpp opposed this policy saying that this was something that should be done on the employee’s own time and money, but Aldermen Tibbets and Bobbie Kidd were unwilling to change the policy. Alderman Mark White was absent.

Hill and Knorpp voted to stop the policy. Tibbets and Kidd voted no, and Mayor Tex Selvidge would not break the tie, saying he wanted more information.

Clarendon CISD will be holding registration for elementary, junior high, and high school students in the cafeteria from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. on August 15 and 16, 2005. 

Students will receive classroom assignments and schedules at this time.  The student’s parent must be present in order to complete the registration process. 

It is extremely important that all parents complete the federal lunch form.  For those that qualify, students may receive free or reduced priced lunches.  We need all parents to complete the form regardless of qualification.  This program helps determine funding for the district. 

New students to the district are asked to come to the school offices between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on August 17 and 18, 2005.  Please bring records from the student’s previous school, a copy of the student’s birth certificate and social security card, and a copy of the student’s immunization records.

Abused and neglected children in Donley County will soon have new advocates in the court system now that CASA of the High Plains has expanded its coverage to this county.

CASA, which stands for Court Appointed Special Advocate, is a system by which a volunteer is appointed by a judge to provide factual information to the court on behalf of a child. CASA volunteers come from all walks of life and only handle one case at a time.

“We have been very interested in serving Donley County because it is a good fit for our area,” said Janet Watts, Executive Director for CASA of the High Plains.

Watts said her office is looking for six to eight local people to serve on an advisory committee and help recruit volunteers. Training will begin in September.

CASA represents children placed in the foster care system, most of whom have been removed from their homes because of their parents’ addiction to illegal drugs, typically methamphetamines. Watts said the cases are simply situations where the parents care more about themselves than about their own children.

Once in the foster system, children can be placed in several different homes and be served by several different caseworkers from Child Protective Services (CPS).

“The great thing about CASA is that those kids have the same representative from the time they enter the system to the time they reach a permanent home,” Watts said. “CASA is their only consistent face.”

Ann Huey is a CASA volunteer and advisory committee member in Clarendon and has worked as a foster parent and with the CASA system for over 20 years. She has been instrumental in bringing CASA to the kids of Donley County.

“I just saw what CASA did for my kids, and I want to be a part of getting that started here,” Huey said.

CASA is a non-profit organization that is separate from the state-run CPS. Cases are handled by a Cluster Court, which only deals with CPS cases. The court operates with the permission of District Judge David McCoy and is overseen by Judge Phil Vanderpool of Pampa.

The Cluster Court is the only one of its kind in the state and covers CPS cases in 23 counties in the Texas Panhandle. A special prosecutor serves the court with the permission of District Attorney Stuart Messer.

CASA of the High Plains was established in Gray County 1994 and now serves seven other counties including Donley, Hansford, Ochiltree, Lipscomb, Hemphill, Roberts, and Wheeler.

There are currently 122 kids in cases overseen by CASA of the High Plains, including 12 kids in six cases in Donley County.

“As soon as volunteers can be trained, Judge Vanderpool will start appointing volunteers to cases here,” Watts said.

Most volunteers average 10 hours per month on a case, and most work full time at other jobs. Watts said volunteers can work on their own schedules but they do have to attend court hearings.

For more information or to volunteer, call the CASA office in Pampa at 669-7638 or call Ann Huey at 570-9268. Donations to CASA of the High Plains can be sent to PO Box 604, Pampa, TX 79065.

Less than 15 percent of the school districts in Texas can call themselves “exemplary” or “recognized,” and Clarendon and Hedley school districts are part of this exclusive club.

The Texas Education Agency announced on August 1 that Clarendon and Hedley were both rated as “recognized” school districts, despite a more rigorous standard this year.

Clarendon campuses were also rated individually with Clarendon High School and Elementary being named “recognized” for the second year and Clarendon Junior High falling from “recognized” to “academically acceptable.”

Clarendon ISD Superintendent Monty Hysinger said it’s difficult to achieve a “recognized” rating, and he is excited about the results.

“The fact that less than 20 percent of the state reached this level says something,” he said. “We’re not where we want to be yet, but we’re getting there. We do have some areas where we need to improve, math especially.”

Hysinger said the reason for the junior high results was due to Texas Assessment of Knowledge & Skills  (TAKS) math scores.

“There was something statewide not quite right in math,” Superintendent Hysinger said. “We have a dedicated staff, and they want the kids to get better.

“We may not be there yet, but it’s not because we’re not trying. Our staff is so dedicated. If we’re low in an area, they’re the first to say what can I do to get better.”

Hedley ISD Superintendent Bryan Hill was also pleased with his school’s ratings.

“We’re pretty happy about it,” he said. “Being ‘exemplary’ isn’t impossible, but the state is making it seem that way, and we’re really excited to be ‘recognized.’”

The ratings are partly based on TAKS results.

Clarendon results are as follows: Third grade – reading 100 percent, math 89 percent; Fourth grade – writing 92 percent, reading 82 percent, math 74 percent; Fifth grade – reading 96 percent, math 91 percent, science 90 percent; Sixth grade – reading 92 percent, math 80 percent; Seventh grade – writing 83 percent, reading 83 percent, math 64 percent; Eighth grade – reading 97 percent, math 56 percent, social studies 84 percent; Ninth grade – reading 88, math 61 percent; Tenth grade – English/Language Arts 85 percent, Social studies 97 percent, math 71 percent, science 67 percent; and Eleventh grade – English/Language Arts 100 percent, social studies 100 percent, math 87 percent, science 97 percent.

Campus results for Hedley are as follows: Reading, 93 percent; Writing, 100 percent; Social Studies, 88 percent; Math, 82 percent; and Science, 76 percent.

DALLAS – “Have you ever driven down the road and seen someone mowing the lawn wearing a mask? This is an example of the relationship between allergies and mold spores in lawns.” Dr. Phil Colbaugh, research plant pathologist at the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station in Dallas, cites a common image seen in Texas throughout the warm weather months.

Colbaugh is studying the relationship between landscaping choices and practices, seasonal weather and potential exposure to allergenic mold spores. While his research will eventually include flowering plants, woody ornamentals, trees and herbs, Colbaugh is currently focusing on turfgrasses. His research results are being prepared for peer review, but have not yet been published.

The research began with a goal of determining whether different turfgrasses support different levels of allergenic mold spores. Emily Williams, research associate in plant pathology, said the initial study involved clippings from residential lawns in Richardson and Plano.

High school students participating in Colbaugh’s annual Summer Environmental Research Internship program spent eight weeks collecting turfgrass clippings from St. Augustine and Bermuda grass lawns in these two North Texas communities. Then they counted allergenic mold spores washed from the plant materials.

Sunny Bermuda grass locations had the highest mold spore counts, Williams said, and both sunny and shady Bermuda grass samples contained more spores than did the St. Augustine samples. The results also showed a large difference in lawns with full sun versus lawns with full shade. Both the sunny Bermuda grass lawns and the sunny St. Augustine lawns had three times more allergenic mold spores than shady lawns.

“Texas is a really bad area for asthma and allergy sufferers,” Colbaugh said. “The potential for exposure to allergens is high, and the exposure to mold spores is just one component in a complicated picture.”

Should grass clippings be left on a lawn or removed after mowing? The scientists advise leaving them.

“They are a great source of nutrients, including nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, reducing the need for additional chemical fertilization,” Williams said. “They contribute organic matter to the soil over time. Bagging these materials for curbside garbage collection is costly, and it takes up limited landfill space. And there are ways to reduce the potential for spore numbers on established lawns.”

In recent related research, Colbaugh and Williams have shown that when a mulching blade was used, spore numbers were much lower than when a standard blade was used.

This summer the researchers are measuring the differences among a number of turfgrass types under test plot conditions. Those grasses include St. Augustine, Zoysia and Reveille Hybrid Bluegrass.

Texas shoppers get a break from state and local sales taxes this weekend – August 5, 6, and 7 – during the state’s seventh annual tax holiday.

Lay-away plans can be used again this year to take advantage of the sales tax holiday.

The law exempts most clothing and footwear priced under $100 from sales and use taxes, which could save shoppers about $8 on every $100 they spend.

The tax holiday occurs every year on the first Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of August. Qualifying items are exempt from state sales taxes, but exemption from local sales tax is up to individual cities. This year, since no cities opted out of the holiday, qualifying items will be fully exempt from tax throughout Texas.

Most clothing and footwear priced at less than $100 will be exempt from sales tax. Customers will receive the break on individual items, regardless of the total amount they buy. For example, sales tax is not due if a customer buys six shirts each priced at $99.99. But full tax is due on a shirt sold for $100; the first $99.99 cannot be exempted.

Clothing and footwear used primarily for athletic activities or for protective wear are not eligible for the exemption. Customers buying golf cleats or football pads, for instance, must pay sales tax. Athletic wear that is also used for participation in other non-athletic activities can qualify for tax exemption. For example, tennis shoes, baseball caps, and jogging suits are worn during everyday activities and thus may be purchased tax-free during the holiday.

Also excluded from the tax holiday are accessories such as jewelry and watches; items that are carried rather than worn, including handbags, briefcases and wallets; clothing rentals, such as formal wear and costumes; and repairs and alterations.

Work began on Clarendon’s 2005 paving project this week after months of anticipation.

B&B Solvent, a division of Jordan Paving, moved equipment into town Monday and began the project, which will curb and pave an estimated 60 city blocks.

Sixth Street is first on the agenda, starting between Cottage and Collinson streets and progressing three blocks at a time, putting down base and pouring curb.

The finished streets will be 30 feet wide inside the curbs and the project will cover the following streets: Third Street from Collinson to McLean, Fourth Street from Collinson to McLean, Sixth Street from Cottage to Koogle, Seventh Street from the western city limit to Koogle, Eighth Street from Leroy to Bugbee Avenue, Leroy Street from Fifth to Eighth, Johns Street from Sixth to approximately one-half block past Eighth, Collinson Street from Clarendon Avenue to Eighth Street, McLean Street from Clarendon Avenue to Eighth, and Bond Street from Sixth to Eighth.

The $974,485 project is anticipated to be finished by November.

In other city business, the Board of Aldermen met in regular session July 26 and heard from Linda Hill, activities director at Medical Center Nursing Home. Hill discussed a planned poker run to benefit the residents of MCNH on October 1 of this year.  The board voted to take $1,000 from the Motel Bed Tax fund for the run.

Ruth Robinson addressed the board on behalf of the Saints’ Roost Museum and requested funds to promote the annual Col. Charles Goodnight Chuckwagon Cookoff. The board approved $3,000 for this purpose.

Dee Dee Autry presented a resolution of support for a “Texas Yes!” grant for a proposed travel guide to be produced by Texas Prairie Rivers. The resolution was adopted.

The board discussed the city’s seat on the Greenbelt Water Authority Board and voted to reappoint Charles Deyhle, Sr., to that post.

Aldermen discussed delinquent taxes owed to the city and the possibility of advertising in the newspaper the names and amounts due of people owing taxes. No action was taken pending more information.

City Administrator Sean Pate presented Ordinance No. 271, which amends Ordinance No. 201 and creates the position of City Administrator/Superintendent. The first reading of the ordinance was unanimously approved.

Pate also thanked the board for the opportunity to serve the City of Clarendon. The mayor and aldermen expressed their appreciation for the job he had done over the last two years and wished him well as he moves on to Poteet, Texas. Pate’s final day in Clarendon was last Thursday.