Archives for September 2006

AUSTIN – On the 5th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, Gov. Rick Perry awarded the 2006 Star of Texas Award to 49 first responders Monday for heroic sacrifice in the line of duty – including three firemen from Howardwick.

Jeff Cook, Joey Garcia, and the late James McMorries were all honored in the State Capitol for injuries they suffered when their fire truck overturned during the March 12 wildfire in Gray County.

“September 11th instilled in us all a renewed sense of appreciation for all the men and women who are first upon the scene of tragedy,” Perry said. “Today we pay special honor to the 49 men and women who have earned the 2006 Star of Texas Award for heroic sacrifice in the line of duty.”

The Star of Texas Award was created by the Texas Legislature in 2003 to honor Texas’ first responders. Awards are issued annually for each peace officer, firefighter, and emergency medical first responder who is seriously injured or killed in the line of duty.

“On behalf of 23 million Texans, I offer the salute of a people forever in your debt,” Perry said. “As thousands of Texans who have had their prayers answered in their hour of need can testify, every peace officer, every fire fighter and every emergency medical team member has earned our respect and admiration.

“We will never forget the bravery of the Americans who are willing to lay down their lives to save lives,” Perry said. “Today, we give thanks for the invaluable service our first responders provide; and we will celebrate the freedom, health, and security they help provide everyday we are blessed to breathe the air of freedom.”

He noted that September 11 was the appropriate day to honor seriously injured and fallen first responders.

“On that darkest of days as we saw the most dreadful side of humanity, we found a light of hope in the heroic actions of America’s first responders. The images of hundreds of men and women wading upstream through a river of fleeing victims to save those who could not save themselves are forever burned in our nation’s conscience.”

Other Panhandle recipients of the Star of Texas included: Department of Public Safety Trooper Matthew Dewayne Myrick of Hereford, who on January 20 was killed in a traffic accident while responding to an injury accident; Amarillo Police Dept. Patrolman Mark Steven Simmons, Jr., who sustained life-threatening injuries to his head on March 24, 2005, when he and his partner positioned their police unit to intercept a suspect vehicle that was involved in a pursuit when their unit was struck by a large pick-up truck; and Captain Gary Lynn Winton of the Pampa Fire Department, who on April 6, 2006, was on the front of a fire truck fighting a grass fire when the truck made a sudden jolt, throwing Winton off the truck and causing serious injuries to his shoulder.

A new activity building is being planned by the Donley County Junior Livestock Association, but the facility’s uses would go far beyond the annual stock show, backers say.

The association, which has become fully incorporated as a non-profit organization, has acquired four acres of the old Thunder Junction site north of Clarendon, and President Larry Gray says his group wants to put up a new Donley County Activity Center on the vacant land.

 “The bottom line is that it will be for the whole county, and it’s not just for stock shows,” Gray said. “It will be for any organization – public or private, and the stock show is just one of many activities that will be held there.

“We also need to stress that it will be for the whole county and not just one community.”

The county stock show is currently held in the Clarendon Community Center, which is maintained by the Clarendon Outdoor Entertainment Association; but Gray says the livestock association has simply outgrown that facility.

Gray and County Agent Leonard Haynes say they and the livestock association’s board envision an approximately 16,000 square foot building with a large room for the show and large gatherings, a kitchen and concession area and small meeting room covering 800 square feet, and offices for the Donley County Cooperative Extension.

The building would also have two 3,000 square foot areas adjacent to the main room for housing show animals out of the elements.

Gray said the Friends of the Donley County Junior Livestock Association has been raising money for several years to help with this project and recently purchased the land for $10,000. He said the county has also been putting money toward the project for the last couple of years, and now $20,000 is on hand to go toward construction. The final cost is expected to be in the neighborhood of $250,000 to $300,000.

“We’re soliciting funds and writing grants at this time,” Gray said.

 When completed, the activity building, which will be owned by the livestock association, will be available to rent for family reunions, business meetings, organization meetings, church groups, and other functions. The county will also pay rent to the association for the extension agents’ office space.

“We’ve got the ball rolling, but we really need others to step up and help us,” Haynes said. “The Clarendon Chamber of Commerce has really been helpful and is organizing fundraisers.”

Haynes said letters of support are needed to bolster grant applications, and any donations to the project are fully tax deductible.

For more information or to make a donation, contact Gray at 874-2095 or Haynes at 874-2141.

The Donley County Appraisal District Board approved the district’s 2007 budget Monday night after fielding questions from members of the Concerned Citizens of Donley County.

The $202,605 budget includes three percent raises for the district’s three employees, which board members said is an effort to keep up with the increa sing cost of living.

Claude DeBord asked what services were included in the “Contract Services” line item of $39,295. Those items include real estate appraising of $31,870; utility, railroad, and mineral appraising of $5,000; computer mapping costing $2,125; and $300 for the expenses of the appraisal review board.

Billie Shaffer wanted to know more about the bond costing $275. Chief Appraiser Paula Lowrie said the bond policy covers the employees’ positions and not any one person. The bond is purchased by the district, and the local taxing entities are the beneficiaries.

DeBord inquired as to what percentage of taxes collected for the taxing entities is from personal property taxes. Board Chairman Dan Hall said that isn’t broken down in the budget but that district personnel could calculate that.

Later under the open comments section of the board’s agenda, Jim Philly asked about Article 11, Section 4, of the Texas Constitution, which limits the taxes that can be collected by municipalities with populations under 5,000 to one and one-half percent of taxable property. District officials were unaware of the specific article but agreed to look at it.

Lowrie said Tuesday morning the article refers to the taxable property value, which in Clarendon is calculated to be $51,929,865. The city cannot receive more than one and one-half percent of that amount, which would be $778,947.98 and require an ad valorem rate of $1.50.

The City of Clarendon’s proposed tax rate for the coming year is $0.49555, which would generate tax revenues of $257,338 if 100 percent of the tax is collected.

Philly also asked how the district determines appraised market values, and Lowrie said this is done by looking at sales of comparable local properties.

In other district business, the board adopted a resolution outlining the appraisal plan for 2007-2008.

Lowrie reported that the district has collected 96 percent of 2005 taxes and 97 percent of 2004.

She also reported that, largely due to mandated reductions in school tax rates, the combined tax rated of all taxing entities for Clarendon residents will drop from $2.77 per $100 valuation to $2.65. Hedley residents’ combined rate has gone from $2.60 to $2.50, and Howardwick residents’ combined rate has fallen from $2.53 to $2.40.

Lowrie updated the board on ballot initiatives this November calling for tax freezes for the elderly and disabled in the county, the City of Clarendon, and the Clarendon College District. She said the freeze would apply to 2007 tax statements, which are issued next fall.

The Donley County Commissioners’ Court fielded questions about their 2006-2007 proposed budget during a public hearing Tuesday morning.

County Judge Jack Hall opened the meeting, and commissioners approved a motion equalizing the salaries for the secretaries in both Justice of the Peace courts at $8,308.11 each.

In comments from the public, Billie Shaffer inquired about the amount of fines the Department of Public Safety contributes to the county.

“We don’t have that broken down that way,” Hall replied, “but I can tell you that about 39 percent of county income is from property taxes and about 61 percent is from fines, fees, and services.”

Shaffer next asked about the amount the county spends to support the local DPS office, which is budgeted for $29,679.40, and why the state did not pick up the tab for that. Hall said that was the agreement the county made in order to have the regional DPS office located in Clarendon.

Claude DeBord asked regarding the property tax collected by the county how much of it was from the tax on personal property. Hall said it amounted to about $90,000.

DeBord also asked how much the county budgeted to run the appraisal district. County officials said that they pay a portion of the expenses of the appraisal district and that amount is determined by what taxes they collect. This year the county has budgeted $45,000 for this purpose.

Enterprise publisher Roger Estlack inquired why the sheriff’s department’s employment taxes were budgeted lower than last year when the budget for salaries went up. After some figuring, officials realized they had not calculated the employment taxes for budgeted overtime wages.

The difference amounted to $2,296.38, and moved the overall proposed budget from a $97.66 surplus to a $2,198.72 deficit. Officials said after the meeting they would look over the budget and try to figure how to make up the shortfall.

Jacquetta Owens recalled that the appraisal district offices used to be in the Courthouse Annex and asked if that wasn’t cheaper than having them in their own office building. Hall said the appraisal district now pays rent to the county for that facility.

Owens also asked about having the chief appraiser doing the property appraisals instead of hiring an out of county firm to do this. Hall said that was not an issue for the commissioners’ court and would have to be addressed by the appraisal board.

The commissioners’ court will hold another public hearing on the proposed budget this Friday, September 8, at 9 a.m. in the Courthouse. Approval of the budget will come at a called meeting on September 15.

Several Clarendon High School students were surprised last week when local sheriff’s deputies began issuing warnings for unlicensed drivers.

Donley County Sheriff Butch Blackburn said the crack down came after his office received several complaints from citizens about students parking illegally and blocking driveways.

Unlicensed CHS students cannot park on school grounds and so have been parking on side roads near the campus. Blackburn said that this has gone on for years but the number of complaints has never been so high.

“Some of the complaints have come from people near the school,” he said, “and some feel like if their kid has to wait to drive, everyone else’s kid should also.”

Students can obtain a driver’s license at age 16, and some students may qualify for a hardship license at age 15, Blackburn said.

“We will try to extend the courtesy of issuing warnings; but after a warning, we will issue citations,” the sheriff said.

Blackburn also said his office will issue no warnings for lack of liability insurance. Those violations will be ticketed.