Archives for March 2008

New York Senator Hillary Clinton is leading Illinois Senator Barack Obama in the delegate count following local Democratic precinct caucuses on March 4.

Donley County Democratic Party Chair Jean Taylor said Clinton received nine delegates in the caucuses to Obama’s one delegate.

Those ten delegates will meet in the district courtroom at the Courthouse at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 29, to choose the one elected delegate who will represent Donley County at the state convention later this summer.

The caucuses, which followed the popular primary election, were held in several locations around the county; and the number of delegates were determined by the number of voters who attended the caucus and pledged their support to a particular candidate.

Clinton received one delegate in Precinct 101, two in Precinct 102, three each in Precincts 201 and 303, and two in Precinct 401. Obama’s lone delegate came from Precinct 401.

Taylor said turnout for the Democratic precinct caucuses “was fine” but added, “you still wish for better turnout.” She also said she thinks the caucus systems allows more people to get involved.

Precinct Democrats also approved five resolutions that will be voted on at the county convention. One deals with water, one calls for increased funding for community colleges, one seeks to abolish the Texas caucus system, one deals with children’s health insurance, and two pertain to renewable energy sources.

If approved by the ten delegates at the county convention, the resolutions will be forwarded to the state level where a committee will consider placing them before the state convention for ratification.

Those resolutions approved at the state level move to the national convention where they may be considered for inclusion in the national Democratic platform.

Taylor said the resolutions process is important because it gives people on the local level an opportunity to make a difference.

“Eight years ago a resolution from Wellington went all the way to the national platform,” Taylor said.

Next weekend’s county convention is open to the public, but only the elected delegates from the precincts will choose the county’s representative to the state convention and vote on the proposed resolutions, Taylor said.

The State Democratic Convention will be held in Austin June 6-7.

County Republicans combined their precinct and county conventions on March 4 following the primary election; and while the GOP doesn’t have the caucus system of their Democratic counterparts, they did recommend one resolution to be forwarded to their state convention in Houston this summer.

County GOP Chair Tom Stauder said the resolution calls for Texas to adopt a system that allows popular initiatives and referendums.

The big gains the City of Clarendon made in sales tax revenue last month were wiped out last week when Texas Comptroller Susan Combs reported allocations for February.

Clarendon’s revenue fell 4.81 percent to $19,725.93, which pulled the year-to-date-figure down to a negative 0.21 percent.

City sales tax revenue had gone up 14.82 percent last month after falling nearly 15 percent the month before.

Other local cities also saw their revenue fall during this period.

Hedley was down for the month more than 49 percent to $360.60 and down for the year-to-date 7.67 percent.

Howardwick’s allocation dipped 2.53 percent to $1,147.84, but that city remained ahead for the year, showing growth of more than 31 percent.

Statewide the comptroller announced state sales tax revenue in February totaled $1.79 billion, up 8.8 percent compared to February 2007.

“For the first half of fiscal 2008, state sales tax collections are up 7.1 percent over fiscal 2007,” Combs said.  “Although growth is slower than the two previous fiscal years, increases in state sales tax revenues continue at a steady pace.”

Comptroller Combs sent March sales tax payments of $293.2 million to Texas cities, up 9.2 percent compared to March 2007.  Calendar year-to-date, city sales tax allocations are running 6.8 percent higher than last year.

State sales tax revenue for February and March payments made to local governments today primarily represent sales that occurred in January.

The Comptroller’s next sales tax allocation will be made on Friday, April 11.

The City of Clarendon will keep its municipal court after Judge Jimmy Johnson explained to the Board of Aldermen the need for the office during last Tuesday’s city meeting.

The court had come under scrutiny in recent months after a decline in traffic citations brought the operation of the court to only a break even level.

City Secretary Linda Smith asked Johnson to explain to the board why the city needs his office. Johnson replied that city ordinances would have to be re-written in order to be enforced because a county justice of the peace cannot handle city cases.

Johnson also said that, because of precinct lines, most hot check cases would have to be heard by Judge Ann Kennedy in Hedley. And, he said all revenue from prosecuting tickets in the city and from hot checks would go to the county.

Mayor Mark White asked Johnson what the city did before the creation of the municipal court, and Johnson said it couldn’t do anything.

The board thanked Johnson and took no action, meaning the court remains intact as it is.

In other city business, city engineer Che Shadle addressed the board concerning the Community Development Block Grant, and he advised the city not to order the pressure tank for the current waterworks project until the city has heard from the Office of Rural Community Affairs regarding a grant to replace the west water tower with a new standpipe.

Shadle said if funds are allocated for the standpipe, the city would probably scrap the pressure tank and use funds within the waterworks project grant to prepare the system for the new standpipe. The city will first have to wait for official 2008 CBGD allocation before it can proceed. That grant has already been tentatively approved, but official approval will not be received for a few weeks.

Shadle also said some patchwork remains to be done on the paving project but has been hampered by weather. And also concerning streets, it was noted that the city has set aside $20,000 to pay for seal coating this year with a focus to be put on fixing streets that can be saved.

Prices at the recycling center were discussed, and the board decided to leave it up to the employees there since they are the ones who see the loads brought in. The board will discuss this with sanitation department head Joe Shadle at a future meeting.

Stuart Messer assumed the duties of the 100th Judicial District Judge Tuesday morning after being appointed to that position by Gov. Rick Perry last week.

The governor’s office had been in contact with Messer for several days after former district judge David McCoy announced his resignation last month. Messer said he received word of his appointment Friday and received the official letter Monday. He resigned his position as District Attorney effective at 9 a.m. Tuesday.

“I ask for everyone’s prayers during this process,” Messer said before Justice of the Peace Ann Kennedy administered the oath of office to Messer in the Donley County District Courtroom. The event was attended by a crowd of area officials and well wishers.

Perry has not yet appointed a new district attorney since that office only became officially vacant Tuesday. Until such appointment is made, the county attorneys in the 100th Judicial District will have felony jurisdiction.

Messer said until a new district attorney is in place, he will keep the district judge’s office in Childress. After that appointment is made, he will relocate the judge’s office to the Donley County Courthouse Annex. That decision puts a smile on local officials’ faces.

“We’re very proud to have Stuart Messer as our district judge and extremely proud to have his office in Donley County,” said County Judge Jack Hall.

Messer said he’s ready to hear cases as soon as one is filed in his court. Messer will not be able to hear any cases filed while he was district attorney. Retired judge John Forbis or another visiting judge will hear those cases.

Messer, who lives in Memphis, is a native of Donley County and served as county attorney pro tem for four years before being elected as district attorney eight years ago. He filed to run for district judge this year and faces no opposition in this November’s general election.

The previous district judge, David McCoy, resigned effective March 15 and forfeited his law license in a settlement agreement following his indictment last November on two felony charges – Theft by a Public Servant and Abuse of Official Capacity. McCoy has served as district judge since 1993.