Archives for May 2009

AUSTIN – Sales tax revenues fell for three Donley County cities when Texas Comptroller Susan Combs released May sales tax allocations last Friday.

The City of Clarendon’s rebate dropped 5.42 percent to $30,531.12 compared to the same period one year ago. Clarendon is, however, still ahead for the year-to-date but just barely. Total sales tax revenue for this calendar year is $125,773.64, up 0.52 percent from the same time last year.

Hedley’s May allocation was down 17.02 percent to $865.90, and that city is down 16.41 percent to $2,854.03 for the year.

Howardwick is also down 2.53 percent with an allocation of $1,160.44 and is 9.25 percent off for the year at $5,124.69.

Combs announced the state collected $1.65 billion in sales tax revenue in April, down 3.1 percent compared to April 2008.

“State sales tax revenue declined in April as most major sectors of the economy continue to struggle,” Combs said.  “Although year-to-date revenue is up 1.3 percent for fiscal 2009, decreases in monthly collections are expected to continue this year.”

Comptroller Combs sent May sales tax allocations of $367.1 million to Texas cities, down 2.8 percent compared to May 2008.  Calendar year-to-date, city sales tax allocations are down 0.03 percent compared to the same period last year.

May’s sales tax allocations to local governments represent March sales that were reported to the Comptroller in April by monthly tax filers and January, February, and March sales reported to the Comptroller in April by quarterly tax filers.

Representatives of a firm that plans to build, own, and operate electric transmission lines in the Panhandle addressed the Donley County Commissioners’ Court Monday afternoon about possible lines coming through the county.

B. Cameron Fredkin of Cross Texas Transmission told commissioners at their regular meeting that his firm was selected by the Public Utilities Commission to build some of the lines that will connect the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) electric grid with the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) grid to bring power from future Panhandle wind farms to the rest of the state.

The boundary between those grids comes through Donley County, Fredkin said, and one of the proposed transmission lines coming from the south could pass through part of the county en route to a new substation in Gray County.

Fredkin presented a map with straight lines representing new transmission lines connecting specific interconnect points.

One of those lines, representing a 345 kilovolt double circuit line, crosses the northeastern corner of the county, but Fredkin said the actual route of that transmission line could wander further in to or out of the county.

Future public meetings will be held later this summer with specific meetings for landowners possibly this fall, Fredkin said. Final approval of a route will only come after consultations with landowners and state agencies. Construction is not expected to begin until 2012 or 2013.

County Judge Jack Hall said the court would be happy to assist anything that will bring business into Donley County.

In other county business on Monday, commissioners allowed the 90-day burn ban to expire; approved Memorial Day and July Fourth activities on the Courthouse Square; renewed retirement system plan provisions for 2010; awarded a new four-year depository contract to Herring Bank; continued the county’s participation in the statewide victim notification system; and accepted a letter from MaryRuth Bishop, who resigned from the child welfare board.

Clarendon voters handed Mayor Chris Ford a victory Saturday, defeating Alderman Tommy Hill’s bid to be the city’s chief executive by a margin of 23 votes.

Ford, who was appointed as mayor in December, beat the four-term alderman, 183-160.

Hill will remain on the city board since his term as alderman did not expire this year.

Joining the board as a new alderman is Larry Hicks, who got 202 votes. Alderman Ann Huey retains her seat on the board after getting the second most votes, 149.

The city election was very close as Alderman Terry Noble lost his re-election bid by getting two votes fewer than Huey, 147; and Jeff King came in fourth with 145 votes.

A total of 345 people voted in Saturday’s city election, the highest turnout since 2003 when 376 people voted in a city bond election.

The Donley County Hospital District also had a close race as Billy Ray Johnston defeated Jeannie Owens, 189-182, for the Place One seat on that board, and Bright “Bubba” Newhouse III won the Place Two seat, 191-175, by beating Tammy Owen. Melinda McAnear, the only incumbent on the ballot, received 342 votes for her Place Three position.

Voters in the Hedley Independent School District elected two new members to that board with Lana Wallendorff Ritchie and Shelby Shipp each getting 111 votes. Also on the ballot were Gwynne Howard, 72; Carole Ward, 69; and Travis Thomas, 7.

Howardwick’s Del Essary was unopposed for mayor and got 65 votes. Alderman Gene Rogers was the top vote getter in his reelection bid with 47 votes, and Norm Haygood secured the other open seat on the board with 46 votes. Louise Popplewell came in third with 36 votes.

One of the largest private employers in Clarendon closed its doors Thursday morning.

A corporate official confirmed that Stanley Auto Enterprises had permanently shut down its General Motors dealership, which was known for decades as Chamberlain Motor Company.

“The rumors are true,” Becky Enderbrock told the Enterprise. “We have shut down here due to the tough economic conditions.”

The dozen or more employees by Stanley’s are now out of work.

“They can apply at any of our other dealerships,” Endebrock said.

The Stanley group operates more than two dozen other auto dealerships, including a Ford dealership in Childress, but Endebrock said the Clarendon store is the only one she knows of that is closing.

“It was a very tough decision and not easy to make because it would effect a lot of lives,” she said.

The local dealership was established by Fred E. Chamberlain, Jr., in 1956. The Chamberlain family sold the business in 2002, and it came under the Stanley name in 2006.

The Enterprise will have more information next week about the impact of this closure to the local community.

A local man is on probation following the acceptance of a plea agreement before the 100th Judicial District Court last week in Panhandle.

Quentin West pled guilty to a state jail felony and was placed on probation for a period of three years for the felony offense of theft, over $1,500.  West pleaded guilty to a complaint and information filed by the State for the state jail felony offense of theft.

Pursuant to the plea agreement, West is required to pay a $1,000 fine to Donley County, as well as restitution in the amount of $6,332.41.

If West violates probation, he could face up to two years in the State Jail Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

Community colleges across Texas received good news last Friday when the state House of Representatives gave unanimous approval to a bill by Rep. Burt Solomons.

House Bill 2083 seeks to resolve the issue of “proportionality” for community colleges, a technical issue raised by Gov. Rick Perry two years ago when he vetoed state funding for community college health insurance costs. HB 2083 would preserve that funding and link future increases to increases in enrollment.

Clarendon College President Bill Auvenshine said the bill is good for all community colleges because it’s a better guarantee for the future than a competing bill in the state senate, which would not guarantee health insurance funding but would give a special appropriation for rural colleges.

“We would rather have our insurance than have a special appropriation that might not be around in a few years,” Auvenshine said.

HB 2083 passed the House 142-0 and now goes to the Senate for approval, where Auvenshine thinks it has a good chance at passage with the governor’s help.

“Community colleges are thankful for the leadership of Gov. Perry and Rep. Solomons on this critical issue,” said Dr. Millicent Valek, Chair of the Texas Association of Community Colleges and President of Brazosport College.

“We are pleased that this compromise agreement will take effect in both the Appropriations bill (SB 1) and also in HB 2083 so that colleges and future Legislatures will have a statutory reference for addressing the issue of community college health insurance benefits.”

Dr. Richard Rhodes, Chair-Elect of TACC and President of El Paso Community College added, “Achieving a lasting solution to this issue was the top priority of the membership of our association for the 81st Legislature.

“We are pleased that we could work with Governor Perry and Representative Solomons to achieve this solution. Community colleges are committed to working with the governor and Legislature to finalize this agreement and to make Texas a better place.”

Auvenshine said the funding picture looks pretty good for Clarendon College right now as the Legislature continues to meet this month.

“In the worst case scenario, we won’t get any less than we did last time,” Auvenshine said. “The only difference is that this time we will have earned all our money. We’ve always gotten the base funding, but now with increased enrollment we’ve earned our appropriation.”

Under the current budget, Clarendon receives $2.1 million per year from the state, and there is a chance CC’s financial picture could improve.
“The best case would be if some of Sen. Duncan’s bill survived in some form and brought in a rural college supplement,” Auvenshine said. “That could give Clarendon College an additional $500,000.”

Voters will go to the polls this Saturday to determine several races in four local elections.

In the only county-wide election, voters will choose three members of the Donley County Hospital Board. Billy Ray Johnston and Jeannie Owens are running for Place One, Tammy Owen and Bright Newhouse III are running for Place 2, and incumbent Melinda McAnear is the sole candidate for Place 3. Voting for the hospital board will be in the Donley County Courthouse Annex.

Voters in the City of Clarendon will choose between incumbent Chris Ford and Alderman Tommy Hill for the mayor’s position, and incumbents Terry Noble and Ann Huey are being challenged by Larry Hicks and Jeff King for two positions on the Board of Aldermen. Voting for this election will also be at the Donley County Courthouse Annex.

The Hedley Consolidated Independent School District has five people running for two positions on the board of trustees, and none of them are incumbents. Travis Thomas, Shelby Shipp, Carole Ward, Gwynne Howard, and Lana Wallendorff Ritchie are all on the ballot. Voting for the Hedley school board will take place at the Hedley Lions Hall.

The City of Howardwick has only one candidate for mayor, Dell Essary, but there are three candidates for two positions on the Board of Aldermen: incumbent Gene Rogers, Norm Haygood, and Louise Popplewell. Balloting in this election will take place at Howardwick City Hall.

Voting in all elections will take place between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. this Saturday.
Early voting concluded Tuesday. As of mid-afternoon the following early voting totals were being reported: Donley County Hospital District 148, Hedley CISD 34, City of Clarendon 128, and City of Howardwick 20.

Voters will decide Saturday whether Alderman Tommy Hill or Mayor Chris Ford gets to lead the City of Clarendon for the next two years. Both candidates took time out of their day Monday to sit down with the Enterprise to discuss their campaigns.

Mayor Chris Ford has served Clarendon for two and a half years and says he wants to continue working for the city.

Ford grew up in Clarendon and attended Clarendon High School before graduating from the New Mexico Military Institute in 1980. He later received a Bachelor’s degree in nursing from Wayland Baptist University. After several years, he moved back to his hometown; and he and his wife, Terri, are now self-employed having started their Finders Keepers remodeling and construction business two years ago.

In September 2006, Ford was appointed to the Board of Alderman to serve the remainder of Mark White’s term after White took over for Tex Selvidge as mayor. Ford was elected to his own term in 2008 and was selected as mayor pro-tem. When White stepped down last December, aldermen again chose Ford to succeed him as the city’s 36th mayor.

ENTERPRISE: What would you say are the main accomplishments Clarendon has achieved since you joined the Board of Alderman?

FORD: I’m proud of the improvements at City Park. Our water line project (on the west side of town) will be a major accomplishment when it’s completed. We’re developing a plan to fix city streets properly, and planning an upcoming seal coat program. City Hall is looking better after its paint job. I’d say that hiring (City Administrator) John Webb was a step in the right direction. I’d also like to say we’ve developed a positive working environment for our employees. I’ve always felt like encouragement, positive input, and occasional criticism help develop a positive working environment.

ENTERPRISE: Does the city need an administrator and what do you think of the job Mr. Webb is doing?

FORD: I certainly believe we need an administrator. We found that out with the financial condition the city had slipped into when we did not have someone watching day to day. John Webb is a tremendous asset to the city. He is goal oriented. He can plan, organize, and execute effectively.

ENTERPRISE: City residents and businesses have seen their water and sewer bills go up this year, in some cases dramatically. Was that necessary; and if so, why?

FORD: I believe it was necessary. Past boards had not adequately gone up incrementally; and with rising costs, we were forced as a board to make those tough decisions.

ENTERPRISE: What can be done to improve the maintenance of city streets?

FORD: I’ve said it since I got on the board. You can’t put a Band-Aid on them. You’ve got to cut them out, square them up, and fix them right. You’ve got to plan to fix them and move on to the next one.

ENTERPRISE: What are your goals if re-elected?

FORD: Streets first. Fix the potholes properly and move toward seal coating areas of town. Finish the water tower project. Begin to replace some of the older pipes in the ground. And I’d like to see continued involvement with the Clarendon Economic Development Corporation and the Chamber of Commerce to beautify downtown.

ENTERPRISE: As you look at Clarendon 10 or 15 years in the future, what do you see?

FORD: I’d like to see a community storm shelter combined with an emergency command center possibly attached to a new City Hall. Definitely I see continually better streets. And continue to promote Clarendon as a wonderful place to live with new businesses.

ENTERPRISE: Why should people vote for you?

FORD: I believe I have the leadership and the ability to listen and work with citizens and the board; and I have the character to be non-judgmental, listen to both sides of an issue, and make the decision that will be best for Clarendon.

ENTERPRISE: What would your final message to the voters be?

FORD: I have only one agenda – to always think about what is in the best interest of Clarendon when I make decisions for our city. I’ve enjoyed serving as mayor and feel strongly that I’m best qualified for the position, and I would appreciate your support.