Archives for February 2012

Let the people decide.

That was the unanimous decision of the Clarendon Board of Aldermen last night, February 28, as they voted to put a $700,000 street improvement bond issue on the May 12 ballot.

City Administrator Lambert Little presented his street improvement plan to the board and said the city could pay the debt off in seven years.

“I’m going to have to earn the trust of the citizens, and that will be tough,” Little told the board. “But this is our best shot to get something done.”

City Aldermen expressed concern over the state of East Fourth Street, which was torn up this past summer with the promise of being re-done, and they pressed Little on when that project would be finished, asking specifically if it could be done before the election.

“Even if I have to go do it myself, yes,” Little said. “I know we can do this.”

This month the city finished paying off bonds from a $1 million street project that was completed in 2006. The new project, as Little proposes, would focus on Sixth Street from Koogle to Goodnight, Third Street from Allen to Bugbee, Carhart Street from US 287 to Sixth, and a one-block stretch of Wood Ave. between Jackson and Faker that the administrator described as “a mess.”

Work would also be done on Allen and Sims streets adjacent to Broncho Stadium, and also, if Clarendon College officials agree, on Clarendon Avenue and Regents Avenue, which only need seal coating.

Little said city crews would do the base work for the street and a contractor would be hired to do curbing and the two-pass tar and gravel seal coat. A section of Sixth Street from Parks to Kearney, which carries a lot of drainage by the baseball parks, would be done in two-inch hot mix.

In 2003, city voters turned down a $2.5 million project after petition forced an election on the matter. The city later went ahead with a $1 million project funded by tax revenue bonds, which do not require voter approval. In voting unanimously to put the new proposal on the ballot, city leaders say this time they are taking the issue directly to the people.

“It is not like last time,” said Alderman Tommy Hill. “This time it’s up to the citizens.”

Mayor Larry Hicks also vowed that if the citizens do not approve the bond election, the city will not try to side step them and do the project anyway. Hicks also said he personally supports Lambert’s proposal.

“I believe we can make it work,” the mayor said. “This is one of the main things people want to see done.”

The pressure is now on Little and city employees who have just two months to turn Fourth Street into what the administrator calls “a crown jewel” and show the citizens they can deliver what has been promised.

Voting in favor of putting the issue on the ballot were Aldermen Terry Noble, Ann Huey, Jesus Hernandez, Tommy Hill, and Will Thompson. Voting against the measure: none.

Education funding, standardized testing, and water planning were among the top issues discussed by the candidates hoping to serve Donley County in the Texas House of Representatives at a local Republican forum last week.

Rep. Jim Landtroop of Plainview, former representative Gary Walker of Plains, Mac Smith of Pampa, and Ken King of Canadian each introduced themselves and stated their reasons for running for office before a crowd of sixty people at the Bairfield Activity Center Thursday night, February 23.

Mr. King took the floor first and said he was born and raised in Canadian where he is now involved in the oil and gas business and serves as president of both the Canadian school board and the Hemphill County Appraisal District board. He said he became interested in running for office after the last legislative session where it became apparent to him that most members of the Legislature do not understand school finance.

Mr. Smith was born and raised in Pampa and is also involved in the oil business. He said several neighbors encouraged him to run after Rep. Warren Chisum announced that he would not be seeking re-election. He said he felt like Texas needs people in the Legislature who know what it’s like to grow up in a small town and that his philosophy is that government should stay out of people’s way.

Rep. Landtroop is currently serving as a State Representative from Plainview, and Donley County is moving into his district when the new boundaries get final approval by the courts. He is a State Farm Insurance agent and says he understands making a payroll and living within a budget. He said he ran for office promising not to raise taxes, and he was named the fourth most conservative legislator in the last session. He pointed to a bill requiring voters to show photo identification and changes made to eminent domain as some of the items he was proud to have sponsored.

Mr. Walker lives in Plains and served four terms in the State House of Representatives, being first elected in 1994. He came to the Texas Panhandle in 1986 and served four years as the first manager of the Panhandle Groundwater Conservation District before taking a similar position in Yoakum County. He said water and agriculture are what he knows best and that public education is important. He also said he will not work much on “social issues.”

Water issues were the first topic brought up by the citizens in attendance. Mr. Walker said the state.

Potential candidates have until next Monday, March 5, to throw their hats in the ring for any of seven local boards scheduled to have elections this spring.

Those with openings include for the cities of Clarendon, Hedley, and Howardwick; Clarendon and Hedley schools; Clarendon College, and the Donley County Hospital District.

The Clarendon College District has all three of its incumbents running for reelection. Jerry Woodard, Delbert Robertson, and Doug Lowe are all seeking to serve another six-year term on the Board of Regents; and Tex Selvidge is running to continue to serve the remainder of the unexpired term belonging to the late Charles Deyhle, Sr. Four years are remaining on that term.

The Donley County Hospital District has four two-year terms expiring on its Board of Directors this year. Those seats are currently held by Jan Farris (Place 4), Jeannie Owens (Place 5), Mark C. White (Place 6), and Laurie Howard (Place 7), and all incumbents are running again.

The City of Clarendon has three two-year terms on the Board of Aldermen up for election this year. Incumbents are Ann Huey (serving the unexpired term of Kyle Davis), Jesus Hernandez (serving the unexpired term of Jeremy Powell), and Will Thompson. At press time, Hernandez and Thompson were the only candidates signed up.

The City of Howardwick has its ballot the one year unexpired term of former mayor Del Essary and three aldermen’s positions currently held by Tanis McMorries, Johnny Hubbard, and Tim Gallagher. Aldermen serve two years. So far the only candidate filed in Howardwick is Robert Brewster for alderman.

The City of Hedley has the two-year terms of Mayor Dusty Wilkinson and Aldermen Leon Ward and Lonnie Roby up for election this year.  Roby and Ward have signed up to run again.

Clarendon ISD has three positions on the ballot for its Board of Trustees this year, including two three-year terms currently held by Wayne Hardin and Wes Hatley and the one year unexpired term of the late Marvin Thompson, which is held now by Richard Gribble. All of the CISD incumbents are running for re-election.

Hedley ISD has two three-year terms on its Board of Trustees on this year’s ballot. Those seats are held by Lana Ritchie and Bobby Lindsey, filling the term originally held by Shelby Shipp. As of Tuesday, challengers Michael Metcalf, Sr., and Dee Smith had signed up for the election.

Election Day will be Saturday, May 12.