Archives for February 2012
Broncos fall to Panhandle
Broncos fall to Panhandle
San Angelo exhibitors
CHS troupe
Greenbelt continues studying water wells
Greenbelt Municipal Water Authority continues to investigate acquiring new sources of water following the regular meeting of the Greenbelt board last Thursday, February 16.
The authority is looking at two sources that could supplement the dwindling supply in the Greenbelt Reservoir. The first is a location downstream from the reservoir’s dam, and the second is a series of wells formerly used by the City of Clarendon.
The authority’s general manager, Bobbie Kidd, told the board that Greenbelt had gotten into four of the city’s wells since the board’s January meeting.
“All we know for sure is that there is water there, but we don’t know the quantity of water or condition of the casing,” Kidd said.
Last month, the Clarendon Board of Aldermen approved a resolution allowing Greenbelt access to its former wells, which haven’t been used in more than 40 years. Greenbelt then had geologist Raymond Brady examine the wells.
Kidd said three city wells were identified as possibly being suitable for development. Greenbelt’s next steps will be to put a camera down the wells to inspect the casing and to test pump the wells.
If Greenbelt choses to develop the Clarendon wells and construct a pipeline back to its filter plant, the city would be compensated for the water. Greenbelt Chairman Don Welch of Crowell asked about the cost of the city’s water, and Kidd said an engineer would be able to set a cost for the water.
Clarendon’s Greenbelt representative Gary Campbell said he felt that supplying water was the most important issue.
“The important thing is that all five of our cities need water now,” Campbell said.
Kidd said the studying of the well casings and test pumping should be completed before the Greenbelt board meets next month.
Citizens ask city to leave airport name alone
A proposal to rename Clarendon’s Smiley Johnson Municipal Airport ran into heated opposition when the Board of Aldermen met in regular session February 14.
Extra chairs were set out to accommodate the unusually large crowd, and local resident Abby Patten took the floor during public comments to speak against removing Johnson’s name from the airport.
“I remember going to walk at the airport with my grandpa and remember his oxygen tank bouncing up and down because the runway was rough and rocky,” Patten said. “Then Smiley Johnson came to town. He poured his heart and soul in to the airport, got grants, and worked with his hands to improve it.”
Patten outlined the work Johnson did on the airport, called the notion of taking his name off the airport “disrespectful,” and asked if the city might also rename McClellan Field, Hart-Moore Field, or the Burton Memorial Library.
Enterprise editor Roger Estlack also spoke against the name change, calling Johnson a good man who had publicly stood up for a young editor at a time when no one else would.
Later in the meeting, Mayor Larry Hicks said he had wanted to rename the airport for the late Dr. Charles Deyhle, who had been a longtime supporter of the airport.
“This was my idea, and I didn’t mean for it to be big deal,” Hicks said. “Chuck Deyhle was a real good friend of mine, and he did a lot for the airport, and I thought it was fitting.”
The board agreed to take no action on the airport name, and the mayor said he hoped that was a suitable solution because he did not want to do something that would get everyone upset.
According to Enterprise files, Smiley Johnson was a member of the Board of Aldermen from May 2000 to October 2001. He was among a group of men who worked to furnish a pilots’ lounge to provide a resting place for travelers, and he helped efforts to have a water well installed at the airport. He also was instrumental in acquiring a tower on which to re-mount the signal beacon. Johnson’s biggest contribution to the airport was considered to be his work in obtaining a state grant worth more than $800,000 to make improvements at the facility. The former alderman did much of the legwork to secure the grant, and then mayor Tex Selvidge said Johnson made several trips to Austin at his own expense on behalf of the city.
The city renamed the airport Smiley Johnson Municipal Airport/Bass Field in his honor in April 2004 while Johnson was in hospice care suffering from cancer. He died the following month at the age of 69.
The name “Bass Field” remains attached to the airport in honor of John M. Bass, the former owner of the land acquired in the early 1990s to extend the runway.
In other airport news last week, Aldermen approved a resolution authorizing the city’s participation in a Texas Department of Transportation Aviation Division grant. The $80,000 grant would develop a new airport layout plan that City Administrator Lambert Little said could then be used to pursue other grants. The city would have to put up ten percent of the money, but city officials say that money is already set aside in the airport fund.
Little also presented several housekeeping items related to the grant, including the creation of a committee to evaluate a new Airport Layout Plan, for the aldermen’s consideration. These items were approved, and the city’s existing airport advisory board will serve as the committee for the grant.
Lady Broncos slam Sunray in Area round
By Sandy Anderberg
The Clarendon Lady Broncos fought hard against Sunray in Amarillo on Friday night and deservedly earned the Area Championship with a big win over the Lady Cats at 52-41.
They handled everything Sunray threw at them and were determined to go to the next level in the playoffs.
The ladies went on a scoring frenzy in the second quarter of play sending Sunray a statement of their determination. Holding a 13-point lead at the break gave the Lady Broncos a huge boost to continue on and stun the Lady Cats to get the win.
“I thought we played really hard and were able to get stops on defense,” coach Molly Weatherred said. “Sunray had some really good shooters and went on a run early in the fourth (quarter). I never felt my girls panic. They kept their composure and got it together. I was very proud of our effort.”
McKayla Cartwright and Ryann Starnes were solid inside and played a clean game underneath scoring 18 and 9 points for the Lady Broncos.
Deborah Howard took control of the ball for Clarendon and her 10 points helped to put them over the top.
Jentry Shadle hit two crucial three pointers to add eight, and Anna Ceniceros and Trevela Dronzek added four and three to help with the win. Every part of their game was on, but they were slowed somewhat at the free throw line only shooting 42 percent.
The Lady Broncos will have played the regional quarterfinals against Gruver before press time. Visit ClarendonLive.com for playoff updates.
Opinion: Time is now to reorganize the Chamber
Our Chamber of Commerce is at a crossroads, and what happens in the next few weeks and months may well determine if the organization survives or is even worth saving.
Nearly a year since the City of Clarendon pulled the plug on the Chamber’s number one source of funding, $20,000 in hotel occupancy tax monies, the organization is now making attempts at restructuring itself. And as part of that process, Chamber members are invited to attend an “After Hours” Social at City Hall this Friday evening. This will be an opportunity for businesses to get together for networking purposes and to make their feelings known about the Chamber itself.
This is a step in the right direction, but the Chamber of Commerce has a long ways to go before it becomes a driving force to enhance business and tourism activity. The organization has several flaws that it must overcome to regain its sense of purpose and earn the trust of members and potential members.
It has been a tumultuous twelve months for the Chamber. It ran afoul with the City over record keeping. Its longtime executive director retired, and numerous board members – a majority in fact – resigned, and, as the year progressed, the organization found itself operating without a president. Remaining board members seemed to be at odds over the cause of the Chamber’s weaknesses and what to do next.
The Chamber didn’t find itself in this mess in just a year. For a long time, the Chamber functioned outside its by-laws, and the board as a whole did a poor job of exercising any control over the direction or operation of the organization. The results were disastrous.
Now, the time has come to write a new chapter in the Chamber’s nearly 100-year history. The City and the Clarendon Economic Development Corporation this month agreed, in principle, to combine their resources and hire a professional to lead tourism and economic development in Clarendon. The job description and the details are still in the formative stage, but it is intended that this person would be available to help the Chamber get back on its feet. However, for positive change to come about, local business men and women need to come together and encourage some much needed reforms. And here are a few that should be implemented.
Formally Reorganize: There is a lot of bad blood in the Chamber’s recent past – too much “he said, she said,” too much petty bickering, and too little faith that the organization can function in a way that makes our community proud. There is also the problem of the bylaws. So let’s draft some new ones, hold a formal meeting of dues-paying Chamber members, and start fresh. Adopt the new bylaws, and allow members to elect a new board comprised of local business men and women dedicated to promoting our community and enhancing the opportunities that exist here. Put any plans for a 2012 Chamber Banquet on the back burner this year and focus on getting this ship back on course.
Restore the Chamber Name: When the current bylaws were adopted in the 1980s, the organization became known as the Clarendon-Donley County Chamber of Commerce. That’s a mouthful and a bit confusing. Let’s return to the traditional name of the Clarendon Chamber of Commerce. It’s simpler, more recognizable, and more marketable. It is also reflective of the fact that a majority of businesses – and therefore members – are in the City of Clarendon, and it also acknowledges the fact that a sizeable portion of Chamber funding comes (hopefully again) from City Hall. Of course, businesses from all over Donley County would be welcome members, and the Chamber would naturally promote the entire county; but for simplicity’s sake and recognition’s sake, the original name is preferable.
Hold a Membership Drive: As part of the adoption of new bylaws, a new dues structure should be developed based on the number of employees a firm or non-profit organization has. Then every employer and every self-employed person in and around Clarendon should be asked, invited, and encouraged to join the Chamber of Commerce. An associate membership should be created for individuals who do not formally represent a business or non-profit employer, and these “Friends of the Chamber” could show their support for Chamber activities by paying low annual dues but not be eligible to vote or hold office in the organization.
Focus on the Purpose: Promotion of tourism is a vital role for the Chamber, but it is not the only role. It is not, after all, the Chamber of “Tourism.” Therefore the organization needs to hold multiple socials like the one this Friday to find out what it can do to promote commercial activity and opportunities for our businesses. One of the Chamber’s most successful endeavors was the creation of the Christmas Cash program back in the late 1990s. The zero-interest loans from local banks kept literally thousands of dollars in the local economy each holiday season. But over time the Chamber came to regard administrating the program as a bother and spun it off. Last year, there was finally no one to volunteer to run it, and the program died. Sales tax revenue for the City of Clarendon from December sales was down about $10,000 compared to one year ago. Coincidence? Unlikely.
In a recent report to the City, Chamber board members expressed their wish that they had been able to help out during the Downtown Merchants’ Black Friday promotion after Thanksgiving. One board member said, “If we had been more organized, we could have had our office open and passed out candy canes and served refreshments.” What the merchants really needed was someone to help coordinate their efforts, someone to listen to what they were trying to do and build on it. They needed a functioning, professional Chamber of Commerce… and a well administered Christmas Cash program wouldn’t have hurt either.
Opportunity abounds: Despite its troubles, Clarendon has a lot going for it. The city deserves a Chamber that makes it proud and puts forth the best welcome mat for tourists and new businesses. The existing board has taken the first step to creating a better Chamber of Commerce. Now it is up to the members. Let’s all show up at City Hall at 5:30 Friday and make it happen.
Opinion: Clarendon is the right place to be
Beginning with this edition of The Clarendon Enterprise, I will be writing a weekly opinion column, assuming of course that I am able stay in everyone’s (particularly Roger’s) good graces. I am blessed with a plethora of opinions regarding our pesky politicians, stupid social peccadilloes, corporate misconduct, and outrageous Wall Street behavior.
This column will address these issues, in addition to other concerns that I find to be morally and socially suspect. The title of this column is “The Quick, the Dead, and Fred.”
The Fred part is me, Freddy Leonard Gray. Regarding the title of this column, the word “quick” means fast or smart, while the word “dead” means slow, or dumb. I usually fall somewhere between these two points. In some realms I am smart, in others I am dumber that a sack of roaches, and about as useful.
Back in the halcyon days of 1948, when Clarendon’s streets were smooth and well maintained, and the central business district was crackling with commerce, my mother, Frieda Putman Gray, gave birth to me at the Saints’ Roost Museum. Of course, she had plenty of help from her mother (Terra Putman), a crack nursing staff, along with a few suggestions from Dr. Stewart – which she promptly disregarded, lest his professional ministrations unduly interrupt her labor pains.
Perhaps my father, Jack E. Gray, was proudly handing out cigars in the waiting area. More likely, he was asleep in the delivery waiting room, since I was born at 1:37 a.m. It is doubtful that few, if any, people rushed down to the hospital to smoke a celebratory stogie with Dad.
Now, my family is very supportive, so it is possible that Aunt Joan and Uncle Bob (Kidd), Aunt Yvonne and Uncle Raymond (King), Aunt Norma and Uncle Junior (Putman), and maybe Aunt Lillian and Uncle Earl (Easterling) all rushed down to participate in the festivities surrounding my entrance into the world. Realistically, Dad was probably alone if he was there at all. He could have stayed home with my older brother, Barry, tucked in his nice warm bed, dreaming exciting dreams about the future exploits of his second son.
When my family moved to Lubbock at the end of my fourth grade year, I knew that I would someday move back home to be with my family and my people. I love rural Texas, and I particularly love the people, the culture, and the wide-open spaces of Donley County. Even though more than half a century has passed, I am finally home and glad to be here, where I belong.
I hope that you all, our readers, find this column to be both enlightening and educational. Feel free to let me know how I am doing. I am excited about this endeavor, and fervently hope that everyone enjoys my modest contributions to the life and fabric to our community.
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