Storytime
Archives for February 2013
And the winners are…
H’wick citizens step up to lead city
Like the Mayan calendar and other dire forecasts, the predicted doomsday in May for the City of Howardwick won’t be coming true after nine people signed up to run for elected office there.
With the mayor’s position vacant for more than a year and four terms either expiring or vacant, Mayor Pro Tem Johnny Hubbard and legal advisors had warned that the city government would be dissolved if citizens did not step up and run for office.
But after a town meeting last Tuesday, January 29, that was attended by more than 50 people, interest in public service has picked up to the degree that a competitive election will be held for every position on the ballot this spring.
For the vacant mayor’s seat, David P. Cafferata has signed up to run and so has former alderman Mike Rowland.
Three people have signed up to run for the two vacant full terms on the board of aldermen – William R. Jordan, Gail Leathers, and Jim Cockerham; and four people have signed up to run for the two unexpired terms on the board – Alderman Gene Rogers, Cory Longan, former mayor H.L. “Buster” Baird, and Sandy Sanders.
At last week’s town meeting, Mayor Pro Tem Hubbard outlined problems facing the city for those in attendance and made a plea for people to get involved.
“I don’t want to see our little city fold up,” Hubbard said.
Several residents agreed that a lack of communication and a lack of attendance by citizens at city meetings were largely to blame for the situation. Others also pointed to elected officials getting blamed for things beyond their control, and the city’s property tax rate being capped at 25 cents per $100 valuation (until the city’s population breaks 500) as being problems.
It was also noted that not every resident of the city was paying the monthly fee for trash service.
Stan Couch and Joe Hall separately put forth ideas for bringing more businesses and residents to Howardwick, including making property attractive to small commercial operations and developing incentives for retired military personnel to build homes on vacant lots.
Residents also took the opportunity to complain about some nuisance properties, and Hubbard said he has been working with the justice of the peace and the municipal judge in Clarendon to see what can be done about that.
Throughout the meeting, former city officials and longtime residents as well as newer residents encouraged each other to work together for the future of the city.
“It can be done,” longtime resident and former volunteer fireman Jim Cockerham said. “Don’t ever think that it can’t be.”
Spring enrollment down at Clarendon College
Enrollment is down for the spring semester at Clarendon College, but President Phil Shirley says plans are in place to recover from the loss.
Following the 12th class day last Wednesday, the college reported a total headcount of 1,120. That is a drop of 12.3 percent from the spring enrollment in 2012.
“We’re not happy with the drop,” Shirley said. “The biggest hit came from Pampa. They are going to work there instead of going to school.”
The CC Pampa Center’s enrollment dropped 84 students from spring 2012 to a headcount of 313 this semester. The home campus dropped 47 students to 298, but the Childress Center actually gained two students for an enrollment of 52. The remainder of CC’s enrollment is divided among distance education (online) classes and dual credit classes in area high schools.
Shirley said other factors have impacted CC’s numbers, including changes in the financial aid system that makes it harder for some students to get the assistance they need.
“We’re concerned, but we’re taking proactive measures to rectify this,” Shirley said.
CC is starting a new class of nurses with 21 students in Pampa, the college also hopes to soon be offering welding classes in the Neal and Clements Units in Amarillo, and Shirley said Clarendon has received permission from Amarillo College to offer a cosmetology program in that city that could draw as many as 70 students.
Enrollment this semester at area colleges was both up and down, according to an Amarillo Globe-News report. Amarillo College is down 3.3 percent, but Frank Phillips College reports being up 7.8 percent, and West Texas A&M University says it grew 1.8 percent.
Three sign up for hospital board seats
After one week of filing candidates are being slow to emerge for most races for local offices.
With the exception of the City of Howardwick (see related article), three of the other five local governments had not had anyone sign up as of Tuesday morning. The Donley County Hospital District and the City of Clarendon did have some activity, however.
Incumbents Wayne Tubbs (Place 1) and Melinda McAnear (Place 3) have applied to run for re-election on the hospital board, which oversees emergency medical services and indigent care in the county. They are joined by a new comer, Carey Wann, who is seeking the Place 2 seat currently held by Bob Watson.
Mayor Larry Hicks has filed his application at Clarendon City Hall to seek re-election. In addition to his position, the city also has two aldermen’s positions up for election this year
Hedley has three positions open on its Board of Aldermen this year but had no candidates as of Tuesday.
Likewise, the three positions up this year on the Clarendon ISD Board of Trustees had not attracted any candidates.
Hedley ISD was also still looking for candidates for its Board of Trustees where two terms are up this year.
All local offices are elected at-large, but hospital board candidates must sign up for a specific place.
Sign up continues through March 1, 2013; and the elections will be held Saturday, May 11.
CC officials ready to shave heads Monday
The Clarendon College basketball teams are making Monday, February 11, Cancer Awareness Night in the Dawg House.
Come out and support the teams as they taken on Western Texas College, and help the teams raise funds to benefit the Don and Sybil Harrington Cancer Foundation at the same time.
The women’s game starts at 5:45 p.m. with the men starting at 7:45 p.m.
“That night we ask you to wear pink and bring a donation to Harrington Cancer Foundation,” Lady Bulldog head coach Brad Vanden Boogaard said. “And to sweeten the deal and entice you to donate even more, myself and several others are putting our hair on the line.”
If the college community raises enough money, several coaches and administrators have stepped up and said they will shave their hair off during a public event on campus.
The levels that must be reached for each person are: women’s basketball coach Brad Vanden Boogaard – $500, Men’s Basketball coach Tony Starnes – $1,000, Dean of Students Tex Buckhaults – $1,500, Athletic Director John Green $2,000, and CC President Phil Shirley – $5,000.
Cash or check donations can be made anytime by dropping them off at the women’s basketball office in the Bulldog Gym or by contacting the women’s basketball office at 806-874-4834.
“We can pick donations up from anywhere if you call us,” Vanden Boogaard said.
This fundraiser will continue throughout the basketball season, and the teams hope to raise enough to meet their first goal of $500 by Monday night so that Coach Vanden Boogaard’s hair can be shaved during halftime of the men’s game.
Also, at the game February 11, fans will be able to purchase tickets for door prize drawings during the games.
Checks can be made out to Harrington Cancer Foundation.
Editorial: CC can lead city to growth
The Way Forward, Part 4
A wise man once noted that, “It was never boom or bust in Clarendon. It was just always a struggle.”
That tongue-in-cheek comment may sound a bit pessimistic to some, but in reality it actually reveals one of our community’s strengths, which has been a certain economic stability over the last century.
Not having been blessed with oil or gas wealth, Clarendon and Donley County hasn’t seen the wild swings of good times and bad times that some other communities have had. We have, instead, enjoyed a couple of assets that have bolstered our situation compared to other rural West Texas communities, namely Lake Greenbelt since 1968 and Clarendon College since 1898.
Barring the occurrence of a hundred-year flood, the lake’s future doesn’t look good right now, but Clarendon College remains the beacon on the hill that shines the way to progress and prosperity – both for its students and our community.
Enterprise columnist Fred Gray has taken to referring to CC as “The Pearl of the Panhandle,” but your humble editor still prefers the tried and true moniker “The Athens of the Panhandle,” reflecting its place in history as the Panhandle’s first college as well as its ongoing role of providing an education – and therefore a path to a better life – for local and area students.
Much has been said about the opportunities our dear college offers students, but we must also realize that Clarendon College is the number one economic development tool our city has. It is critical that the Board of Regents and administration recognize that they are not just caretakers of a college. In a very real sense they can have a greater impact on the future of this town than the Chamber of Commerce, the Economic Development Corporation, or even the city council.
Consider this. Each fall, Clarendon College brings in about 300 students to live in our community for two semesters. In addition to enriching our town with cultural diversity and annual economic stimulus, this gives Clarendon an opportunity that most small cities could only dream about – prospective new citizens.
We probably all can think of someone who came to college here and either married a local person or returned here after going on to get their four-year degree. Each CC student from out of town is someone who potentially could settle down here… if they find the town to their liking and find an opportunity for employment here.
A constant influx of young people and young families is a tremendous asset to any community, particularly if those new citizens get a quality education while they are here.
The challenge for Clarendon College is growing enrollment on the home campus with an eye toward helping Clarendon and Donley County. The headcount for the last few semesters has been down after an extended period of growth. We trust that this is only a temporary reversal of fortune, and college officials are already making plans to get their numbers back up.
Plans to get CC back above total enrollment of 1,200 here and at its satellites in Pampa and Childress are great. We must look at growth everywhere, but it is also incumbent that we – alumni; taxpayers; and CC regents, administration, faculty, and staff – take a long look at what creative things can be done to boost enrollment on the home campus.
Over the last few years, we’ve seen an increased focus on athletics as the path to growth for the college, but each new sports team carries a cost of increased travel and other expenses. While we are certainly proud of our Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs, we must also focus on bringing more traditional students to College Hill. We need to expand our course offerings, particularly in the fine arts, and recruit a more diverse student body whose members are interested not only in sports, rodeo, and judging but also in music, art, drama, literature, and the sciences.
One limitation to growth is the lack of student housing, and this column has more than once called on the college to work with the city and other entities to find solutions to this. But the college could also take better advantage of the housing it does have by opening one dormitory for the summer months and offering more classes during those sessions. This would have the added benefit of keeping more students – and their economic impact – in Clarendon over the summer months, which is something that will be sorely needed if Lake Greenbelt continues to shrink.
CC also needs to develop new technical programs that are based here in Clarendon. A truck driving program or a hospitality training program might be good additions. We’ve tried offering programs – such as wind energy and nursing – in Clarendon and Pampa and then shake our heads when the program migrates to a larger population center. If a program is in demand and it is offered only in Clarendon, students will come to Clarendon. We have seen this historically, and it is still true.
More students eventually means the need for more faculty members, and that means more good paying jobs for other potential new citizens. And in all of this, we must work hard to find ways to include our students and new instructors in our community, to cater to their needs, and attract them to our merchants.
The growth of Clarendon College must be paramount as we resolve to get involved in 2013.
Clarendon ISD waives 15 percent rule
By Ashlee Estlack
Clarendon CISD Trustees approved a resolution to continue suspension of requirements of end-of-course exams and extended the contract of Superintendent Monty Hysinger during their regular meeting on January 22.
High School Principal Larry Jeffers told the board that the state’s new end of course exams are “very dynamic” and said they are “probably changing right now.”
State officials have approved school districts to waive the 15 percent rule again this year, but Jeffers said this exception will likely go away after this year. There is also some discussion at the state level about adding a test that resembles the ACT or SAT to count as end of course exams.
The board approved a resolution to waive the 15 percent rule, as recommended by the Texas Association of School Boards.
Later in the evening, the board met behind closed doors for more than hour to review Hysinger’s evaluation. Upon returning to open session, trustees unanimously approved the superintendent’s salary and benefit package and extended his contract through the 2017-2018 school year.
In other school district business, Hysinger said CCISD had adopted new software, Path For Learning, to streamline campus improvement plans, and the board listened as each campus principal presented their Campus Improvement Plan.
Jeffers explained the goals of the high school and said his campus conducts a comprehensive needs assessment each year. Most of the time is concentrated on student achievement on end of course exams and TAKS scores, he said. The school also concentrated on lessons on anti-bullying, cyberbullying, and sexting. Jeffers said his campus goal is to prepare students for whatever path they choose after school, preferably college but not every student will go to college.
Junior High Principal John Taylor said his campus focuses on “Leadership in Excellence” and said the junior high needs more training on new technology and more parent involvement. In addition to testing goals, CJH has goals to improve attendance and to be a 100 percent “bullying-free” campus.
Elementary Principal Mike Word discussed his campus’ use of technology and its record of mastery levels on state exams. The elementary school is focused on fluency this year. Word also said his campus needs more parent involvement but said he appreciates the high level of involvement from college students volunteering there.
The board also voted to approve the school calendar for 2013-2014 as submitted by the District Improvement Committee, accepted a bid from Dell for $26,695.27 for server infrastructure upgrades as presented (replacing some servers that were more than 10 years old), and approved a bid from the Short Brother Family, LLC on tax delinquent property in Howardwick.
In administrative reports, Counselor Ken Baxter said there has been a lot of interest in the PEAK Scholarship program as financial aid funds are becoming less available and said Clarendon College provides a real opportunity for local students.
Hysinger reported that the February board meeting will be a “critical one” for the district as trustees discuss possible salary freezes in the 2013-2014 budget and also consider whether to pursue a tax ratification election to raise property taxes. That meeting will be held February 14.
Other administrative reports were presented by Word, Taylor, Jeffers, and Athletic Director Gary Jack.
Prior to the regular meeting, the board met in a special session the same evening at the CHS Family & Consumer Science classroom for a board appreciation dinner, which was presented by the following individuals: Jensen Hatley, MaRae Hall, Sandrea Smith, Lydia Howard, McKayla King, Savannah Topper, Camra Smith, McKayla Cartwright, Jacy Hill, Debra Howard, Sarah Bryant, Steve Reynolds, and Missy Reynolds.
Mrs. Reynolds and students in her FACS class served the board members and administrative personnel a meal in honor of Board Appreciation Month.
Connie DeBord
Connie DeBord, 83, died Monday, February 4, 2013, in Amarillo, Texas.
Serviceswill be held at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, February 7, 2013, in the Hedley Church of Christ with Bright Newhouse, minister, officiating.
Interment will be at Rowe Cemetery in Hedley.
Arrangements are under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors of Clarendon.
Connie Roger DeBord was born November 27, 1929, in McLean to M.C. “Slats” and Peggy DeBord, he was the first of four children. He lived in Collingsworth County most of his life. He graduated from Quail High School and later Texas Tech University in 1951. He married Mahdeene Barrington on December 8, 1951. He joined the service in 1953 stationed at Fort Smith, Arkansas. He served during the Korea War. In 1957, he started teaching in Hedley school systems. He taught High School science, and retired after 28 years.
He sponsored the annual, also drove the school bus, and sponsored many senior trips. He also enjoyed his hobby of ranching and farming. After retiring from teaching, he returned to his first love of farming and ranching. He was an active member of the Hedley Church of Christ, where he loved teaching class and studying the Bible. He was an active member of his community, served in American Legion Post 287, member of the Texas Retired Teacher Association, and Texas Farm Bureau. In his later years, he enjoyed giving talks to area businesses and associations. He was known for his witt, humor, and partial jokes. He will be missed by all who knew him.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and his wife, on December 2, 2011.
He is survived by 2 daughters, Connie Wilson and husband Troy and Deborah Flanary; 4 grandchildren, Cory and wife Shelley, Brad and wife Julie, Katherine and Zachary; 4 great grandchildren, Taylor, Joseph, Connor and Collin; a sister, Patricia Emerson; 2 brothers, Dewey DeBord and Jerry DeBord.
The family request memorials be sent to Rowe Cemetery Association / PO Box 266 / Hedley, TX 79237.
Alice Mae Davis
Alice Mae Davis, 70, died Friday, February 1, 2013, in Amarillo, Texas.
Services were held Monday, February 4, 2013 in the First Baptist Church in Clarendon with Rev. Rob Seale and Rev. Lance Wood, officiating. Burial followed at Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon.
Arrangements were under the direction Robertson Funeral Directors of Clarendon.
Alice was born January 24, 1943, in Clarendon to Albert and Opal Housden Johnson. She married Johnny Davis on February 20, 1960, in Clarendon. Alice loved to play games especially cards, loved to cook, and loved to watch her grandkids play sports. She loved people; people loved her, and never met a stranger. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Clarendon where she taught Sunday school for many years.
She was preceded in death by her parents.
She is survived by her husband, Johnny Davis of Clarendon; a son, Larry Davis and wife Wendy of Clarendon; a daughter, Lana Topper and husband Jeff of Clarendon; her brother, Jimmy Johnson and wife Paula of Clarendon; 3 grandchildren, Adam and Savannah Topper and Andy Davis all of Clarendon; and several nieces, nephews, and a host of friends.
The family request memorials be sent to Citizens Cemetery Association or Donley County Senior Citizens.
Reader Comments