Archives for September 2014

 

 

By Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise

 Clarendon College has a new energy as its 117th fall session gets underway with Dr. Robert Riza bringing fresh enthusiasm, clear structure, and an air of excitement to the Panhandle’s oldest college.

Two weeks ago, in a rousing welcome address to staff and faculty, Riza reiterated his bus philosophy.

“We get the right people on the bus, the wrong people off the bus, and put everyone in the right chairs,” he said, and it was understood who would be driving the bus.

Last week, with a bobblehead of Sheldon from television’s “Big Bang Theory” gently nodding on his desk, Riza said “the bus” is prepared for departure.

“I think the bus has shifted a bit, but we’re ready to go,” Riza said. “Administration is ready, staff is ready, and faculty are ready. We still have a few spots to fill and still could do some shuffling, but we’ve got a good team in place, and we’re ready to move forward.”

Riza himself is prepared also. He’s sold his home downstate and has been joined here by his wife, Cobette, who is teaching third grade at Clarendon Elementary; and the couple are integrating themselves into the community.

Taking over in the middle of the academic year, Riza inherited the policies and staff of his predecessor last December. But this semester is different as it marks the beginning of how his presidency will be measured.

“I’m looking forward to being here at the start and watching it unfold,” he says of his first year as president. “We’ll tweak it as we go and be held accountable for it.”

One of his first challenges was to develop a new strategic plan for CC. Riza’s theme for that plan, “One Vision…One College,” came directly from a survey of Clarendon College employees, which he says underscored an identity crisis. There were employees in Clarendon, Pampa, Childress, and most recently Amarillo all vying for attention and resources.

“We got too hung up on where we worked,” Riza said. “Not everyone was playing by the same rules; and when that happens, you lose accountability, morale goes, and communication goes.”

Riza implemented a district-wide or area-wide approach and told employees in no uncertain terms, “We are one college.”

He began taking a more hands-on approach to CC’s satellite centers, and even set up an office in the oldest and largest center in Pampa. Now the president goes to Gray County at least twice a week to meet with people there, make his presence known, and keep the lines of communication open.

Riza also streamlined the college’s organizational chart, going from five college deans to three vice presidents to strengthen accountability.

Clarendon College serves an eight-county area, and the new president took the initiative to begin meeting regularly with school districts to get their feedback and find ways the college can work with them and for them. School administrators in both Hedley and Clarendon have been impressed by Riza. Hedley Superintendent Bill Wood says he has enjoyed working with the new president, and CHS Prinicpal Larry Jeffers likes what he sees.

“Clarendon College has always been willing to work with us,” Jeffers said. “But since Dr. Riza came, he’s really been pushing community involvement.”

“I can’t provide what they need without meeting with them,” Riza said of the public schools. “We have to stretch resources and serve everyone from Ft. Elliott to Silverton to Childress. It’s easy to say ‘no,’ but we’ve got to find a way to take care of things.”

CC Board of Regents Chairman John Howard also praised Riza recently at the close of the August board meeting.

“We have seen from Dr. Riza that this college is making tremendous strides and progress,” Howard said. “He’s making decisions to take us into the future. I’m particularly impressed with his energy and the fact that he’s out there making us known.”

What drives a man like Robert Riza to, as he says, “get up every day and try to make it better?” Two things: a faith in God and a chip on his shoulder, both of which are the result of what he refers to simply as “the accident.”

Riza was just 12 years old and growing up in Cleburne when he set out on his bicycle the afternoon of March 6, 1981, with plans to go fishing with his grandfather. He never made it and instead ended up unconscious and with his left leg pinned beneath a tractor-trailer. He has no memory of the details of what happened; but when he woke up a week later, his left leg had been amputated below the knee.

Such a devastating injury might have led to a life of excuses for some, but one of the first people to come to young Riza’s hospital bedside was Sterling Underwood, a draftsman in his grandfather’s business and an amputee. “It’s not the end of the world,” he told Riza, and he became a companion for the boy as he was fitted with a prosthesis and learned to deal with his new reality.

Also a physical therapist, Briddy Finn, told Riza, “There’s nothing you can’t achieve. You’re just going to have to work harder for it.”

And that’s exactly what he did. He worked and worked hard; and if someone said “you can’t do it,” he just worked harder and showed them differently. He even threw himself into athletics.

“I played baseball and had the opportunity to play college ball, but I didn’t take care of my grades and a rotator cuff injury was the end of it,” he said.

Riza once asked Underwood how he could repay him, and he replied, “One day it will be your turn.” Riza says he’s done the same four or five times for other amputees, and he thinks he has something important to do.

“I believe God has left me here to achieve something great. The verse I always use when I speak at churches is Jeremiah 29:11,” Riza said. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Now he’s using that same attitude and faith to lead Clarendon College, a place where other people told him he would have to lower his expectations but he refuses.

“We use our size as an excuse, but I don’t want us to be held to a lower standard,” Riza said.

During his address to the employees, he unveiled a generous raise for everyone… a three percent increase but with a $1,000 minimum increase for fulltime employees so that even the lowest paid people feel the benefit, and he excluded himself and his vice presidents from the raise.

“We need to focus and commit ourselves to being Clarendon College,” he told employees. “That’s what the raise is for, and I’m going to hold you accountable.”

Riza is a president who likes to set the bar high, and he knows the members of the Bulldog Nation are ready for high expectations.

“People like accountability. The people here will exceed whatever I put in front of them, because they care about this college.”

 

 The city’s first variance request under its alcohol zoning rules resulted in no action being taken by the Clarendon Board of Aldermen last Tuesday, August 26.

Patricia Krichhoff, representing Grumpy’s Pizza, addressed the board in public comments and said they have received no negative comments from the public since posting their notice of intent to apply for an alcohol permit back in May.

Grumpy’s Pizza hopes to open in October in the former Howell’s Chili House building next to the Donley County VFW Post on the southeast corner of US 287 and Faker Street. However, rules adopted by the city earlier this year prohibit the sale of alcohol within 300 feet of a church. Grumpy’s, the city says, is 8.5 feet too close to the Agapé Church located on the southwest corner of the same intersection, when the distance from front door to front door is measured by state guidelines.

Kirchhoff said Grumpy’s would offer pizza and Italian fare, and she said their calculations show the sale of beer and wine at the restaurant would put the establishment in the black.

Mayor Pro-tem Sandy Skelton, presiding in the absence of Mayor Larry Hicks, said that Grumpy’s is a business; and while the city board is pro-business, they have not heard directly from members of the Agapé Church regarding the restaurant’s request.

Alderman Doug Kidd said he had talked to Pastor Anthony Knowles who said he would not come to a meeting and that the church was happy with the rules that had been adopted. Alderman Beverly Burrow also said she had talked to the pastor who told her while the church welcomes the business as a neighbor it did not care for alcohol and said it was up to the city to make the rules. Burrow also said she did not want to weaken the alcohol zone.

“If we start inching back, where do we stop?” Burrow asked.

Alderman John Lockhart said the city needed to consider what opportunities are available for businesses.

“We have to look at where land is available for new businesses,” Lockhard said. “We have a standard that will continue to landlock us.”

The board agreed to take more time to study the issue and will revisit it during their regular meeting next week.

In other city business, the board appointed Alderman Kidd to fill an unexpired term on the board of the Clarendon Economic Development Corporation, approved a cooperative agreement with the Portal to Texas History at the University of North Texas to digitize and make historic city records available online, and approved having Foster & Lambert conduct the audit of fiscal year 2014 books.

Aldermen also approved paying off the city’s Asphalt Zipper with surplus m onies in the interest and sinking fund and applied the remainder of that surplus to the principal of the city’s tax notes.

Skelton updated the board on efforts to clean up tires at two local businesses. Citations against the firms were voided after it was discovered the city also had a stockpile of old tires, and efforts are now underway to pursue a grant that could pay for a trailer where tires could be collected and hauled off through the Panhandle Regional Planning Commission.

 

Well, here we go again. It’s September, which means that school has started. Everyone is back in class, including the students at Clarendon College. I’m glad that school is back in session. The world seems to be a better place when our young people are in school, excitedly expanding the vistas of their minds. At least, that’s how I visualize how things ought to be. In reality, they may also be expanding other, less sterling, aspects of their minds. However, a well-balanced, if somewhat mischievous mind is much better than an ignorant, rigid mind.

Once again, Clarendon is inundated with hundreds of college students, pockets flush with cash, or, at the very least, mom and dad’s credit cards. Clarendon College remains the primary economic engine that drives prosperity in Donley County and the surrounding area. It is very difficult to underestimate the importance of Clarendon College to our commonweal. In short, Clarendon College contributes millions of dollars into our economy. Unless the lake fills up soon, it will be difficult to for any other economic engine to drive more prosperity to our area. Let’s not forget that.

Our new college president, Dr. Robert Riza, has now had a few months to get his exciting new programs up and running. He has consistently been a visible and contributing part of our community, and I’m grateful that he has chosen to be an active participant in our town. The bus is departing into the future and we all need to be aboard.

We are lucky that Dr. Riza and his bride made the choice to join our community, and we should do all we can to support them, along with his vital mission at Clarendon College. Dr. Riza’s bride, Cobette, it should be noted, has also chosen to become an active part of our community. She teaches third grade at Clarendon Elementary School. We are blessed to have them both.

As part of the return to school team-building festivities, yesterday the Lady Bulldogs softball team played the faculty/staff in an exhibition game. On a beautiful, sunny day perfectly suited to watching America’s pastime, much trash talking – primarily from the faculty and staff – was not an unexpected part of the festivities, mostly in the form of threatening poor grades should the young women prevail in the game. Being good sports, while remaining cognizant of their grade point averages, the Lady Bulldogs considerately allowed the older folks to win. Never mind that the faculty/staff fielded something like 51 outfielders (as a concession to their lessening mobility – primarily due to old age and gravity).

Most impressive were the two new coaches of the Lady Bulldogs softball team. Head coach Amanda Fefel and her amazing assistant coach, Shanna Smith, wowed both players and faculty/staff. Coach Fefel once pitched in Division I college, and it showed. She threw serious heat pretty much the entire game, schooling her new players on the principal that it’s about pitching, pitching, and more pitching. Not to be outdone, her assistant, Coach Smith, hit with power and average, driving a rope over the left-center field fence, staking the faculty/staff to a lead which they never relinquished. I’m not sure where Coach Smith played, but she moves with the grace and speed of a world-class athlete. Coach Smith owned the left side of the infield while playing short-stop, and she can still flat out play!

Even Tex Buckhaults, Clarendon College’s stylish vice president (attired in his white African safari hat) showed glimpses of glories long past, snagging – cat-like, a hot liner to third base, reminiscent of the great Brooks Robinson. Alas, being a bit long of tooth, his throw to second base fluttered wounded-duck-like into right field. However, little damage resulted from his errant throw and the faculty/staff easily outdistanced their young opponents, once again proving the old adage that “old age and treachery always beats youth and skill.” It helps, too, to have a couple of ringers like coaches Fefel and Smith.

Everyone seems to have had a great time, and the stands were surprisingly full of frisky college students, along with the spouses and significant others of the faculty/staff, including Ranger – the beautiful young boxer that belongs to Coach and Ms. Devin McIntosh.

This year, as in years past, Clarendon College will add much that is good and precious to our lives. It’s my hope that we recognize the incredible value they add to our community, and do all we can to support Clarendon College. It truly is the Athens of the Panhandle. We need to count our blessings that rain down from the Hill.

 

The Clarendon ISD Board of Trustees adopted a $5.3 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year during a meeting last Tuesday, August 26.

The budget consists of two parts, $5.1 million for the school’s general fund and $230,555 for the district’s food services.

Superintendent Monty Hysinger said the fiscal year 2015 budget is based on an average daily attendance of 429 students; and overall reflects a balanced budget about 4.8 percent higher than last year’s.

CISD is maintaining its taxrate at the state limit of $1.17 per $100 valuation as approved by voters last year, but higher property values will bring more revenue to the school.

“We’ve seen property values up about $7 million mostly due to utilities,” Superintendent Monty Hysinger said. “The value of the average single family residence is actually down slightly.”

One of the highlights of this year’s budget is that it allows for step raises for teachers, and teachers whose salaries were frozen last year will also get an additional step raise to get them back on track.

“That’s important when youre competing with districts that can pay more than we can,” Hysinger said.

The new budget does not include any major facility upgrades other than modernizing the school’s wireless network.

The school is finishing construction of a covered shed to protect buses, and Hysinger said the field house needs to be re-roofed. But for the most part the school’s physical plant is in good condition.

“Our facilities are really in good shape,” he said.

To support the fiscal year 2015 budget, local taxes are expected to generate about $1.67 million, and the remaining funds will come from state appropriations and other sources.

It may be a bit early for some to start thinking about Christmas, but that doesn’t mean one local committee isn’t getting into the holiday spirit.

The Donley County Courthouse Lighting Committee is currently in the design stages of lighting up the courthouse square and has been meeting monthly to make plans and raise funds.

The inaugural lighting ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, November 29, and the volunteer committee, headed by Justice of the Peace Denise Bertrand, hopes to make the annual holiday lighting of the courthouse the official start of the Christmas season in Donley County.

This historic building will be enhanced by new lighting and scenes to inspire the adults and awe the children. Current plans include lighting the large trees on the east side of the square, a wreath in the courthouse’s round window, and other lighting features with plans to expand each year until the entire lawn is decorated on all sides of the square. In addition, the VFW Ladies Auxiliary Post 7782 has agreed to decorate the Liberty Tree located east of the annex.

“We hope the courthouse lawn will be the center of attention for our county residents and a reason for visitors to detour off of highway 287,” Bertrand said.

To date $11,136.92 has been raised, which includes a $6,000 contribution from the Clarendon EDC.

The committee is currently selling collector ornaments featuring a snowy scene of the courthouse, and only a limited number are available – so get yours before they’re gone. The ornaments will be available at the Saints’ Roost Museum’s Chuckwagon Cook-off on September 27 or by contacting any member of the committee.

If you’d like to help light up our courthouse this holiday season, donations may be mailed to Courthouse Lighting Committee, P.O. Box 825, Clarendon, TX 79226 or given to Derlene Graham at Pilgrim Bank or Jacob Fangman at Herring Bank.

The committee’s next meeting is scheduled for Monday, September 8 at 5:30 p.m. at the courthouse. Anyone interested in assisting is encouraged to attend.