Archives for September 2015

When Sarah Burcham arrived in Clarendon in 2008 as the community’s newest Physician’s Assistant, she never imagined owning and operating the local clinic. And yet, that’s exactly what happened.
Burcham and her husband, Daniel, took over the ownership and management of Clarendon Family Medical Center on July 1, but patients probably haven’t noticed much difference.
“We’re not looking to make a lot of changes,” Sarah said. “The Howards had a great system in place, and we plan to continue that.”
Talks of a change of ownership began not long after clinic founder, Dr. John Howard, was elected Donley County Judge last November, the Burchams said.
“We were at a point that we were thinking of moving closer to family,” Daniel said. “We’re nine hours away from her family and 16 hours away from mine.”
But then, the Burchams say, Howard began talking to them about the possibility of owning the clinic. He was committed to being a full time judge but not wanting to totally give up medicine, his wife, clinic manager Lori Howard, had put in 17 years and was ready to retire. The timing was perfect.
“This was a turning point for us,” Sarah said. “And we decided to make the decision.”
Dr. Howard was happy to see the Burchams get the opportunity to own the clinic.
“I’m pleased to see local professionals will continue to operate the clinic with the same philosophy,” Howard said. “I’m still at the clinic as a supervising physician for an excellent group of professionals. I’m not prepared to stop practicing medicine.”
Howard said he is committed to his new role as county judge but said medicine is still his first love.
With Mrs. Howard staying on to advice in a transition period and Dr. Howard continuing his role as medical director and supervising physician, the Burchams have stepped into the roles of management.
Daniel’s sister, Jami Vierig, moved from Atlanta, Georgia, to Clarendon to become the clinic’s new business manager, bringing with her a 14-year-old son, Christian Wooten, and leaving a daughter in college back in Georgia.
The new owners also brought back a familiar face, Devah Pittman, a well-liked Physician’s Assistant.
Sarah and Pittman, along with Misty Nobles, makes up the main caregivers at the clinic with Howard still seeing patients on Wednesdays. Daniel, with a degree in business, oversees that aspect of the clinic.
Daniel’s main focus is maintaining the clinic’s position in the community, providing 14 jobs, 10 of which are full time.
“The impact and the role we can play in the community makes it worth being away from our families,” he said. “I really like helping keep jobs here. A big company wouldn’t keep the same atmosphere, and we care about everyone in the community.”

Donley County is proposing an increase in its road and bridge tax as part of its budget proposal for fiscal year 2016.
The County Special tax rate, which funds road and bridge maintenance, will increase by more than three cents from $0.107900 to $0.14 in proposed budget. The county’s total tax rate – ad valorem, special, and debt rate combined – will go from $0.627654 to $0.657406 and will raise the annual tax on a home valued at $100,000 by $29.75.
The $2.2 million budget proposed by commissioners is about $36,000 higher than the current budget
County Judge John Howard said the fiscal year 2015 budget had some road and bridge expense in the maintenance and operations budget and that has been moved back to the road and bridge budget in the proposal.
“We hope to engage a multiyear approach to improve the state of roads in the county,” Howard said.
Total road and bridge budget disbursements increase by more than $77,000 in the proposed budget.
One notable stand out in the budget is an $8,000 reduction in the county’s support of the Burton Memorial Library from $33,000 down to $25,000. Howard said the revenue just isn’t there for the current level of support and that the county had to deal with mandatory expenditures versus discretionary expenditures, which included the library.
The budget offers no raises for county employees, reflects a 4.21 percent increase in health care premiums, and adjusts expected non-tax revenues down to reflect actual income.
Income from the district and county courts for fiscal year 2015 was budgeted at $110,000 combined, but the reality has been far short of that. The proposed budget reduces that expected income by $60,000 down to $50,000, which the judge says is closer to what those courts will actually bring in.
Howard called the budget “forward looking” and said the county is working on a five-year plan to take a long range look at vehicle and equipment expenses.
The judge said he hopes to see Donley County accomplish three goals in the coming years: 1) Improve roads; 2) Move salaries to a point where the county can retain and attract competent employees; and 3) Build an operating reserve for the county.
The judge said he is taking a $2,100 pay cut from the county to help with expenses and that his office has adopted shortened hours (Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) to reduce costs.
Public tax hearings will be held September 4 at 9:00 a.m. and September 8 at 10:30 a.m., and both the tax rate and the budget will be voted on by commissioners following a budget hearing on September 14 at 9 a.m.

A split Clarendon City Council voted 2-1 to approve a bid on tax delinquent property during the regular city meeting last Thursday, August 27.
At issue is a 1999 Oakwood mobile home, owned by Nancy Shapiro and Bryan Leeper, located on the north side of the city. Back taxes on the trailer house total $24,236.95 for all local entities, including $5,157.31 for the city alone. With fines and fees, the total owed on the structure is $25,362.46.
The Donley Appraisal District solicited bids to settle the back taxes and has submitted the lone bid to local entities for their acceptance, with the city being the first to act.
The lone bid was for $100 and was from Leeper’s son, Tim Leeper, prompting further questions from the city council, which ultimately approved the bid. Aldermen Sandy Skelton and John Lockhart voted in favor of accepting the bid. Alderman Doug Kidd voted in opposition. Aldermen Beverly Burrow and Larry Jeffers were absent.
Chief Appraiser Paula Lowrie said this week that the appraisal district has been trying to address the back taxes on the mobile home for a long time. The appraisal district’s attorneys made several attempts over the years to collect taxes dating back to 2003 from Shapiro, but they were unsuccessful in serving her.
The home sits on land owned by Bryan Leeper, and Lowrie said it was only recently that his name was added to the mobile home. She said there is nothing wrong with Tim Leeper bidding on the property since he owes no back taxes.
Lowrie said the mobile home was put up in a sheriff’s sale last December but received no bids, making it the property of the local taxing entities. She said Bryan Leeper now wants it off his land said the district has advertised unsuccessfully trying to sell the home.
“We would be out thousands of dollars to move it ourselves,” Lowrie said.
In other city business last Thursday, the council voted to submit a preliminary environmental report and assessment to the US Department of Agriculture to determine the city’s eligibility for grant and/or loan funds for water system improvements.
Aldermen voted in favor of engaging the Panhandle Regional Planning Commission to develop master parks plan for the city at no charge. The plan is a necessary step if the city wishes to consider applying for grant funds from the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department next year. The master plan is expected to be finished in January or February.
The board also reviewed the proposed city budget. A budget hearing will be held September 24.
Aldermen submitted names in nomination for a steering committee to guide efforts of meeting a $500,000 challenge grant for the purpose of a water recreation facility in the city. Formal appointment of the committee will come next week.
Dockery also reported progress on possible grant funds through the Texas Department of Transportation to add a fuel facility at the Smiley Johnson Municipal Airport. Early estimates are that the project would cost about $48,703 with the city putting in about $12,000. The local funds would come from an airport CD, which holds money left from a previous grant that can only be spent on the airport.