Archives for April 2016

Clarendon Aldermen are set to move forward this week with a $3.9 million project to improve the city’s water distribution system following a recent Town Hall meeting.

“I think it was a positive response,” City Administrator David Dockery said of the Town Hall. “We’ll have something dealing with this project on every agenda for the foreseeable future.”

The City Council will consider two items on its agenda this Thursday that will set the project in motion, the administrator said. The first is a “notice to proceed,” and the second will be action to engage bond counsel.

Dockery says he expects the city will complete surveying and design work within six months, project bidding will be done in seven or eight months, and construction will begin within a year. Once construction begins, the project will take 18 months to three years to complete.

The main focus of the project will be to address discolored water found in some parts of town that is caused by miles of cast iron distribution pipes and poor flow through the system. The city is also out of compliance with state regulations for elevated storage due to problems with the standpipe (or water tower) on the east side of town. Clarendon could face state fines in the near future if those issues are not addressed.

The city additionally will replace all water meters with auto read meters. City officials say the aging meters currently in use are inaccurate by as much as 20 percent, and automated meters would significantly reduce the man-hours needed each month to read more than 700 meters.

Through the USDA Rural Development Program, Clarendon will pay for the project with a grant of $1.387 million and a loan in the amount of $2.522 million. The loan will take 40 years to pay off at 2.5 percent interest and with an annual payment of about $100,500.

The loan payment would require additional revenue for the city equal to $10 per month per water connection. Dockery says the rate increase is about nine months in the future at this point.

More than 50 people attended the Town Hall meeting on the night of March 29 at the Bairfield Activity Center, where Dockery, along with Mayor Larry Hicks and city engineer Clayton Scales, fielded questions from the public following an explanatory overview of the project. A sample of the questions and answers follows:

Question: Why can’t the east standpipe be raised to create more elevated storage? Have we asked for a variance from the state?

Answer: The engineers aren’t sure the foundation or the base shell of the standpipe could handle the weight of additional capacity. And we can’t get a variance.

Question: Why can’t we just replace the oldest water meters instead of all the meters?

Answer: Most of the meters are old and therefore measuring water inaccurately. The city is being charged for all the water it receives from Greenbelt but is not able to collect for all the water used by consumers. Better accountability will produce more revenue.

Question: What percentage of the funding is grant funds?

Answer: 35 percent.

Question: Clarendon is in decline, and won’t this cost be borne by fewer and fewer people?

Answer: The city believes improved water and improved services makes Clarendon more attractive for people to live here.

Comment: Our rates are higher than other cities already.

Response: If you look at other cities who purchase their water from Greenbelt, we are comparable. Childress’ and Crowell’s rates are higher than Clarendon and will still be higher after we go up $10.

Comment by Judy Thomas: I don’t like the idea of paying $10 per month more, but I like replacing my clothes less (due to stains from dirty water).

Comment by Rose Lemley: I greatly admire our mayor, council, and city administrator for dealing with something that nobody else wanted to deal with.

Question: How will this waterline replacement impact paved streets and driveways?

Answer: Lines will be placed in the right of way outside of the paving where possible. Driveways that are cut will be put back with the same material that was there.

Question: What about the brick streets?

Answer: Brick streets are important to the community and city is aware of that.

Comment from Will Thompson: Many express fear of spending or taxes going up. I fear not doing something like Flint, Michigan. Doing nothing will put pressure on another generation.

Comment from Bob Watson: We’re doing a disservice to those with poor water if we don’t fix this water for everybody.

Question: How does this impact the city’s ability to borrow money for future projects?

Answer: The current street bonds will be paid for in three years, and at that time the city could take on another project.

For more information about the water improvement project, contact City Hall at 874-3438.

 

After moving up slightly last month, sales tax figures for the City of Clarendon slipped again when Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar made his April allocations last week.

Clarendon’s sales tax revenue dipped 5.46 percent to $24,697.69, and the city’s calendar year-to-date total slid 5.53 percent down to $115,860.84.

These allocations are based on sales made in February by businesses that report tax monthly. Clarendon’s figure has now dropped 11 of the last 15 months.

Hedley’s figure dropped 19.56 percent to $327.39 for the month but was still showing positive signs for the year, up 24.52 percent at $2,497.54.

Howardwick plummeted 39.90 percent to $640.65, but was still up 1.87 percent for the year-to-date at $4,444.40.

Across the state, Heger reported that local sales tax allocations were up 2.6 percent at $591.4 million compared to the same period one year ago.

“The cities of Dallas, Austin, Sugar Land and Fort Worth saw substantial increases in sales tax allocations that helped stop a four-month streak of declining sales tax allocations for the state overall,” Hegar said. “Energy-centric cities such as Houston and Midland continue to see decreases in sales tax allocations.”

 

After months of anticipation, the Whistle-Stop Trade Days will open this weekend with hopes of attracting people from miles around to attend a monthly shopping event in Clarendon.

Owner Kimberly Britten says the Whistle-Stop won’t be a typical business.

“It’s going to be an exciting event that happens once a month,” she said.

Located at the former Chamberlain Motor Co. on US 287, the Whistle-Stop will open from noon to 5 p.m. this Friday, April 8, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Going forward, the trade days will be open the weekend following the first Monday each month.

In addition to vendors and live music, a car show is scheduled to be held this Saturday as part of the grand opening.

On the north side of the property will be a beer garden under the trees featuring live music, and several food trucks will be lined up along the beer garden. Food trucks will be serving corndogs, barbecue, hamburgers, shaved ice, funnel cakes, sausages, and more.

“It’s going to be fun,” Britten said. “We have so many vendors – everything from fancy boutiques to old barn treasures, cold beer, live music, and great food.”

Approximately 100 vendors are expected to be on hand this weekend at the Whistle-Stop. Booths will be set up inside the main building, in the parking lot in front of the main building, and behind the main building. Sellers are coming from all over Texas and Oklahoma, including as far away as San Antonio.

“We’ll have furniture, antiques, ‘junk,’ tactical gear… you name it, it’s probably here,” Britten said.

Free parking for the trade days will be at the Clarendon Outdoor Entertainment Arena just north of the Whistle-Stop. Handicapped passengers can be dropped off near the blue awning of the former service building.

Britten said the Whistle-Stop has advertised widely for its opening in area newspapers as well as on radio and television, and she’s received positive feedback from the community.

“People are really excited and think this is so good for Clarendon,” she said. “It’s going to be fun.”

The Whistle-Stop first opened with a Farmer’s Market in August before closing for the season. Britten and her fiancé Jordan Green say they and their helpers have been working very hard since January to get ready for this opening.

Britten says there are a few outdoor spaces left for vendors, and people can still sign up for those before Friday by calling 806-206-6815.