Archives for April 2018

Clarendon College will hold its annual Invitational Judging Contest this Saturday, April 7, and attendance is again expected to more than double the city’s population for the day.

The contest attracts more than 2,000 high school FFA students and 4-H students from around Texas and nearby states. As of Tuesday morning, college officials said there were about 2,200 contest registrations for the event.

The number of registrations doesn’t include the hundreds of parents and coaches who accompany the students to the contest. According to the 2010 US Census, Clarendon has a population of 2,026.

Johnny Treichel, Clarendon College livestock and meats judging coach, said the event is a big recruiting tool for the college.

“This is the only time each year the college has this many potential students on campus,” he said. “And we are pleased to have such positive support from the community year after year.”

Allsup’s plans to open its new store in Clarendon next Friday, April 13, after years of discussion and planning and months of construction.

With a floor plan of almost 5,000 square feet, the new store on US 287 at Sims Street will be about twice the size of the current store one block away at US 287 and Koogle.

Allsup’s has invested about $4 million into the project, which covers an estimated 115,900 square feet, more than one standard city block, in concrete and improvements. In addition to the 12 people currently employed by the store, Allsup’s has hired ten more people and is looking to hire about five more before the store opens.

Among the new amenities at the new site are 24 fueling dispensers for automobiles, which are covered by a canopy that extends to the store. The site also can accommodate truck traffic with ten diesel dispensers with DEF available at the diesel island.

An eight-foot metal fence is being constructed behind the store along Third Street to separate the site from Broncho Stadium. Allsup’s also paid to pave Sims Street with concrete adjacent to the new store, and the city replaced utility lines there before that paving was installed.

Inside the store, customers will find a bigger cold storage area for drinks and food, a larger drink station, and a bigger deli case. A new flat grill is being installed to prepare burgers, fajitas, toaster sandwiches, and other fare that will be a new offering for the Allsup’s brand.

The store will also have larger bathrooms and storage areas than the current building, a large walk-in freezer, and three ice machines.

A Grand Opening celebration will run from April 15 through April 21 with specials in the store all week. Give-aways during the grand opening will include a four-wheeler, a big screen television, and a stainless steel barbecue grill.

The fate of Allsup’s current facility has not been determined, officials said will be removed within one year of its closing, but a decision on what to do with the property has not been made at this time.

School safety and security will be the topic of a public hearing at Clarendon CISD next Monday, April 9, at 7 p.m. in the Administration & Technology Building

The hearing comes after parents’ comments at the March 26 board meeting addressed school security and their concerns about additional steps they thought the district should consider taking, including arming school personnel.
School officials could not respond to comments made in open forum, and discussion on the security agenda item was held in closed session.

Superintendent Mike Norrell said Monday’s hearing will be held at the opening of the school board’s regular meeting and will allow for those in attendance to provide feedback and have discussion about security with school officials and trustees.

“Our highest priority is to do the best we can to protect our students,” Norrell said. “We continue to welcome parent feedback and my door is always open to discuss concerns.”

Security has been a priority of Clarendon CISD for a long time, but shootings at schools in other parts of the nation have heightened awareness of the issue for educators and parents. Many school districts in Texas, including Hedley ISD, have gone as far as approving certain school personnel to carry or have access to firearms.

“That has been part of the discussion in the past,” Norrell said. “Everything is up for discussion, and we’re already taking steps to improve our security, some of which will be in place within two weeks.”

Chancy Cruise, Jackie Bell, Corey Gaither, Zack Robinson, and Michael Newhouse addressed the school board’s last meeting. Some of the men mentioned arming personnel as an option, and all of them urged the school to take steps to improve security.

Clarendon CISD conducts a security audit every three years, but an additional audit was scheduled for this week outside of the usual schedule. Norrell said an employee with the Amarillo Police Department will conduct a comprehensive review of the school’s facilities, policies, and procedures.

The superintendent said the findings of that report will be available for the board by the April meeting, but he also said security vulnerabilities as well as some specific school security measures are not public information.

Norrell said Clarendon conducts drills for active shoot or intruder situations throughout the year, which are evaluated, and then issues arising from those drills are addressed.

Two years ago, CCISD implemented the CopSync system, which provides immediate access and alerts law enforcement to an emergency. Each teacher has access to the system. The school also has a network of cameras and expanded that network this year. The school also uses a StopIt notification system to report offenses like bullying or other suspicions, Norrell said.

Within the last two months, Norrell said the school improved its ability to communicate internally with its phone systems.

“Additionally, our local DPS officers make routine visits to our campus and walk the grounds and halls,” Norrell said, noting that the DPS office is two blocks away and that the sheriff’s office has an “impressive” response time.

“There are changes coming to the access of our buildings that will be different and perhaps less convenient,” Norrell said. “Our campus, like many other older campuses throughout the state and nation, was built to be open. We have tried to create a welcoming environment to our students, their parents and grandparents, and our community. Unfortunately, our society is changing, and we must adapt.”

Norrell concedes that it is impossible to protect children and staff from everything, and he says scenarios can be endless. But he also says it is important for the school to stay vigilant.

“I believe there is a trust between the school and our parents that is renewed every morning they drop off their kids, put them on a bus, or send them on their way to school,” Norrell said. “We don’t take that trust for granted; and while we are not perfect, we will do our best to protect our kids.”

Donley County officials had a clear message for the City of Howardwick during a town hall there last Wednesday, March 28: “Keep your city.”

Judge John Howard presided over what was actually a called session of the Donley County Commissioners’ Court with Commissioners Dan Sawyer and Mark White in attendance along with about 50 Howardwick residents and seven of the nine candidates running for city council.

“I hope that we leave this meeting tonight with a better understanding of what it would mean if you abolish your municipality,” Howard said in opening the meeting.

The possibility of dissolving the entity of City of Howardwick, or unincorporating, has been talked about for at least two months among some residents after in-fighting on the city council and among residents led to the resignations of three aldermen in February, effectively paralyzing the city for a brief time.

Howard discussed current city services that would not be available from the county if the city was to be dissolved.
The county will not collect trash at Howardwick, but residents would be able to use the county’s dump near the Clarendon airport when it is open. The county would not provide fire protection, although residents could establish an emergency services district; and the county would not necessarily take care of the roads in Howardwick.

“You would have to apply to have roads included in the county road system,” Howard said, noting that the could would not accept neighborhood roads and that they county has not equipment to maintain paved roads.

The judge reminded residents that, as a city, Howardwick can apply for grants through the Panhandle Regional Planning Commission, and he encouraged them to do just that.

During a question and answer session, it was discussed that codes and zoning would go away if the city were dissolved but that a neighborhood association could develop rules. City property would be sold off, and Howardwick residents would have no control over utilities, such as water service, without a city government.

Insurance agent Cameron Word discussed insurance rates, which he said could go up without a city fire department.
The issue of mowing was also raised. Howardwick’s city government mows vacant lots in the city for fire protection and to earn revenue, and that activity would stop if the city were dissolved.

Several residents in attendance said they were for keeping the municipality. City alderman candidate Kay Dye was the main person with favorable comments about unincorporating. She said unicorporating would stop political fighting, which “has turned our city upside down.”

Dye said she has lived in several unincorporated places which were able to have roads and other amenities.

“Being unicorporated isn’t all bad,” she said.

Other residents discussed fears that a travel trailer could be moved next to a $100,000 home if not for municipal rules and what might happen to home values if the city were dissolved.

Judge Howard briefly discussed the steps to unincorporate the city, which he said would require a petition of two-thirds of the voters to call an election.

“I think you would lose a lot by not being a city,” Howard said. “I would encourage you to do what you can to improve your community.”

Commissioner Dan Sawyer echoed Howard’s comments and spoke in favor of residents keeping the city’s status.

“We don’t want to lose this municipality,” Sawyer said. “We’re asking for y’all to get a good city council. … Follow the Open Meetings Act, discuss it, vote on it, and let it go.”

Sawyer also addressed concerns about properties that need to be cleaned up by warning, “If you unincorporate, you’re going to have more of a junk yard than you already have.”

“Open your minds and think for the future,” Sawyer said.

Judge Howard closed the meeting by reminding those in attendance, “Howardwick could be as good as you want it to be.”

Mayor Greta Byars was noticeably absent from the meeting. City Secretary Sandra Childress told the Enterprise afterwards that she had asked Byars not to come out of a concern that her attendance would constitute a meeting of the city council, for which no agenda had been posted.

Childress also said another town hall will be held before the May 5 city election so residents can meet the candidates running for city council.