Archives for October 2018

Donley County voters will go to the polls next Tuesday, November 6, to decide one local race and make their feelings known on several statewide races.

Early voting by personal appearance continues through Friday, November 2, in the Courthouse Annex, and Deputy County Clerk LaVerne Pinion says voting has been brisk so far

“We’ve had 513 vote so far,” Pinion said Tuesday afternoon. “I haven’t seen turnout like this since we voted on alcohol sales.”

The only locally contested race this year for County/District Clerk, which has longtime incumbent Democrat Fay Vargas being challenged by Republican Robert “Bobby” Woodard. The race has gotten a lot of local attention with some Republican voters taking out ads in favor of the Democratic incumbent.

Other local candidates running unopposed are County Judge John Howard, County Treasurer Wanda Smith, Precinct 1&2 Justice of the Peace Pamela Mason, Pat White for Precinct 3&4 Justice of the Peace, Precinct 4 Commissioner Dan Sawyer, and Precinct 2 Commissioner Daniel Ford.

Also of local interest, US Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Clarendon) is being challenged by Democrat Greg Sagan and Libertarian Calvin DeWeese. State Sen. Kel Seliger (R-Amarillo) faces Libertarian Jack B. Westbrook, and State Rep. Ken King (R-Canadian) is being challenged by Democrat Ezekiel Barron.

Polling on Election Day next Tuesday will be from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the following voting locations: Precinct 101 – Bairfield Activity Center, Precinct 102 – Howardwick City Hall, Precinct 201 – County Courthouse, Precinct 301 – Assembly of God Fellowship Hall, Precinct 303 – Hedley First Baptist Church, and Precinct 401 – Clarendon Church of Christ Family Life Center.

Check your voter’s registration card for your polling place. Election results will be posted Tuesday night on ClarendonLive.com and Facebook.com/TheEnterprise.

Education funding dominated the discussion when State Rep. Ken King (R-Canadian) held a town hall here October 17.

King serves on the Texas Commission on Public School Finance and said the level of state funding for public education continues to drop. The state now pays 35 percent of school expenses with local property taxes paying 55 percent and federal money covering the balance.

“That’s going to drop another 14 percent in the next four years,” King said of state funding.

King said the state has limited options to come up with more money for schools, and he said the governor has already promised to veto any increase in the state sales tax.
The representative addressed teacher pay and said the governor has promised raises for teachers but has offered no way to pay for it, but he said teacher pay needs to be addressed.

King stressed the importance of public education, especially in rural West Texas, for the sake of our area’s economy.

“We need education to compete with our urban counterparts and be able to get our goods and services to market,” King said.

School safety was also discussed, and King said more needs to be done to address mental health issues.

Clarendon School Superintendent Mike Norrell asked about legislative priorities and the anti-public education agenda in the state senate.

“Dan Patrick is on TV every day with a borrowed dog telling you how much he loves public education,” King said but noted that lieutenant governor focuses instead on school vouchers.

King also said politics in large urban centers like Harris County (Houston) is driving property tax issues and said the state needs appraisal reform.

“I think politics is trumping policy too often, and that’s what I’m combating,” King said.

Cleaning abandoned properties, adjusting the sign ordinance, and the possible end of the personal property tax were among the items discussed at the Clarendon City Council’s meeting last Thursday, October 25.

Danny Barrett addressed the board on behalf of Texas Communities Group regarding ways the city can clean up abandoned properties and get them back on the tax rolls.
TCG pursues properties through the foreclosure process after five years of non-payment of property taxes or three years of non-payment of taxes if the property has a history of code compliance issues. Barrett said TCG had successfully gotten 77 of 100 properties in Paducah back on the tax roll using this method and gotten $25,000 in revenue for that city.

City Administrator David Dockery said the proposal is a good way to help clean up the community.

“When (Code Officer) Grett (Betts) brought this to me, I thought it was a great benefit to the community,” Dockery said. “Every city I’ve talked to said it is a great program.”
Aldermen approved a $2,500 contract with TCG to work on abandoned properties in the city.

The council also heard an update from Dockery about possible changes to the sign ordinance recommended by a committee of business people. Dockery said the committee is recommending a limited number of temporary “event” signs as exception to the city’s ban on “off premise” signs. The proposal would allow the Whistle Stop Trade Days to still put up a limited number of temporary signs each month if certain guidelines were met.

Dockery asked the council not to take action on the changes last week as Alderman Larry Jeffers was absent from the meeting, and Dockery also wants businesses to have a chance to see the proposed changes. The city’s attorney will also be reviewing the recommendations.

Judy Thomas addressed the council expressing her interest in being appointed to fill a vacant seat on the council. Dockery later informed the council that the city wants everyone to have a chance to express their interest in the position by submitting a letter and résumé to City Hall.

Dockery also updated the council on the USDA water infrastructure project and said contractors will soon be very busy ditching and laying pipe. He said additional interruptions in water service are possible due to boring being done in some areas and the inability to see existing pipes.

The administrator also talked about the city’s airport board and said City Hall is reviewing the qualifications and resolutions governing the airport board and that new members need to be appointed.

Dockery also talked in his administrative report about the possibility of redirecting the half-cent sales tax currently dedicated to property tax reduction to the city’s general revenue, an idea that is part of a discussion about possibly repealing the city’s personal property tax. Dockery is gathering more information about the idea. City officials know the personal property tax is unpopular but also have to keep the stability of city revenues in mind when contemplating eliminating the tax.

A Clarendon man is in jail this week following the death of his three-week-old daughter.

Christopher Bryon Myers, age 37, was arrested Tuesday, October 23, and charged with first degree felony Injury to Child, according to Donley County Sheriff Butch Blackburn.

Law enforcement and emergency medical personnel responded to Myers’ residence at 718 S. Ellerbe on Friday, October 12, after a 911 call at 5:02 that morning reported a possible dead baby, the sheriff said.

The infant was transported to Northwest Texas Hospital in Amarillo and placed on life support, and the sheriff’s office, assisted by a Texas Ranger, began investigating.
Aries Renae Myers pronounced dead on Monday, October 15, and an autopsy was performed in Dallas on October 16.

The complaint alleges that the child’s death was due to blunt force trauma, Blackburn said.

The investigation in the case is ongoing, and Blackburn said the felony charge in this case was filed after consultation with 100th Judicial District Attorney Luke Inman.

Myers has a past criminal history on theft related charges. If found guilty, Myers could face five to 99 years in prison.

The City of Clarendon has issued a boil water notice following a water line break Tuesday morning.

In notice published in this week’s Enterprise, residents are advised to boil their water prior to consumption.

To ensure destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes, water for drinking, cooking, and making ice should be boiled and cooled prior to use. The water should be brought to a vigorous, rolling boil and then boiled for two minutes. In lieu of boiling, purchase bottled water or obtain water from another source.

Once testing confirms the city’s water is safe, the Enterprise will update readers through ClarendonLive.com, Facebook, and Twitter.

Clarendon College nursing students now have an easy path to earn bachelor’s degree from West Texas A&M University after the two institutions signed a new articulation agreement last week.

CC President Robert Riza called the agreement “an outstanding opportunity for our students” and had high praise for the support that WTAMU President Walter Wendler has shown to community college students.

“You will not find a more supportive university president of community colleges than Walter Wendler,” Dr. Riza said.

Wendler returned that respect for the CC president and also praised Clarendon nursing program.

“I have tremendous respect for Robert,” Wendler said, “and you have a tremendous faculty and staff at Clarendon College that will go hand in hand and make perfect partnership with us.”

WTAMU Undergraduate Nursing Program Coordinator Marietta Branson said the agreement allows nursing students to get their RN through Clarendon College and then finish their BSN at WT.

“You get your core requirements at Clarendon and then do the final 30 hours at WT in residence and in upper level classes,” Branson said.

The agreement will allow associate’s degree receiving students with up to 90 credit hours to automatically initiate the transfer process for a bachelor’s degree at WTAMU even before enrolling. Formalizing the transition will allow aspiring RN licensed nurses opportunity to scholarships, academic support and advising resources at WTAMU.

CC students transferring into WT’s BSN program under the agreement will qualify for a scholarship of $225 per course, WT officials said.

Clarendon College Director of Allied Health Sabrina McCain said the agreement will help keep talented students working in the region and fight “brain drain” – a phrase that describes when smart, talented rural youth leave their communities for urban jobs.

“This benefits students and the community,” McCain said.

With the convenience of online courses, the nursing program at WTAMU serves hundreds of transfer colleges across the country and has received nearly 50 national rankings since 2014. Students are able to apply up to 56 credits for core and prerequisite courses from their community colleges and 34 hours of nursing course credits toward an RN license.

This is the second articulation agreement for students in the Allied Health Department at Clarendon College. In 2016, CC partnered with Texas Tech University Health Science Center on a “3+1” Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences degree.