City names Barboza to be next administrator

City Manager Brian Barboza of Knox City will take over as Clarendon’s new city administrator October 2 following last week’s regular meeting of the City Council.

Aldermen concluded several months of searching for the next administrator with a unanimous vote on August 10 to offer the job to Barboza , who was an early finalist for the job in January. He will succeed City Administrator David Dockery, who will retire at the end of this fiscal year.

Barboza , is an alumnus of Clarendon College; and, in a letter to city officials accepting the position, he expressed his pleasure at being offered the job and said he looks forward to coming to Clarendon.

“I am delighted to have been selected to serve as the City Administrator for such a fine city like Clarendon,” Barboza wrote. “The opportunity to return to Clarendon, not as a student but, in a leadership role in the community to serve the citizens and help shape the visions of the Mayor and City Council is an honor. I am looking forward to being a part of shaping the community’s future and achieving great things and calling Clarendon home.”

In other city business, the council approved an amendment to Ordinance 501, increasing water and sewer rates by three percent effective October 1, and also approved a measure to increase gate fees at the Citizens Convenience Center by 50 percent following increases in charges by Waste Connections.

A proposal from Cater Sand & Gravel was accepted to replace the wooden posts on the awning at 104 S. Kearney with square steel tubing was approved.

Aldermen approved a request to close Fourth and Gorst streets near the Donley County Senior Citizens for the August 19 Senior Thang.
A bid was approved to treat and repair the wood façade of the Burton Memorial Library.

Following new state legislation forbidding cities from enacting minor curfew ordinances, the city council repealed Clarendon’s minor curfew ordinance.

A resolution was approved to allow the city to receive money from the state’s opioid settlement fund.

In his administrator’s report, Dockery updated the council on the progress of downtown revitalization, the eastside paving project, and the aquatics center. Dockery particularly praised the managers and employees of the aquatics center for a great season and an exceptional job.