The Clarendon Enterprise - Spreading the word since 1878.
The Hedley Lions Club’s annual Chicken Barbecue will be held next Thursday, August 31, at the Hedley Park starting at 6 p.m.
Plates are $10 each and includes barbecue chicken, potato salad, beans, and tea. To purchase tickets, call Mark White at 806-277-0412, Michael Metcalf at 806-205-0064, or Lucy Poole at 806-282-3755.
Plans are underway for the Clarendon Country Club to host the 31st annual Western Lone Star Senior Ladies Golf Association Tournament next month, September 10-14, with the theme “Diamonds in the Rough.”
More than 70 lady golfers are expected to attend the three-day match play tournament.
Free practice rounds will be held Sunday, September 10, followed by a welcome party. Qualifying rounds will be held Monday, September 11, and the first day of match play will be Tuesday, September 12.
Tuesday evening will have free time scheduled for shopping, although participants will be shopping other days as well. Local merchants are being encouraged to stay open until 8 p.m. on September 12.
Second day matches get underway on September 13, and the tournament concludes on September 14.
The association tournament has been in Clarendon before in 2008 and 2014, and members support motels, restaurants, and stores while they are in town.
Members of the association come from 21 towns in West Texas – Alpine, Amarillo, Andrews, Big Spring, Borger, Canadian, Canyon, Childress, Clarendon, Dimmitt, Dumas, Farwell, Graham, Hereford, Lubbock, Memphis, Muleshoe, Olney, Shamrock, Snyder, and Tulia.
For more information about the tournament, contact Theresa Shelton at 806-654-2994 or Sherol Johnston at 806-674-8590.
A Donley County Salary Grievance Committee more than tripled the salary of Precinct 3&4 Constable Randy Bond when it met last Thursday, August 10, rejecting the $1,236 figure set by the Commissioners’ Court and calling for a new annual salary of $3,804.
The unanimous decision of the nine-member committee is binding on the commissioners’ court. A less than unanimous decision would have meant the commissioners only had to “consider” the committee’s decision.
Bond ran unopposed for the vacant constable’s office as a Republican in March of 2022, had no opponent in last year’s general election in November, and took office in January.
County Judge John Howard stated during the committee meeting that the constable’s salary had been reduced in fiscal year 2022 following former constable Doug Wright’s resignation in February of 2021. Howard said Bond knew what the salary was when he ran for the office.
Bond filed legal action against the Donley County Commissioners’ Court seeking a “reasonable salary” for his office in March 2023 but dropped his action in April.
Bond told the committee last week that he was seeking a reasonable salary.
“All I need is a salary that’s reasonable to run this office,” he said.
In a letter to the county, Bond sought a salary of $45,000, which is the same as a Donley County Sheriff’s Deputy.
County Clerk Vickie Tunnell asked Bond during the meeting why he needed a full deputy’s salary when the constable only covers half the county.
“I deserve a deputy’s salary,” Bond said. “How am I expected to do my job?”
During the meeting, Howard asked Bond why he had quit as the county’s chief deputy if he wanted a deputy’s salary. Bond replied that he had stepped away from law enforcement after working a double murder in Howardwick.
During the course of the committee meeting, it was discussed that while Bond’s salary is only $1,236 per year, he still receives health insurance through the county as a county official. However, county employees have to pay about $200 per month of the insurance premium, effectively wiping out his salary and resulting in Bond having to write a check back to the county to cover the insurance.
After consulting with County Treasurer Wanda Smith, the committee unanimously approved a motion by County Tax Assessor Kristy Christopher to set Bond’s salary at $3,804 plus related taxes and retirement costs.
Members of the committee were Judge John Howard, Sheriff Butch Blackburn, County Attorney Landon Lambert, County Clerk Vickie Tunnell, County Treasurer Wanda Smith, County Tax Assessor Kristy Christopher, and members of the public Natrona Barton, Pauline McAfee, Jimmy Hampton, and Melissa Hatley.
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.
People of all ages are invited and encouraged to attend That Senior Thang this Saturday, August 19.
Barbecue Chickens will start coming off the grill at 1:00 p.m. as the first act of the third annual fundraiser for the Donley County Senior Citizens Center. It’s first come, first served this year with half chickens available for $8 each or whole chickens available for $15.
The main Thang begins at 5:00 and continues until 9:00 at the intersection of Gorst and Fourth streets.
The Thang will old-fashioned family fun for people of all ages. There will be a full concession with everything from BBQ sandwiches, hot dogs and Pulled pork sandwiches to homemade ice cream and watermelon and a County Store full of home baked goodies.
Free street games will include hoops, prize ducks, toy car races, corn hole, ladderball, marbles, and face painting.
Come try your luck at Chicken Drop Bingo, the Silent Auction or the 50/50 Raffle. For the more adventurous player, there will be Straw Tower Building, Two-on-Two Basketball, Jalapeno Eating, Watermelon Seed Spitting, and Wheelchair Races. Put your team of four together and compete at Water Balloon Volleyball, Texas Skis, or the Balloon Blast. Winners take half of the entry fees.
The Donley County Senior Citizens invites everyone to come join the fun. Remember to BYOC (Bring Your Own Chair).
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