Aldermen appoint Smith to vacant council seat

The Clarendon City Council named Mandy Smith to take a vacant alderman’s position during their regular meeting last Thursday, September 12.

Alderman John Lockhart stepped down from the council last month, and city officials had received two letters of interest from local citizens.

During last week’s meeting, Smith said she had moved to Clarendon about a year and a half ago and had purchased property here. She has a history with grant writing and non-profit work that she felt could be useful to the city, and she has also been attending council meetings fairly regularly already.

After conferring in closed session for about ten minutes, the council returned to open session and voted to appoint Smith to the vacant seat.

In other city business, the council reversed a vote it took in August and granted a request to close some streets and alleyways on the west side of town.

Ralph Graves had requested that a portion of Leroy, Ninth, and Tenth streets and some adjacent alleyways be closed. The streets are platted but have never been opened; and during the August meeting, aldermen said the platted streets should be left to be available for future use and denied Graves’ request.

Last week, Graves brought pictures and maps showing the area and told aldermen the streets in question were “landlocked.” He said he had acquired the property bounded by the Community Fellowship Church on the southwest and Johns Street on the east and had no plans to develop it other than clearing it of brush.

After discussion, the council granted Graves’ request and closed the specified streets.

The council unanimously approved the ad valorem tax rate of $0.593711 for the coming fiscal year and also approved a budget amendment.

Animal impoundment procedures were amended to require animals pictures be posted on the city website as well as at City Hall. The council tabled action on proposed operating procedures for animal control until the document could be streamlined and simplified.

Aldermen took no action on a golf cart ordinance, choosing not to tackle that subject unless more citizens ask them to look into it.

A motion was approved to apply for an airport improvement grant for fiscal year 2025.

The council completed the annual performance review for City Administrator Brian Barboza and renewed his contract for another year. Mayor Jacob Fangman said Barboza had dealt with many issues in his first year and shown a willingness to learn and improve in his job.