State will pick spot for marker

The location of a Ten Commandments marker on the Donley County Courthouse Square will be left up to the Texas Historical Commission (THC) following Monday’s regular meeting of the Commissioners’ Court.

County officials listened to two proposals for locating the monument on the east side of the court and also considered a third option closer to the Courthouse Annex before going outside to look at each location.

Guy Ellis told the court that similar monuments in other counties are “fairly close” to the courthouse and that a new Ten Commandments marker in Carson County is “right in the middle” of the sidewalk leading to that courthouse’s main steps.

Monument supporters proposed their first choice location on the east side of the courthouse in a tree line about 12 feet off the sidewalk along Sully Street and more or less centered on the building. Their second option was a little south of there but closer to the courthouse and in line with round window on the east façade.

Commissioner Donnie Hall said he preferred a location east of the Annex, which he said would not distract from the courthouse and would be closer to the greatest foot traffic on a daily basis.

“I’m opposed to having it anywhere in front of the courthouse,” Commissioner Hall said.

County Judge Jack Hall said the THC would have the ultimate say in the monument’s location, although some supporters said they didn’t feel like the agency’s opinion mattered.

“I personally think it should be somewhere not blocking the view of the courthouse,” Judge Hall said.

The court rejected supporters’ first option but agreed to submit the second location – near the round window – and also the location east of the Annex for the THC’s consideration and recommendation.

In other county business this week, the court heard from Bobbie Kidd, General Manager of the Greenbelt Water Authority, and granted an easement to the water authority for running a groundwater pipeline from the city of Clarendon to the filter plant and crossing County Roads P, 12, and Q.