City suspends search for new administrator

The City of Clarendon suspended its search for the next city administrator during the board of aldermen’s meeting last Tuesday.

After deliberating in closed session for over an hour, the board voted not to hire anyone at this time but to send letters to all the applicants for the administrator’s position thanking them for their applications.

Alderman Mark White said the city believes it may need the money earmarked for the administrator’s salary to help finish the street project, but they intend to revisit the issue and possibly conduct another search for a new administrator at a later date.

The city has been without an administrator since July 28 when former administrator Sean Pate resigned to take a position in Poteet, Texas.

In other city business, Clarendon Economic Development Corporation President Jerry Woodard addressed the aldermen and presented the 2005-2006 proposed CEDC budget for their approval. City Secretary Linda Smith noted that the CEDC board had budgeted $800 for its annual audit but that the city’s auditors had said it would cost $1,000. Aldermen approved the budget with that correction.

An amendment to the 2004-2005 municipal budget was presented and approved.

Mayor Tex Selvidge reported that he had met with County Clerk Fay Vargas regarding the possibility of having her office conduct next year’s city election using the county’s new electronic voting machines. She is willing to do this, but the charge for it will have to be approved by the commissioners’ court.