City aldermen move forward with airport renovation project

The Clarendon Board of Aldermen last Tuesday narrowly approved the final engineering report for renovations to be done at the municipal airport.

Dwight Brandt of Brandt Engineering presented the report for the project, 90 percent of which will be paid for with a grant from the Texas Department of Transportation.

Brandt’s initial estimate for the work was $831,000; but he said with the city doing some of the work and by eliminating certain items from the project, he believed the job could be done within the $795,000 budget set by TxDOT.

Alderman Janice Knorpp moved, seconded by Alderman Bobbie Kidd, to approve the report.

Alderman Michael Tibbets restated his opposition to the project, but said he would vote for approval of the report if doing otherwise would make the city look bad in the eyes of potential bidders. Brandt said this particular vote would have no impact on the bidders.

Tibbets and Alderman Tommy Hill voted “no,” and Mayor Tex Selvidge broke the tie by voting for the measure. (Alderman Mark White was absent.)

The board also considered a budget amendment for the city portion of the airport grant. Knorpp and Kidd voted in favor, Tibbets and Hill voted against, and Mayor Selvidge again broke the tie, voting in favor of the amendment.

In other city business, the board voted to order an election to be held on May 15, 2004, for the purpose of electing three aldermen. The terms of Aldermen Hill, Knorpp, and White are expiring.

A resolution was adopted calling for the City of Clarendon to comply with the GASB Statement 34 accounting rules. GASB 34 requires the city to include the original cost of fixed assets in the statement of net assets as part of the government wide financial statements for the 2003-2004 fiscal year. The city administrator will serve as the team leader for implementing this change with the city secretary, municipal judge, and city superintendent as team members.

Implementing GASB 34 is not mandatory, but it will be necessary if the city is to successfully apply for future government grants.

Aldermen voted in favor of allowing HOWCO to prepare the city’s 2005-2006 Texas Community Development Program Application.

Clarendon Economic Development Corporation President Will Thompson gave a brief report on the activities of the CEDC over the last year and discussed the CEDC’s new goal of trying to help as many businesses as possible through infrastructure improvements.

Alderman Tibbets told Thompson the CEDC appeared to be doing a good job and expressed the support of the board for the CEDC’s goal.

“I can say that every one of us on this council is in favor of growth for Clarendon,” Tibbets said. “If that were not the case, we would not be on this board.”