County to Howardwick: Stay incorporated

Donley County officials had a clear message for the City of Howardwick during a town hall there last Wednesday, March 28: “Keep your city.”

Judge John Howard presided over what was actually a called session of the Donley County Commissioners’ Court with Commissioners Dan Sawyer and Mark White in attendance along with about 50 Howardwick residents and seven of the nine candidates running for city council.

“I hope that we leave this meeting tonight with a better understanding of what it would mean if you abolish your municipality,” Howard said in opening the meeting.

The possibility of dissolving the entity of City of Howardwick, or unincorporating, has been talked about for at least two months among some residents after in-fighting on the city council and among residents led to the resignations of three aldermen in February, effectively paralyzing the city for a brief time.

Howard discussed current city services that would not be available from the county if the city was to be dissolved.
The county will not collect trash at Howardwick, but residents would be able to use the county’s dump near the Clarendon airport when it is open. The county would not provide fire protection, although residents could establish an emergency services district; and the county would not necessarily take care of the roads in Howardwick.

“You would have to apply to have roads included in the county road system,” Howard said, noting that the could would not accept neighborhood roads and that they county has not equipment to maintain paved roads.

The judge reminded residents that, as a city, Howardwick can apply for grants through the Panhandle Regional Planning Commission, and he encouraged them to do just that.

During a question and answer session, it was discussed that codes and zoning would go away if the city were dissolved but that a neighborhood association could develop rules. City property would be sold off, and Howardwick residents would have no control over utilities, such as water service, without a city government.

Insurance agent Cameron Word discussed insurance rates, which he said could go up without a city fire department.
The issue of mowing was also raised. Howardwick’s city government mows vacant lots in the city for fire protection and to earn revenue, and that activity would stop if the city were dissolved.

Several residents in attendance said they were for keeping the municipality. City alderman candidate Kay Dye was the main person with favorable comments about unincorporating. She said unicorporating would stop political fighting, which “has turned our city upside down.”

Dye said she has lived in several unincorporated places which were able to have roads and other amenities.

“Being unicorporated isn’t all bad,” she said.

Other residents discussed fears that a travel trailer could be moved next to a $100,000 home if not for municipal rules and what might happen to home values if the city were dissolved.

Judge Howard briefly discussed the steps to unincorporate the city, which he said would require a petition of two-thirds of the voters to call an election.

“I think you would lose a lot by not being a city,” Howard said. “I would encourage you to do what you can to improve your community.”

Commissioner Dan Sawyer echoed Howard’s comments and spoke in favor of residents keeping the city’s status.

“We don’t want to lose this municipality,” Sawyer said. “We’re asking for y’all to get a good city council. … Follow the Open Meetings Act, discuss it, vote on it, and let it go.”

Sawyer also addressed concerns about properties that need to be cleaned up by warning, “If you unincorporate, you’re going to have more of a junk yard than you already have.”

“Open your minds and think for the future,” Sawyer said.

Judge Howard closed the meeting by reminding those in attendance, “Howardwick could be as good as you want it to be.”

Mayor Greta Byars was noticeably absent from the meeting. City Secretary Sandra Childress told the Enterprise afterwards that she had asked Byars not to come out of a concern that her attendance would constitute a meeting of the city council, for which no agenda had been posted.

Childress also said another town hall will be held before the May 5 city election so residents can meet the candidates running for city council.