Morgan Wheatly

Each year Panhandle Groundwater Conservation District takes measurements on a network of more than 800 wells throughout the District to determine yearly aquifer changes in water levels.

The measurements are not only taken to determine the water level in the aquifer, but also to collect data, provide information for future planning and to determine IRS depletion allowances. The measurements are taken during the winter months when demands for irrigation are lower so that a more representative static water level can be obtained.

Field technicians have started water level measurements and will continue through the beginning of the New Year. The winter water level measurements play a critical role in in gauging compliance with the 50/50 goal, which is to have 50 percent of the water left in the aquifer 50 years from now, by allowing us to monitor the decline of saturated thickness in the aquifer over the past year.

Knowing the amount of decline drives enforcement of study areas in places where water levels have dropped below the allowed annual 1.25 percent of saturated thickness. When study areas go into place, the landowner is notified by the District and the area is monitored more frequently by the District. If the decline levels improve it can come out of a study area, however, if decline continues to exceed the limit, the study area could be designated a conservation area by the District which may result in reductions of the maximum annual production rate.

If you have questions (806) 883-2501. The measurements taken will appear in the district’s July 2015 newsletter.

Christmastime activities are lining up quickly in Clarendon, and local merchants are getting ready for a busy season with plans for Late Night Shopping and the second annual Chili Challenge.

In a move from the traditional Thursday schedule, Late Night Shopping this year will begin this Friday, December 5, at downtown merchants and continue every Friday until Christmas.

The “Great Bowls of Fire” Chili Challenge returns for its second year on Friday, December 12, with this year’s event being held from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Crossties Ministry Center and hosted by the Clarendon Chamber of Commerce.

Steve & Jesse will provide musical entertainment as businesses and organizations go up against one another for bragging rights and their chance at the 2014 title.

Monday, December 8, is the entry deadline for chili teams. The cost is $25 per team. The winners will be selected on a “people’s choice” basis, and admission is $5 per person.

Challenge details and entry forms are available from Bonnie Campbell at the Clarendon Visitor Center inside the Mulkey Theatre.

Holiday shopping is easy and affordable with a Christmas Cash loan from the Donley County State Bank and enjoy interest free shopping at a dozen participating establishments.

The program, organized by the Chamber of Commerce, allows anyone to make application for a loan of up to $3,000 interest free with the Donley County State Bank. Once a loan has been approved, the borrower will be issued Christmas Cash Dollars, which may be spent like US currency toward new purchases at all of the participating businesses. Christmas Cash must be spent by December 31, 2014.

As of Tuesday morning, participating Christmas Cash merchants this year are: Cornell’s Country Store, J&W Lumber, Osburn Appliance, Country Bloomers, Ronna’s Creations, Stavenhagen Video, Henson’s, Every Nook & Cranny, Straight Off The Ranch, The Clarendon Enterprise, Mike’s Pharmacy, Lowe’s Family Center & Ace Hardware.

The Clarendon Board of Aldermen continued to look at the city’s sign ordinance during regular meeting last Tuesday, November 25.

The ordinance, which was adopted in 1995, became a topic of conversation for the board in October after Alderman Sandy Skelton brought up the subject in the wake of dozens of PVC crosses and several black and white religious signs that have appeared along US 287 over the last two years.

The existing signs and crosses would not be affected by changes to the sign ordinance, but future markers could be governed.

City Hall gathered sign ordinances from other cities so aldermen could compare them with Clarendon’s. Mayor Larry Hicks said he thought the local ordinance looked good, but Skelton felt there were areas that could be improved.

“I think we need to look at adding definitions to our ordinance,” Skelton said and also noted that the ordinance appears to discourage or not allow billboards and variable electronic signs even though both types of signs are present in the city. “I don’t know why we wouldn’t want billboards,” he said.

Aldermen took no action on the ordinance but will continue to study the subject.

In other city news, Greenbelt Water General Manager Bobbie Kidd addressed the board and explained the way water rates for municipalities are figured and the historical basis for those calculations.

Aldermen approved a request by the Burton Memorial Library to use surplus insurance payment funds purchase new bookshelves. Mayor Hicks said insured roof repairs on the library had accomplished with more than $8,000 left over. The library will spend about $1,189 of that money and keep the rest in reserve.

Employee wages were on the agenda also, but Hicks said he was not ready to present anything to the board. He said the city has a problem in that it does not reward employees with incentive raises or for staying past their probationary six months. The topic will be brought up at a future meeting.

Public Works Director John Molder explained a technical violation of Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) standards which occurred when water samples from the city arrived at the state office six days late.

Molder said the samples are drawn every three years and tested for copper and lead in the water system. For failing to meet the deadline, the city had to give public notice but suffered no financial penalty.

Molder also reported that more than 290 street signs have been ordered to replace missing of faded signs around the city.

Hicks reported that the City of Clarendon was successful in its grant application to obtain a trailer for old tires. That will move forward an effort by the city to work with local businesses to properly dispose of old tires.

Several homes were threatened Friday afternoon, November 28, when a grassfire raged through a portion of the Howardwick community.

Fire Chief Joe Hall said the cause of the fire near Dawn and Bell remains under investigation but the damage to property was extensive.

Three boat docks were destroyed, and fourth one was damaged by the fire, which spread across five properties and endangered six homes.

Hall said firefighters were on the scene for six hours Friday, and they returned on Saturday and Sunday to put out hotspots.

The Clarendon Volunteer Fire Department assisted with the fire with eight men and five units.

Another fire was reported at Howardwick Monday in the 500 block of Nocona Hills. Hall said a fire started in the attic of a residence where a stovepipe goes through the ceiling.

Clarendon also assisted Howardwick firemen with that incident, and Hall said the house suffered mostly smoke and water damage.

Hall extended his thanks to the Clarendon department and the Clarendon Firebelles for their assistance, and he reminds everyone that burning is prohibited in the Howardwick city limits. Barbecuing is permitted in gas grills only, he said.

New technology helped save thousands of dollars in damage during a cotton module fire Sunday, according to the Clarendon Volunteer Fire Department.

Fire Chief Jeremy Powell said his department and Hedley firefighters were paged at about 8:43 a.m. to the property farmed by Bubba Newhouse on acreage owned by Jay O’Brien north of Hedley.

Powell said the cause of the blaze was unknown. Twenty-two cotton modules were involved in the fire, and four modules were a total loss at a cost of about $4,500 each, he said.

The Clarendon department’s thermal camera proved very valuable during the fire. The device was used to find unseen hot spots within the modules so they could be dug out and extinguished.

“That camera made in the difference in losing four modules instead of 20,” Powell said.

Volunteers fought the fire for about seven hours on Sunday, and Hedley firemen were still on the scene Tuesday morning, keeping a watch for any smoldering that might flare up.