Morgan Wheatly

 School funding in the Clarendon Consolidated Independent School District got a boost Saturday, June 1, when voters ratified a 13-cent property tax increase by a wide margin.

More than 78 percent of those participating in the district’s tax ratification election approved of the higher rate, passing the increase by a margin of 234-65.

Early voters provided the biggest boost to the tax, voting in favor of the measure, 169-18. Election Day voting was closer with the tax still meeting approval, 65-47.

Superintendent Monty Hysinger said the district was pleased with the outcome and said the Board of Trustees felt the tax increase was a necessary step in the face of declining enrollment and cuts in state funding.

Board President Wayne Hardin said trustees would be sure to spend the revenue well.

“We certainly appreciate the vote of the people,” Hardin said. “Now it is up to us to be good stewards of that money. We still have some hard decisions to make, but we will use the money wisely.”

The new tax rate of $1.17 per $100 valuation is expected to generate $165,570 in local revenue and an additional $145,228 from the state for a total of $310,798 in new money.

CISD officials said they needed that money to help bridge a projected $434,960 budget deficit for 2013-2014. The school has been hit with declining revenues due to state budget cuts and declining enrollment.

In Austin, Hysinger said the Legislature has restored some of the money that it cut from public schools two years ago, but at press time, Gov. Rick Perry had not signed that into law.

Hysinger said he expects schools will see some lost revenue restored, and he anticipates being between $50,000 and $100,000 in the black in the next fiscal year.

Groundwater from the City of Clarendon is now taking a little bit of pressure off a dwindling Lake Greenbelt, and City Hall has received its first payment from the water authority.

Greenbelt Water Authority General Manager Bobbie Kidd carried a check to City Hall for $5,705.20 on Monday for May water usage. Water from the city’s well field began being mixed with lake water after the wells were officially permitted by the groundwater district on May 17.

Kidd said the Clarendon was approved for 1,718.5 acres of water rights after private wells were deducted from the town site. The city’s approved acreage will be reduced in the future if any new private wells are dug.

Five wells on the north side of the city are now satisfying between 25 and 40 percent of the needs of the Greenbelt system depending on the demand for water. Kidd said, on average, the wells will satisfy about 30 percent of the demand.

The wells are pumped at alternate times to allow times for each well to rest and recover.

Greenbelt also continues to develop additional water sources and has been permitted to place four wells on Kelly Creek. The water authority previously drilled test holes in that location in 2010 and will drill another next week. Greenbelt will then go through a bidding process to develop a Kelly Creek well field and lay pipe to tie into the system.

Even with the added supply to the system, water restrictions remain in place for Greenbelt’s member cities, including Clarendon and Hedley.

The Greenbelt Reservoir this week is holding about 2.39 billion gallons of water and is at 12.3 percent of its capacity.

 A crowd of at least 600 people attended the first ever Mulkey Block Party last Saturday, May 25, to witness the formal lighting of Clarendon’s historic theatre.

The event was hosted by the Clarendon Economic Development Corporation and an advisory committee and marked the completion of a $140,000 Phase One Exterior Renovation to the movie house.

Due to the Memorial Day holiday, figures were not complete for how much the event raised to kick off Phase Two Interior Renovations, but the Block Party was widely hailed as a success by those in attendance who enjoyed the fun, music, food, dancing, and booths on Kearney Street.

Steve Hall and Jesse Lincycomb warmed up the crowd before one of the best bands in the Panhandle, Insufficient Funds, took the stage and wowed the crowd with a wide range of popular music and rock and roll.

Several kids activities were available as well as food booths, and tours of the Mulkey were popular as well.

Organizers said they intend to make the Mulkey Block Party an annual event to continue public support for the ongoing rehabilitation of the theatre.

Voters in the Clarendon Consolidated Independent School District head to the polls this Saturday, June 1, to determine the fate of a 13-cent property tax increase.

As of Tuesday afternoon, 181 people had cast early ballots to accept or reject a new ad valorem tax rate of $1.17 per $100 valuation.

The school’s current tax rate is $1.04 and is the maximum the school district can levy without seeking voter approval. The proposed 13-cent increase would raise taxes on a $100,000 home by $130 per year. If it is approved by voters, the higher rate would generate $165,570 in local revenue and an additional $145,228 from the state for a total of $310,798 in new money.

CISD officials say they need that money to help bridge a projected $434,960 budget deficit for 2013-2014. The school has been hit with declining revenues due to state budget cuts and declining enrollment.

The school is publishing information on page ten of this week’s Enterprise detailing the district’s tax rate history, the cuts in state funding, and the continuing drop in enrollment.

Balloting this Saturday will be at the CISD Administration Building from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.