Morgan Wheatly

Donley County continued negotiations this week on a tax abatement for the proposed Salt Fork II wind farm.

Cielo Wind Power representative Steve Brewster met with county commissioners during their regular meeting Monday, February 8, as both parties worked to finalize the deal.

County Judge John Howard told the Enterprise that the agreement is now in the hands of lawyers for final wording and he expects a deal will be formally approved at next month’s meeting of the commissioners.

“We are pleased to be working with Cielo again, and we view this as an opportunity to for progress in the county,” Howard said.

The Salt Fork Two project will be an expansion of the current project underway in the northwest corner of the county. According to previous reports, about 15 percent of the expansion will be in Donley County and will produce between 20 and 30 megawatts of wind-generated power in this county.

The judge declined to release specifics of the tax abatement agreement currently being negotiated but expressed satisfaction with the deal.

“We have terms favorable to the county and to them,” Howard said. “It’s a good deal for both parties.”

In other county business, commissioners approved the fiscal year 2015 audit as presented by Tracy Lambert of Foster & Lambert. Howard said revenues did not meet expectations for the fiscal year but that was offset by the county holding the line on expenses.

Commissioners also approved a proposal by Texas Panhandle CyberMedics for more than $3,000 to install additional security cameras at the Courthouse and Annex. The expense will be paid with the Courthouse Security Fund.

The court voted in favor of installing tankless water heaters in the offices of both justices of the peace and approved a proposal to install a pressure reducing valve on the Courthouse heating and cooling system by Bob Jay’s Heating & Air Conditioning.

Three bids on tax delinquent property at Howardwick from Gaylen L. Frederiksen and Judy Kay Renfro were approved as presented.

 

The Clarendon College Livestock Judging Team had a strong showing at the Ft. Worth Stock Show. The team was awarded High Team Overall in the Sheep & Goats division & 5th High Team in Swine.

Individually, Clarendon had a strong performance by Brayden Hawkins who was 8th High Individual Overall, and tied for 2nd high individual in Sheep & Goats. In addition, Quentin Quintana was high Individual in Hogs and finished tied for 11th place overall.

Other team members who contributed include Annie Belden, Kirsten Midkiff, Austin Browning, Trey Tidwell & Kris Johnson.

“These results are a product of the hard work that the team has put in,” CC Judging Coach Johnny Treichel said. “We are looking forward to the final two Contests at San Antonio & Houston in the next couple of weeks.”

 

Behind every book is a hardworking author, but rarely do readers have the opportunity to meet the people behind the pages. Booklovers will have the opportunity to meet five such writers on Sunday afternoon during a “Meet the Authors” event at Clarendon College.

Clarendon locals Bethany Claire and Lisa Bilbrey will be joined by fellow Texans Jodi Thomas, Linda Broday and Val Conrad for author presentations, question & answer sessions, and book signings Sunday, February 7, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Vera Dial Dickey Library in Clarendon.

Bethany Claire is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the Scottish time travel romance novels in Morna’s Legacy Series. She has a love for storytelling and has devoted herself to writing full-time.

Lisa Bilbrey, an assistant in the Clarendon College library, enjoys writing so much that she spends a large portion of everyday writing. Her works include Life’s Unexpected Gifts, A Season of Change, and The Apartment.

With millions of books in print, Jodi Thomas is both a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over 40 novels and 13 short stories that travel through past and present day Texas.

In 2006, Thomas was inducted into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame, and has won numerous awards for her works. She is currently Writer in Residence at West Texas A&M University in Canyon.

Also a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Linda Broday write historical western romance. She lives in the Texas Panhandle, and her books include Texas Mail Order Bride, Twice a Texas Bride, Forever His Texas Bride.

Valerie Conrad is an instructor in the Associate Degree of Nursing program at Clarendon College, but writing is always on her task list. She weaves medicine in with suspense in her writing, and her works include Blood of Like Souls, Tears of Like Souls, and Promises of Like Souls.

 

More than 140 people attended when the City of Clarendon hosted the Region 2 Texas Municipal League meeting in Amarillo last Thursday evening, January 28, at the Civic Center Grand Plaza.

Several cities from the top 26 counties of the Texas Panhandle were represented by mayors, city council members, and other city employees, and staff of the Panhandle Regional Planning Commission also attended.

The stage was set for Clarendon’s Western heritage theme as the Chuckwagon from the Bar H Dude Ranch parked near the registration desk as guests entered.

Tables at the event were dressed with boots from Cornell’s Country Store embellished with greenery from Country Bloomers.

Danny Mullins warmed up the crowd with musical selections during the hospitality hour, and Jo Shaller opened the program with several pieces of cowboy poetry.

Following remarks from incoming TML president Mary Dennis, Mayor of Live Oak, Clarendon Mayor Larry Hicks introduced the many representatives Clarendon had at the event.

Clarendon College’s Ashlee Estlack delivered the keynote on the topic of Branding Your City for Success. Estlack has been in charge of marketing for CC for ten years and created the logos and branding guidelines for both the college and the city. She also has developed brochures and other marketing material for the city, the Mulkey Theatre, and local businesses. Her program emphasized a unified approach to branding through the consistency of logos, appearance, and messaging.

Afterwards, city officials handed out several door prizes that had been donated for the cause by Clarendon merchants.

Spearman Mayor Brian Gillispie presided over the evening’s program. The next TML Region 2 meeting will be in Canyon this April.

Texas Municipal League provides services to Texas cities with the mission of serving the needs and advocating the interests of its members. Membership in the League is voluntary and is open to any city in Texas. Currently, 1,148 cities are members of TML.