Regatta time!
Dena Fay Holland
Dena Fay Holland, 61, of Clarendon died Tuesday, November 26, 2019 in Amarillo.
Graveside Services were held on Saturday, November 30, 2019, in Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon with Chuck Robertson, officiating.
Arrangements are under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors of Clarendon.
Dena was born May 7, 1958, in Clarendon to Billie Ray and Marjorie Brock Holland. She had been a longtime resident of Clarendon before moving to the McLean Care Center several years ago. Dena never met a stranger. She loved her cokes, watching the Price is Right and the Dallas Cowboys, and her Bible.
She was preceded in death by her parents; and a brother, Danny Holland.
She is survived by two sisters, Debbie Merchant and husband Bobby of Amarillo and Dondra James and husband Scott of Cabot, Arkansas; four nieces, Mary Boemmel, Sarah Ybarra, Kala Edwards, and Tamara Bains; four nephews, Brock Holland, Monty Holland, Mason James, and Landon James; several great nieces, nephews, and cousins.
The family request memorials be sent to the Burton Memorial Library in Clarendon.
Sign the online guestbook at www.robertsonfuneral.com
Michelle Hamlin Grumbles
Michelle Hamlin Grumbles, age 51, unexpectedly passed away at home in Stephenville, Texas, on November 27, 2019. Michelle was born on March 15, 1968 in Amarillo.
Marrying her one true love, her life as a married woman took her on a great adventure of knowing little about country life to running the business end of a ranch. She was known to many as a tough woman who didn’t back away from any challenge, but with the same hands gently nursed many friends and family members. As her family grew, she took the title of motherhood with great pride. She did all for her family. From Boy Scouts, to sports, endless amounts of homework, teaching basic life skills and all the challenges in raising fine, young men.
As they grew, spending time with her dogs and traveling on the Harley with her husband brought her great joy. Just this summer, they checked off a bucket list item in traveling to South Dakota for the Sturgis Bike Rally. Moving into a dream home added another check to the bucket list and entertaining at an enormous dining table was a dream come true. She cherished the annual pilgrimage to the Camp Ben McCulloch to visit friends and family. In fact, she took a lot of time out of her days to speak with her families and friends.
In every way, with everything she did, it was all and always for her families, near and far. With all the lives she touched, she left everlasting memories.
Proceeding her in death are her mother, Betty Maxfield; a brother, Terry Hopkins; an infant daughter, Misty Joy Grumbles; and father-in-law, Buddy Grumbles.
She is survived by her husband of 30 yrs., Richard Grumbles and their two sons, William Grumbles, and Justin Grumbles. She is also survived by her father Doug Hamlin, wife, Margret; stepfather Archie Maxfield; siblings Donna Glisson, husband, Alvin; Ruthie Sustaita, husband, George; brother Tony Maxfield, wife Stephanie; Robert Hamlin, wife Melinda; John Hamlin, wife Carole Benson; Stacey Hamlin; mother-in-law, Carolyn Grumbles; sister-in-law Donna Grumbles; a multitude of nieces and nephews; and a lifetime of friends. Michelle was especially fond of her graduating class of 1986 at Arkansas High in Texarkana, Texas.
Pallbearers are Justin Grumbles, William Grumbles, Glen Cook, Ricky Green, Mark Lyckman, and Trey Tucker. Honorary pallbearers are Richard Grumbles, Robert Hamlin and John Hamlin, Alvin Glisson, Tony Maxfield.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Michelle’s name to the Texas Epilepsy Foundation or the Texarkana Baptist Children’s Home in Texarkana.
Condolences may be sent to: www.harrellfuneralhomes.com.
‘Christmas in Clarendon’ starts November 30
Local merchants encourage you to shop “Totally Locally” this weekend as the community celebrates “Christmas in Clarendon” and the sixth annual lighting of the Donley County Courthouse.
The Clarendon Chamber of Commerce encourages everyone to shop local businesses, and the Chamber and its partners have lined up several activities to make shopping at home fun, including a downtown Christmas Craft Fair, a Christmas Bingo promotion, three nights of Late Night Shopping, and spinning the wheel for prizes.
As part of Small Business Saturday this weekend, a Christmas Craft Fair will be held from noon to 8 p.m. at the Arena of Life Cowboy Church. Everyone is encouraged to come downtown and check out what the vendors have available there. The VFW Auxiliary will have concessions all day at the craft fair and will host their annual Soup Dinner from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Serving will continue through the Courthouse Lighting until the food runs out.
The Mulkey Theatre will offer an open house for kids from 1 to 4 p.m., and activities on the courthouse lawn get underway at 5 p.m. with Santa Claus and caroling featuring local children’s groups. The formal lighting will be at 6 p.m.
Shoppers can play Bingo at participating merchants both Friday and Saturday. Pick up a Bingo card at any participating merchant and get it marked as you make your shopping rounds. Each person getting a “bingo” can redeem their card for a prize and be entered into a drawing for $250 in Clarendon Cash Saturday night at the Cowboy Church.
The Bingo prize redemptions and drawing will be held at the Cowboy Church following the Courthouse Lighting at 7:15.
Clarendon students who entered the Chamber’s coloring contest will have their artwork on display during the craft fair downtown, and winners of that competition will be announced at 7 p.m.
The Christmas celebration continues Sunday evening with a special showing of The Polar Express at the Mulkey Theatre, sponsored by Lowe’s Family Center. Admission will be a donation to the Donley County Community Fund, and attendees are encouraged to get into the spirit of the movie by wearing their pajamas to the show, which starts at 6 p.m.
The shopping fun continues with Late Night Shopping dates set up for December 5, 12, and 19 and the Spinning of the Wheel at Saye’s / Flying “A” Tack on Kearney Street.
Participating “Totally Locally” merchants are being featured on an online blog with gift ideas from each store. About a dozen gift ideas will be featured on the blog this week at ClarendonTX.com, and those items will be up for grabs on the Wheel during Late Night Shopping. Shoppers can register at any “Totally Locally” merchant during the season, but you do have to be present to spin on Thursday nights. Four lucky spinners will be drawn during each Late Night Shopping.
“Totally Locally” merchants participating at press time are A Fine Feathered Nest, Clarendon Outpost, Cornell’s Country Store, Country Bloomers Flowers & Gifts, Every Nook & Cranny, Floyd’s Automotive, Henson’s, J&W Lumber, Mike’s Pharmacy, Saye’s Tack Store, Studio E, and Turquoise & Rust.
Local merchants are ready to help you find something for everyone on your Christmas list with their Black Friday and Small Business Saturday specials on November 29 and 30.
Details on local sales are printed in the Holiday Gift Guide included in this week’s Clarendon Enterprise and also available at ClarendonLive.com.
Small Business Saturday began in 2010 when it was founded by American Express to help small businesses get more exposure during one of the biggest shopping weekends of the year.
According to small business advocates, every $100 spent in locally-owned stores returns $68 to the local community through taxes, payrolls, and other expenditures. That same money spent in another town or online returns nothing to your local community.
Shop at home this holiday season and remember the important role your local merchants play in keeping your community strong.
Regents vote to end president’s contract
Clarendon College Regents voted unanimously last week to end the contract of President Robert Riza at the end of this year.
Speaking during the board’s regular meeting Thursday, November 21, Chairman Tommy Waldrop said he saw three options for Dr. Riza’s contract, which was set to expire at the end of May 2020. Those options were to leave the contract as is, to extend the contract, or to end the contract and buy Riza out.
The chairman had suggested moving the meeting into closed session, but Riza preferred to keep it in open session.
Waldrop said the coming end of the semester and the lack of having people in key positions as reasons the board needed to address the contract issue.
Regent Darlene Spier said she was worried about an upcoming visit from SACS-COC, the Southern Association of Colleges & Schools – Commission on Colleges which accredits the college, and “putting the institution at more risk.”
Waldrop asked for a motion to extend the contract. There was none. He then asked for a motion to leave the contract in place, and there was again no motion. He asked for a motion to terminate the contract by December 31, 2019, and regents discussed needing to get an attorney involved.
Spier made a motion to end the contract, but there was no second only more discussion about how to engage the attorney. Regent Edwin Campbell said that he wanted the process to be fair to Dr. Riza.
Campbell later offered a motion to end Riza’s contract by December 31, 2019, pending negotiations. Carey Wann seconded the motion, and the remaining regents present voted in favor: Waldrop, Spier, Campbell, Wann, Ruth Robinson, Lon Adams, and Jerry Woodard. Regent Susie Shields was absent from last week’s meeting.
Earlier in the meeting the board accepted the resignation of Regent Bill Sansing. He is the second board member to resign this year.
Jack Moreman resigned after the April board meeting, during which his motion to extend Riza’s contract following the president’s annual evaluation failed by a vote of 4-5.
At press time Monday, the Board of Regents were scheduled to meet Wednesday, November 27, in a called meeting to discuss Riza’s contract, possible action on an interim president, and a presidential search.
Seliger holds town hall meeting
State Sen. Kel Seliger (R-Amarillo) gave an overview of the last legislative session and talked about upcoming issues during a town hall at the Bairfield Activity Center last Friday.
The senator opened his comments by talking about the loss of his committee assignments following a public disagreement with the Republican leadership.
“I voted against two of 30 things the lieutenant governor wanted and was removed from the committees,” Seliger said.
If that bothered the senator, he didn’t show it. Instead he touted his commitment to local control and local government Friday in the face of actions by his own party against those interests.
“It was a terrible session for local control and local governments,” Seliger said, “and it will get worse before it gets better.”
He mentioned specifically his opposition to property tax reforms that limited how much new revenue local governments could raise.
“What would we do if Washington told us we had to lower our severance tax or our sales tax,” he asked. “We would go nuts!”
Seliger was pleased with the improvements that were made to teacher salaries and retired teacher benefits, but he said neither of those went far enough to address those issues.
Looking ahead, Seliger said legalizing marijuana won’t happen any time soon, and he said Texas won’t turn Democratic soon either but said that depends on how Republicans relate to Latino voters.
Movie stars
Beginning to look like Christmas
City, county debate sheriff’s contract
Clarendon officials have opened a debate regarding the cost of its annual service contract with the Donley County Sheriff’s Office.
The City Council discussed the matter during its November 14 regular meeting with members of the county commissioners’ court in attendance.
The current contract is several months away from expiring, but Mayor Sandy Skelton wanted both sides to get an early start on negotiations.
“Since the current contract expires September 30, 2020, I wanted Council members to begin the conversation early so that the City and County can work together to determine how much the City would contribute to law enforcement (sheriff department and jail) effective October 1, 2020,” Skelton said.
The city has had a contract with the sheriff’s office since 1981. The current agreement calls for a two percent annual increase, and the current price is $158,468.
Sheriff Butch Blackburn says he’s willing to negotiate the annual increase rate, but he says he won’t do the contract for less money.
“It’s been working very well for the city and the county since 1981,” he said. “It won’t be me who messes up what’s worked since 1981.”
Blackburn says the contract gives Clarendon 24-hour law enforcement coverage and that not having the contract would be bad for the city and the county.
Skelton feels like other municipalities should be helping with the cost.
“Howardwick and Hedley could possibly become partners if they chose to do so sometime in the future,” Skelton said. “According to the official 2010 Census, Clarendon makes up 73 percent of the population in the three cities, while Howardwick has 15 percent and Hedley 12 percent.”
The mayor said he has visited with Howardwick Mayor Tony Clemishire and Hedley Mayor Carrie Butler, both of who indicated to him they would discuss these issues with their respective councils.
Blackburn says what Hedley and Howardwick do is not relevant to Clarendon’s contract with the county.
“The contract is just between us… the city and the county,” he said.
The sheriff said the city cannot afford to fund a separate police department and that even if it could, his department would still have to provide 911 dispatching and jail services for the city.
Skelton says the city will continue to discuss the issue of law enforcement funding with the county.
“I feel certain that something can be worked out long before the current contract expires in September,” Skelton said. “It is my belief that law enforcement should be a high priority for any city regardless of its size.”
CC board vote disappointing
The Clarendon College Board of Regents delivered a disappointing vote last week by agreeing to end the contract of President Robert Riza.
What that action will cost the college is not yet known. Lawyers will now get involved, no doubt. The monetary cost may pale in comparison to what the college’s reputation will suffer after its shoddy treatment of a president who has brought growth in enrollment and elevated the college’s standing in the eyes of decision-makers at the state capitol.
No cause was given by the board in their discussion, but it’s been no secret that Riza and certain board members have clashed over the last three years. Despite his successes, certain folks felt they knew better how to run things and made it a point of nit-picking not just Riza’s work but also that of his staff.
Whether it’s something as simple as typing board minutes or as important as a financial report and whoever is doing them, college employees’ don’t seem to be able to get the job done to certain board members’ satisfaction. That was on display again last week.
For more than a year now, Riza has endured the board meetings alone after telling his administrators they no longer had to attend just to suffer monthly abuse. Still the college lost four of its vice presidents in the last two years.
The college also has drawn the attention of its accrediting agency in the last year. One regent even mentioned worrying about putting the college at further risk as a reason for needing to take action on Riza’s contract.
The ironic thing is that the Southern Association of Colleges & Schools – Commission on Colleges is not looking at Clarendon College because of any action taken by Dr. Robert Riza. SACS-COC has its attention on Clarendon because of the past actions of the board.
In fact, the head of the organization has already visited the college last summer to address the board directly on the proper way to behave as board members. The lesson was apparently lost. Furthermore, there has been no action by the board to deal with the specific issues that led to SACS-COC getting involved.
Riza leaving won’t fix that. An interim president won’t fix that. A new president won’t fix that. The culture – and membership – of the board will have to change for things to really improve. As long as two board members know better than any professional how to run the college and a majority of the board listens to those members, it will be hard for any president or administration to flourish and move forward.
The regents are scheduled to meet again this week to talk more about Riza’s contract, the hiring of an interim leader, and the search for a new president. They need to find some time at a future meeting to take a long hard look at the role they themselves have played in things getting where they are today. That may be a tough conversation to have though when those responsible probably don’t believe they’ve done anything wrong and the two regents most likely to tell them otherwise have already resigned.
Whoever follows Robert Riza will have a tough time. How do you keep enrollment at record highs, keep providing amazing opportunities for area students, maintain the college’s reputation for student success, and keep the same level of engagement in Austin to ensure that the voice of one of the smallest colleges in the state isn’t swallowed up by much larger institutions? And can you do it while being micromanaged at home?
Dr. Riza somehow managed to do all that before that board started tearing things apart. He put together an incredibly talented administrative team, and together they did great things. He deserved better than what he got last week. Clarendon College deserved better than what he got.
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