Roger Estlack

Lambert Little was the unanimous choice as the next city administrator when the Clarendon Board of Aldermen met last Tuesday, Oct. 12.

Mayor Larry Hicks said he thinks Little will do a good job for the city and be able to save money due to his experience.

Aldermen praised Little’s experience, knowledge of municipal laws, and good sense of humor during their discussion, and the board approved a salary of $50,000 plus benefits.

In a telephone interview this week, Little told the Enterprise he is looking forward to coming to Clarendon.

“I’m excited, and I’m loading up the motor home right now so that I have a place to camp out for a while,” Little said.

Before starting a career of city management, Little served four terms on the city council in his hometown of Hamilton and then was mayor of that city for two terms. He then managed the cities of Mexia and Edna before going back to college to finish a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.

After getting his degree, Little became the City of Hico’s first city administrator and held that position for five years.

“Hico is about two-thirds the size of Clarendon, but we did a lot in five years,” Little said. “We had about $3 million in public works improvements, and the state completed a $6 million highway project.  Citizens saw dirt flying all the time.”

Little also helped organize Hico’s annual Texas Steak Cookoff, which brings as many as 5,000 people to the city.

He left Hico nine months ago and returned to his hometown where he and his twin brother have a landing strip and work on various airplane projects, but he says he’s ready to get back into city government.

“I’m looking forward to meeting with people in Clarendon,” Little said, noting that he intends to find out what is most important to the council and to the community before setting any goals for his time in Clarendon.

Little’s employment with the city begins November 1. At press time, city officials planned to have Little at City Hall on Wednesday, October 20, from 1 to 3 p.m. to meet with citizens and employees.

In other city business last week, the aldermen approved a resolution authorizing a grant application for the city’s recycling center, and the board elected Alderman Ann Huey to serve as the city’s mayor pro tem.

The second annual Clarendon Arts Festival will be held this Saturday and Sunday, October 23 and 24, at the Donley County Activity Center one mile north of Clarendon.

The Festival’s “Preferred Buyers” will be honored guests during a sneak peek and reception this Thursday, October 21, from 6 to 9 p.m., and area students are invited to attend the Festival’s “Fine Arts Day” on Friday. Students can attend the show with guided tours and receive exposure to a lecture series offered by professional artists from 9 a.m. and ending at 1 p.m. To schedule your group, please contact Terry Askew by email: lesbeauxartsclub@gmail.com.

Students are also encouraged to enter the Junior Art Exhibit. This exhibit will be an opportunity for area students to participate in a Juried event. Contact Chriss Clifford at 806.874.1767 for additional information.

The Festival, which will feature some of the most talented artists in the region with works in several media, will be Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m., and local 4H and FFA members along with the Junior Livestock Association will hold an enchilada lunch Sunday.

Live performing artists scheduled to perform his weekend include: Paula Johnson, Mike Graham, Valorie Ashcraft, the Saints’ Roost Band, Voice of Victory, Tim & Becky McCaughy, Katie Askew, the Old Timers Band, and Danny Mullins & Talented Group – Steve Bass, Cozy Parson, and Tye Thompson.

The festival is sponsored by Les Beaux Arts Club, which was formed in 1927. The Festival’s purpose is to provide an avenue through which persons of all ages and cultures can experience the study and cultivation of an appreciation of the arts.

The search for the next president of Clarendon College will take center stage next week, October 25-29, as the five finalists for the position will be on campus to meet the public.

The schedule is as follows:
Dr. Steven Hilterbrand, currently Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs at Baton Rouge Community College in Louisiana – Monday at 11 a.m. – Bairfield Activity Center.
Dr. Gary Stretcher, Vice President of Academic Affairs at Lamar State College in Port Arthur, – Wednesday at 11 a.m. – BAC.

Dr. David Smith, President of Brewton-Parker College in Mt. Vernon, Georgia, – 11 a.m. Thursday – Harned Sisters Fine Arts Center.

Dr. Phil E. Shirley, President of Southeast Arkansas College in Pine Bluff, Ark., – BAC at 9 a.m Thursday.

Dr. Roger Stacy, Immediate Past President of Northern Oklahoma College in Tonkawa, Okla., – Friday – BAC at 9 a.m.

Candidates will be interviewed in closed session by the Board of Regents, and regents will meet on Nov. 4 to make their final decision.

One more chance for gridiron glory is what more than 80 former Donley County athletes will be looking for when they suit up for alumni football games this weekend.

It will be a multi-generational blast from the past when some “old” Clarendon Broncos and Hedley Owls take the field here and in Lefors.

The games organized by Alumni Football USA aim to reunite former high school rivals in an unforgettable full contact football game, while raising money for their former schools.

Clarendon alumni will face their traditional highway rival, the Memphis Cyclones, in Broncho Stadium this Sunday at 2 p.m. Hedley’s old Owls will be on the road, playing Lefors there at 12 p.m. on Saturday.

The Clarendon Bronco lineup includes: Timothy Richard Anderson, Jason Archuleta, Dalton Askew, Tré Brown, Chris Brown, Chris Bruce, Michael Bruce, LaDez Captain, Billy Ceniceros, Patrick Childs, Wesley Christopher, James Christopher, Corey Fields, Nathan Floyd, Colt Floyd, Scott Fowler, Stephen Fowler, Brent Gaines, Jeff Hearn, Jesus Hernandez, Joel Horn, Jeremy Howard, Steve Jaramillo, Nathan Judd, Nathan Lowrie, Shanon Martin, Danny McCampbell, Brandon Moody, Lorenzo Moore, Chuck Robertson, Morgan Robinson, Jesus Rodriguez, Timothy Sanchez, Randy Sanchez, Michael Shadle, Brad Shadle, Josey Shadle, Jeremy Shelley, Oren Shields, Cael Shields, Judge Smith, Clemmie Smith, Ronnie Tabor, Robert Taylor, Chris Taylor, Dee Thompson, Chase Thornberry, Jadon Thornton, Jeremy Utsey, John Vaught, Glenn Weatherton, Glenn “Curly” Weatherton, Quentin West, San West, Ty White, Josh Williams, Danzel Wilson, and Dylan Wright.

The Hedley Owl roster includes: Justin Alexander, Brayden Bennett, Kale Brandon, Eleazar Centeno, Jason Conatser, Justin Dillman, Kenneth Dishong, Rodney Ellerbrook, Derek Evans, Chris Fobbs, Jonathan Giffin, Aaron Harper, Johnny Hoggatt, Jared Holt, T.J. Ivy, Russell King, Jordan King, Scotty Morquecho, J.P. Myers, Dylan Pettit, Isaias Ramirez, Keenan Shields, Jared Sims, Josh Talley, Josh Talley, Dustin Thomas, Evan Thompson, and Will Verstuyft.

All Clarendon and Hedley fans are encouraged to get out and cheer these old guys to victory one more time!