Roger Estlack

Clarendon voters will have a choice of seven candidates to fill three positions on the Board of Aldermen, and five other boards will also have competitive races when local elections are held this May.

Incumbent City Aldermen Kyle Davis and Will Thompson will be joined on the ballot by challengers Jeff King, Jeremy Powell, John Lockhart, Danny Bennett, and former alderman Terry Noble. Alderman Tommy Hill is not seeking re-election.

Voters in Hedley will have two choices for mayor – incumbent Bruce Howard and Dusty D. Wilkinson – and five choices for four positions on the Board of Aldermen – David Wells and incumbents Leon Ward, Tonya Metcalf, Travis Thomas, and Lonnie Roby.

The City of Howardwick has four people running for three positions on the Board of Aldermen. Incumbents Rod Donaldson and Tanis McMorries are being challenged by Johnny Hubbard and Tim Gallagher.
Six candidates are running for three positions on the Clarendon College Board of Regents. Challengers Cindy Myers, Glenda Hawkins, and Jerry Gage will face incumbents Susie Shields, Charles Deyhle, and Ruth Robinson.

One challenger signed up to run with the incumbents seeking re-election to the Clarendon ISD Board of Trustees. Current members Robin Ellis, Jim Shelton, and Marvin Thompson will be joined on the ballot by Linda Rowland.

The Hedley ISD Board of Trustees has three candidates for two full terms. Incumbents James Edward Potts and Troy Monroe will face Bonnie Walsh Brown during the election. Karen Watt is serving an unexpired term on the board and was the only one to file to run for that position.

The Donley County Hospital District is the only local government that did not draw enough candidates for a competitive election. Incumbents Jeannie Owens, Mark C. White, and Lori Howard filed for re-election to Places 5, 6, and 7 respectively. Jan Farris filed to run for Place 4, which is currently held by Greg Collins, who is not seeking re-election.

All local offices are elected at-large, but hospital board candidates sign up for a specific place.
Early voting will begin April 26, and Election Day will be Saturday, May 8, 2010.

Fredie Jo Moreman was honored as the 2009 Saints’ Roost Award winner for her lifetime of service to the community as an educator and volunteer during the annual Clarendon Chamber of Commerce Banquet Saturday night.

Woman of the Year recognition went to Jan Farris, and Chuck Robertson was named the Man of the Year for 2009.

Living the philosophy “to bloom where you are planted,” Moreman has volunteered for many organizations since moving to Donley County. She has served as an adult 4-H leader, taught Sunday school, served her women’s church circle, and worked on many church committees. She has been particularly active in the Walk To Emmaus and the Kairos Prison Ministry.

For 28 years, she was an elementary teacher and helped shape the minds of hundreds of students. Following her retirement, she has delivered Meals on Wheels, leads an exercise class at the city library three times a week, has been active in the retired teachers association, and has been an election judge for the Republican Party. She has served as president of both the Friends of the Library and Les Beaux Arts Club and was instrumental in hosting the first Arts Festival in Clarendon.

One of her passions is also her work with the Saints’ Roost Museum, where she has spent countless hours updating and rearranging items for display.

The 2009 Woman of the Year was Jan Farris, who has donated numerous hours in service to the community. She has volunteered with T-ball and coach pitch baseball, and she has served on the Hedley School Board. She was a member of the Hedley Young Homemakers, served the past year as vice president of the Chamber, and is currently president of the 4-H parents club. She volunteers with the Donley County Junior Livestock Show and is known for putting others and their needs above her own.

Chuck Robertson was named the 2009 Man of the Year for his work with the Clarendon Lions Club and the Clarendon Volunteer Fire Department. After joining the family business – Robertson Funeral Directors, he spent many hours doing the research necessary to acquire a historical marker for the oldest funeral home in the Panhandle. In addition to serving several professional organizations, Robertson also serves on the board of the Citizens Cemetery Association.

Three individuals were recognized with special Work Horse awards this year. Jeff and Heather King were honored for their work on the Buck ‘N Blowout Rodeo, which has attracted large crowds to Clarendon the last two years. And Chriss Clifford was recognized for her efforts to launch Clarendon’s first Arts Festival last year.

Other awards presented at Saturday’s banquet included the Pioneer Man and Woman of the Year and the
Young Men and Women of the Year.

Opal Borden was named the Pioneer Woman of the Year for 2009. More than 70 years ago, Borden moved to Clarendon with her husband, Pete, who was employed as a handmade bootmaker. The couple bought the business in the early 1950s; and as a widow in the late 1960s, Opal rant the boot shop until she sold it to the James Owens family. The Bordens would often store the saddles and gear of cowboys going off to serve in the armed forces and would provide bedrolls for them when they returned until they could find a paycheck. She has lived in the same house for 65 years and fed many hungry soldiers as they hitchhiked along US 287. A longtime member of the First Christian Church, Borden has taught vacation Bible school and Sunday school and helped with church dinners. She was a parent volunteer for the Girl Scouts and was also the bean cook for the Masonic lodge dinners during the years Pete was a Mason. She has always supported our local schools and Clarendon College. At age 94, she still lives independently, is an avid reader of Westerns and Panhandle history, and makes good use of the city library.

The Pioneer Man of the Year was Joe Robinson who was born to ranch. He worked on a ranch with his dad and graduated from Texas A&M before serving Uncle Sam as a B-17 pilot. He is a D-Day veteran and flew 30 missions over Germany and occupied Europe. He returned to ranching after the war and enjoyed that career for almost 60 years before retiring. He still inspects cattle for banks based in Ft. Worth. He has served on the school board and the library board and belongs to the First United Methodist Church, where he has served in several areas.

Ty Tubbs was named the Young Man of the Year from Clarendon High School. He has been involved in Scouting since the first grade, receiving four God & Country Awards, his Eagle Rank, and membership in the Order of the Arrow. He has been very active the Methodist Church and has made a mission trip to San Marcos. He has held several 4-H offices and was a member of the livestock judging team. In school, Ty has been active as a member and leader in athletics, band, UIL Current Events, and FFA. He has received the Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen award. He is employed by Clarendon Veterinary Hospital and plans on attending Clarendon College this fall before transferring to Texas Tech to study agriculture.

The Young Man of the Year from Hedley is Cole Farris who was hailed for staying true to his convictions, which is rare in today’s society. He spends many hours in the school library, assisting with book records and helping young readers as they borrow and return books. He has been a library and computer aide. He has also been active in the Spanish Club and traveled to Costa Rica. He has been accepted at the University of Advancing Technology in Arizona.

The Young Woman of the Year from Clarendon High School is Deidre Lewis, who has been active in athletics during high school – including being an area and regional qualifier in the shot put and discus. She was the Bronco mascot Sparky her sophomore year and has been active in the band and the color guard. She has served as president of the Junior Historians and competed in National History Day as well as UIL Literary Competitions. She has volunteered at the library and the museum and has kept very high grades during high school. Deidre also is active in her church, helping with vacation Bible school and Awanas.

Kailee Burton is the Young Woman of the Year from Hedley High School. She has been active in UIL Science contests for three years and competed on the state level. She has been very active in athletics and was an area qualifier in track for two years. She also is active in FFA and has served as its secretary for three years. She was on the FFA radio team for two years and placed first in district. She has also been a member of the NHS and BPA. She has volunteered for mission trips, helps the underprivileged in the community, and has served as the Hedley Lions Club Sweetheart. She is employed at a local pharmacy and plans to attend Clarendon College to major in pre-physical therapy.

Also recognized during the banquet were incoming chamber directors Vicki Sloan, Eric Hough, Diane Chisum Carter, and Kim Hill.  Outgoing board members were former president James Thomas, President Michael Thompson, Vice President Jan Farris, and Misty Speed.

An estimated 172 people attended the Hearts & Hats themed banquet, down slightly from 182 last year and 207 the year before.

This year’s banquet was sponsored by Lowe’s, Clarendon College, Greenbelt Electric Cooperative, GreenLight Gas, J&W Lumber, Road Runner Home Care, Don Stone Signs, and Humalfa, LLC.

Dan Sawyer was the top vote-getter in the three-man race for the Republican nomination for Donley County Commissioner Precinct 4 Tuesday, but he did not garner the more than 50 percent necessary to avoid a run-off election.

Sawyer received 71 votes or 40.8 percent compared to 54 votes (31 percent) for Joe Hall and 49 votes (28.2 percent) for Bill Spier. Hall and Sawyer will square off in an April 13 run-off election to determine who will face Democratic nominee Brad Dalton this fall.

Also in Tuesday’s Republican Primary, incumbent Precinct 2 Commissioner Donnie Hall fended off a challenge from Mitchell Martin, 124-83.

Local Republicans running unopposed were US. Rep Mac Thornberry (506), County Clerk candidate Janette Cox Wagner (395), County Treasurer Wanda Smith (506), Pct. 3&4 Justice of the Peace candidate Denise Bertrand (187), and Party Chairman Tom Stauder (441).

Gov. Rick Perry was the favorite of Donley County Republicans in his bid for re-election over US Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson, 279-247.  GOP challenger Debra Medina received 89 votes locally.

Colleen Owens received the Democratic nod for Justice of the Peace in Precincts 3&4. In the only locally contested race on the Democratic ticket, Owens defeated Wright, 69 to 40, and will face Republican Bertrand the General Election this fall.

Donley County Democrats liked Bill White over Frouk Shami, 110 – 10.

Unopposed local candidates on the Democratic ballot included County Judge Jack Hall (144), County/District Clerk Fay Vargas (140), Pct. 1&2 Justice of the Peace Connie Havens (48), Pct. 4 Commissioner candidate Brad Dalton (16), and Party Chair Jean Taylor (76).

Republican who were unopposed locally included US Rep. Mac Thornberry, County Treasurer Wanda Smith, Pct. 3&4 Justice of the Peace candidate Denise Bertrand, County/District Clerk candidate Janette Gail Wagner Cox, and Party Chairman Tom Stauder.

A total of 164 voted in Tuesday’s Democratic Party primary, and 600 voted in the Republican primary. That represents a total voter turnout county-wide of 31.2 percent.
This year’s General Election will be held Tuesday, November 2.