Roger Estlack

The City of Clarendon has been approved for a Downtown Revitalization grant to improve sidewalks, ramping, and lighting on Kearney Street.

City Administrator David Dockery said the fully executed agreement with the Texas Department of Agriculture was received Monday, with TDA providing $350,000 for the project and the city supplying matching funds of $63,100 for a total project of $413,100.

Dockery said he has been in contact with the grant administrator at the Panhandle Regional Planning Commission and the project engineer, Che Shadle of OJD Engineering, to determine the next steps in the project.

City officials will hold a meeting with affected property owners sometime after February 10 to discuss the process and plans for the project. Dockery said the city will visit with property owners about the project’s required compliance with the American’s with Disabilities Act, safety concerns, and expected disruptions to parking and building access during the project.

City officials have also been notified of final approval for a Community Development Block Grant that will provide $350,000 for a new wastewater lift station in northeast Clarendon. That project, under the direction of Brandt Engineering, requires a $35,600 match from the city.

Dockery said city officials are also taking proposals for street improvements on Seventh Street east of Koogle Street. That area has been plagued by drainage issues for years, and the city intends to put concrete paving there similar to what was installed along the ballparks on Sixth Street.

City officials are also still considering how best to use $480,000 in CARES act (COVID relief) funds. No official determination has been made, but Dockery said the city council is leaning towards putting those funds in to street repairs.

A candidate for Donley County Justice of the Peace was arrested Tuesday morning following an alleged assault over the weekend.

Sheriff Butch Blackburn said Ashley Savage of Clarendon, age 37, was arrested and charged with Assault with Bodily Injury, which is a Class A Misdemeanor.

Blackburn said his office received a complaint Saturday about an incident that reportedly occurred earlier that morning after midnight. The assault reportedly took place in the 100 block of E. Sixth Street during a gathering of friends, the sheriff said.

The sheriff said his office talked to witnesses and is not investigating the matter further.
Savage turned herself in to the sheriff’s office Tuesday morning after a warrant was issued for her arrest on Monday. She was arraigned by Precinct 3&4 Justice of the Peace Pat White and later released on a bond of $2,000.

Savage announced her candidacy for the office of Justice of the Peace for Precincts 1&2 in November and will appear on the Republican Primary ballot on March 1.

Savage told the Enterprise Tuesday afternoon that she has not been convicted of anything and said that she had withdrawn from the JP race but “not in time.”

Donley County Republican Party Chair Bill Word said the deadline for withdrawing as a candidate was December 14, 2021.

If convicted, Savage could face a maximum $4,000 fine and up to one year in county jail, the sheriff’s office said.

The month of January saw 199 cases of COVID-19 confirmed at the Clarendon Family Medical Center.

That’s almost 27 percent more than all of November and December combined. The clinic confirmed 72 positives in December and 85 cases in November.

The number of active cases on Monday was 38, according to clinic spokesperson Marsha Bruce. Two weeks ago the clinic was treating 101 active cases.

The actual numbers of Donley County residents with COVID-19 are believed to be much higher than the official report. Numbers reported by the clinic do not include residents who test positive outside of Donley County or who test positive at home.

During campaign season, the landscape blooms with a special kind of flower – the political sign. Unlike wildflowers that are welcome anywhere, putting campaign signs on public lands is illegal, according to the Texas Department of Transportation.

It is illegal to place any signs on or within the right of way. This includes posting signs on trees, telephone poles, traffic signs and other objects on the right of way.

Campaign signs along Texas roads can be placed on private property with the owner’s permission. Keep in mind that if the owner’s property is adjacent to a state-maintained roadway, it is their responsibility to know where the right of way begins and ends.

Unsure? Contact your local TxDOT office.

Campaign signs may be posted as early as 90 days before an election (no earlier) and must be removed within 10 days after the election.

Before placing a sign inside of incorporated city limits, check with the city for applicable ordinances.
TxDOT says if a sign is placed in the right of way or if it is posing a traffic hazard, the department will remove it without prior notice. All costs associated with sign removal will be paid by the sign owner.
TxDOT only controls the placement of signs in relation to the highway.

For other questions concerning campaign signs or political advertising, you may visit the Texas Ethics Commission.

A program to help local property owners improve their storefronts was reactivated when the Clarendon Economic Development Corporation Board met on January 11.

The CEDC Traditional Façade Grant Program, as it is now termed, provides fifty-fifty matching grants up to a maximum of $2,000 per project for properties in Clarendon’s Central Business District and along the US 287 corridor through the city.

Under the terms of the program, if the total of a project costs $1,500, the CEDC would contribute a maximum of $750. A $4,000 project would be eligible for the maximum of $2,000, and any projects costing more than $4,000 would only be eligible for the maximum of $2,000 of CEDC funds.

The program was originally authorized by the CEDC in 2008 and ran through 2017. During that time, the CEDC awarded 25 façade grants totaling $32,382.04 to property owners in Clarendon, resulting in more than $64,764 in business improvements.

Projects eligible for consideration could be anything from a simple coat of paint to new signage to a complete rehabilitation of a storefront. Projects must be pre-approved by the CEDC board, and the funds will be paid to successful applicants when invoices are submitted for the completed project.

CEDC funds cannot be used for labor costs if the owner, the tenant, or the applicant’s employees do the work. In that case, the grant would cover supplies and materials only.

Those interested in applying for the CEDC Traditional Façade Grant can find the proper application at ClarendonTx.com/FacadeGrants. The CEDC board will consider façade grant applications during its regular meetings on the second Tuesday of the month at 6:00 p.m. at the Clarendon Visitor Center inside the Mulkey Theatre. To be considered, applications need to be turned in by the Friday before that month’s meeting.

For property owners interested in larger renovations to historic buildings, the CEDC Historic Façade Grant Program was approved in 2018. The program is more restrictive than the Traditional Façade Grant Program but provides more money to promote heritage tourism while encouraging rehabilitation and preservation of historic properties. The program awards matching funds up to 80 percent of the actual, eligible costs up to a maximum grant of $400 per linear foot of the storefront (i.e. $10,000 for a 25-foot storefront or $20,000 for a 50-foot storefront). Information on CEDC Historic Façade Grants is also available at ClarendonTx.com/FacadeGrants.

The Donley County Republican Party is reminding all voters that January 31, 2022, is the deadline to register to vote in this year’s primary election on March 1.

The county party will host a Meet & Greet with the Republican candidates for county office on Thursday, February 10, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Bairfield Activity Center.

Early voting in the state primary elections will begin on February 14 and end on February 25. The deadline to apply to vote by mail is February 18.

The county positions up this year are all being sought by Republicans.

Four people are running for one position on the March Republican ballot. Sarah Hatley, Connie Lane Ashley Savage, and Kristen Taylor are running for the Justice of the Peace of Precincts 1 and 2. Incumbent JP Pam Mason resigned her office last month.

The only other competitive race on this year’s Republican ballot will be the position of Precinct 4 Commissioner Dan Sawyer, who is being challenged by Brad Dalton.

Other positions are uncontested and those candidates are Judge John Howard, Treasurer Wanda Smith, Clerk Vicky Tunnell, , Precinct 2 Commissioner Daniel Ford, and Precinct 3 & 4 Justice of the Peace Pat White.
Former Donley County deputy Randy Bond is also running for Constable of Precincts 3&4, a position that is currently vacant.

Texas Secretary of State John Scott last week encouraged all Texans to be registered to vote.

“Every year, the Secretary of State’s Office voluntarily provides voter registration applications to numerous entities, including county election offices, county clerks, public libraries, high school principals, and others,” Scott said. “This is in an effort to reach and register as many eligible Texas voters as possible and assist them in exercising their constitutional right to vote.

“While we are not legally required to do so, we do this as a courtesy to Texas voters and those organizations helping eligible Texans register to vote,” Scott said. “Don’t wait until the last minute if you haven’t already registered – get the process started today.”

Voting information is also available at www.votetexas.gov.

The Pantex Plant has deployed a system to counter all unauthorized unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), or drones, over Pantex airspace, which is a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) designated “No Drone Zone.”

“The National Nuclear Security Administration Production Office (NPO) is announcing this deployment and the airspace restriction to the public to minimize the threat of unauthorized UAS flights over Pantex,” said Teresa Robbins, NPO Manager. “This will enhance our ability to effectively protect this vital national security facility.”

The Pantex system is intended to detect, identify, and track potentially malicious UAS threats. The 2017 National Defense Authorization Act provides the legal authority from Congress for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to protect its facilities for its counter UAS program.

UAS operators who violate the airspace restrictions at Pantex may also be subject to enforcement action, including potential civil penalties and criminal charges. NNSA and contractor officials are working closely with federal, state, and local law enforcement to coordinate necessary enforcement actions. Advertisements and social media messages will also be issued to remind the public of these restrictions.

NNSA welcomes assistance from the local community and UAS operators to help ensure the safety and protection of the Pantex Plant and its personnel from unauthorized UAS activities. NNSA will educate the public about the “No Drone Zone.” Education efforts will include installing signage around the Pantex site perimeter advising the public of the site boundary where drones are not allowed, as well as outreach to local officials and community groups, the media and UAS hobbyists.

NPO is responsible for ensuring the safe, secure, and effective operation of Pantex Plant and the Y-12 National Security Complex, Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

FAA regulations on UAS and counter UAS measures can be found by visiting https://www.faa.gov/uas/.

The Donley Appraisal District reminding property owners that 2021 property taxes, mailed in October, are due by January 31, 2022, without a late payment penalty.

The amount due increases each month after January until the tax is paid. Accounts unpaid on July 1 will incur a 20 percent collection penalty in addition to the regular penalty and interest of 18 percent. Texas state law prescribes the penalty and interest amounts.

Delinquent notices will be mailed in May to those who still owe 2021 tax at that time. Partial payments will be accepted.

Quarter Payment Plan on Homestead property: If you have an over 65 or disabled exemption or are the surviving spouse of a disabled veteran, you may request to pay your property tax in four equal payments without penalty and interest. To apply, you must pay one-fourth of the total tax due before February 1.

Property owners who did not receive their property tax statements should contact the appraisal district. Failure to receive a tax bill does not affect the accrual of taxes, penalties, and interest on an account.

Taxes are payable by mail with a check or money order to the Donley Appraisal District, PO Box 1220, Clarendon TX 79226. In person payments can be made at 304 S Kearney St, Clarendon, Texas.

Taxes can also be paid online through DCAD’s website, www.donleycad.org.