Ben Estlack

The Texas Water Development Board last week approved more than $18 million for a new water supply project for the Greenbelt Municipal and Industrial Water Authority.

The board approved the financial assistance by resolution at its meeting April 6 in Austin. The package consists of $8.11 million in financing and $10 million in principal forgiveness, from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF).

The $8.11 million in financing will be issued in bonds. If approved by the city council, Clarendon would bear the cost of about six percent of that.

Greenbelt General Manager Bobbie Kidd said the funds will be used to develop 2,800 acres of groundwater rights the water authority acquired in northern Donley County in 2017.

The water authority has been working for two years to obtain funding for the project and came close to acquiring the funds last August from a different program.

“We actually scored 14th out of about 165 projects in August,” Kidd said, “but they ran out of funds with number 13. That’s when we changed and applied through DWSRF.”

Greenbelt Water Authority provides water to Clarendon, Hedley, Childress, Quanah, and Crowell using both the lake and groundwater sources. As of Tuesday, the level of Lake Greenbelt is 37.92 feet and is currently at about 11 percent of its capacity.

Funding for the project received favorable attention from state authorities in part because all five communities are considered to be economically disadvantaged, Kidd said.

“These people (on the water development board) are really good,” Kidd said. “It’s not political. It’s all based on need.”

In addition to the loan forgiveness, Greenbelt could save approximately $2,400,000 over the life of the loan by using the DWSRF.

With the financial assistance approved last week, Greenbelt will construct three water wells, well field piping, electrical distribution equipment, and a 12-mile transmission line to transport water to its existing water treatment plant.

The TWDB is the state agency charged with collecting and disseminating water-related data, assisting with regional water and flood planning, and preparing the state water and flood plans.

The TWDB administers cost-effective financial assistance programs for the construction of water supply, wastewater treatment, flood control, and agricultural water conservation projects.

Precinct 3&4 Constable Randy Bond has filed legal action against the Donley County Commissioners’ Court seeking a “reasonable salary” for his office.

Commissioners Mark White, Daniel Ford, Neil Koetting, and Dan Sawyer along with County Judge John Howard were all served Monday during the regular commissioners’ court meeting following a petition for a writ of mandamus that was filed with the clerk’s office on March 27.

“Randy Bond believes he has not gotten a fair shake, so he’s sued the judge and the commissioners individually in their official capacities,” County Attorney Landon Lambert said.

Lambert has agreed to represent the defendants through his private law firm. A county attorney is not obligated to get involved in disputes between elected officials, Lambert said, and the same goes for attorneys through the Texas Association of Counties.

“We will defend the county’s actions vigorously, and we hope eventually all parties can come together and deal with this respectfully,” Lambert said.

According to the suit, the Precinct 3&4 constable previously earned “roughly $22,000” but the latest budget puts that salary at “roughly $2,000.” Bond is asking the district court to require the county to set a reasonable salary.

The constable’s job became vacant when former constable Doug Wright resigned in January 2021. Commissioners took no action to fill the vacancy, and Bond ran for the office and was elected in November 2022. He then took the oath of office in January to fill the remaining two years of Wright’s term.

This is not the first time Donley County has faced a legal challenge to a constable’s salary. Jimmy Swinney sued the county in 2001 after he ran for the Precinct 1&2 Constable’s position in 2000, becoming the first person to hold that office since 1978. Swinney later resigned, and the county formally closed that office in 2003.

A Howardwick man is facing charges after breaking into an AirBnB and threating guests with a hammer early Monday.

Jeramy Kindle, age 42, is charged with Burglary of a Habitation with intent to commit Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, Donley County Sheriff Butch Blackburn said.

The sheriff said Kindle broke into the AirBnB located on Ten Bears Trail in Howardwick and came at a Jacksboro couple staying there with a hammer. One of the guests began recording video with her cellphone, and the other grabbed a rifle and held Kindle at bay until authorities could arrive, Blackburn said.

As the deputy arrived, the subject fled on foot. Sheriff Blackburn arrived on the scene, and the lawmen soon found the man in a nearby residence. He was taken into custody and booked into the Donley County Jail.

Kindle was arraigned Tuesday by Justice of the Peace Pat White with on charges of Burglary of a Habitation and Aggravated Assault with total bond set at $40,000.

He was still in jail at press time.

Hall and Donley County AgriLife Extension offices will be hosting a Beef Conference next Monday, April 17, in the Kathy Fowler Agency Building in Memphis at 123 S 6th St.

Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. Speakers and topics include: Jason Smith and Considerations for Restocking the Cow Herd; Tim Steffens and Drought Management and Structuring the Business to be Resilient; Dede Jones and Cattle Market and Farm Bill Updates; National Weather Service – Weather Outlook; and USDA/NRCS/FSA Program Updates.

At noon lunch sponsored by Capital Farm Credit at 12:30.
Those wishing to attend are asked to RSVP by April 14 to the Hall County Extension Office at (806) 259-3015 or the Donley County Office at (806)-874-2141. The cost is $10 per person at the door.