Ben Estlack

Clarendon College’s spring enrollment is down 7.4 percent compared to a year ago.
Following the census date after the first 12 days of spring classes, CC was down 99 students total with a student headcount of 1,237 in all locations compared to 1,336 in 2022.

CC President Tex Buckhaults said the college expected numbers to be off when fall enrollment was down, noting that spring numbers are typically lower than the fall headcount.

The Clarendon campus is down 13.5 percent at 39 students at 249, which is above 2021’s enrollment of 249 but not as high as last year’s 288.

Pampa is down 32.8 percent at 86 students compared to 128 last spring.
Distance education – students taking strictly online classes – fell from 145 last spring to 127 this spring, but dual credit enrollment – students taking college classes through area high schools – was up 18 students at 587.

The Childress Center was down by four students at 33, and the Amarillo Center stayed even with 55 cosmetology students.

Classes taught in area corrections institutions fell by 56 students.

Total contact hours for Clarendon College for the spring 2023 semester show an overall decrease of 8.3 percent at 257,808 compared to spring 2022. Contact hours are the basis for state funding for CC.

Last year’s spring enrollment was up 4.46 percent with CC reporting 1,336 students compared to a total headcount of 1,279 in 2021 following the COVID-19 outbreak. Before the pandemic, CC’s 2020 spring enrollment was 1,441.

The Clarendon City Council released two candidates from its search for the next city administrator during last Thursday’s council meeting.

Brian Barboza – City Administrator at Knox City and Vance Lipsey – former Town Manager at Lake City, Colorado, were both personally interviewed by the council February 2 but have now been removed from consideration.

That leaves Fred Ventresco – Town Administrator at Pine Tops, North Carolina, as the last remaining candidate, but city officials say he has not been named as a finalist for the job. Instead, the council last week approved up to $500 in travel and accommodation expenses for Ventresco to visit Clarendon later this month for a face to face meeting.

Aldermen conducted a virtual interview with Ventresco on January 26.

In other city business last week, the council approved a resolutions calling for an election on May 6 to elect the mayor and two aldermen and also to reauthorize the one-quarter percent sales tax for street maintenance and repairs. A resolution was also approved to have the city election conducted by the Donley County Clerk’s office in conjunction with the hospital district and the school district.

A PanComm radio tower lease agreement for emergency communications was approved.

The council accepted the low bid of $406,924 for a CDBG grant project to replace a sewer lift station.

The figure is over budget, however, so officials will value engineer the project to get it back into budget.

The city also renewed its agreement with the City of Pampa as an alternate location for animal control services.

Candidates continue to sign up for local offices as the deadline to sign up approaches this Friday, February 17.

Howardwick Mayor Tony Clemishire and Aldermen Johnny Floyd and Jada Murray are all running again.

Hedley incumbent Aldermen Trisha Chambless, Alicia Hanes, and Jennifer Floyd have also filed paperwork to seek reelection.

Clarendon Mayor Jacob Fangman and Alderman Eulaine McIntosh have filed for re-election. Alderman Terri Floyd had not filed at press time but told the Enterprise she will be a candidate for re-election.

At Clarendon ISD, incumbent Chrisi Tucek and challenger Mike Word have filed to run for the two open spots on the Board of Trustees.

Rose Lemley, Jeff Robertson, and Melinda McAnear has filed to run again for their Place 1, 2, and 3 positions on the Donley County Hospital District Board of Directors.

Hedley ISD has two full three-year terms and one unexpired term up this year, and incumbents Troy Monroe and Shauna Herbert have filed for reelection to her full term.

All local boards are elected at-large, but hospital board candidates must file for a specific place on the board. Candidate applications are available from the administrative offices of each entity. Applications for the City of Clarendon positions are also available at cityofclarendontx.com.

Elections are scheduled to be held Saturday, May 6, 2023.

Comptroller Glenn Hegar Distributes $1.3 Billion in Monthly Sales Tax Revenue to Local Governments
Clarendon bucked a two-month decline in sales tax revenues and set a new record when Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar delivered February allocations last week.

The city brought in $52,610.48 for the month, an increase of 7.02 percent over the same period in 2021 and an all-time high for February sales tax revenue. Clarendon now has received $90,252.04 for the calendar year to date, up 3.23 percent compared to one year ago.

Hedley’s sales tax revenue increased 55.39 percent to $1,836.40 for the month. Hedley’s year-to-date total is now $2,660.97, up 33.81 percent.

Howardwick was also up with an allocation of $2,142.63 for February, up 22.98 percent and pushing that city’s year-to-date figure up 19.54 percent from a year ago at $3,355.04.

Statewide, Hegar sent $1.3 billion in local sales tax allocations for February, 9.3 percent more than in February 2022.

These allocations are based on sales made in December by businesses that report tax monthly; October, November and December sales by quarterly filers; and 2022 sales by businesses that report tax annually.