News

Clarendon ISD teachers will received a pay raise and local taxpayers could see relief on their property taxes thanks to House Bill 3, according to Superintendent Mike Norrell.

The Clarendon ISD Board of Trustees approved a new compressed tax rate Monday night, mandated by HB 3. The new rate of $1.0683 per $100 valuation will replace the school’s old rate of $1.17.

Norrell also said that the starting teachers will see their base salary go up by more than $3,000 in the new budget. Teachers with more experience will receive larger increases on the new pay scale set forth by the Texas Education Agency.

The state also set up increases for certified nurses, librarians, and counselors. Norrell said Clarendon ISD instructional aides will see increases of $1,000 per step on the pay scale and maintenance and cafeteria workers will get a five percent raise.

Clarendon’s $5.803 million general school budget is up 9.82 percent due mostly to payroll increases, the superintendent said. In fact, Norrell notes that about 75 percent of the school budget is payroll.
State funding to Clarendon ISD is up about eight percent or $300,000, but Norrell worries that the state might not continue to fund the raises they have put in place.

“My fear is that after this biennium, the state will cut back on their contributions and it will fall back on the district,” Norrell said.

The new budget is built on an average daily attendance of 415 students. Enrollment at Clarendon ISD this week is 443.

A Clarendon man will spend ten years in prison following the death of his daughter last October.

During a meeting of the 100th District Court here Monday, Christopher Bryon Myers, age 38, entered a guilty plea to the charge of second degree felony offense of injury to a child. Myers was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in the Institutional Division of the TDCJ.

Myers was arrested in Donley County by DPS Texas Ranger Mike Smith on October 12, 2018. He was later indicted by the Donley County Grand Jury on January 17.

Law enforcement and emergency medical personnel responded to Myers’ residence at 718 S. Ellerbe on Friday, October 12, after a 911 call at 5:02 that morning reported a possible dead baby.

The infant was transported to Northwest Texas Hospital in Amarillo and placed on life support. Aries Renae Myers pronounced dead on Monday, October 15.

Officials at the time said the complaint against Myers alleged that the child’s death was due to blunt force trauma.

The Clarendon City Council approved rate increases for water, sewer, and trash services when it met last Thursday, August 22.

Officials said the cost of water and trash services charged to the city has gone up, and City Administrator David Dockery said the increase in the sewer charge will help the city’s application for a grant to improve the sewer system.

“We’ve been told if we didn’t raise our sewer rates, our application didn’t stand a chance,” Dockery said.

Dockery also noted that the utility increases are the first the city has implemented in several years, other than a $10 per month fee imposed three years ago for debt service.

Mayor Sandy Skelton noted the need for the city to maintain its financial position.

“Unfortunately, the city must raise utility rates on occasion so that expenses don’t exceed revenue,” the mayor said. “Effective October 1, garbage, water, and sewer rates will increase. Garbage rates will increase 5 percent due to higher rates charged by the Memphis Landfill (Clarendon transports all garbage to Memphis). Water rates will increase by 7.6 percent due to an increase charged to the City by Greenbelt Water Authority. Sewer rates will increase by 5.0 percent simply because rates have not been raised in the past 12 years.”

The mayor also reminded citizens that the council has worked to lower the tax burden it places on property owners in the city.

“Several months ago, the City Council voted to significantly decrease city property taxes and to eliminate the city’s portion of personal property taxes (vehicles, trailers, campers, RV’s, etc.),” Skelton said. “These reductions will be effective January 1, 2020, and will more than offset the increase in utility rates. All property owners will realize a sizable savings.”

In other city news, the council set September 12 at 6:30 p.m. as the date for a public hearing on its proposed budget for fiscal year 2020.

The council also gave final approval to the purchase of the Lowe office building.

“I am pleased that the City Council approved the purchase of the Lowe Building across the street from the Courthouse,” Skelton said. “The purchase solved two problems, the first being the very crowded conditions at the current City Hall. The second reason is that the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is requiring us to add a handicapped bathroom and make other improvements to the current facility in order to comply with the American Disabilities Act (ADA).

Skelton said the Lowe building was recently appraised at $330,000 by a certified appraiser.

“We were able to negotiate a sales price of $163,000 or $45 per square foot,” he said. “The City will not have to dip into reserves for the purchase as we should finish the current fiscal year at the end of September with revenue over expense by approximately $200,000.

Skelton said the building is in excellent condition and will provide adequate space for all employees and will accommodate numerous citizens for city council meetings and other gatherings. Employee parking will be in the rear of the building which will allow for citizens parking on Sully Street.

“In my opinion, this action made a lot of sense and was good use of public funds,” Skelton said.

Alderman also last week approved $15,015.19 from the airport maintenance fund to match a TxDOT RAMP grant for funding runway lighting improvements at the Smiley Johnson Municipal Airport. Those improvements will cost a total of $29,419.

In his administrator’s report, Dockery told the council that the city’s code compliance officer has completed training on junk vehicles and said the city will soon begin addressing the numerous junk vehicles around town. Aldermen also learned that Greg Price had resigned from the city and that Jacob Lindsey would be moving from part-time to full-time to take Price’s place.

Clarendon and Hedley schools both met state goals on standardized testing last spring and earned “grades” of B for the year, according to information released this month by the Texas Education Agency (TEA).

Clarendon ISD’s overall score improved from an 84 last year as a district to 88 this year with Clarendon High School making an 87, down one point; Clarendon Junior High making an 80, up five points; and Clarendon Elementary maintaining a 90.

“We’re just two points away from an A,” Superintendent Mike Norrell said. “Schools are about more than just accountability tests, but if this is the way the state is going to measure us, we’re going to work to make up those two points.”

Norrell went on to say that he proud of Clarendon’s students and staff.

“It’s students and staff that make the difference,” he said. “We’re going to continue to do the best to provide every child a quality education.”

Three components make up the state’s grading system: Student Achievement, which is mostly scores on the spring STAAR tests; School Progress, which involves how students are performing over time; and Closing the Gaps, which concerns how different ethnic and economic populations are performing.
Clarendon High School’s score was broken down as 87 for Student Performance, 84 for School Progress, and 86 for Closing the Gaps. CHS received two out of a possible seven distinctions for Academic Achievement in Social Studies, Top 25 percent for comparative academic growth when compared with similar schools around the state.

Clarendon Junior High’s scores were made up of 80 for Student Performance, 81 for School Progress, and 77 for Closing the Gaps.

Clarendon Elementary received an 88 for Student Achievement, 89 for School Progress, and 92 for Closing the Gap. The elementary school also received five out of a possible six distinctions. Those included Academic Achievements in Mathematics and English Language Arts / Reading; Top 25 Percent in Comparative Academic Growth; Post Secondary Readiness; and Top 25 Percent in Comparative Closing the Gaps.

Hedley received an overall score of 88 out of 100, down from a 92 last year. Hedley ISD operates as one campus, where the state recognizes Clarendon as being three campuses – elementary, junior high, and high school.

Hedley scored 89 out of 100 for Student Achievement, an 85 out of 100 for School Progress, and 87 out of 100 for Closing the Gaps. The school also earned three out of seven distinctions for Academic Achievements in Mathematics, Post-Secondary Readiness, and Top 25 Percent Comparative Closing the Gaps.

Clarendon City Hall will have a new home in 2020 after a real estate agreement was reached last week.

City Administrator David Dockery says the city is purchasing the former office building of Bill Lowe at 313 S. Sully across from the Donley County Courthouse for $163,000.

“We’re too confined in our current offices and our requirements to meet the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was going to be expensive,” Dockery said.

ADA accessibility is a requirement of the city’s current USDA-funded waterline project, and Dockery said the age and construction of the present City Hall was going to make it difficult to meet those standards.

The Lowe building will also require some modifications for ADA, and Dockery said contractors are looking at that work now, and the city hopes to have it completed in three to four months. The new location has more than 3,600 square feet of floor space available to meet the city’s needs.

Dockery said the city was able to use excess revenue from the current budget to purchase the Lowe property and did not have to tap the city’s reserves for this.

Officials are currently exploring options as to the future use of the current City Hall offices. The two-story building was erected in 1918 and has housed the city offices for most of the time since then.

Currently the fire department utilizes the second floor and the back of the building with city offices on the first floor at the front of the building.

Howardwick citizens were back under a boil water notice this week after a failed pump impacted the city’s water supply there.

City Hall reports that pump problems began Saturday and worsened on Sunday, prompting Red River Water Authority on Monday to issue the boil water notice and place the city under a Stage 4 water emergency, which bans all outside watering.

Red River also delivered bottled drinking water to City Hall for the residents’ use.

City Secretary Sandra Childress said Tuesday that a replacement pump was being installed that day.
Childress also reported that Red River’s board on September 18 will consider moving forward with an entirely new well for the city now that all the necessary approvals for that work have been obtained.

City officials anticipate having all water restrictions lifted later this week.

Howardwick aldermen considered several items of business when they met last Tuesday, August 13.
Budget and tax rate discussions were early on the agenda, and the city council voted to propose maintaining the current rate of 40 cents per $100 valuation.

During budget discussions, local resident Jody Ratcliff volunteered to purchase a new refrigerator for the community center.

Mayor Tony Clemishire reported that the city did not receive the community development grant that it hoped would pay for street improvements. It was also reported that a fish fry will be held this Saturday at 5 p.m. at the Clarendon County Club to benefit the City of Howardwick Fire Department.

In public comments, former mayor Greta Byars complained about underage drivers running four-wheelers and golf carts in the city.

The council approved bids on properties through Texas Communities Group, and the city also approved selling three lots of its own. Aldermen also authorized purchasing an app through TCG to assist the city’s code officer, who is in training.

In fire department business, the board approved Resolution 160, creating a bank account for the reconstituted Ctiy of Howardwick Fire Department.

Interim Fire Chief Brice Hawley gave a very informative update on the department. City Hall said this week that six volunteer applicants for the department are being vetted now and are likely to be approved.

Foster & Lambert was selected again to do the city’s audit, and Ordinance 118 was approved, amending Ordinance 102 to reaffirm that Red River Water Authority will continue to do the billing for the city’s trash service on the water bills.

The council considered 13 designs for the Howardwick entrance sign and narrowed it to three top choices. Those will be put before the citizens in attendance at the next city council meeting to pick a winner.

Clarendon will have its own water recreation park as early as next summer following action taken by the city council last Thursday, August 8.

With a unanimous vote, aldermen approved a $2.7 million bid from A&S General Contractors to construct the Clarendon Aquatics Center on the southeast corner of Fourth and Kearney.

Mayor Sandy Skelton, during the meeting, urged the council to take action on the bid calling it their “opportunity to step up as city leaders and make a bold decision.” Afterwards, he applauded the council’s vote.

“After four years of fundraising, I am very pleased that the City Council accepted the low bid from A&S General Contractors for the construction of Clarendon’s first ever public swimming pool,” Skelton said.

“I especially want to thank the anonymous benefactor who set this project in motion four years ago with a challenge grant and also thank the numerous individuals, businesses, farmers, ranchers, state agencies and foundations who stepped up with generous donations to make it all happen,” the mayor continued. “Additionally, I want to express genuine appreciation to the Pool Steering Committee members who devoted a considerable amount of time and effort related to planning and fundraising.”

City Administrator David Dockery also expressed his happiness with the action of the council.

“I’m extremely pleased that after these years of work by so many people, we’re going to reach our goal of a water recreation facility like we’ve never had before,” Dockery said.

As part of the vote to accept the bid, the council also committed as much as $425,000 in city funds to support the construction and help make up the shortfall between the $2.253 million raised for the project and the $2.7 million price tag. The city funds would include $75,000 in interest earned on the donation to the project and $350,000 from the city’s reserves.

Cost savings with the contractor and additional donations are still being pursued by the city, which could offset some of the contribution the city would have to make.

The city also accepted the bid as it was presented, including all the previously published features of the pool and specifying poured in place concrete pool walls as opposed to gunite – or shot concrete – walls, which had been mentioned as a cost saver.

During discussion before the vote, Alderman Larry Jeffers said he was in favor of the city doing what it takes for the pool “as long as it doesn’t put the city in a strain.”

Dockery replied that the city – even with this commitment – is in a better shape financially than when he came to the job four years ago and that the city has proposed a tax rate 26 cents lower than the current rate.

Alderman Nathan Floyd said the city has a lot of funds in reserve but had not put anything into the pool.

“The city should have some skin in it,” Floyd said.

Alderman John Lockhart, recalling statements made at the August 5 meeting of the economic development board, said it was time to act.

“If we don’t do it, it won’t happen in our lifetimes,” Lockhart said.

Jeffers asked about other expenses that city expects to incur related to the pool construction. Dockery said the city would use about $10,000 worth of materials to extend utilities for the facility and said gravel already on hand could be used for the parking lot.

Addressing the question of paving streets, officials again noted that the donated funds were specifically given to the pool project, and Dockery said the money being contributed by the city, if used for streets, would only chip seal about eight blocks. The mayor also repeated that streets will be a priority after the current USDA water line project is completed and will be put to a vote of the people.

Alderman Jacob Fangman said he was conservative and mentioned lower interest rates for the city’s investments. He also said the city would be getting close to providing one-quarter of the project with the contingency funds. Alderman Floyd was upbeat in his response.

“We’re going to be here forever,” Floyd said. “Sales taxes are coming in. Things are just getting better, bubba.”

Dockery said this week that city officials are working to set ground breaking in September and hope to have the facility open for next summer.

Clarendon’s sales tax revenue was up for the month of August when Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar made allocations to local governments last week.

City Hall saw its allocation go up by 2.25 percent compared to a year ago for a monthly figure of $40,732.07. That brings the city’s calendar year-to-date sales tax revenue up to $284,709.30, which is 2.17 percent higher than at this same point in 2018.

Howardwick’s sales tax revenue was also up by 2.68 percent with an August allocation of $913.18 and a year-to-date total up 12.29 percent at $9,268.36.

Hedley was down for the month by 42.59 percent at $1,111.12. That brings Hedley down 20.11 percent for the year at $7,137.21.

Statewide, Hegar sent $876.8 million in local sales tax allocations for August, 4.0 percent more than in August 2018. These allocations are based on sales made in June by businesses that report tax monthly and on sales made in April, May and June by quarterly filers.

The Clarendon City Council unanimously extended the contract of City Administrator David Dockery during their regular meeting August 8.

Following an evaluation in closed session, the council reconvened in open session where Mayor Sandy Skelton announced that Dockery had received a perfect score on his evaluation.

The council then voted unanimously to extend his contract to 2021 and give him a four percent raise.

In other city business, the also met in closed session regarding real estate and later in open session authorized an offer on property at 313 S. Sully, the former law office building of Bill Lowe.

The council also approved purchasing a tractor for the public works department.

In his administrator’s report, Dockery said that Grett Betts is now fully licenses as both the animal control officer and the code enforcement authority; announced that the USDA water line project on Fifth Street would not be complete before school starts but said all excavation points would be filled by August 14; and informed the council that the city is looking for a new IT management firm.