News

Donley County Commissioners accepted the resignation of Constable Gerald Mulanax during their regular meeting Monday.

Mulanax said he resigned his office because he had accomplished his goal.

“The purpose was to stop Mr. Swinney’s time in office,” he said. “That’s been done.”

Mulanax was appointed as constable of Precincts 1&2 on November 26 following the September resignation of Constable Jimmy Swinney. County officials filled that vacancy because they were concerned that a legal holdover provision might give Swinney the argument that he was still in office despite his resignation.

Swinney was elected constable last year and took office in January. He then sued Donley County in June on the grounds that the salary set for him was unreasonable. He resigned his office in September after failing to become a licensed Texas peace officer, but his lawsuit still continues.

The constable’s position is up for election on the November 2002 ballot. At press time, no one had filed for the office.

In other county business, the commissioners’ court considered the purchase of a new computer for the sheriff’s office. The sheriff hopes to have the county, the probation department, and the City of Clarendon share in the cost of the new computer.

Commissioners also gave the green light to the sheriff’s department to apply for a $10,000 grant through the Criminal Justice Division of the Governor’s office to purchase equipment. If approved, the county would provide a $1,282 match.

The court authorized the submission of Disaster Relief Grant Application to the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. Those grant funds would be used to repair road and bridge damages caused by flooding earlier this year.

The court agreed the county will assist the junior livestock association in some way with setup expenses if and when Clarendon College builds a new livestock and equine center.

A request for $150 for the Child Welfare Board from jury funds was approved, and tax abatements for Cornell’s Country Store and Bayou Medical, Ltd., were executed.

The county car mileage policy was changed from 23¢ per mile to 28¢ per mile effective January 1, 2002. Judge Jack Hall said the state mileage rate is 34.5¢ per mile.

The assessment agreement with the Appraisal District was approved.

On the courthouse project, the court approved purchasing builder’s risk insurance through the Texas Association of Counties and authorized an amendment to the county’s contract with the architect.

Eight county offices will be before voters next November and filing for those positions is now underway.

As of Tuesday morning, the following incumbents had filed for the election: Justice of the Peace Pct. 3&4 Ann Kennedy, County Treasurer Becky Jackson, County/District Clerk Fay Vargas, County Judge Jack Hall, and Commissioner Pct. 2 Donnie Hall. No challengers to those office holders had filed at press time.

Other offices open include Justice of the Peace Pct. 1&2, Commissioner Pct. 4, and Constable Pct. 1&2. Incumbents Justice Jimmy Johnson and Commissioner Bob Trout had not filed for re-election at press time. The constable’s office was vacated Monday with the resignation of Gerald Mulanax.

Filing continues in the County Clerk’s office in the Courthouse Annex through Wednesday, January 2, 2002.

In other election news of local interest, US Rep. Mac Thornberry of Clarendon filed for re-election to his 13th District congressional seat last Friday.

Thornberry was first elected in 1994 and is a member of the House Resources Committee, the Budget Committee, and the Armed Services Committee.

People alive when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor know exactly where they were when they heard the news, and Clarendon’s Mutt Graham is no different. He was working in Caraway’s Cafe when a fellow named Mr. Price came in with the news: “Well, I guess we’re in it now. The Japs just bombed us.”

Last Friday, December 7, he returned to the exact spot – now a part of the Herring National Bank building – where he first heard the news in 1941.

Returning to that same spot was something he did spontaneously Friday. The thought just occurred to him while he was driving downtown.

“I just went in the bank and told them, ‘I just want to stand here for a minute,’” he said.

Graham said no one believed Price, who used to work for Homer Mulkey at the theater, but then other people started coming in to the restaurant telling the same story.

People in the restaurant all gathered around a world map hanging on the wall to find out where Japan was, and Graham says he distinctly remembers one man saying, “We’ll whip them in six months.”

Of course, the war took many years instead of a few months.

Among the other people in the restaurant that day were Ode Caraway and Clem Caraway. The later was a veteran of World War I, Graham said.

Graham was later drafted and served nearly three years in World War II as a cook on board the aircraft carrier USS Langley.

“We were right in the middle of it,” he said of his action in the Pacific Theater of the war. “We served three meals a day to 1,300 men.”

The nuclear aircraft carriers of today are much bigger than his ship, but it was still like a little city of its own, he said.

In August 1945, Graham said he was onboard the Langley in Pearl Harbor, where they were loading new airplanes preparing to strike Tokyo when Japan surrendered to the United States.

Hedley School will present its annual elementary/junior high Christmas Program on Thursday, December 13, at the First Baptist Church of Hedley beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Students from kindergarten through eighth grade will be presenting a variety of songs celebrating the season. After the program, snacks will be served in the Fellowship Hall.

The First Baptist Church will present “Joyful and Triumphant” Sunday, December 16, at 6 p.m. The cantata involves a broad range of singers from pre-school to adult. There will be a fellowship time after the music in the Fellowship Hall. Everyone is invited to attend.

The First Baptist Church is at Third and Main in Hedley.

A former local man is one of two Amarillo area American Red Cross Disaster Service Human Resource Volunteers currently on assignment in New York City.

Sandy Skelton, who is the executive director of Texas Panhandle Mental Health and Mental Retardation, is providing mental health counseling and support to victims, family members, and rescue workers related to the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center.

Skelton is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Willard Skelton of Clarendon.

Workers from Phoenix 1 have been busy using chemicals and fine tools to remove decades of paint and stain from woodwork in the 1890 Donley County Courthouse.

Enterprise Digital Photo
 
Restoration work on the Donley County Courthouse is on schedule despite an unexpected redesign of foundation work for the main tower.

Plans originally called for four 30-foot piers to be sunk at the corners of the main tower as reinforcement for the weight which will be added when the third story is recreated. But workers with Phoenix 1 encountered sand and rock at a depth of 30 feet, making the design unfeasible.

To compensate, Phoenix’ Dwight Smith says engineers designed a new spread footing that will incorporate 10’ x 10’ footings at a depth of five feet below sidewalk grade. Workers began pouring the new foundation last week and were expected to continue early this week.

Phoenix officials say the redesign caused a two-week delay in one phase of the project but did not affect the overall schedule of the work.

Inside the 1890 courthouse, workers are busy stripping decades of paint and stain from woodwork and are completing demolition work.

A massive masonry vault from the old Home Extension Office was removed, and a doorway connecting that office to the main corridor was re-opened. The vault was not original to the building, having been added in about 1914, according to project architect Chris Hutson. The vault door, which is original, will be returned to an adjacent vault in the same room.

Also in the old Home Extension Office, workers opened a wall where architects theorized two large pocket doors were once installed. The theory was confirmed with the discovery of the original wooden track for the doors still in place.

The doors themselves were stored in the attic of the courthouse and will be refinished.

Two iron fireplace mantels that were hidden when the elevator was installed in the early 1980s have also been removed. The mantels, with patent dates of 1887, will be used to recreate fireplace surrounds in the future county judge’s office.

Original tile from in front of one hearth was also recovered from the elevator shaft.

For more information on the restoration of the Donley County Courthouse, click here.

In the air there was the Spirit of Christmas last Saturday in downtown Clarendon as people and cars lined Kearney Street for the Donley County Old Fashioned Christmas celebration.

The Clarendon-Donley County Chamber of Commerce and the Donley County Tourism Council hosted an Open House at the Chamber office. There were 132 people representing Clarendon and eight other towns including Canyon, Amarillo, Panhandle, Dallas, Wellington, Hedley, Memphis, and Childress that attended the open house.

Marilee Self won the gift certificate to Mike’s Pharmacy.  Joanne McAfee won the certificate to Country Bloomers Flowers and Gifts.  Cennet Rhode won the certificate from Downtown Diner. Tex Selvidge was the winner of the certificate from “Sam Hill” Pit BBQ, and Billie Melton won the certificate from Bailey Autos and Collectibles.  The Hedley businesses winning prizes were City Hall and Hedley Homemakers Club.

The winners of the Christmas Lighting Contest were Howardwick – Roy Monroe, Clarendon – B.J. and Jennie Owens; Hedley – Pick and Laquetta Cox; and the Clarendon business winner was Cornell’s Country Store.  Special recognition was given to W.R. Christal.

Local Girl Scouts lit their nativity scene and decorations at the Lions Club Friday night and served cider, hot chocolate, and cookies.

A Quilt Show at Eads Furniture & Appliance began the activities Saturday at 8:30 a.m. with a wide variety of quilts on display. And down the street at Community Fellowship Church, the Breakfast with an Angel was held at 9:00 in the Panhandle Community Services Building. Adults and children enjoyed breakfast, songs, and the Christmas Story told by the angel. Children also made celebrated Jesus’ birthday.

The fourth annual Country Christmas Extravaganza craft show was held at both the Lions Club and the Rebecca Lodge, and the Burton Memorial Library held a Book Sale and served hot chocolate. Local author Gail Shelton signed copies of her latest book. Santa Claus also stopped by the library for pictures with the kids.

The Downtown Ministry Center was the site of many activities throughout the day. The Art Club held a Cake Walk, and kids made Christmas crafts. Christmas Tree Silent Auction was also held in the center. Winners were Joan McAfee – Friends of the Library tree, Audrey Hall – Rasberry’s Designs tree, Carolina Selvidge – Donley County Horse Club tree, Joburta Helms – Channel 11 tree, Onita Thomas – Ministry Center tree, Myles Shelton – Boy Scout Troop 433 tree, and Jeanie Lauderdale – Ace No. 8 Bed & Breakfast tree. Those needing to pick up their trees should call Eddie Helms at 874-2528.

An exhibit of local artists was held in the Texas Loft in the old Goldston Building, and the Clarendon PTA served lunch and refreshments in the Downtown Ministry Center

Select churches and homes were open for tours in the afternoon, and KEFH-FM hosted a live remote broadcast throughout the day from Eads Furniture.

Saturday night closed out the day’s events with a special bingo at the VFW Hall and dancing the night away at the annual Saints’ Museum Benefit Party at the Clarendon Community Center.

The Clarendon Board of Aldermen met in regular session November 27 in the Board Room of City Hall.

Mark White was sworn in to fill the vacant term of Alderman Smiley Johnson, who moved to Canadian recently.

Levying ad valorem taxes on leased vehicles was discussed. Most aldermen agreed that not taxing leased vehicles while taxing owned vehicles was an inequitable situation that was unfair to those citizens paying the tax.

A motion was made and seconded to pass Ordinance 339 to tax leased motor vehicles. Aldermen Michael Tibbets, Billy Jack Land, Mac Stavenhagen, and White voted yes. Alderman Bob Watson voted against the measure.

Voters in Donley County again chose Craig Estes to be their next State Senator in Tuesday’s run-off election to fill the seat of the late Sen. Tom Haywood.

With 270 of 317 precincts reporting at press time, Estes, a Republican, was leading Democrat Greg Underwood across District 30 by more than 4,000 votes. Local voters chose him by a margin of 93 to 68.

Turnout was low for Tuesday’s polling with barely more than five percent of voters casting ballots locally.

The incoming constable of Donley County’s Precincts 1&2 says he intends to abolish the office that has been the center of controversy over the last year.

“Don’t expect me to buy a badge or wear a gun or answer a call because I’m not coming,” said soon-to-be Constable Gerald Mulanax.

Mulanax, who lives at Howardwick, was appointed to the position during a called session of the commissioners’ court Monday morning. He was the only applicant for the job, which became vacant in September when Constable Jimmy Swinney resigned.

“In the interest of stopping the flack and helping the people of Donley County, I agreed to do it,” Mulanax said. “It just seems to be an unneeded office.”

Mulanax said he has spoken with county officials and understands that there is no money for the office. He also intends to sign an affidavit swearing to that point.

The constable’s office had been vacant for more than 30 years before Swinney won a write-in campaign last November. He took office in January and sued the county in June alleging, among other things, that his $3,170 annual salary was unreasonable. Swinney then resigned his office in September after he failed to become a certified Texas peace officer as required by law.

The lawsuit is still pending, and both parties are awaiting a summary judgment decision from District Judge David McCoy.

The county had considered keeping the office vacant, but County Attorney Pro-tem Kaye Messer said it was possible that a holdover provision in the Texas Constitution would have kept Swinney in office until a successor took over. Since Swinney, by law, was no longer qualified to hold the office, it was questionable if the holdover provision applied to him, Messer said. Commissioners decided to fill the vacancy to avoid that situation.

A proposed amendment on next year’s ballot would give counties the option of declaring constable offices dormant under certain conditions, Messer said. If that amendment passes, Donley County could make the Constable of Precinct 1&2 a dormant office until the people of the county decide it is needed.

Mulanax said he gave a lot of thought to the constable’s office and had even considered running against Swinney when his term was up. Now he just wants to resolve the situation.

“Lets put this thing to bed and stop the controversy,” Mulanax said.

The new constable will be sworn in this Friday at 10 a.m. He will serve until the general election next year.

In other county business Monday, the commissioners’ court approved sending the county treasurer to a training session in Potter County next month and changed the county’s longevity pay policy to include part-time employees who had been employed for several years.

A bid for a new motorgrader for Precinct 3 was accepted from Asco for a total of $144,243 with a buy-back value of $100,323 after five years or 5,000 hours.

The county also approved a one-year lease for a dump truck from Bruckner’s Trucking.

Commissioners also accepted the resignation of Cooperative Extension secretary Lori Leffew effective November 30, 2001. County Judge Jack Hall says the process is underway to replace the county agents who also resigned recently.