This Week

Bill and Deanna Cornell broke ground last Thursday on what will soon be a new retail store in Clarendon.

Cornell’s Country Store will be located at US 287 and Orpe Street and will employ four workers in addition to the young couple. The metal frame building will occupy a total of 6,000 square feet with 4,500 of that being set aside for retail space. It is scheduled to be completed in November.

The store will carry a full line of Purina feeds, hunting and outdoor goods, a full line of clothing, Justin boots, tack and pet supplies, lawn and garden supplies, and farm and ranch supplies, Bill Cornell said.

“We’re excited because we’ve already compared our prices, and we will be competitive with the stores in Amarillo,” he said.

Cornell started selling Purina feeds behind his father’s Shell service station 2½ years ago just to make a little extra money. Besides, he said, he was using enough horse feed himself to make it worthwhile to be a dealer. But he was not prepared for the reception he would receive.

“Business has been tremendous,” Cornell said. “I can’t keep enough feed in stock. It goes almost as fast as I can get it in.”

Cornell was already thinking of expanding in January when Purina approached him about opening one of their “Premier Stores” – a concept store that has proved to be popular in rural towns across the nation.

As part of the Purina Premier Program, the Cornells have been going to retail training schools, and Bill has been learning more about the variety of feeds so he can better advise his customers. To insure the success of the store, Purina conducts market research in a 35-mile radius and recommends retail stock to fit those potential customers. Cornell already receives customers from outside of Donley County with some coming from as far as Turkey and Quitaque.

The Purina program also helps design the store itself and secures vendors that will make the store competitive with those in the big city.

“They just do research on everything,” Deanna Cornell said, “even down to the lighting and what tile is best to put on the floor.”

The couple says Purina Premier stores are found around the country and some are in Central and East Texas, but Cornell’s Country Store will be the first of its kind in the Panhandle.

AUSTIN – Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Rylander last week allocated $292.1 million in sales tax revenue to 1,110 Texas cities and 119 counties. August sales tax rebates are up six percent compared to August 2000. Year-to-date, payments to cities and counties are running 5.5 percent ahead of 2000.

Local retail sales edged upward last with the City of Clarendon gaining 0.47 percent over the same period last year for a total of $25,435.84. Hedley’s rebate grew from $695.18 to $899.15, and Howardwick’s rebate grew from $916.40 to $1,068.36.

August sales tax rebates represent sales taxes collected in April, May and June and reported to the Comptroller in July.

For details of August sales tax payments to individual cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose districts,  click here.

St. Mary’s Parish of Clarendon, the oldest active parish in the Texas Panhandle, will be hosting its fourth annual St. Mary’s Day on Sunday, September 9, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on the church grounds at the corner of Montgomery and McClelland Streets. 

A mouth-watering, mesquite barbecued beef dinner with all the trimmings will be served along with musical entertainment, country store items, and a quilt raffle. Tickets for the meal are $6 for adults and $3.50 for children under the age of 9. Take out meals will also be available.

This celebration serves as a time to recognize the history of the church as well as a fundraiser for a much needed parish hall. For tickets or more information about the event, contact Leon Church at (806) 874-2926.

St. Mary’s Day brings people from far and wide. Make this a time to dine with family and friends while supporting the efforts of St. Mary’s Parish.

Donley County is facing increased taxes and sharp spending cuts as commissioners try to balance the budget for the first time in several years.

But some county officials say the proposed cuts go too deep and are not being dealt out fairly.

The proposed 2001-2002 county budget increases ad valorem taxes by 7 percent and cuts spending by more than $59,000. Most of those cuts come in areas of personnel with one road hand being eliminated and secretaries in three county offices cut to part-time. Secretarial hours would also be cut in the county attorney’s office.

Personnel in other county offices would not get cut. Only one employee would receive a raise – that being the county attorney who reportedly agreed to take on some of her own secretarial work.

The affected officials say they never knew the cuts were coming. County Extension Agent Leon Church said he found out about it from a community member during a recent fundraiser.

“I was just very disappointed that I hadn’t heard it from the commissioners first,” Church said. “Not only did they cut [our secretary’s] hours in half, they also reduced her hourly wage.”

Employees reduced to part-time status would also lose health and retirement benefits.

Church said his office was never told about the county’s deficit or that commissioners were looking to make cuts. He was also not asked to recommend any cuts when he and other county officers presented their budget worksheets to commissioners.

“Cutting people is the last place I would cut,” he said. “They all have families.”

Justice of the Peace Jimmy Johnson was also taken aback by cuts in his office. He too will see his secretary cut to a half-time position.

“I could live with the other cuts [in supplies and equipment],” Johnson said, “but the personnel cut is the one that hurts.”

Like Church, Johnson said he had no idea of the county’s financial situation and doesn’t understand the reasoning behind the cuts.

“Nothing was ever said. Why was it just selective offices? I don’t know the rhyme or the reason behind this,” Johnson said. “I’ve never had any problem with the commissioners. They’ve always treated my office right until now.”

Johnson says his office generated $132,358.05 in income for the county from August 17, 2000, to August 17, 2001. His budget was cut from $45,327.64 to $33,533.27.

Church said his office is also a positive thing for the county. This year’s Health & Wealth Fair saved county residents an estimated $40,000 in health screening costs, and a recent cotton fertility trial showed local producers how to realize a $50/acre benefit in yield.

Tax Assessor Wilma Lindley’s office also received a personnel cut.

County Judge Jack Hall stresses that this is just the proposed budget and says each official will get a fair hearing before the commissioners’ court on August 30.

“We’re going to listen to exactly what they have to say,” Hall said.

But Hall does admit county officials were not informed of the deficit when they were asked to prepare their budget worksheets.

County finances are broken into two divisions – the road and bridge fund and the general fund. Road and bridge money can only be spent on road related expenses. The remainder of the county’s expenditures must come from the general fund.

In fiscal year 2000-2001, Donley County’s budget contained a $117,988.95 deficit in the general fund and a $114.732.03 deficit in the road and bridge fund. Those deficits were paid with monies the county has in reserve in certificates of deposit.

Treasurer Becky Jackson says the county has run a deficit for at least the last five years and has been paying for it out of reserves. The balance in the general fund reserve has depleted from $355,221.07 in October 1998 to just $70,229.12 as of July 20, 2001.

Despite the deficit situation, county commissioners cut taxes in 1998. That move cost the county several thousands of dollars the first year and is still hampering its efforts to catch up today, Judge Hall said.

Jackson said she had been warning commissioners for years that they could not continue spending from the reserves, and she sympathizes with commissioners now.

“Those cuts were not an easy thing for them to do,” she said.

Jackson said commissioners looked at their own budgets and have shifted expenditures for their salaries and their road hands’ salaries to the road and bridge fund to ease pressure on the general fund.

Pct. 3 Commissioner Buster Shields says he intends to look at his own budget again to find more cuts in his precinct.

“Everybody is trying to give a little bit,” said Pct 1 Commissioner Ernie Johnston. “We just can’t keep running a deficit like that.”

Criticism has surfaced that the Courthouse Restoration Project is to blame for the budget cuts. But Judge Hall rejects that notion.

“It’s a sound investment on the part of the county to restore that courthouse rather than issue bonds for several million dollars to build a different one. No one else is going to give you 85 cents for 15 cents,” he said referring to the 85-15 courthouse grant from the state.

Payment on the tax notes for the courthouse in fiscal 2001-2002 will total $100,312.50.

“I think it’s neat that we’re going to restore our courthouse,” said Church, “but we may have a nice building and no county services.”

Both Church and Johnson say they intend to be there when commissioners hold their budget hearing on August 30, and Church has a suggestion for them.

“I’d like to see the court ask all the department heads to come back in two or three days and find a way that we can all share in this deficit.”

Final approval of the budget is scheduled for the court’s regular meeting on September 10.

The Clarendon Aldermen approved a 13-month contract for administrative services from the Panhandle Regional Planning Commission (PRPC) during a regular city meeting last Tuesday.

The agreement calls for a PRPC employee, Colby Waters, to provide “Council Support Services” for $9,900 per year. Among his several duties, Waters will attend all regular board meetings, assist with the preparation of board agendas, and provide status reports of activities at board meetings.

Waters will also serve as an on-call technical advisor for the city; recommend ordinances, resolutions, and contracts as necessary; evaluate city insurance requirements; evaluate and potentially negotiate franchise agreements; evaluate board procedures; and keep the board informed regarding Open Meetings procedures and Freedom of Information Act procedures.

Mayor Tex Selvidge says the contract will allow the city to have the benefits of a city administrator without having to hire a person fulltime for that position.

“I think Colby can provide us with a lot of insight,” Selvidge said. “It will also give us the opportunity to decide if we really want a city administrator.”

Waters has provided similar services through the PRPC for other Panhandle cities, including Bovina and Claude.

Selvidge said Waters will have no authority over any city employees and will answer directly to the mayor and board of aldermen. The contract can also be canceled at any time with 30 days notice if either the city or the PRPC becomes dissatisfied with the arrangement.

Aldermen Smiley Johnson, Billy Jack Land, and Bob Watson voted for the contract. Aldermen Mac Stavenhagen and Michael Tibbets voted against it.

The city also approved a $3,150 contract with the PRPC to develop a personnel policy and procedures manual and a $2,800 contract with the PRPC for a review, update, and codification of local ordinances. Both contracts were unanimously approved by the board.

In other city business, aldermen approved a supplemental contract with Greenbelt Water Authority and passed Ordinance No. 336 increasing a portion of the rates of public utilities in Clarendon.

Ruth Robinson and Willard Skelton addressed the board on behalf of the Saints’ Roost Museum and requested advertising funds for the 7th annual Col. Charles Goodnight Chuckwagon Cookoff to be held     September 22. The aldermen approved giving $1,500 from the Motel Bed Tax fund for advertising.

Municipal Court Technology funds were discussed. The board approved allowing the municipal court to assess this fee. Stavenhagen voted no.

The property tax rate was discussed, and the board voted to keep the city ad valorem rate at 0.45555 per $100 valuation.

The issue of livestock located at 721 W. Eighth St. was discussed due to a complaint of a violation under Ordinance 309. The aldermen voted to have the city attorney write a letter to the owner of the property and also to the owner of the property at 618 E. Browning Blvd.

Rates for dumping at the Three Feathers Recycling Center were discussed. No action was taken.

The Howardwick Volunteer Fire Department was awarded a $24,750 federal grant last week to purchase a 750-gallon pumper truck, according to US Sen. Phil Gramm (R-Texas).

Fire Chief Joe Zeyen said his department has ordered a reconditioned 1977 Ford F-700 with a front mount pumper, which will be a great asset to the city.

“This will be a rural truck designed for departments like ours and capable of handling these roads out here,” Zeyen said.

Funds for the grant were awarded through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and Zeyen says less than one percent of the fire departments making an application received the grant. More than 19,000 departments applied.

Zeyen credits letters of support from Donley County Judge Jack Hall and US Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Clarendon) as being very important to the city’s application but says he thinks a higher authority was involved with Howardwick beating the odds.

“The Man upstairs is the biggest reason we got this. We were really blessed.”

FEMA is awarding more than $100 million to assist firefighters nationwide.

“These funds will help equip our brave firefighters who stand ready to protect our homes and families,” Sen. Gramm said. “I am pleased that some of the tax dollars sent by Texans to Washington are being returned to help save lives among firefighters and the people they serve here in Texas.”

The reconditioned pumper will bring the 10-member department’s fleet total to four trucks plus one tanker, and it will be the best pumper the city has ever had. Zeyen said the city’s old pumper was a 1956 model and was worn out.

“I’ve been trying for three years to get a new one, but we couldn’t because of our budget.”

After the new truck is paid for, the city will have $4,500 left over from the grant to purchase additional equipment for the vehicle.

The grant application was prepared by John Kiehl of the Panhandle Regional Planning Commission about six months ago, and the Howardwick aldermen formally accepted the grant last Tuesday during a called meeting. The city should receive the money on about August 15.

Zeyen says the new truck is undergoing final testing in South Boston, Virginia, and should be delivered by the end of August.

Craig Estes of Wichita Falls last week announced his candidacy to fill the vacant senate seat of the late Tom Haywood. The Republican businessman stopped in Clarendon last Thursday to introduce himself to local voters at Renee’s Diner.

Estes will be involved in what his campaign calls “a political free-for-all” as any candidate that wants to can run for the seat regardless of party affiliation. Gov. Rick Perry has called for a special election to be held November 6, 2001. If no candidate receives 50 percent of the vote, a runoff will be held within 30 days.

Estes says he was inspired by Haywood, who passed away last month, and he says he considered the senator a friend.

“I can’t fill his shoes,” Estes said, “but I can carry on his legacy.”

If he’s elected, Estes admits representing Donley County will probably be a short-term project. The Texas Legislature won’t be in regular session again until 2003; and if the state’s Legislative Redistricting Board plan is adopted, Donley County will be moved out of Senate District 30 and into the district represented by Sen. Robert L. Duncan of Lubbock.

“I need Donley County’s help to be elected,” Estes said. “There are things to be done even though the legislature is out of session.”

Estes is chairman of the board of Estes, Inc., an ag-chemical company founded by his father in 1951. He has never held elected office but says he has been active in party politics at the county level.

The candidate is still studying a variety of issues before taking positions on them but says he has a conservative philosophy that has been well received by the district.

Estes is married to the former Jennifer Huff of Wichita Falls. They have three children: Abby attends Vanderbilt University; Andrew attends Auburn University; and Mark is a junior at Wichita Falls High School.

The Donley County Commissioners’ Court enacted a burn ban during a called meeting Monday morning.

The ban prohibits the burning of trash, controlled burns, and open pit fires. It does not include barbecue grills.

The county says the ban will be in effect until the next session of the commissioners’ court and may be extended if necessary.