City names Hartman as interim

Floyd Hartman will step in to lead City Hall when Clarendon City Administrator Brian Barboza leaves his post this Friday.

Hartman, a former interim city manager for the City of Amarillo, will serve as Clarendon’s interim city administrator during the search for Barboza’s successor. In its regular meeting on July 9, the city council approved an agreement with Hartman to employ him on a contract labor basis for six months with an option to renew that agreement. Hartman will be paid $2,000 per month plus travel expenses.

Council members and city employees expressed optimism about the years of experience Hartman will bring to the city. Hartman spent several hours ahead of last week’s council meeting to visit with city employees and elected officials one on one.

Aldermen also approved a motion last week to temporarily divide some of the city administrator’s daily duties between City Secretary Machiel Covey and Public Works Director John Molder and to pay each of them $500 per month until a permanent city administrator is hired.

A come and go reception for Barboza will be held on Friday, July 17, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. He is leaving Clarendon to become the City Manager at Friona.

In other city business last week, the council listened to and approved the annual report of the Clarendon Housing Authority as presented by Executive Director Tammy Christopher. The authority was created by the city in the late 1950s, and the mayor appoints members to the authority’s board when vacancies arise, Christopher said. The authority maintains 71 apartments, and all are occupied currently except one, which is being repaired. There is a waiting list for people wanting apartments, but the authority cannot build any new housing because it is capped based on the city’s population.

The council also voted last week to sell an old animal control truck and water department truck as surplus property and to purchase a used truck for the wastewater department. The human resources policy manual was updated, and the quarterly investment report was approved as presented.

In his administrator’s report, Barboza updated the council on several projects, including the paving work recently completed on Fourth Street between Allen and Koogle streets. Concrete work on that job is going to have to be replaced at the cost of the contractor for failing to meet specifications.

After the concrete is replaced, the city will work on improving driveway connections to the street.