Roger Estlack

The Hedley City Council answered criticism about the sale of a 56-year-old city maintainer during their regular meeting last Thursday, August 13.

“There are a lot of rumors going around, and we want to put those to rest,” Mayor Carrie Butler said.

The council voted in June to sell the maintainer for $3,000 to Tule Creek Ranch, the mayor said, and “there has been an uproar about it.”

Some residents have criticized the city for not taking bids or proposals for the maintainer and for selling it to a relative of a city employee. Butler, however, had opinions from four different attorneys – three from Texas Municipal League in addition to the city’s own attorney, James Shelton – stating that the sale was proper and legal.

“The maintainer was sold legally, and there are no if’s and’s or but’s about it,” Butler said.

The mayor said Hedley is a Type A municipality and does not have to take bids to sell surplus or non-functional property.

She also said the sale did not constitute nepotism because the council solely made the decision to sell the maintainer and the employee had no say in the deal and did not profit from it.

Butler told the Enterprise that the maintainer was a 1964 model that had all the windows broken out and had other mechanical issues.

During public comments, Mike Glover criticized the city council and said there had been an offer of $5,000 for the maintainer.

Butler said there was no such offer. She said the city researched the value of the model of maintainer, which was between $1,500 and $7,000 depending on the condition. The city thought the offer of $3,000 was a good deal.

“We got a fair price, and we took it,” she said.

Glover asked Butler what the city will do about the roads since it sold the maintainer. Butler responded that the city is working on a loan through the USDA to get a new maintainer and possibly get a new trash truck as well.

Butler also addressed complaints about city employees during last week’s meeting.

“A lot of people think if there is no vehicle [at City Hall], then people aren’t working,” Butler said.

City employees’ duties include taking care of the sewer plant, picking up trash, maintaining the city lift station, reading meters, and other duties, the mayor said.

“This council is not stupid as to what goes on with our employees,” she said.

Butler said City Secretary Kim Davis is allowed by the council to vary her time at the office as long as she gets her time in.

“Her work gets done, and the bills get paid,” Butler said.

One resident inquired why the city’s trailer was seen at a house in Clarendon. Davis responded that she had rented the trailer, with the council’s approval. Butler said the city commonly rents out the trailer as well as other city equipment.

Thursday’s public comments portion of the meeting included several criticisms and accusations from four residents, but city aldermen pushed back against the comments, citing the limitations of the city budget and noting that residents rarely come to the city meetings.

“Instead of running our mouths, how about we come together?” Alderman Alicia Hanes asked.

Butler also called for more people to volunteer time to help the city.

“In order for this community to thrive, it’s going to take everyone volunteering to get it done” she said.

In other city business last week, Hedley aldermen discussed code enforcement with Municipal Judge Pat White and agreed that residents needing to clean up their properties would get one warning and then face a $200 fine.

The council discussed a leash law for the city but took no action. City officials did state, however, that citizens have the right to shoot dogs or other animals on their property if their lives or belongings are in danger.

The council approved an increase to the city utility bill from $61.95 to $70 to cover an increase in the cost of water.
Aldermen also approved changing the hours of City Hall to 8:30 to 4:00 Monday through Thursday and 8:30 to noon on Friday.

Mayor Butler announced that Donley County Judge John Howard had said the city was approved for $16,000 in CARES relief fund for COVID-19 related expenses. Davis said the city could only justify $3,000 for COVID, and the council approved allowing the public school to utilize the remaining funds.

The number of total confirmed COVID-19 held steady this week at 52 as the number of active cases under the care of the local clinic fell to two as of Tuesday afternoon. The Clarendon Family Medical Center said it has five tests pending and said that the total number of tests it had conducted is now 194.

A write-in candidate was certified for the Donley County Tax Assessor / Collector’s position Tuesday as local political parties considered their options for the job.

Deedra Keen submitted 100 signatures on a petition to file as a write-in candidate, and Donley County Judge John Howard certified her application Tuesday morning. Keen only needed 50 verified signatures of county voters, the judge said.

Donley County Democratic Chair Jean Taylor said this week that she has received interest from at least two potential candidates for the job.

Donley County Republican Party Chairman Bill Word could not be reached for comment Tuesday afternoon, but last week he set a deadline of August 9 for interested persons to contact him about the job. Sources have told the Enterprise there were several persons interested in being the Republican candidate.

The office of tax assessor / collector is currently held by Linda Crump, who plans to retire when her term expires at the end of this year. Tammy Morrow, running as a Republican, had been the only candidate for the upcoming November election but withdrew from race for medical and personal reasons last month.

The party chairs have until August 21 to name a candidate to appear on the November ballot.

The number of total confirmed COVID-19 cases has jumped from 45 to 52 this week, but the number of active cases under the care of the local clinic was four as of Tuesday morning.

Donley County Judge John Howard, MD, adjusted the number of confirmed cases tested outside of the Clarendon Family Medical Center last Friday after consulting with state officials and also after learning of two positive tests conducted on Donley County residents at the Childress hospital.

Howard also added the late Eunice Ward to the confirmed positive count. A resident of Hedley, Ward tested positive in Amarillo before her July 28 death, but those results have still never been officially reported to Donley County.

Howard also reported that the local clinic is considering the possibility of providing a new Point of Care testing service that can return a positive COVID-19 test result in as little as three minutes.

“It’s better to have more information sooner,” Howard said. “Think of the implications of school opening up and a student coming in with symptoms. Is it strep, is it flu, is it COVID? How we respond is very different. If it’s COVID, then we have to start quarantining.”

Meanwhile, the Clarendon Family Medical Center this week reported one new case of COVID-19 in Donley County with no tests pending as of Tuesday.

Four patients are still under the care of the clinic as active COVID cases.