Ben Estlack

The City of Clarendon has been approved for a new sidewalk improvement project funded by the Texas Department of Transportation.

The city project will receive $264,800 in state funds for sidewalk improvements in the 300 block of Sully Street in front of City Hall and three county-owned building as well as near the Clarendon Lions Hall in the 400 block of Sully.

The project will fill gaps in the pedestrian network by replacing broken/damaged sidewalks as well as sidewalk leveling and curb and gutter replacement. Additional improvements will include new curb ramps and pedestrian lighting.

The Clarendon project is part of more than $284.8 million approved by the Texas Transportation Commission for bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure that will help improve safety, mobility, access and quality of life for people across the state.

These federal Transportation Alternative funds will go toward 73 projects statewide that will build sidewalks, shared use paths, dedicated bicycle lanes and pedestrian bridges. They will also be used for the development of active transportation plans that will help communities plan for non-motorized connected networks.

“This significant investment will make it safer and more enjoyable for people to walk and bike in their communities while improving access across the state,” Texas Transportation Commissioner Robert “Robie” Vaughn said. “By expanding transportation options, we can build more connected communities and a more connected Texas, while enhancing the quality of life for everyone.”

While collisions involving pedestrians and cyclists only make up a small percentage of traffic crashes in Texas, they account for 1 in 5 traffic fatalities.

All of these projects will provide safer conditions for people who walk or use bicycles or wheelchairs. More specifically, 27 of these projects will improve pedestrian safety in areas identified as potential risks in the Texas Pedestrian Safety Action Plan.

Twenty-nine of these projects are intended to provide safer routes for children walking and biking to schools.

Funding for these projects comes from the federal Transportation Alternatives program. All award selections come after a competitive call for projects from cities and counties across the state.

The Clarendon City Council is exploring employee disciplinary options after public complaints aired at last week’s regular meeting on November 13.

In public comments, Irene Shaller told the council about confrontations she had had with City Secretary Machiel Covey regarding Shaller’s bed and breakfast business.

Shaller said she had tried to follow the rules for paying Hotel Occupancy Taxes for her property but described hostile treatment from Covey and said the city secretary had pretended to be a bed and breakfast guest to try to contact her.

Later in the meeting, Shannon Herndon described her experience in trying to pay a water bill for an account which was turned of during a time of disputed bill. Herndon said she came to City Hall to learn more about her bill, and the she also described a heated interaction with Covey while she tried to pay for her bill.

Covey responded that Shaller and Herndon’s accounts of what happened were not accurate and said she had followed procedures, although she did admit getting flustered when Herndon was in the office discussing the late water bill.

After meeting in closed session to discuss the matter, the council returned to open session and voted to contact the city’s attorney to determine what disciplinary options that city has to it and directed that Covey have no contact with citizens in her job until the matter is resolved.

Mayor Jacob Fangman thanked those who had addressed the council that night.

“I want to thank the people who spoke tonight,” he said. “We’re going to do our own investigation and refine our processes to give the citizens dignity and respect.”

In other city business, the council approved $1,000 in funding for the Christ’s Kids Ministry food program, accepted a low bid of about $569,000 for a new grant-funded lift station, approved a bid by Bar X Contractor for work in City Hall, approved a resolution denying a rate increase by Southwestern Electric Power Company, voted to support Alderman Chris Topliff’s candidacy for a place on the Donley Appraisal District Board, and approved having the Donley Appraisal District assess and collect property taxes for the city.

City Administrator Brian Barboza reported new lamp posts for the 200 block of Kearney are currently scheduled to be shipped November 17.

For 57 years, the Harned Sisters Fine Arts Center has been a landmark on the Clarendon College campus for everything from theatre to graduations to musical performances to civic meetings and more. Now, CC officials and the Clarendon College Foundation are working to improve the center for future generations, and they hope the public will help them during this year’s Panhandle Gives campaign.

Earlier this year, CC replaced the stage curtains at the Harned Sisters and more improvements are on the way.

CC President Tex Buckhaults said the Board of Regents is scheduled to award a bid next month for an estimated $750,000 upgrade to the facility. That scope of work will include ADA accessible restroom facilities, ADA access to the stage, replaced water and waste lines, installation of a fire detection system, upgraded electrical supply, upgraded lighting, and refinishing of the stage.

The Harned Sisters’ auditorium is the biggest indoor facility of its kind in the community with 578 seats available to the public.

Almost six decades of use have taken their toll on the chairs, however.

The CC Foundation has set a goal to raise $400,000 to repair, renovate, and reupholster the seats and is partnering with the Amarillo Area Foundation as part of the Panhandle Give campaign from November 24 to December 2.

Last year the Amarillo Area Foundation added a three percent match to each eligible participating organization. Donations during the Panhandle Gives will be amplified by the AAF this year as well.

To help with this project, donations can be accepted online beginning November 24 at thepanhandlegives.org/organizations/clarendon-college-foundation.

For more information on donating, contact the college president’s office at 806-874-3517.

The Clarendon College rodeo team is off to a hot start to the 2025-26 season, the inaugural campaign of the Caprock Region.

The Bulldogs have won men’s team titles at all five fall rodeos, from Eastern New Mexico University in mid-September to the home rodeo this past weekend at Childress. The program will celebrate its season while honoring its recent history of excellence during the NFR Sendoff Party & Prime Rib Dinner at 7 p.m. Friday at the Donley County Activity Center.
Tickets are $100, which includes two dinners and a chance at the $1,000 cash drawing. There will also be a silent auction and live music.

“This is something we’ve been doing the last few years to show off the success our guys have been having in ProRodeo,” rodeo coach Bret Franks said. “It’s a big accomplishment for anyone to make the NFR, and we’ve been very fortunate to have some great cowboys in our program.”

It’s true. This year, five Bulldogs will compete at the National Finals Rodeo: saddle bronc riders Brody Wells and Weston Patterson; bareback riders Cole Franks and Sam Petersen; and all-around cowboy Wacey Schalla, who has qualified in both bareback riding and bull riding. Each man has been part of at least one national championship while at Clarendon.

“These five guys mean a lot to the rodeo team and to Clarendon College as a whole,” Bret Franks said. “This community has really supported them, so we like being able to bring everybody together for a night to celebrate all their success.”

“Wyatt pretty much kicked this off for us, but we’ve had a lot of talented cowboys that have helped put Clarendon on the college rodeo map,” Franks said. “We’re pretty proud of the guys that will represent us in Las Vegas this year.”