Dateline: January 23, 2003

City officials consider area marketing plan

By Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise

The Clarendon Board of Aldermen considered a regional marketing plan when they met in regular session last Tuesday night.

Dee Dee Autry of the Clarendon Economic Development Corporation and Seth Davidson of the Panhandle Tourism & Marketing Council presented the Texas Prairie Rivers Marketing Plan to the board.

“Donley County has a set of wildlife resources that is unique to Texas,” Davidson said, noting that 70 million people a year like to look at wild birds according to the National Audubon Society. “Donley, Hemphill, and Wheeler counties are the best areas for this.”

Davidson asked city officials to support the Texas Prairie Rivers plans with money from the Motel Bed Tax fund. The aldermen took no action, but they indicated they would be willing to support the plan if the county and the CEDC would each contribute a third of the cost.

Also during last week’s meeting, the aldermen considered the proposed donation of the old TxDOT building to the city by Walt Knorpp. The city would be responsible for the cost of moving the building, and one contractor has quoted a price of $15,000 to relocate the building to land near the recycling center. The aldermen tabled this issue pending further information.

Proposals for municipal engineering services were opened and reviewed. OJD Engineering submitted the only proposal, and it was accepted by the board. OJD will serve as the city’s engineers for a three-year period.

Alderman Janice Knorpp discussed grant consulting services and expressed her desire to allow the Panhandle Regional Planning Commission to administer a future grant application.

The Classic Cable franchise taxes were discussed, and the board directed consultant Colby Waters to contact the cable company regarding this matter.

The board discussed the position of city administrator and agreed to hold a workshop next Thursday at 1 p.m. to discuss what duties an administrator would perform.

Librarian Carolyn Blackerby reported 1,796 people per month visited the Burton Memorial Library in 2002. She also discussed the library’s upcoming 80th anniversary.