Dateline: September 18, 2003

Vote rejects paving; city searches for new plan

By Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise

Clarendon voters rejected a proposal to issue $2.5 million in certificates of obligation for street paving Saturday, causing tempers to flare during a called meeting of the Board of Aldermen Monday night.

The city had worked for several months on a plan, which would have paved 152 blocks, before a July petition forced the election and ultimately killed the funding by a vote of 224 “against” and 199 “for.”

Monday’s meeting to work on the 2003-2004 municipal budget got off to tense start as Mayor Tex Selvidge suggested raising water and sewer fees by $1.10 and $10 per month to be able to fund future improvements.

But Aldermen Michael Tibbets quickly rejected that notion, saying it would just be “rubbing the voters’ noses in it” to go up the same amounts as had been proposed during the election.

Alderman Bobbie Kidd said he thought the city needed to dedicate $100,000 in the next budget to start street improvements, and Alderman Mark White said Clarendon has neglected the streets too long and that maybe they should just be ripped up and graded if nothing was done soon.

Later in the meeting, the streets came up again, and the aldermen soon clashed once more.

“I think these people who voted against [the paving] should come in here and tell us what to do,” Alderman Janice Knorpp said.

White again raised the spectre of inaction.

“Maybe we’ll just sit here and do nothing for another 75 years,” White said. “Why would anybody want to come here with the streets like they are?”

The question prompted a sharp response from Alderman Tommy Hill, who said, “The people won’t come here if the taxes are too high!”

Drawing this from White: “They damn sure will if they have good streets to drive on! Use your head a little bit!”

Local resident Darrell Leffew addressed the board and suggested the city do the work itself to save money.

“You have most of the equipment, but you need to hire someone who knows how to run a blade,” Leffew said. “Hire somebody and give him two or three hands and the authority to get the job done.”

Leffew said the curb and gutter work could be contracted out.

“Curb and gutter is what you have to have for the streets to last,” he said.

Working with Leffew’s idea, aldermen set about trying to figure how to implement it and set a goal of paving 20 blocks in the next year. Putting those numbers in the budget, the aldermen then looked for a way to fund the improvements while maintaining funding for other city services.

“I thought we couldn’t go up on anything,” Selvidge remarked sarcastically.

“I don’t mind raising rates, Tex,” responded Alderman Tibbets. “It just can’t be the same numbers we voted on.”

The board tentatively agreed to raise water rates by $2 per month, sanitation charges by $1.80 per month, and sewer rates by $5 per month. All of which would still keep Clarendon’s rates below state averages for towns of similar populations.

The board also tentatively agreed to raise the ad valorem tax rate by three cents per $100 valuation.

Asked after the meeting how citizens would feel about increased fees of $8.80 per month when they had just rejected $11.10 per month at the polls, Tibbets said the higher rates were not solely for street improvements.

“We have to have this for other things – like our sheriff’s contract – and not just the streets,” he said.

The city is scheduled to have a public hearing on the proposed tax rate next week and will adopt the new budget at the same time.