Dateline: December 11, 2003

County approves new ag extension agent

By Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise

Donley County Commissioners gave their approval to the appointment of a new county agriculture agent during their regular meeting Monday.

Leonard Haynes will assume the position vacated by Gary Rudolph on January 1, 2004, and will be in the local Extension office on January 2.

Haynes is a native of Johnson City and has been with the Texas A&M Cooperative Extension for four years. He is currently the county agent in Liberty County.

The new agent holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Ag Science & Education from Texas A&M. He is a member of the State Quality Counts Committee and is active in both the Texas Association of Extension 4-H Agents and the Texas County Ag Agents Association.

In 2002, Haynes received the Texas County Agents “New Agent” Award.

Donna Brauchi with the Extension office in Amarillo said this week that the service is still seeking applicants for the County Family Consumer Science Agent’s position in Donley County. The search is being conducted within the Cooperative Extension for the time being.

In other county business this week, commissioners considered a tax abatement for the new hotel being constructed in Clarendon but took no action.

Amber Ford was approved to take the place of former County FCS Agent Dawn Watson on the County Child Welfare Board.

The court rescinded a motion from an October meeting in which street names in the Saints Roost subdivision near Howardwick were renamed at the request of the Panhandle Regional Planning Commission.

County officials said residents of the subdivision did not like the new names and requested different ones, which were approved Monday by the court.

Under the resolution Amarillo Lane will become Austin Lane, Pampa Lane will become Lakeview Lane, Plainview Lane will become Memphis Lane, Cooper Lane will become Houston Lane, and Ligon Drive will become Texas Drive.

Saints Roost Drive, Tascosa Drive, Mobeetie Drive, Lubbock Lane, and Clarendon Lane will all remain unchanged.

Local businessman Cal Thomas addressed the court regarding the division of wrecker calls dispatched by the sheriff’s office among local services. Judge Jack Hall said Thomas felt he wasn’t getting his fair share of the calls, but Hall also said that was a matter for the sheriff’s office not the commissioners’ court.

The court approved resolution casting the county’s votes to elect Becky Jackson and Anthony Knowles directors for the Donley Appraisal District for 2004-2005.

The court approved the contract with the Donley Appraisal District for calendar year 2004.

A resolution supporting the need for a state constitutional amendment to prohibit unfunded mandates from the state was approved.

The court also voted to remit $100 from the Jury Duty Donation fund to Child Protective Services.