Dateline: June 19, 2008

City Aldermen approve teen curfew

Do you know where your children are?

Not knowing the answer to that question could cost you $500 following last Tuesday’s approval of a curfew for minors by the City of Clarendon.

The board of aldermen voted unanimously to approve Ordinance 373 on its second reading. No one from the public was present to address the new law.

The curfew for persons under the age of 18 is set at 11 p.m. on any Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday until 6 a.m. of the following day; and 12 a.m. (midnight) on any Saturday or Sunday until 6 a.m. of the following day. The new rules will become effective after publication requirements are met.

The curfew is effective inside the city limits and also includes the Smiley Johnson Municipal Airport, which was the location of some vandalism earlier this year.

The ordinance allows exceptions for minors accompanied by their parent or guardian; minors in a motor vehicle involved in interstate travel; minors out during curfew because of their job; minors involved in an emergency; minors in a variety of authorized school, church, or public activities, and minors exercising their First Amendment rights.

In other city business, aldermen also approved a sweeping new animal control ordinance, the majority of which is available on page eight of this edition.

The board approved two separate motions to spend money from the Motel Bed Tax fund to sponsor local events. The aldermen authorized to $3,000 for the Clarendon Outdoor Entertainment Association’s efforts to promote the annual Saints’ Roost Celebration and Ranch Rodeo, and they approved sponsoring the Saints’ Roost Museum’s Col. Charles Goodnight Chuckwagon Cookoff in the amount of $5,000.

Aldermen approved requests by Librarian Jerri Shields to set guidelines limiting children to 1½ hours on the computers and raising copy prices to 25¢ for black and white and 50¢ for color.

Cherry McCume addressed the board regarding electronic signs and showed an example of an amber LED sign. She wanted the board’s okay before trying to sell the signs. The board said it would review the sign ordinance and get back to her.

Jim Philley said he would like the city to reinstate the one free dump per month policy. White said the city had ended that policy as a means to help the sanitation department break even, and he noted that no one had showed up to oppose the measure when it was being discussed.

Philley himself admitted he wasn’t a frequent dumper, noting that he had dumped once in the last three years, but said he thought it was a benefit for the citizens.

Philley also addressed the board regarding the personal property tax on vehicles. He suggested raising the ad valorem rate and cutting expenses as ways to offset the $33,000 abolishing the tax would cost.

Alderman Kyle Davis said he felt the personal property tax was important because it meant more people were taxpayers, and Davis said he himself was a renter and wouldn’t pay local taxes directly if it wasn’t for the personal property tax.

Carl Draper, a citizen in attendance, said he thought dropping the personal property tax and raising the ad valorem rate would be unfair to young taxpayers since senior citizens have had their taxes frozen.

The mayor thanked Philley for coming.