Dateline: November 6, 2008

City approves new vehicle ordinances

By Roger Estlack & Ashlyn Tubbs, Clarendon Enterprise

The Clarendon Board of Aldermen enacted two new ordinances pertaining to vehicles in the residential zones of the city.

Ordinance No. 382 restricts certain vehicles in zones R1 and R2 by banning travel trailers, boats, trailers, and recreational vehicles parked on public streets.

City Administrator John Webb said the ordinance allows such vehicles to be parked for no more than 96 hours and also allows for loading and unloading such vehicles.

Ordinance No. 383 prohibits the running of the engine of a parked motor vehicle in zones R1 and R2. Webb said the ordinance pertains to vehicles rated two tons or more, and permits those vehicles to idle for no more than 15 minutes.

Both ordinances became effective with their final passage last Tuesday.

Aldermen also approved Ordinance No. 381, which sets new rates for the Citizens Convenience Center. A pickup or car load of trash costs $6, a two-wheel trailer load is $12, stock trailers are $25, large trailers are $35, appliances with compressors are $15, tree limb dumping (for-profit services) is $20, dump truck loads are $50, and mattresses are $20.

In other business, the board approved creating a reinvestment zone and granting a tax abatement to Community Care Center of Clarendon for 100 percent at ten years.

The abatement for the nursing home was previously recommended to the city by the Clarendon Economic Development Corporation when the CEDC Board met on October 6.

Bob Watson spoke to the board on behalf of the nursing home and encouraged passage of the abatement.

“I think this will benefit all the citizens of Donley County by providing us a way to work with the nursing home and keep it running,” Watson said.

The board approved the Chamber of Commerce budget, which receives a portion of the city’s Motel Bed Taxes.

The board also approved having Franklin Legal Publishing codify the city’s ordinances. Former interim city administrator Phyllis Jeffers encouraged the re-codification, and new City Administrator John Webb said the move would be seen as a sign of improvement.

Aldermen approved a contract for services with the Donley Appraisal District. It was noted that since the tax statements had gone out late, the city is nearly a month behind on cash flow.

Webb discussed his plans to improve city services and also discussed changes in the daily business at City Hall. He said he wants to bring people together because “we can do so much more when we are together.”