News

The traffic winding into town Saturday may be a bit lighter, and the crowd on 6th Street may be thinner. The Smiley Johnson Band may not rock the courthouse lawn. The parade may be a bit shorter, and that meal that we start grazing on at breakfast, revisit at lunch, and hope still provides leftovers before the evening fireworks start…well, it may just be the old family favorites cooked out on the backyard grill.

According to rain gauge reports from around the county and beyond, the rainfall that soaked this area on Sunday and Monday nights ranged from 1.5 to 2 inches around Canadian, to 2.35 inches north of town on Horse Creek and at Mitchell Ranch headquarters.

A report in the June 18, 2020, edition of The Record stated incorrectly that the city of Canadian was facing a $125 million drop in property values. In fact, property values in Canadian are expected to drop to $125 million in 2020-21, down from just over $130 million in 2019-20. City Manager Joe Jarosek said this year’s $125,841,723 property valuation has not been certified, yet, as some of the property values are still being challenged in protest hearings. We apologize for the error and for any confusion it caused.—LEB

As it begins budget- and tax-rate planning for fiscal year 2020-21, the City of Canadian is grappling with sharp declines in property values, sales tax revenues, and hotel occupancy tax revenues—all of which will impact an already bare-bones budget.

Less than a year ago, the city of Canadian paid contractor Howard Drilling $41,964 to replace a damaged water-well pump motor at the municipal golf course. On May 1 of this year, the new pump failed.

Councilwoman Wendie Cook proposed drafting a “clear and concise” policy that could guide the city’s decision-making process for Hotel Occupancy Tax fund requests. City Manager Joe Jarosek acknowledged that the city has no policy now, other than information regarding the disposition of HOT revenues that is included in ordinances.

Hemphill County Hospital District reported its second positive COVID-19 test late last week, bringing the total of positive cases to two countywide. Hospital officials reported last week that the patient was in isolation at home.

Early voting for the July 14 primary runoff elections will begin on Monday, June 29. On March 20, Gov. Greg Abbott postponed the primary runoff election—originally slated for May 26—until July 14 to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. In May, he also ordered a one-week extension of early voting in the primary runoff, announcing that it would begin on Monday, June 29, rather than July 6.