Port Aransas South Jetty (Port Aransas, Tex.), Vol. 16, No. 52, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 25, 1986 Page: 1 of 14
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Vol. 16 No. 52
33<t plus 2<t tax
On Mustang Island
USPS 946-020
Thursday, December 25, 1986
Sparks, fly prior to split vote
Council picks Clampitt as new police chief
By Paul Cline Jr.
The Port Aransas City Council, in
a 4-2 split with Mayor Dale Bieten-
dorf abstaining, voted Thursday,
Dec. 18, to approve the appoint-
ment of Don Clampitt as the city’s
new police chief.
The vote came after a discussion
that included a heated exchange
between Bietendorf and Councilman
James Sumner.
Before considering the issue of
approving a new chief, councilmen
heard from Arab Cox, who was
representing a group of about 300
local residents who have signed a
petitions supporting Don Perkins
for the position.
mm
4 fine time to forget my list!
Scott Allen Taylor of Port Aransas looks up at Santa Claus as he tries to recall everything
on his Christmas list on Tuesday. Dec, 23, at the Community Cenier. Santa, who was
preparing for his annual around-the-world Christmas Eve trek with gifts for all the good
boys and girls, was in Port Aransas to get last-minute requests from island youngsters and
to pose for pictures. The jolly old fellow also was scheduled to be on hand later Tuesday
for the Port Aransas Volunteer Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary Christmas Party at the
Community Center. (Staff photo by Murray Judson)
Roberts Point Park fund
Account open for donations
An account is open at the Island
State Bank to accept contributions
for development of Roberts Point
Park.
Donations are tax deductible.
Development of the park is the
long-term project of the Port Aran-
sas Action Force which, in behalf of
t he City of Port Aransas, is applying
for a matching funds grant from
the Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept.
The PAAF just received its tax
number after applying for non pro
fit organization stat us. Anyone wish-
ing to make a donation that is
deductible from their 198b income
taxes may do so by Dec. 31.
Contributions may be made to
the PAAF' Park Development Fund
and sent in care of the Island State
Bank, P.O. Box 428, Port Aransas,
TX 78373.
Although the application for the
matching funds grant is due at the
end of January, fund raising will
continue until grants are awarded
m June or July.
An initial fundraiser, the purpose
of which is primarily to demon-
strate community support, will be a
Fun Run on the beach. The entire
community will be asked to come
walk, jog, run or drive on t he beach
from the jetties south for one mile.
National media coverage will be sol
icited and the entire town is urged
to attend. Anyone who is unable to
walk the mile is encouraged to find
some means of covering tin- mile to
show their support for the project.
Details of the mid-January event
will announced later. Jay Kenigs-
bergand Kim McPherson are organ-
izing that event.
A variety of fundraisers will be
held each month until grants are
awarded. Invents subcommittee chair
man Dottie Bull is spearheading
those functions.
Plans for Roberts Point Park in-
clude a multi-purpose pavillion to
be called t he Fred Rhodes Memorial
Pavillion in memory of the late
sportsman well known throughout
South Texas.The F'red Rhodes Mem
orial Foundation has been raising
money toward construction of the
pavillion.
Also in the plans is a lighthouse
observation tower, an amphi
theater, a promenade or walkway
surrounding the entire point, pic-
nic tables, parking areas, rest-
rooms, some playground equip
ment and landscaping.
Christmas caring
Members of the Port Aransas Lions Club gathered at the Civic Center on Friday, Dec. 19,
to package and deliver food and gifts for 68 needy island families. Although the photo
above shows dozens of tfull-to-the-brim food and gift boxes, many more were stacked
out of camera range. Because of the generosity and concern of the Lions Club and
everyone who donated to the drive, no home on the island will be bypassed by Santa
Claus this Christmas. (Staff photo by Paul Cline )r.)
The petition, which is unofficial
and non-binding on the council,
was presented at the November
meeting of the council.
At the November meeting, coun-
cilmen tabled consideration of
police chief approval until Decem-
ber to allow for what Councilman
Allan Wymore termed “a cooling off
period."
City Manager Gordon Beck, after
reviewing about 20 applications for
the police chief position vacated
since Doug Dombroski’s resignation
in early August, had selected Clam
pitt as his recommendation to take
over as the full-time chief. However,
the petition signers argued that
Perkins had done a good job as the
acting chief and that he should be
appointed to the position full-time.
Meanwhile Clampitt, who had
already moved to Port Aransas
from Jacksonville in F)ast Texas,
was named by Beck to the vacant
assistant city manager’s position.
Beck, during the period since the
November meeting, formulated two
options for the council to consider:
Appoint Clampitt as chief, as re-
commended, and create an “assist-
ant police chieF position for Per-
kins; or appoint Perkins as chief
and add “public safety advisor” to
Clampitt’s duties as assistant city
manager.
In her statement to the council
on Thursday, Ms. Cox said she was
speaking“for the people who believe
in Don Perkins and the goodness of
the man.”
“Some of the people who signed
the petition may not be registered
voters, but they will be the next
time an election comes around,” Ms.
Cox said. “They all have a genuine
concern in what happens in Port
Aransas. I hope you men make the
decision in the best interest of Port
Aransas."
Bietendorf, calling the issue “one
of the toughest decisions we’ve ever
had,” then told the council that
under the City Charter, they would
have to first vote on Beck’s recom-
mendation that Clampitt be ap-
pointed as chief before considering
Beck’s alternative.
Sumner then questioned why the
council was considering Clampitt.
“I would like to know why Mr.
Clampitt has been proposed for
police chief despite the voters’
wishes," Sumner said. “Somebdy’s
made a bad mistake here.”
Sumner then said that it was
apparent that Beck hired Clampitt
before the council approved Clam-
pitt, and that Clampitt quit his pre-
vious job to come to Port Aransas.
Sumner said that when the petition
was circulated and the possibility
developed that the council might
not approve Clampitt, Beck hired
him as his assistant city manager.
“Y’ou got in a position where you
were going to have a lawsuit against
you, and you had to hire somebody
for a position (assistant city man-
ager) we don’t need,” Sumner said
to Beck.
Beck denied Sumner’s scenario of
events.
“I find that hard to believe,”
Sumner said. “I think somebody
made a bad mistake.”
Councilman Tom McNatt said he
was upset that council members
did not have a chance to meet
Clampitt when he came to Port
Aransas foi iiis interview with
Beck.
“He was here all day,” McNatt
said. “You should have called an
emergency council meeting. I want
to talk to him. I haven’t had a
chance to talk to him yet I want
you to call him in right now or
cancel it (consideration of police
chief approval ) and we ll consider it
next month. I want to talk to the
man."
McNat t added t hat “we’re bet ween
a rock and a hard place.”
Bietendorf then said t hat despite
popular opinion, the City Charter
states that “t he voters don’t vote for
administrative offices. They vote
for us, and it’s up to us to make the
decision."
"I want one thing," Bietendorf
continued, referring to the city's
past controversies involving the
Police Department. “And that's to
get a police chief, get the comnuin
ity behind him, and go on from
there.” (One of the past controver
sies came about in late 1982 when
Perkins, who had been the full time
chief for two years, resigned under
pressure and later was unsuccess
ful in his attempt to withdraw his
resignation. In early 1983, a group
of local residents mounted an effort
to recall the entire council, which at
that time included Bietendorf and
Wymore. However, the group’s recall
petition was rejected on grounds
that its charge of “incompetency"
among council members was vague
and legally insufficient.)
Sumner then suggested that Biet
endorf, because of that previous
controversy, had a reason to tr\ to
keep Perkins out of the police chiefs
position Sumner said Bietendorf
Group plans to try-
recall of Bietendorf
A group of local residents angered by the Port Aransas City Council
decision on Thursday, Dec. 18, to hire Don Clampitt as the new police
chief over Don Perkins is planning to file a recall petition for Mayor Dale
Bietendorf.
Nancy Shaw, acting as a spokesman for the group, said Monday, Dec.
22, that she probably will begin soliciting signatures for the petition by
Monday, Jan. 5.
Mrs. Shaw said the group she is representing includes most of the 300
or so local residents who signed a petition last month supporting
Perkins for the police chief position,
Mrs. Shaw said the recall petition would charge that Bietendorf “has
not been fair to the citizens.”
To i>e considered for certification, a recall petition would require 259
signatures of registered Port Aransas voters, which represents 20 per-
cent of the total 1,295 votes cast during the last local election.
Police chief choice
Don Perkins, right, looks over the shoulder of new Port
Aransas Police Chief Don Clampitt as they review Police
Department organizational information on Monday, Dec.
22, at the Port Aransas Law Enforcement Center. The City
Council on Thursday, Dec. 18, named Clampitt as the new
chief and Perkins, who has served as the interim chief since
the resignation of Doug Dombroski in early August, as
assistant chief. (Staff photo by Murray Judson)
had told Perkins he would be hired
as the full time chief, knowing
instead that he would not be.
“Are you insinuating I had any-
thing to do with that?” Bietendorf
responded angrily later adding that
"my integrity in this situation has
been questioned."
“I have no animosity in t his sit ua
tion,” Bietendorf continued. “I have
told Don Perkins he’s one of the best
officers we’ve ever had. I would
abstain it there’s a concern that I
may have animosity because of what
happened four years ago."
Bietendorf said that his only
involvement came w hen Beck invited
Holiday deadlines set
The South Jetty will go to press early again next two week because of
a holiday on Thursday, Jan. 1, 1987, New Year’s Day.
The first edition of 1987 will carry a Thursday, Jan. 1, 1987 dateline,
but will be printed Tuesday, Dec. 30. Deadline for news, columns and
advertising in that issue will be 8 am Monday, Dec. 29. Columnists who
mail their material should mail their copy in time for it to be in the
South Jetty mailbox Monday morning.
That issue will feature a review of 1986 in Port Aransas Happenings
around town on a month by month basis will be included as will the
year’s highlights in photos.
The later deadline for the New Year’s issue is necessary because
South Jetty will close for Christmas holiday Thursday and Friday, Dec.
25 and 26.
The South Jetty will close for New Year’s Dav only and reopen F’riday,
Jan. 2, 1987.
City Hall will close Christmas and New Year's Days only. “Skeleton
crews" will keep all departments open the day following each holiday.
Emergency services will operate throughout the holiday.
The post office will also shut down for Christmas and New Year's Day.
No mail will be put in boxes or picked up from the post office those days.
Financial institutions will close only for Christmas and New Year’s
I lays.
The ( hamber of Commerce will also celebrate t he holidays when they
close at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Christmas Five through Christmas Day
Regular hours will resume Friday, Dec. 26 Thursday, Jan. 1, and F'riday,
Jan. 2 will be holidays at tin* ('hamber office.
Hours of operation for other retail businesses and services will vary,
so a call m advance is advised.
him to join Beck and Clampitt for
lunch during the interview.
“I'll take responsibility for the
.situation if that makes somebody
happy,” the mayor said.
Councilman Ken Williams saul
that the decision was a “no-win
situation."
“If Perkins gets it, we have a city
manager that wanted another
man," Williams said. “If Clampitt
gets it, we have 300 citizens on this
petition who wanted another man.
Either way, t he city manager's going
to have to work with him."
Williams said he agreed that the
See ‘•COUNCIL,” Page 2
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Judson, Mary. Port Aransas South Jetty (Port Aransas, Tex.), Vol. 16, No. 52, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 25, 1986, newspaper, December 25, 1986; Port Aransas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth662786/m1/1/?q=Lamar+University: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Ellis Memorial Library.