NEWS
Commissioners to consider burn ban
Despite a hefty rain earlier last week, the daily triple digit temperatures are leading Montague County officials to consider a ban on all outdoor burning.
The commissioner’s court will meet at 9 a.m. on July 9 with a burn ban one of the topics on the agenda. Rainfall amounts ranging from a half-inch to almost five inches across the county on July 1 gave the ground a good soaking, however, 100-degree plus days and wind can take all that away pretty quickly.
The sheriff’s office will provide an update on the K-9 unit, which went to work several months ago and has been responsible for several large drug busts.
The court will consider a request for a part-time investigator in the district attorney’s office, which also is on the same agenda as a budget workshop. Two week ago things got quite heated between Commissioner Roy Darden and District Attorney Casey Polhemus, as she presented her budget requests and he questioned the prosecution or lack of prosecution cases he said was being closely watched by the citizens.
Other topics on the agenda will be: Mitigation plan update; monthly veteran’s service office report; consider advertising for gravel bids; requests by precinct two to enter the Josh Swint property on Hopewell Road and precinct one to enter the Mark Null property on Greenwood Lane; consider changing the name of Ford road in precinct one and make it a continuation of Dye Mount Road; consider unanticipated revenue from the sale of equipment in precinct one; and memo of understanding between the county and the Helen Farabee Centers.
Several personnel issues including the superintendent’s summative evaluation and filling the vacant intermediate principal position face the Bowie School Trustees when they meet at 5:30 p.m. on June 16.
The superintendent’s review is usually done in two parts during the year with the summative an effort to evaluate overall progress. Donna Hale’s contract also will be considered. as she marks her first year leading the district.
For the intermediate principal’s job, Jason Childress left the post last month taking the new formed director of student services, which will handle many of the tasks the assistant superintendent handled such as curriculum and test scores. That assistant position was eliminated by the board after Lee Ann Farris left the job. Childress’ resignation has been submitted.
Filling the principal’s job and consideration of a rental agreement for a portion of the bus parking lot property also are set for executive session. Any action all these topics will be considered back in open session.
On the regular agenda, the board will receive the 2025 fiscal audit for Jack County. A small portion of the district runs into that county.
The superintendent will provide operational reports and personnel updates. Childress will present the preliminary STAAR scores and the status of board goals, while Paula Peterson, finance director, gives the monthly financial report.
Numerous annual items will be up for action: Contract for cafeteria software; budget amendments; consider the ESSA application, the Montague and Jack County Tax Appraisal District budgets; library books for the elementary; ESC 9 contracts and a Texas Association of School Boards policy updates.
The board also will consider offering open enrollment for pre-kindergarten students for the next school year.
Six Montague County volunteer fire department have received grants from the Texas A&M Forest Service.
The service recently approved $29.3 million in funding for grants to through the Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program.
In the fourth funding round of the year, the program awarded 531 grants addressing volunteer fire department requests for personal protective equipment, slip-on units, fire and rescue equipment, water tenders, small brush trucks and training aids.
Nocona Hills Volunteer Fire Department received a $300,000 grant for a water tender vehicle. Montague and Sunset VFDs each received $45,000 for a slip-on unit, and the Nocona rural, Nocona city and Saint Jo VFDs each received $25,000 for fire and rescue equipment.
Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.
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