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Commissioners get testy discussing assistant’s salary

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By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]

Things got a bit testy Monday as the Montague County Commissioners attempted to adopt the budget as one court member debated against changing the county attorney’s administrative assistant salary back after it was reduced $3,255 at the last court workshop.
County Attorney Clay Riddle argued Commissioner Roy Darden was comparing apples to oranges, which led to every more anger as Darden alluded to past “buddy deals,” on the court which longtime Commissioner Bob Langford took personally.
At the Aug. 26 budget workshop the court voted to change the administrative assistant’s salary from $49,292 to $46,037 which is what other chief deputies make. Darden had raised the question why this staffer made $3,255 more than other similar employees. During the discussion there was a question if this assistant had any special certifications, but no one knew.
Monday, during the public hearing on the budget Riddle asked Judge Rick Lewis if he could answer those questions. He explained the staffer is the victim’s assistance coordinator working with the state victim’s fund to assist local residents, assists those merchants who bring in hot check cases, fields victim calls, file paperwork for pursuing judgement nisi, assist with civil matters along with all the other traditional office duties. This person also attends training to be a certified victim’s assistant.

Read the full story in the mid-week Bowie News.

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Water line costs through grant skyrocket

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By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
Bowie City Councilors accepted the low bidder to replace water lines in the area of Wichita and Hutchinson streets, approved the purchase of lighting for a pickleball court and a request for money out of the infrastructure fund to lay a waterline in Al Jo area.
Before getting into the agenda Mayor Gaylynn Burris presented Stony Lowrance, public works director, with an award from the Texas Asphalt Pavement Association for outstanding achievement in quality construction of asphalt pavement for the Bowie Municipal Airport when it received new runaways in 2022.
New business
As with many state grant projects the application process is a long way from the bid acceptance, and in this instance the price skyrocketed.
Michael Tibbetts, Hayter Engineering, explained the original application was made two years ago. The grant was not funded, but then some more money became available and it was funded. Bids were opened in February.
“We were concerned the bids might come in over budget. We therefore designed the project with seven stand-alone street segments to allow us to select a combination of segments that would come closest to our budget ($301,268), while still meeting Texas Department of Agriculture requirements for benefitting at least 51% low to moderate income residences,” explained Tibbetts.
Seven bids were received and their range was wide from $819,345.50 to $2,005,03.

Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.

(Right) Bowie Mayor Gaylynn Burris presented Public Works Director Stony Lowrance with an achievement award from the Texas Asphalt Pavement Association for outstanding achievement in quality construction of asphalt pavement for the Bowie Municipal Airport when it received new runaways in 2022. (News photo by Barbara Green)
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Bowie Trustees will be asked about Johnson Lake’s future

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Bowie Independent School District Trustees will meet in regular session at 5:30 p.m. on March 18 in the board room at 404 E. Williams.
An executive session is scheduled to discuss purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property. Superintendent Blake Enlow said it has been several years since the use of the lake east of the high school property has been discussed, and there have been rumors and questions, so he would like to get some board input on the topic.
The property and its future may be on people’s mind as the Victron Company prepares to start construction on a convenience store and gas station, that will reportedly include a Starbucks and a Taco Bell. The store will be at the corner of Farm-to-Market 1125 and U.S. Highway 287 north, which is adjacent to that lake land.
In the past there have been discussions about it becoming a park, but a drowning of a high school student six years ago pushed the lake to the back burner. The school district may not be willing to take on as well as the cost of creating and maintaining a park.
There is only one action item, approval of the 2024-25 instruction calendar. The district is expected, based on public surveys going to continue with the four-day school week.
Assistant Superintendent Lee Ann Farris will provide information on Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills certification, instruction materials, an interim assessment update and board goals update. Campus principal and the financial director will offer their monthly reports. Finance Director Paula Peterson will also provide information on funding, values and budget development.

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Concrete work changes face of Nelson Street drainage project

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The contractor on the Nelson Street drainage project had a major concrete pour this week as section of the primary headwalls were poured around the new large concrete culverts that were installed last week. Read an update on the infrastructure project in the weekend Bowie News. (Courtesy photos)
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