NEWS
Several Bowie City Councilors came ready for battle Tuesday night, loaded with copies of past budgets and stacks of questions as the first budget workshop was conducted.
It was a lengthy evening lasting five hours as the council went through the budget, department by department. City Manager Ricky Tow, going into his second budget season, presented a preliminary budget that totals $19.2 million for utility and general fund operations. The formal budget presentation will be made July 15.
Tow called the proposal “conservative to tight,” but after Tuesday’s initial outing, he anticipates further cuts and adjustments. The only action taken at the workshop was to eliminate the category of employee listed as part-time with benefits, which will save approximately $7,400 a year per employee.
Councilor Arlene Bishop, who returned to the council this past May, was one of the most vocal at the workshop looking through a large stack of past budgets and paperwork for her questions. She clearly was at odds with Councilor Laura Sproles as the two verbally sparred throughout the night.
Bishop asked lots of questions on topics ranging from uniforms and license tests, to overtime costs. At the midway point, Bishop told her fellow council members they need to find $120,000, which is the amount of revenue the budget proposal will lose if the petitions seeking to rescind the Oct. 1 water and sewer rate hikes hold any sway with the city council.
Petitions are being circulating asking for the change in rates and they could be presented to the council next week. However, unless the city opts to rescind the rate increases or conduct an election on the issue, the petitions are merely a show of support to leave the rates at the present level.
When the need to cut that $120,000 was raised, several council members commented together, not necessarily it would be up to the council.
While discussing general fund revenue, Councilor Sproles, who also chairs the city’s Hotel/Motel Tax Board, urged the council to make changes in the dispersal of the HOT funds.
Read the full story in your weekend News.
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
The City of Nocona has been nominated as a rural Opportunity Zone by Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Mayor Christopher Nunneley said they will begin “pitching” this federal tax angle to potential businesses.”
At a Tuesday afternoon press conference Nunneley, Donna Culpepper, executive director for the Nocona Economic Development Corporation and Michelle Page of the Nocona Chamber of Commerce announced the nomination and offered a brief overview of the federal tax incentives that can become available.
Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.
Remember Sept. 11 2001, 25 years later
While history will remember Sept. 11, 2001 among the darkest days in America’s history, it also is a day marked not only by tremendous heroism and bravery by first responders, but also every day Americans from all walks of life who showed the world our country would not be intimidated by terrorism.
There were 2,996 people killed during the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 including 343 firefighters and paramedics, 23 New York city police officers and 37 Port Authority police officers. Tens of thousands more suffered in the aftermath due to exposure to chemicals and industrial debris.
The Bowie News editor asked some local lawmen, firefighters, a pilot and two retired FBI agents their memories of this tragic day and how their jobs were impacted by the events. We thank them for sharing their reflections.
Read the full feature in your Thursday Bowie News.
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
Looking toward the future, the Bowie City Council Tuesday night voted to add an assistant city manager position promoting Public Works Director Stony Lowrance to the job.
The agenda listed an executive session to discuss evaluation of the city manager. Councilors went to closed session at 6:30 p.m. and 15 minutes later asked City Manager Bert Cunningham and Lowrance to come in. After 15 minutes they left the session and a few minutes later the full council came back to open session.
Councilor Brent Shaw, in making the motion for the assistant city manager, pointed to expanded duties the manager has undertaken. Councilor Boyd Hulstine made the second as the vote received unanimous approval.
Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.
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