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Commuting a way of life for many; Bowie makes a convenient homebase

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A group of local Peterbilt employees share expenses to travel in a Denton Transit commuter van each day. Mark Wheeler and Reyse Richardson arrive home after a day’s work at Peterbilt in Denton. (Photo by Dani Blackburn)

By DANI BLACKBURN

Many choose a small town life for the lower crime rates, a sense of community, lower cost of living and quiet atmosphere.

But the lack of job opportunities in a smaller town can be quite frustrating for residents, leading many to commute outside of their hometown.

The American Community Survey released in 2013 by the United States Census Bureau found roughly 38 million Americans commute outside their home county to their jobs every day, an 18 percent increase from 1980.

The census in 2010 found here in North Texas, more than eight percent of the workforce travels at least 60 minutes each way to work.

Bowie creates a unique opportunity to enjoy small town life with an easy commute due to six major highways intersecting the town, including U.S. Highway 287 that offers quick access to Wichita Falls and the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Many works are choosing to make their homes here and travel to work.

Read the full news feature in the mid-week News, part of the Build a Better Bowie campaign showing assets in our community.

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NEWS

Amon Carter Lake Board to meet

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Members of the Amon Carter Lake Water Supply Corporation will meet at 6 p.m. on May 26 in the office at 607A Lindsey for a monthly meeting.
Items on the agenda include a consent agenda and minutes and financials. Possible discussion/action may be considered on the following topics: Treasurer’s report, review of finance and current loans; president’s report as to the written agreements with contractual employees; consider current water rates and a possible increase; and review of expenses and areas that need amendment.
An executive session may be entered to discuss personnel issues.

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Saint Jo City Council hires fire marshal

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The City of Saint Jo has a new fire marshal as the city council made the appointment during its May 13 meeting.
Gary Hines, a retired professional firefighter and certified fire investigator, will take the position. City Secretary Debbie Dennis said the post is required by ordinance but has not been filled for a long period.
The council set dates for a budget workshop for 2 p.m. on June 14 and 2 p.m. on June 28 for the ordinance workshop, as the council works to update its rules.

Aldermen gave their support to a proposition by Councilman Jack Dunn who is asking the Legislature to allow Texas’ smallest cities, those with 2,500 or few in population, to receive an additional share of sales and use tax. He would like to see the funds used in these communities to repair and replace aging infrastructure without new taxes or reliance on state grants.
In letter to State Rep. David Spiller, whom Dunn will meet with on June 1, the alderman explains much of the state’s 6.25% share generated locally flows into general funds and is spent on other priorities. He would like Spiller to author this legislation. Dunn gave the letter to the council along with a powerpoint on the plan.
“A single water treatment plant upgrade or sewer rehab carries massive, fixed costs that do not shrink with population size. These communities, often with only a few hundred or a couple thousands residents, simply cannot spread those costs across enough ratepayers or a broad tax based,” the letter states.
Dunn suggests a “graduated sales tax retention policy:” 1% additional share for cities with 2,500 or fewer residents; .75% for those 2,500 and 5,000; and .50% for cities between 5,001 and 10,000. It would be dedicated to infrastructure. Dunn says the overall statewide fiscal impact would be negligible, but could help sustain small, rural cities.

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City of Nocona buys water storage tank, review dam repair

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The Nocona City Council approved a bid for a new 203,000 gallon capacity tank for potable water at the water plant and learned a slide repair to the lake dam is going to be pretty costly.
At its May 12 session the council received three bids on the tank and went with one from Tank Depot of Cleburne for $193,923. It is for a a 217,600 gallon tank usable for 203,000 gallons. The price could change slightly since it was based on estimate freight costs.

Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.

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