NEWS
Bowie Council debates its budget; plans workshop
By BARBARA GREEN
Ambulance billing, and how it is recorded in the budget was the lead topic during Tuesday night’s Bowie City Council budget hearing along with a pair of councilors telling citizens it is not “Us against them.”
This was the first budget hearing following the official presentation of the budget on July 11. A workshop took place on July 25; however, while still waiting for certified property values and costs for health insurance there was no discussion on the budget proposal. The budget also had been reworked after the previous water-sewer rate increase was tabled.
There was a tie vote requiring the mayor’s vote on a proposal to consider a tax rate increase.
This motion is the first step in the process to discuss tax rate proposals.
Tow said this budget proposal uses a tax rate of .53 cents per $100 in property value, which is an increase of .0173 cents from the 2016 rate of .5127 cents.
For a property valued at $100,000, the tax increase would be $17.30 per year.
Councilor Wayne Bell made the motion to approve consideration a tax increase, seconded by Chuck Malone.
Terry Gunter, Douglas Boyd and Gaylynn Burris voted no. Davis voted yes breaking the tie.
Public hearings for the tax rate will on Aug. 15 and Sept. 5. After those hearings, the council will vote to approve a 2017 tax rate – which could be changed at any time during the budget process.
Read the full story in the weekend News, also see the full proposed budget on the Bowie News webpage at this link: .https://bowienewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/citys-proposed-budget.pdf
The Bowie City Council will meet at 6 p.m. on June 23.
The agenda includes both old and new business items.
City Manager Bert Cunningham will make his report on the 2026-27 budget process, bid opening for the Glenn Hills lift station on July 16 and the bid for Rock and Pillar repairs.
In new business a pair of planning and zoning committee recommendations for replats at 107 E. Nelson and 412 Green will be reviewed. An ordinance adopting an office of emergency management amending a present ordinance will be offered.
Old business will see the second reading of the pickleball court reservation fee ordinance and the ordinance prohibiting drilling and mining or the reopening of an abandoned well or mine in any public park in the city limits.
A HEAT ADVISORY will be in effect from noon until 9 p.m. today (Thursday). Please plan accordingly.
Hear Audio Alert:https://hrpow.us/oeFZANN
Montague County Sheriff Marshall Thomas has confirmed human skeletal remains were recovered on June 13 in the Sunset area, and they could possibly be those of a flight attendant believed to have been murdered almost a year ago in the Fort Worth.
The murder suspect, Dennis William Day, 66, admitted in June 2025 to strangling Rana Soluri, 47, an Envoy flight attendant who lived with Day during that last year. She was reported missing by a co-worker on June 11 and had not been seen or heard from since March 2025.
Day initially denied any involvement, but later admitted to the murder and indicated he dumped her body somewhere in the Montague County area. Lawmen have scoured the areas in questions in both Montague and Wise County, but found nothing.
Sheriff Thomas said on June 13 the SO received a call of possible skeletal remains in the Brushy Creek area north of Poss Dyer Lane on Farm-to-Market 1749. A deputy went to the scene and confirmed it was human remains.
Investigators responded and kept the scene secure overnight until staff from the University of North Texas Forensic Anthropology Center could arrive and made the recovery on June 14. A Texas Ranger and staff from the Fort Worth Police Department also were on scene.
“There is no determination made yet on how long it has been there,” said Thomas. “The anthropologist was pleased to recover most of the skeleton in these conditions. Heavy rains previously made the past searches difficult. We are working jointly with Fort Worth to make an identification and if it is the victim in their homicide.”
-
NEWS3 years agoSuspect indicted, jailed in Tia Hutson murder
-
NEWS4 years ago2 hurt, 1 jailed after shooting incident north of Nocona
-
NEWS3 years agoSO investigating possible murder/suicide
-
NEWS3 years agoWreck takes the life of BHS teen, 16
-
NEWS3 years agoMurder unsolved – 1 year later Tia Hutson’s family angry, frustrated with no arrest
-
Show us something good9 years agoCountry music star children perform in Bowie
-
NEWS3 years ago
Sheriff’s office called out to infant’s death
-
100th Birthday4 years agoLooking back at the 1958 Centennial edition of The Bowie News