NEWS
Bowie approves testing for possible solar array sites
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
The City of Bowie will take the next step in pursuing the development of a two megawatt solar array on a piece of city property by approving geotechnical testing on three potential sites.
The city council Thursday voted to enter an agreement with D&S Engineering for the testing. Last month city officials met with five developers to tour the sites with no specific site earning the majority interest of the companies. City Manager Bert Cunningham said the tests are expected to run about $21,500, with additional costs for other tests if they are needed.
Councilor Craig Stallcup suggested they require the selected developer to reimburse at least the cost for one site when they create an agreement. The city manager said he did not think they would be disagreeable with that stipulation, however, it could also impact the final power purchase agreement.
The City of Bowie obtained an amendment to its bulk power contract with Bryan Texas Utilities a little more than a year ago that will allow the city to get two megawatts of its power from another source other than BTU. The advantage to any power obtained from this source would be the lack of transmission fees on that two megawatts.
In addition the energy could help reduce the city’s peak demand. Distributors are charged a peak rate based on annual calculations from the four prime months, typically June to September, which also is the peak for solar production.
Read the full story in the weekend News.
Members of the Bowie Independent School District Board of Trustees will meet at 5:30 p.m. on June 16.
The big item on the agenda is the review of superintendent candidate applications and consider possible interview choice. Superintendent Blake Enlow resigned on May 23 and Assistant Superintendent Lee Ann Farris has been serving as the interim.
That item will be in executive session along with professional educator contracts that need to be considered.
On the regular agenda Farris will update the board on education bills passed by the 89th Texas Legislature and their budget impacts, as well as discipline impacts. A budget workshop will be considered. She also will provide information on state assessment and board goals.
Campus administrators and directors will provide updates, along with the finance director.
In action items the board will review Texas Association of School Board update 124, consider changes to the 12-month and 11 employee dates and consider the purchase of a new band trailer not to exceed $80,000.
Due to the June 19 Juneteenth federal holiday the U.S. Post Office will be closed, which moves then Thursday Bowie News to a delivery date on Friday. It will be available in the stores at its regular time.
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