By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
The Bowie City Council continues to disagree as there was a split vote on an electric rate ordinance with the mayor breaking the tie with a yes vote.
Despite Monday’s approval, it comes back around at the next meeting as the ordinance faces its second reading and final vote.
This ordinance came up after Councilor Tami Buckmaster kept pushing questions about the ordinance, which was not revised when the new rates went into effect Dec. 1.
Earlier in February, City Manager Bert Cunningham told the council after numerous back and forth emails with Schneider Engineering, including Buckmaster’s questions, the engineers found a minor change needed to be made, but the formula used to calculate the costs is correct. A new ordinance was prepared by Schneider.
In an explanation about the change, Cunningham said the reason for a new ordinance goes back to the rate study of 2015 and subsequent rate increase, which also was the last time the rate ordinance was passed. However, in 2016 some changes were made in electric rates without a change in the electric rate ordinance.

Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.