NEWS
New electric rate ordinance passes first reading
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
The Bowie City Council approved an updated electric rate ordinance Monday night clarifying changes that should have been done back in 2016 and reflect the reduction approved in fall 2018.
Not unexpected, the debate was heated as two council members wanted to change the overall electric rate schedule despite the prior council’s adoption of a rate plan last fall that was
The electric rate ordinance approved at the last meeting was up for a second reading, but Mayor Gaylynn Burris asked the council to set that aside and consider one that has been revised with a couple of changes discussed in that meeting.
In the new ordinance, the date was taken out eliminating any need to backdate it to meet the Dec. 1 date when new electric rates went into effect. The monthly wholesale power and transmission charge will be computed at “regular intervals” instead of monthly.
It was discovered in January, after many questions to the engineers, the last time a rate ordinance was approved in 2015 following a rate study in 2015. However, in 2016 some changes were made to the electric rates directed by a former Schneider engineer without recommending a change to the electric rate ordinance.
Schneider Engineering officials said they understood nothing had changed since that time and told city officials there was no need for a new ordinance in fall 2018. The council approved the electric rate reduction effective Dec. 1, 2018, but did not do an ordinance.
Councilor Tami Buckmaster who has raised many of those questions to the engineer about the rate schedule which led to the further investigation said the new ordinance clarified a few of her legal questions, but her problem is not cutting businesses in on the rate reduction. She said this happened before she was on the council so she does not know the reasons for the rate plan.
Read the full story in the mid-week Bowie News.
City of Bowie officials were on hand to inspect the emergency electrical generators that were delivered last week.
Mayor Gaylynn Burris and City Manager Bert Cunningham inspected one of three emergency electrical generators purchased as part of an ongoing Federal Emergency Management Agency Hazard Mitigation Grant. They also talked with Jay Evans, head of the city electric department, and Jerry Sutton, director of the water treatment plant about the next step for installation of the generators.
This grant provides funding for one 150 kW and two 250 kW generators for use at the water treatment plant.
Read the full story in the mid-week Bowie News.
City Manager Bert Cunningham and Mayor Gaylynn Burris talk with the electric and water department staff about the new generators. (Photo by Cindy Roller)
No action was taken on a legal issue after members of the Bowie City Council met in a called closed session at 4 p.m. on July 12.
City Secretary Sandy Page said the council met for almost one hour for “consultation with attorney – Midwest Waste Services LLC vs. City of Bowie.
This lawsuit goes back to August 2019 when Midwest sued the city for its action requiring those who receive city water outside the city limits to use the designated waste collector, which is Waste Connections. This was shortly after the city signed a new long-term contract with WC.
The suit was dismissed in June 2020 on two points in the suit, but City Manager Bert Cunningham said a third point remained in mediation.
The Department of Public Safety has provided information on an auto vs. motorcycle accident that reportedly occurred on July 4.
James Lee Hilton, Nocona, was driving a 2019 Harley-Davidson motorcycle and Daniel Parra, Chico, was driving a 2018 Ford Fiesta. Both vehicles were north on State Highway 101 outside Sunset with the motorcycle behind the car.
Parra was attempting to turn left on Farm-to-Market Road 2265 when the motorcyclist attempted to unsafely pass to the left states the report. The bike struck the left side of the Fiesta. Both vehicles came to rest off the roadway on the northwest corner of SH 101 and FM 2265.
Hilton was transported to Denton Medical City with
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