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Budget turns to nasty argument; revenue errors sparks council fire storm

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By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
Rancor and animosity bubbled over Monday night as the Bowie City Council convened into a budget workshop that dissolved into a nasty yelling match.
One councilor challenged the budget proposal she said was filled with incorrect numbers while another reminded the city manager who is his boss.
There were no actions coming out of the two-hour budget workshop.
Prior to hearing from the department heads reviewing their requests, City Manager Bert Cunningham made a few announcements that will impact the budget in some departments.
Public Works Director Dean Grant has submitted his resignation effective in two weeks, as he makes a move to Kansas.
The city has learned it scored number 89th in the loan program through the Texas Water Development Board, so it appears Bowie will not get the loan.
Cunningham said they will keep applying, but he also learned while Bowie does have aging infrastructure it also does a lot right. He pointed to cities where they have massive immediate water and sewer system issues that threaten their systems.
While the city did score high enough to obtain a loan to replace its aging sewer lines, it did get a high ranking for a Texas Community Development Block Grant and may receive a $275,000 grant to replace a sewer line in the Mill Street area under the railroad overpass.
Cunningham said a line has collapsed under the railroad and needs to be replaced.
Placing in the top six he anticipated the city will get the grant which has a $27,000 match. It has been four years since the city received a TCDB grant. Read the full story in the mid-week Bowie News.

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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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