NEWS
Small business power rate cut; billing ordinance to be revamped to new process
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
The Bowie City Council approved the first reading of a rate ordinance that lowers the electric rate of small business customers by 4.8 percent expected to save the average customer $14.40 a month.
Council gave unanimous approval to the ordinance which affects some 656 customers.
The council also continues to update utility related issues voting to rewrite portions of the utility billing procedures code so it aligns with the latest billing procedures. During the last two years the city’s utility billing system has undergone major changes including new software, automated reading and late last year changes to the billing periods going to the 1st and the 15th for bill delivery. There also were time changes for late bills to help those who may be on a fixed income avoid a late fee.
Recently, councilors raised questions about the amount of penalty assessed and also the time period for the penalty. When the topic came up last month it was tabled as the council received copies of the utility billing ordinance to review.
In other topics, City Manager Bert Cunningham reported he had submitted a letter to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality regarding an action plan on repairing the Old Bowie Lake Dam. Initial engineering costs top $200,000 before any repairs are done. Cunningham has indicated to TCEQ the city does not want to spend money on something that provides no benefit to the city through customers or other revenue and he suggested the city might sell it.
Read the full story in the mid-week Bowie News.
The Bowie News office will be closed Dec. 24-25 for the Christmas holiday, and Dec. 30 and Jan. 1.
There is an early deadline of 4 p.m. on Dec. 27 for the Jan. 1 Bowie News for all news and ad items.
Your Jan. 1 edition will be delivered to the mail and racks one day earlier due to the New Year’s holiday. We hope you have a great Christmas week.
Your Bowie News staff wishes you the blessings of a wonderful Christmas as you enjoy time with family and friends. Our offices will be closed Dec. 24-25 for the holiday.
Montague County Commissioners wrapped up a few items before the end of the year as they met on Dec. 23.
Grant Coordinator Charley Lanier asked the court to go ahead and obligate $276,961.84 from the American Rescue Funds to complete the new wastewater treatment plant that will serve the courthouse complex.
He explained Dec. 30 is the last date where grant funds can be obligated, and he did not expect any issues since this project had already been approved in court using ARPA funds, he called it a “safety net,” to avoid any problem and possible return of the funds to the federal government.
Montague County has about $276,961.84 in grant funds which has not been allocated.
The court gave approval on the request.
Lanier also asked the court to apply for a grant for a tire cutter. Funded through the Nortex Regional Planning Commission and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the application will ask for $26,865 to purchase a larger gas-powered cutter on a trailer, which can be moved around for use. It would cut the larger tires into four pieces, which would be allowed into a landfill. Lanier said if the cutter comes through the county would need to obtain a permit for its use from TCEQ, which he added should not be an issue.
Commissioner Mark Murphey said he picks up more tires abandoned on the county roads than he disposes of at his own yard, adding he probably has 500 at his yard. The court gave approval to apply for this competitive grant.
The remainder of Monday’s brief meeting were year-end items. Bonds for the justice of the peace one, county clerk, county attorney, district attorney, sheriff, commissioner three and constable two were accepted.
A cooperative agreement with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the county was approved, along with a license and services agreement with Local Government Solutions to provide software for both justice of the peace officers. The county attorney’s Chapter 59 Asset Forfeiture report was presented with no new seizures or forfeiture.
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