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Small business power rate cut; billing ordinance to be revamped to new process

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By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
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.

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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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