NEWS
County judge issues new executive order; clarifies it’s not a shelter in place order
Montague County Judge Rick Lewis issued an executive order Thursday afternoon declaring the county’s emergency management plan was activated and ordering those who may be sick or experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 stay home.
Some read the order as a directive for all to stay home, but in a clarification letter on Friday Lewis said it was not the case.
As with similar orders from the federal and state level, the intent is to protect the physical health and well-being of county citizens, as well as protect their financial health. The focus is to slow the spread of COVID-19 to the maximum extent possible, while “safeguarding the Constitutional liberties of Montague County citizens by utilizing the least restrictive means possible and encouraging the highest level of personal responsibility.”
The order stated during this period of emergency all resources within the limits of Montague County and its municipalities, both publicly and privately owned, will be used when deemed necessary by local government officials and upon orders of the county judge under the authority of Texas Government Code 418.017.
Some confusion may have been based on the last sentence in the section related to people who may have symptoms or already sick. Some took the last sentence to mean everyone should remain at home. The judge said
no that was not the intent, and while he was not ordering “at risk” groups to stay home it was highly encouraged.
As for business the order outlines recommendations for them to remain open, but take all precautions. Lewis’ Friday letter states he encourages all businesses to work to keep their doors open and the work space safe for employees. He also asked residents to support local stores and restaurants while maintaining a safe distance.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News. See the full March 26 order and the March 27 letter below.
The second community meeting on needs for an emergency room or hospital in Bowie is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Nov. 19 at the Bowie Community Center.
This is the second meeting to discuss these needs following the closure of the Faith Community Health Center emergency room on Oct. 6, just shy of a year of operation. More than 200 people attended that first meeting, where discussion centered on the creation of a taxing district to support any sort of medical facility.
Citizens in the Bowie area are encouraged to attend and take part in these discussions.
The Bowie City Council has moved its Nov. 18 meeting to 6 p.m. on Nov. 19 where three new council members will take the oath of office.
Councilors include Laura Sproles, precinct two, Brandon Walker, precinct one and Laramie Truax, precinct two. After the votes are canvassed and the oaths given, a mayor pro tem will be selected.
The new members will jump right into training as City Attorney Courtney Goodman-Morris provides an orientation and discussion of duties for council members.
City Manager Bert Cunningham will make his monthly report on the following topics: Nelson Street, which opened last Thursday, update on the sewer line replacement project, substation transformer placement and information on medical companies.
A closed executive session on the Laura McCarn vs. City of Bowie lawsuit is scheduled. The suit arose in November 2022 when the city broached selling some 25 acres it owns on Lake Amon G. Carter, originally part of the land purchased for the 500-acre Bowie Reservoir completed in 1985.
McCarn challenges the ownership of the property stating it should revert to the original owners since it was not used for the lake.
This 24.35 acre tract is located at the end of Indian Trail Road surrounded by the lake and the Silver Lakes Ranch subdivision.
One of Bowie’s major thoroughfares, Nelson Street, was reopened Thursday after one busy block has been closed since August 2021 when a section of the street failed.
Construction finally came to an end on Thursday when the street, including the Nelson and Mill intersection were reopened. Mayor Gaylynn Burris, City Manager Bert Cunningham, Councilors TJay McEwen and Stephanie Post, Engineer Mike Tibbetts and Public Works Director Stony Lowrance met at the site Thursday morning and removed the barricades. It only took a few minutes for vehicles to start arriving and drivers were excited to go through on the new roadway.
This section of Bowie has endured flooding and drainage problems for many years and in the summer of 2023 the city council finally bit the bullet and sought bids for the repair work expected to top $3 million. In August 2021 a one block section of Nelson was closed when a large sinkhole appeared on the north side of the street. Traffic had to be diverted including all the school traffic flowing from the nearby junior high and intermediate.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
Top photo – (Left) Mike Tibbetts, engineer with Hayter Engineering, talks with Bowie City Manager Bert Cunningham as they look over the massive drainage project on Nelson Street.
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