NEWS
Bowie City Council reviews grocery list of work projects
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
Monday night’s Bowie City Council meeting was a cornucopia of project updates from the hazard mitigation plan and the water line going to Old Bowie Lake, to credit card fees and smart meter problems.
Conducting business via teleconference council members were spread out around the room, along with a few city staffers.
After more than five months of work and waiting for state and federal approval the city’s hazard mitigation plan was back for council action. This plan will be used for planning mitigation actions in the event of a disaster, for example flooding from heavy rains.
Many federal and state programs require a mitigation plan be active within a county or city to be eligible for funding. A copy of the extensive plan is available on the county website at: county.montague.tx.us.
Credit card fees
City officials tabled action on an ordinance authorizing a credit card processing fee for those paying utility bills with debit or credit cards. The fees ranged from three to five percent.
Councilor Thomas Kent suggested the use of another firm to handle credit cards where a flat fee of $3 to $3.95 would be assessed. He pointed to a local business friend who uses a separate processing company and who has found it to be successful with his customers.
Kent said for an average city utility bill the proposed fee could be anywhere from $7.50 to $12.50, which is high.
Finances
A potential sewer rate increase was put on hold until the city is able to be clear of the COVID-19 shutdown. Cunningham said they could look at it in a few months when they see where things are going. Several council members agreed it was the wrong time.
Read the full story on Monday’s meeting the mid-week Bowie News.
Montague County Commissioners will meet at 9 a.m. on Dec. 23.
The court will consider obligating $276,961.84 of American Rescue Plan funds to completing the new wastewater treatment plant that will serve the courthouse complex. Commissioners have been working on this project much of the year.
Montague County will apply to the Nortex Regional Planning Commission for a solid waste disposal grant to purchase a tire cutter for use by all four precincts.
Developers for Kingdom Estates Phase 2 subdivision will offer a plant for lots 6-10, 16.06 acres located in precinct two.
A cooperative agreement between Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and the county will be presented, along with a non-exclusive license and service agreement between Local Government Solutions and Justices of the Peace one and two.
Annual bonds for seven elected officials will be offered, along with the county attorney’s 2024 Chapter 59 Asset Forfeiture report.
Montague County has received a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to assist individuals with the purchase and installation of a residential storm shelter.
The shelter must be FEMA-approved and individuals must install and pay for the shelter. After installation and passing an inspection, the individual could be eligible for 50% reimbursement of the cost of the storm shelter up to a maximum $3,000 reimbursement.
The initial program allows for financial assistance for the installation of up to 100 storm shelters. Visit the Montague County website at co.montague.tx.us and click on “Safe Room Program,” and under quick links to see the qualifications and requirements for participation in the program.
There is no deadline to apply, but only 100 applicants will be accepted
It’s here, the first day of winter marked by the winter solstice at 4:21 a.m. on Dec. 21.
The winter solstice is the day with the fewest hours of sunlight throughout the year, making it the “shortest day” of the year. Thankfully, after the winter solstice the days begin to grow longer and longer again and until the summer solstice, the first day of summer and the longest day of the year
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