NEWS
Council must fill precinct 1 seat by June 23; applications now being accepted
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
The Bowie City Council will accept applications until June 12 from persons interested in filling out the unexpired term of precinct one councilor with plans to fill the vacancy on June 22.
During Monday’s council session the resignation of Precinct One Councilor Thomas Kent was accepted. Councilor Tami Buckmaster cast the lone no vote. Per the city charter, the council has 30 days to fill a vacancy or call a special election in November for the mayor’s position or any council position.
Kent resigned on May 15 noting in his resignation his effort to create a double-vacancy for mayor and a councilor forcing a special election. A few weeks earlier, Bill Miller resigned as mayor after less than six months on the job.
City officials obtained legal opinions on the issue and with Kent’s resignation not formally accepted until Monday, the 30-day clock had not started, therefore, there was no double vacancy. Burris was named to fill the unexpired term of mayor on May 18.
During items of community interest, Burris commented about social media posts that said the council broke the law and did not have a quorum at the May 18 meeting.
Kent resigned and Tami Buckmaster did not attend, which left four councilors present.
Burris said people are being told the council broke the law and there was no quorum, but that is wrong. She stated City Attorney Che Rotramble was in attendance that night and stated there was a quorum. Legal opinions from the Texas Municipal League also agreed.
The Bowie City Council approved a lease with Sean Reno for the development of a BMX Race Park on city-owned property next to the Haggar Baseball Complex. The land is the former site of sludge ponds that were closed many years ago. The lease will be year-to-year at $1 per year.
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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