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Lamb St. funding finalized; crews move ahead with work

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By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
The Bowie City Council this week approved an additional $58,900 from the infrastructure fund to continue repairs of the drainage and flooding damage in Kiwanis Park, plus nearby Nelson and Lamb Streets.
Two weeks ago the panel asked Public Works Director Stony Lowrance and City Manager Bert Cunningham to provide more specific cost estimates for the proposed retaining wall, concrete and culvert replacements. They had made a request to use $100,000 from the infrastructure fund to do this section of the work.
At the prior council meeting, Lowrance referred to a pair of engineer studies for two separate plans to repair the flood damaged areas from 2015 and 2016 rainfall. Those plans had projected costs of $1.8 million and $2.3 million, and the city has been unable to find any grant opportunities to help with funding so the damage has laid dormant.
While the most visible damage is at Lamb and Nelson where the street was closed when the culvert collapsed, there is additional work needed down the channel. Lowrance told the council this $100,000 is “just a drop in the bucket.”
Monday night Lowrance reviewed a three-phase plan for the Lamb Street bridge clean-out. Last week an excavator arrived to begin cleaning out debris in the area so they could more clearly see what has to be done. This week work moved over to Kiwanis Park.

Read the full story and the city manager’s monthly report in the Saturday Bowie News.

City crews began clearing out this drainage ditch in Kiwanis Park Tuesday. (Photo by Barbara Green)
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NEWS

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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