NEWS
Durham alleges ‘back-room deals struck with city officials
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
A routine Bowie City Council meeting turned explosive in its final minutes as a mayoral candidate accused several city officials of making “back-room” deals, which led to her removal from the council chambers by the police chief.
The controversy centered around the inclusion of a paid, part-time position for an emergency management director in the 2021-22 budget. The last paid position for director was around 2015 when Jim Spinks handled the duties also on a part-time basis.
During that time Former City Manager Ricky Tow let Spinks and others go as part of massive budget-cutting action.
The duties were passed on to the fire chief; however, during the ensuing years the Montague County Emergency Communications Team, formed in 2007, has worked on a voluntary basis to assist during times of natural disaster or weather emergencies. The team was created at the request of Bowie Emergency Management Coordinator Jim Spinks and County County EMC Kelly McNabb to coordinate Skywarn activities and assist with communications.
Kirk Higgins and his wife Diana, have both been active in the team as volunteers. They also have worked to establish a true emergency operations center in the back of the city offices at Mason and Pecan funded in part by E-recycling. That center got a real workout following the May 2020 tornado and this year’s February winter storm.
Budget
City Manager Bert Cunningham said the part-time pay for the EOC director is $17 an hour with a maximum of 24 hours a week plus benefits. The item is listed under the administration section of the proposed budget which got its first reading approval Monday.
Once more Glenda Durham addressed the council during public comments as she explained her activities to “deal with a rumor” she was called about on Monday.
“The rumor was Councilman Higgins has worked a deal with the city manager, but now we know it was the mayor, I was not aware of that. In the budget, we are going to hire someone for the emergency management center and that person is already hired, already there, already getting a paycheck and it is Mrs. Higgins’ husband,” she said.
This lead to accusations from Durham a “back-room ” deal had been worked between the city manager, mayor and councilor to get Higgins the paid job.
Read the full story in the mid-week Bowie News.
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
Trustees of the Bowie Independent School District welcomed one new member this week following the Nov. 5 election and accepted the 2023-24 outside audit with no exceptions.
Incumbent Trustee Jacky Betts returned to place one and Angie Christmas took the place two seat. After the board officers were dissolved with the new ones taking the oath, officers were elected. Betts will continue as president, Guy Green as vice president and Kent Dosch as secretary.
Paul Fleming of Edgin, Parkman, Fleming & Fleming, PC, presented the audit telling there were no issues and the process went smoothly. He noted the biggest change was the Legislature compressing the district tax rate and additional changes in the tax law. State aid formula grants increased due to the state’s funding formula compensating for lost property tax revenue due to the law change previously mentioned.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
Information was the watchword for the second hospital/emergency room community meeting Tuesday night, as the steering committee was announced along with additional financial considerations.
About 50 people attended the meeting. Melody Gillespie, who was named chairperson for the committee, said the goal is to gather information to get it out into the community. This group was formed after the Bowie emergency room was closed by Faith Rural Health System in early October just shy of one year of operating in Bowie.
Kylie Ward, one of the public relations volunteers, said, “This committee is not here to force things on you and there are assumptions already we are proposing a tax. We are not, we don’t have that ability, we are just a research team here to explore all the options.”
Other members of the committee include Tiffany Chandler and Damon Benton handling finance and grant research; Jennifer Tellef, secretary; Valerie Tomerson, grant research; Ann Smith, PR and Margin Latham and Gillespie, legislative research. It was pointed out there are other members of the sub-committees who are helping with research, but they also invite anyone interested to help with the process.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
Top photo – Jack County Judge Keith Umphress spoke at this week’s steering committee meeting. (Photo by Barbara Green)
The following indictments were filed with the 97th District Clerk following the November session of the Montague County Grand Jury.
There were a total of 13 indictments with one sealed awaiting the arrest of a suspect.
A grand jury indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Read the full list of indictments in your mid-week Bowie News.
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