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]
The Bowie City Council accepted a $1.38 million bid for phase two of the sewer line replacement program and received an engineer’s update on Nelson Street drainage.
Council members met Monday night and opened the evening with the presentation of proclamations for Emergency Medical Services Week and National Travel and Tourism Week. Members of the Bowie EMS service accepted the first proclamation and Cindy Roller of Bowie Community Development accepted the second.
City Manager Bert Cunningham reported the city received one bid for phase two of the sewer line project that will replace the Glenn Hills lift station and sludge pumps at the wastewater plant. While the bid came in above the original estimate, Mike Tibbetts of Hayter Engineering, said there are several things that can be removed to lower the costs.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
Pictured – replacing a manhole in phase one. (Courtesy photo)
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
In its six-month financial report for fiscal 2024-25 Bowie City Council members saw budget revenues were not coming in as high as projected, despite the budget using conservative figures.
During the Monday meeting, Finance Director Pamela Woods reviewed the numbers at the half-way point of the year. She said all the department heads are doing well keeping their expenses within budget just below the 50% level or 49.26% overall. Despite that, expenses are above revenues in the utility fund by almost $100,000.
In the utility fund revenues are 46.11% of budget in water; 53.19% in sewer and 43.74% in electric. The total utility fund revenue is at 46.42% of the budget or $5,572,694.
(Pictured above) Carol Moore also addressed the council on disrepair at the Pelham Park walking track urging it to make repairs and maintain it.
Read the full council story in the weekend Bowie News.
Two people were transported to the hospital with possible injuries from a three-vehicle crash Tuesday afternoon in a highway department work zone on State Highway 59.
The accident occurred on Hwy 59 near Allison Road at 4:09 p.m. on May 14. There were three vehicles containing a total of six people.
Vehicle one driven by Carlin Jaster, Bowie with his passenger Zana Lara, Bowie, were traveling south on Hwy. 59. Two other vehicles driven by Kjersti Compton, Sunset and Edward Meadows, Grapevine were also southbound but stopped in a construction zone.
Jaster failed to control his speed and a chain-reaction crash occurred as he struck Compton who then hit Meadows.
Jaster and Lara were transported to Nocona General Hospital with non-incapacitating injuries. The others were uninjured. Tuesday was the first day for road construction along State Highway 59. Digital signs were posted for delays.
(Pictured above) Bowie Rural Fire Department and Bowie EMS responded to this three-vehicle chain reaction crash on State Highway 59 near Allison Road on Tuesday afternoon. There were a total of six people in the three vehicles, and two were transported to Nocona General with possible injuries. (Courtesy photo)
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