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COVID hits Bowie campuses hard during January

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By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
COVID-19 absences have been challenging for Bowie Independent School District since the new year opened, but officials hope the worst may be passed after the district experienced a low of 81.69% on Jan. 14 with 304 students absent.
The board of trustees met Thursday night for a lengthy agenda of reports, a public hearing and the mid-year formative evaluation of the superintendent.
In the COVID report, Superintendent Blake Enlow said as of Jan. 26 311 students had been tested for the virus with 185 positives. In the staff 143 were tested with 89 positives.

Elementary Principal Kathy Green said last week her campus was hard hit with 23 teacher vacancies on one day. She said they were able to get everything covered as everyone pitched in to help.
Enlow said there is no “magic number” where the district will decide to close campuses and as long as there is enough adult staff they will continue to operate. He noted closing impacts parents and families hard as they deal with work and school.

Read the full story from Thursday night’s board meeting in the weekend Bowie News.

Bowie School Superintendent Blake Enlow presents Trustee Lee Hughes with a certificate of recognition for School Board Recognition Month. Certificates and potted ferns decorated by students were presented to all the board members. (Photo by Barbara Green)
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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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