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Trustees debate buying co-op a building, select construction manager-at-risk

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By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
Bowie Independent School District Trustees conducted a lengthy meeting Tuesday night on a varied slate of topics that included the selection of a construction manager-at-risk for the new administration building project, educator contracts and a discussion on the county special education cooperative buying a building.
The board met for nearly four hours Tuesday night. A closed session of almost an hour opened the night as they interviewed representatives from M&F Litteken for the construction manager-at-risk job on the new administrative offices’ project.
A video presentation was shown as the company officials gave their history and showed some of their other projects in the area. Superintendent Blake Enlow said the company was “very impressive, and they were top scorers” in the review of prospects. Trustees approved Litteken and they will now move into preparing the contract for professional services.

The board’s second closed session was the review of educator contracts. Enlow said all staff were offered contracts.
Coach Bre Jones is leaving her position as head volleyball coach, but will still teach in the district next year. There are also three retirements Kami Bowman, Dianna Maahs and DeAnn Ash all at the elementary.
Enlow said there are some staff members who are completing certifications and he also anticipates there may be some who do not return their contracts, but he has not been made aware of those.
Education Co-op
Trustees had an extensive discussion about BISD being asked to contribute $108,751.74 for the Montague County Special Classes Cooperative to purchase a building for its offices.
The special classes cooperative provides specialized services school districts in the county may need for their students.

Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.

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Medical needs community meeting on Nov. 19

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The second community meeting on needs for an emergency room or hospital in Bowie is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Nov. 19 at the Bowie Community Center.
This is the second meeting to discuss these needs following the closure of the Faith Community Health Center emergency room on Oct. 6, just shy of a year of operation. More than 200 people attended that first meeting, where discussion centered on the creation of a taxing district to support any sort of medical facility.
Citizens in the Bowie area are encouraged to attend and take part in these discussions.

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Bowie Council members to take oath of office

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The Bowie City Council has moved its Nov. 18 meeting to 6 p.m. on Nov. 19 where three new council members will take the oath of office.
Councilors include Laura Sproles, precinct two, Brandon Walker, precinct one and Laramie Truax, precinct two. After the votes are canvassed and the oaths given, a mayor pro tem will be selected.
The new members will jump right into training as City Attorney Courtney Goodman-Morris provides an orientation and discussion of duties for council members.
City Manager Bert Cunningham will make his monthly report on the following topics: Nelson Street, which opened last Thursday, update on the sewer line replacement project, substation transformer placement and information on medical companies.
A closed executive session on the Laura McCarn vs. City of Bowie lawsuit is scheduled. The suit arose in November 2022 when the city broached selling some 25 acres it owns on Lake Amon G. Carter, originally part of the land purchased for the 500-acre Bowie Reservoir completed in 1985.
McCarn challenges the ownership of the property stating it should revert to the original owners since it was not used for the lake.
This 24.35 acre tract is located at the end of Indian Trail Road surrounded by the lake and the Silver Lakes Ranch subdivision.

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Council celebrates reopening of Nelson by moving the barricades

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One of Bowie’s major thoroughfares, Nelson Street, was reopened Thursday after one busy block has been closed since August 2021 when a section of the street failed.
Construction finally came to an end on Thursday when the street, including the Nelson and Mill intersection were reopened. Mayor Gaylynn Burris, City Manager Bert Cunningham, Councilors TJay McEwen and Stephanie Post, Engineer Mike Tibbetts and Public Works Director Stony Lowrance met at the site Thursday morning and removed the barricades. It only took a few minutes for vehicles to start arriving and drivers were excited to go through on the new roadway.
This section of Bowie has endured flooding and drainage problems for many years and in the summer of 2023 the city council finally bit the bullet and sought bids for the repair work expected to top $3 million. In August 2021 a one block section of Nelson was closed when a large sinkhole appeared on the north side of the street. Traffic had to be diverted including all the school traffic flowing from the nearby junior high and intermediate.

Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.

Top photo – (Left) Mike Tibbetts, engineer with Hayter Engineering, talks with Bowie City Manager Bert Cunningham as they look over the massive drainage project on Nelson Street.

City council members and city staff lifted the barricades from Nelson Street Thursday morning reopening it to traffic after more than two years of repairs. (Photo by Barbara Green)
Large concrete culverts now take water under Nelson Street.
The creek that flows through the former park has been rip wrapped to slow erosion.
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