NEWS
Water well applications reflect new growth across Montague County
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
Officials with the Upper Trinity Groundwater Conservation District told the Montague County Commissioners they are starting to see development connected with the new subdivisions, but it is still moving slowly as the projects are sold and get off the ground.
Doug Shaw, executive director of the UTGCD, and Tracy Mesler, chairman of the UTGCD board of directors, met with the court at its Monday meeting. Shaw said there have been 101 water well applications through May 31 with five more in June so far for a total of 106. The historical average is 116 for the year.
“Well applications are a good indicator of growth especially in rural areas where there are no water systems. Who knows what is going to happen with the economy and rates are going up? With all that you would assume the number building houses would decline, we are not seeing that right now, it is just blowing and going. One of the developers up here has done projects elsewhere in the district, they don’t seem to be slowing down. We are a lot busier in Montague County than we have been,” explained Shaw.
The well applications for 2022 are spread out across the county and there has not been a lot done in those subdivision projects with the exception of a few test wells.
He anticipates once that building starts those number will go up. In reviewing recent domestic well statistics show 179 well applications in 2021, the highest point since 150 in 2011.
Read the full story in your mid-week Bowie News.
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
Bowie Independent School District Trustees hired a new high school principal Monday night and also learned about the small number of citizens who attended a series of three community forums.
Following a brief executive session moved up in the agenda the new high school principal Dean Johnson and his wife Katie, and children Whitley and Henley were introduced to the board. Johnson will come to Bowie from Farmersville where he has been the junior high principal since July 2019.
He replaces Joanne Keeler who resigned from the principal’s job last month.
Johnson received his bachelor degree from Midwestern State University in kinesiology and math followed by a master of education in education administration from Lamar University. He earned his doctorate of educational leadership from MSU in December 2024 and was named 2023 outstanding Doctoral Student from the West College of Education.
Public forums
Superintendent Donna Hale reported on a series of three community forums that were hosted across the district during the last few weeks. Only seven people attended the events, and Hale said while this was not the turnout they had hoped for, the small group had very good discussions on their specific concerns.
Read the full story in Thursday’s Bowie News.
Top photo – Dean Johnson with his wife Katie, and daughters, Whitley and Henley were introduced Monday night. (News photo by Barbara Green)
Members of the Nocona City Council discussed an array of topics from public nuisance issues to the sale of raw water to a local golf course.
Public nuisance issues such as old vehicles, dilapidated houses, weeds, rubbish, brush and related unsightly items were briefly discussed during the April 14 meeting. In recent months, citizens and council members have asked just what can be done to tackle these problems more effectively.
Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
Members of the Bowie City Council approved phase one for 10 lots in a major new subdivision development next to the elementary school.
At the April 14 meeting, the replat for the Kingdom Ridge subdivision local off Upper Montague Road and Teglan Drive was up for discussion. Bill Calabretta, chairman of the planning and zoning commission, said that group gave its approval for the phase one replat.
Buck Ross of Kingdom Construction spoke to the council about his family’s plan for the subdivision which would have a total of 67 lots developed across four phases. Phase one has 10 lots in quarter-acre tracts.
“Our goal is to get more affordable housing maybe in the $200,000 range, but our plan may have to evolve in the future. This is the first major subdivision for new homes to be developed in many years,” said Ross.
Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.
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