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City of Bowie being sued over tract of lakefront property

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By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
The City of Bowie is being sued in connection with the potential sale of nearly lakefront 25 acreage on Lake Amon G. Carter, originally obtained when the new Bowie Reservoir was built in 1981.
Laura McCarn filed suit against the City of Bowie and the Bowie Water Supply District in 97th District court on Nov. 8. The suit is styled: Plaintiff’s original petition to quiet title and for trespass to try title.
A trespass to try title claim is a legal procedure for challenging the ownership of property, while “action to quiet title” is an equitable remedy for establishing one’s right to ownership of real property against other adverse claimants. The suit states the amount of controversy is expected to be greater than $500,000 and non-monetary relief.
This 24.35 acre tract is located at the end of Indian Trail Road surrounded by the lake and the Silver Lakes Ranch subdivision. It was part of the land obtained by the city to build the new lake. Amon Carter Lake was built in 1956 and the 500-acre Bowie Reservoir was built in 1985. This was a portion that was never developed or used by the city for the lake or anything else.
City Manager Bert Cunningham raised the possibility of selling the land earlier in the summer and took steps to obtain an appraisal. However, in early July the city received a letter indicating the former owners believe the land should go back to them since it was not used for the lake.

Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.

Approximately map rendering of the property in question in the lawsuit. (Mapquest)
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NEWS

Montague County primary runoff results

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12.95% voter turnout (2,004 of 15,471 registered voters in the county)

Republican runoff

U.S. Senator

Ken Paxton, 1,433

John Cornyn, 496

Attorney General

Chip Roy, 835

Mayes Middleton, 1,062

Railroad Commission

Bo French, 1,018

Jim Wright, 813

Judge Court of Criminal Appeals

Alison Fox, 626

Thomas Smith, 1,068

Democratic runoff

Lt. Governor

Marcos Velez, 14

Vikki Goodwin, 53

Attorney General

Joe Jaworski, 33

Nathan Johnson, 34

Results unofficial until canvassed by county officials.

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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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