NEWS
Nearly 30% Montague County voters cast ballots early
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
After nearly two years of build-up the mid-term general elections arrive on Nov. 8 with record voting anticipated across Texas and the nation.
During the months leading up to election day, Texas Secretary of State John Scott has been providing voters with videos and explanations of how the voting process works in Texas, all in an effort to quell any concerns by voters.
As early voting came to an end, Scott offered a couple of reminders for those who will arrive at the polls on election day. Those items can be accessed at the SOS website at sos.state.tx.us.
• Once you get to your polling place, you have to show an ID to get checked in – bring any one of seven approved forms of photo ID, and learn what you can bring if you don’t have and can’t reasonably obtain one.
• Remember the ground rules when you’re going to the polls – once you cross the 100-foot marker outside the polling place, you cannot wear hats, T-shirts, buttons or anything else relating to a candidate or measure on the current ballot, and you may not use cell phones, tablets, laptops, cameras, sound recorders, or any device that communicates wirelessly within 100 feet of the voting stations.
“So please, wait until you’re back outside the polling place to take your selfie. Trust me – it can wait,” said Scott.
Voters also can be assured none of the machines that touch a ballot or count it are connected to the internet said Scott. Montague County Elections Administrator Ginger Wall concurred and said only the pollbook is connected to the internet where a voter checks in to verify their address in the county and that the person is a registered voter.
This is the voter’s first contact at the polling location and is most often where the poll worker takes the driver’s license and swipes it to verify the information.
Early voting ended at 5 p.m. on Friday. Wall reported as of 10 a.m. on Friday 4,372 county voters had cast ballots early. This is 29% of the 14,690 registered voters.
Election day poll will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 10 locations across Montague County.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
VOTING LOCATIONS FOR ELECTION DAY, Nov. 8
• Montague County Annex Community
Room, 11339 State Hwy. 59
• Nocona Community Center,
807 U.S. Hwy. 82W
• Saint Jo Civic Center,
101 E. Boggess
• Bowie Bible Baptist Church,
1400 State Hwy. 59N
• Tales ‘N’ Trails Museum,
1522 U.S. Hwy. 82E
• Bowie Public Library, 301 Walnut
• Forestburg Community Center,
16617 FM 455
• Sunset City Hall, 119 FM 1749
• Ringgold Fire Hall,
17832 U.S. Hwy. 81N
• Valley View Baptist Church,
6159 FM 103
NEWS
Amon Carter Lake Board to meet
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.
NEWS
Saint Jo City Council hires fire marshal
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.
NEWS
City of Nocona buys water storage tank, review dam repair
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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