NEWS
Commissioners get broadband brief; consider engineer for new sewer plant
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
Montague County Commissioners Monday received a brief overview of results from the recent broadband survey with a full report scheduled for February.
During public comments at the Jan. 23 regular meeting, Pamela Waggoner, a broadband solutions manager with Connected Nation, asked to speak. The company she works for was contacted through the Priddy Foundation to conduct the broadband survey for the county. The full report will be presented via Zoom in February.
She reported while the actual participation numbers were not as high as they would like to have seen, 93.56% of county households have 25/3 Megabits per second (Mbps) which is 25 Mbps downstream and 3 Mbps upstream.
The federal government considers 25/3 to be “high speed,” however, the industry is leaning more toward that number needs to be 100/20. Only 700 households are considered at a higher level in the county, but if the lower number is considered “high speed,” 90% are served.
Waggoner explained while some may have strong service there are a lot of gap areas and people are dissatisfied with the service speed they are experiencing.
The court voted to hire an engineering firm to design and provide specifications for bid purposes to build a sewer treatment plant. County Judge Kevin Benton said Commissioner Mike Mayfield did the research into what is needed to start bringing the plant online to replace the present septic system that serves the courthouse, sheriff’s office and jail, and annex.
Read the full story in the mid-week Bowie News.
The Department of Public Safety has provided information on an auto vs. motorcycle accident that reportedly occurred on July 4.
James Lee Hilton, Nocona, was driving a 2019 Harley-Davidson motorcycle and Daniel Parra, Chico, was driving a 2018 Ford Fiesta. Both vehicles were north on State Highway 101 outside Sunset with the motorcycle behind the car.
Parra was attempting to turn left on Farm-to-Market Road 2265 when the motorcyclist attempted to unsafely pass to the left states the report. The bike struck the left side of the Fiesta. Both vehicles came to rest off the roadway on the northwest corner of SH 101 and FM 2265.
Hilton was transported to Denton Medical City with
A major crash on East Wise in front of the Second Monday parking on July 11 shut down traffic for several hours in the morning and sent two people to the Bowie emergency room.
The accident occurred at 9:53 a.m. Thursday at 1616 E. Wise involving a large sign installation truck and an SUV.
Briana Rollison, Bowie, was driving a 2001 Ford Expedition east in the 1600 block of E. Wise and the large truck from Turner Signs System of Richland Hills was traveling west on East Wise driven by Joshua Thompson.
The preliminary accident report states Thompson lost control of the vehicle crossing the double yellow line striking the SUV in front of the Parker Properties and Farm Services Building. The SUV was knocked into the ditch and later made it back on the roadway.
The truck rolled on the passenger side and slid about 50-100 feet west of the incident location. Skid marks from the truck were observed to start approximately 300-350 feet east of the crash location.
See the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
Bowie City Councilors this week got their first look at the 2024-25 proposed budget seeing a balanced plan with a total operational budget of $23,296,885 in expenses, which is a little more than $1.4 million above the previous year’s budget.
Mayor Gaylynn Burris said Monday night the budget looks “eerily familiar” to last year, despite adding a few equipment purchases. City Manager Bert Cunningham said he had already slashed more than $300,000 from the department requests in order to get a balanced budget.
The utility fund is balanced with expenses of $12,595,995 and revenues projected at $12,601,000. In the general fund revenues are projected at $10,705,568 with expenses at $10,700,890. Total budget expenses are $23,296,885 and overall revenue projected at $23,306,568. Cunningham said it leaves a small margin to set forth a balanced budget.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
Top photo: New chip and seal was laid on Elba and Lamb this week repairing well-worn roads near the Nelson/Mill drainage project. (Photo by Barbara Green)
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