NEWS
Bowie Council to hear Nelson Street repair presentation
Members of the Bowie City Council will see a design presentation on the Nelson Street Bridge project at its 6 p.m. June 12 meeting.
Mike Tibbets with Hayter Engineering will meet with the council to review the design that would make repairs to the closed section of Nelson Street.
The block of Nelson Street at Kiwanis Park and Mill was closed on Aug. 21, 2022 after a section on the north side of the road failed and collapsed. This area along Nelson, Lamb and Rock have experienced ongoing drainage problems for many years.
City crews have undertaken significant work in the Kiwanis Park and Lamb Street area to slow the flow of water, but major work is needed to replace the large culverts that go under the street at Nelson and nearby drop boxes, as downstream at Rock and Pillar.
Hayter has estimated the Nelson Street repairs and the connecting work on Mill would run around $2 million. However, Public Works Director Stony Lowrance had told the council if they make repairs at Nelson that will only push more water down the channel and possibly blow out the culverts that need replacing at Rock and Pillar. Adding those repairs could add another million or more to the project.
The council will consider not only the Nelson Street repair, but alternate bids for Pillar and Rock. City Manager Bert Cunningham has said the city has funds to pay for the Nelson and Mill work if it is around $2 million, but any additional work may require borrowing money or using reserves, which he emphasized they do not want to reduce by too much in order to protect overall general operational costs.
Other topics
In the city manager’s report, Bert Cunningham will report on the electric grant application he has been preparing. He said the city’s substation needs some improvements, especially a new transformer, and he is pursuing all avenues to help find funding for the substation work.
In new business, the Montague County Tax Appraisal District has submitted its 2024 budget for council action.
An ordinance amendment for the mobile food vendors ordinance will be reviewed, along with a recommendation for a new member to the park’s board.
Public comments wrap up the agenda along with the consent topics.
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
Trustees of the Bowie Independent School District welcomed one new member this week following the Nov. 5 election and accepted the 2023-24 outside audit with no exceptions.
Incumbent Trustee Jacky Betts returned to place one and Angie Christmas took the place two seat. After the board officers were dissolved with the new ones taking the oath, officers were elected. Betts will continue as president, Guy Green as vice president and Kent Dosch as secretary.
Paul Fleming of Edgin, Parkman, Fleming & Fleming, PC, presented the audit telling there were no issues and the process went smoothly. He noted the biggest change was the Legislature compressing the district tax rate and additional changes in the tax law. State aid formula grants increased due to the state’s funding formula compensating for lost property tax revenue due to the law change previously mentioned.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
Information was the watchword for the second hospital/emergency room community meeting Tuesday night, as the steering committee was announced along with additional financial considerations.
About 50 people attended the meeting. Melody Gillespie, who was named chairperson for the committee, said the goal is to gather information to get it out into the community. This group was formed after the Bowie emergency room was closed by Faith Rural Health System in early October just shy of one year of operating in Bowie.
Kylie Ward, one of the public relations volunteers, said, “This committee is not here to force things on you and there are assumptions already we are proposing a tax. We are not, we don’t have that ability, we are just a research team here to explore all the options.”
Other members of the committee include Tiffany Chandler and Damon Benton handling finance and grant research; Jennifer Tellef, secretary; Valerie Tomerson, grant research; Ann Smith, PR and Margin Latham and Gillespie, legislative research. It was pointed out there are other members of the sub-committees who are helping with research, but they also invite anyone interested to help with the process.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
Top photo – Jack County Judge Keith Umphress spoke at this week’s steering committee meeting. (Photo by Barbara Green)
The following indictments were filed with the 97th District Clerk following the November session of the Montague County Grand Jury.
There were a total of 13 indictments with one sealed awaiting the arrest of a suspect.
A grand jury indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Read the full list of indictments in your mid-week Bowie News.
-
NEWS2 years ago2 hurt, 1 jailed after shooting incident north of Nocona
-
NEWS1 year agoSuspect indicted, jailed in Tia Hutson murder
-
NEWS2 years agoSO investigating possible murder/suicide
-
NEWS2 years agoWreck takes the life of BHS teen, 16
-
NEWS1 year agoMurder unsolved – 1 year later Tia Hutson’s family angry, frustrated with no arrest
-
NEWS2 years ago
Sheriff’s office called out to infant’s death
-
NEWS2 years agoBowie Police face three-hour standoff after possible domestic fight
-
NEWS2 years ago
Driver stopped by a man running into the street, robbed at knifepoint