NEWS
BISD calls $65.8 million bond election
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
Trustees of the Bowie Independent School District called a bond election for Nov. 7 to consider a $65.8 million issue to build a new intermediate school, renovate the present intermediate to serve junior high students and improvements at the other two campuses.
Monday night the board met with its financial advisors Lewis Wilks with U.S. Capital advisors and Justin K. Hicks of Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, bond counsel.
The building program was presented at the last board meeting by the facilities committee made up of community volunteers. Chairman Daniel Deweber explained their original task was to consider a new junior high, however, as they explored the issues a new intermediate seemed more plausible to the group with some changes at the present intermediate updating it. Other parts of the program would expand parking at the elementary and building a covered area for drop-off in the front. At the high school, a weight room would be added plus a public restroom at the baseball field.
The new intermediate would be built on the vacant lot next to the junior high and have capacity for 600 students with complete facilities within that building. It also would include storm shelter areas and meet all the new TEA safety requirements.
Renovations at the intermediate which would then be used for junior high students, would include a dedicated wing for sixth grade where the present administrative offices are located. There would be renovations to the career tech area, storm safety locations, new instructional gym with seating, a new main entrance moved to the back and renovations to meet Texas Education Agency requirements for instruction and safety.
Wilks reviewed the preliminary tax rate analysis bond issue noting the $100,000 homestead exemption is expected to pass in the Nov. 7 election, so that was considered in the finance scenarios and reduces the overall taxable value of the district. The taxable assessed valuation is $1,221,712,443.
With a $65.8 million bond issue the maximum tax rate would be 43.5 cents for the debt service portion of the rate. The present debt rate is 18 cents per $100 in property value.
Read the full story in the mid-week Bowie News.
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.
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