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.
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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