NEWS
Bowie City Council to see budget ordinance
The City of Bowie will conduct the first reading of an ordinance approving the 2023-24 budget when the city council meets at 6 p.m. on Aug. 28.
A public hearing for the proposed tax rate for 2023 also will take place. The rate is .5430 cents per $100 in property value, the same rate as 2022. This will generate $141,334 in additional tax revenue.
The general fund proposed budget is $9,646,613 and the utility fund is $11,516,160. The final figures may change slightly as the certificate of obligations sought to pay for the Nelson Street drainage project are sold and finalized.
In an executive session the council will conduct annual evaluations of the municipal judge, city secretary and city manager.
Other topics is a request from the Helen Farabee Center for a monetary contribution, Atmos Cities rate settlment, joining the SmartBuy program with the state and consider renaming Jaycees Park to City of Bowie Southside Park.
Members of the Montague County Commissioner’s Court will meet at 9 a.m. on May 11.
After the consent agenda and public comments, the court will discuss an interlocal agreement between precinct two and the Bowie Sports Association for the baseball complex.
Precinct three will ask for a line-time budget adjustment of $15,000 from operating expenses to part-time.
The court will open and consider accepting sealed bids for emulsified asphalt and prime oil, all on a 90-day contract.
The consent agenda of minutes, bills and reports also is slated.
A 44-year-old Bowie man was arrested Monday morning at the lake next to Bowie High School after he was acting suspiciously and ran from police.
At 7:28 a.m. May 4 Lt. Bob Blackburn saw a man trespassing at the school lake. Nearby there was a vehicle parked on the service road belonging to the suspect, Zane Huntley. The license plate on the vehicle had been concealed using tape.
“My immediate first thought was someone was here to hurt my kids. Covering up your plates is something criminals do,” said the officer.
Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
Staff of the Montague County Tax Appraisal District sent out 15,815 preliminary property value statements for the 2026 tax year.
An additional 3,500 mineral notices and 90 business personal property notices were sent out by Pritchard & Abbott.
Overall total preliminary values for the county went up 8.1% when compared to certified values from 2025 reported Chief Appraiser Kim Haralson.
Property values have undergone many changes in the last few years based on actions from the Texas Legislature, subdivision developments and energy.
Last November, Texas voters approved an increase in the homestead exemption from $100,000 to $140,000 which affected last year’s values and taxes.
Ongoing development of subdivisions throughout the county and fluctuations in the oil and gas industry also are having an impact.
Values were determined as of Jan. 1, 2026, so any activity after that date such as recent upheavals in energy due to the war in Iran have not impacted the numbers.
Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.
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