NEWS
Burn ban extended for county; budget draft finalized
By BARBARA [email protected] County Commissioners went through their 2023-24 budget office by office during a called workshop Monday finalizing a draft proposal that will officially be voted on during the Aug. 14 meeting. The public hearing and vote on the budget will take place on Aug. 28. The court also extended the emergency burn 90 days after the initial seven-day order initiated by County Judge Kevin Benton last week. All outdoor burning in the unincorporated areas of Montague County are prohibited due to the dry and hot conditions continuing across Texas. Violations of the burn ban can lead to a $500 ticket. During the weekend local firefighters were kept busy at grass fires across the area. Friday night about 60 acres burned in the North Field area outside of Nocona. Another fire occurred on Yowell Road on Sunday burning about 65 acres. See the related box for all the specifics about what is allowed during the burn ban for outdoor cooking and welding.
Budget review
Judge Benton offered the court a draft that included many of the primary items its members asked for early in the process including a raise for employees and funding what is needed. Based on the proposal a tentative tax rate would be .5017 cents per $100 in property values, a .0019 below the present tax rate of .5036. The court approved a $5,000 across-the-board raise per employee. Commissioner Bob Langford said they want to try and do whatever they can for the employees and this is a significant increase.
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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