NEWS
County to adopt budget, tax rate Monday
Montague County Commissioners will wrap up their budget and tax rate when they meet for a pair of public hearings on both at 8:30 a.m. on Aug. 28.
The proposed budget hearing is at 8:30 a.m., followed by the proposed tax rate hearing at 8:45 a.m. and the regular agenda where both will face action at 9 a.m.
A copy of the proposed budget for 2023-24 is available on the county website at co.montague.tx.us.
The proposed tax rate is .5017 cents per $100 in property value, which is slightly lower than the present rate of .50360 cents.
That rate is broken out into .3596 for general fund, .1217 for road and bridge precincts, .0004 for Farm-to-Market right-of-way, and .0200 for indigent health.
The general fund budget has proposed expenses of $11,457,991, which includes all the primary offices and departments. The road and bridge precincts are budgeted at $1,368,457 in precinct one; $1,058,649 in precinct two; $1,143,457 in precinct three and $1,124,489 in precinct four. The remainder of the budget is primarily restricted funds.
Overall budget increases include a five percent pay raise and a 5.5% health insurance hike. The elections administrator will move her part-time staffer to full-time and the jail will had a second transportation officer and buy two new vehicles for those positions.
The remainder of the increases are operational expenses and supplies.
Cody Busby will present the 2024-25 adult probation department budget and set an open meeting date for its consideration.
Sheriff and constable fees for the new year will be reviewed along with imposing optional motor vehicle fees through the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles.
The order calling the Nov. 7 constitutional amendment and joint elections in the county also will be considered.
Other topics on the Monday agenda include: Updates to the county employee handbook, adoption of prohibited technologies security policy; cybersecurity training certification and compliance report, transfer of a sheriff’s department truck to county maintenance, stockpiling chip rock on the Margie McCandless property on Redbird Lane in precinct two and precinct three will seek authorization to enter a the Tim Hall and Bill Leeming properties located on Boren Road to clear drainage.
The Bowie News office will be closed Dec. 24-25 for the Christmas holiday, and Dec. 30 and Jan. 1.
There is an early deadline of 4 p.m. on Dec. 27 for the Jan. 1 Bowie News for all news and ad items.
Your Jan. 1 edition will be delivered to the mail and racks one day earlier due to the New Year’s holiday. We hope you have a great Christmas week.
Your Bowie News staff wishes you the blessings of a wonderful Christmas as you enjoy time with family and friends. Our offices will be closed Dec. 24-25 for the holiday.
Montague County Commissioners wrapped up a few items before the end of the year as they met on Dec. 23.
Grant Coordinator Charley Lanier asked the court to go ahead and obligate $276,961.84 from the American Rescue Funds to complete the new wastewater treatment plant that will serve the courthouse complex.
He explained Dec. 30 is the last date where grant funds can be obligated, and he did not expect any issues since this project had already been approved in court using ARPA funds, he called it a “safety net,” to avoid any problem and possible return of the funds to the federal government.
Montague County has about $276,961.84 in grant funds which has not been allocated.
The court gave approval on the request.
Lanier also asked the court to apply for a grant for a tire cutter. Funded through the Nortex Regional Planning Commission and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the application will ask for $26,865 to purchase a larger gas-powered cutter on a trailer, which can be moved around for use. It would cut the larger tires into four pieces, which would be allowed into a landfill. Lanier said if the cutter comes through the county would need to obtain a permit for its use from TCEQ, which he added should not be an issue.
Commissioner Mark Murphey said he picks up more tires abandoned on the county roads than he disposes of at his own yard, adding he probably has 500 at his yard. The court gave approval to apply for this competitive grant.
The remainder of Monday’s brief meeting were year-end items. Bonds for the justice of the peace one, county clerk, county attorney, district attorney, sheriff, commissioner three and constable two were accepted.
A cooperative agreement with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the county was approved, along with a license and services agreement with Local Government Solutions to provide software for both justice of the peace officers. The county attorney’s Chapter 59 Asset Forfeiture report was presented with no new seizures or forfeiture.
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