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BISD Trustees want feedback: Why did people vote no on bond?

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By BARBARA GREEN

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The Bowie Independent District School Board of Trustees this week elected officers and considered how to proceed after the Nov. 7 bond election failed. BISD had no contested races, but welcomed newly elected incumbents Jacky Betts, Lee Hughes and Guy Green back to the panel. Betts was re-elected president and Green, vice president with Kent Dosch elected secretary. Voters said no to a $65.8 million bond issue to build a new intermediate school, renovate the present intermediate to accommodate junior high students and several other renovations on the other two campuses. The bond failed by 224 votes, 1,079 to 855 votes.Superintendent Blake Enlow said there were 79 propositions that passed across the state and 65 that failed. Of those that passed he added some went through by as little as three votes. There were $15,073,130,933 in bonds approved in Texas. Bok Financial Securities reports approximately 84.9% of the proposed $43.2 billion of Texas public school district bonds were approved by voters in 2023. the average historical approval rate since 2018 is 79.2% by dollar amount and 64.5% by number of propositions. Enlow asked the board if they wanted to proceed with a new bond whether it be to plan a spring election, update the plan for a new vote or something else?

Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.

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Bowie City Council taking shape with three new members

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By BARBARA GREEN
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The Bowie City Council welcomed three newly-elected members Tuesday night and the panel had its annual council orientation of duties presented by the city attorney.
Brandon Walker and Laramie Truax took the oath of office for their respective seats during the meeting. Laura Sproles was sworn in prior to the meeting as she was enroute to the hospital after a fall at home where she injured her hand and wrist. All the candidates had to take the oath by Tuesday night after the votes were canvassed.
City Attorney Courtney Goodman-Morris made the presentation on council duties and obligations, as well legal requirements. Brent Shaw was elected as mayor pro tem.

Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.

Laramie Truax takes the oath of office from Mayor Gaylynn Burris.
Brandon Walker takes the oath of office on Tuesday night. (Photos by Barbara Green)
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Bowie School Board swears in two members

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By BARBARA GREEN
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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.

New Trustee Angie Christmas takes the oath of office from fellow trustee Guy Green Monday night. (Photo by Barbara Green0
Returning Trustee Jacky Betts receives the oath of office.
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NEWS

ER/hospital steering group formed

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By BARBARA GREEN
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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)

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