NEWS
Commissioners to consider paying down extra in retirement
Montague County Commissioner’s Court will meet at 9 a.m. on Sept. 23.
The agenda opens with the court proclaiming October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Commissioners will consider if they want to pay down additional funds to the county retirement system. During recent years the court has used a portion of contingency funds at the end of a budget year to help pay down on its liability for the retirement system.
Last year the county paid $650,000 which moved it to 100.6% of its obligation. Commissioners agreed they were working toward a cushion in the 105% range.
The court hopes things will go better in the second go-round for bids on the wastewater treatment plant.
Last month no bids were received, so the engineers suggested going out for bids on the primary unit, with the county handling some of the other work with concrete and plumbing. Montague is already on a timeline after receiving its draft permit from the Texas Commissioner on Environmental Quality.
Joint election agreements with seven area entities also having elections on Nov. 5 will be offered.
Several annual items will be presented: Texas Association of Counties Risk Management Pool Worker’s Compensation Renewal; CountyChoice Silver 2025 retiree medical program renewal and accept the 2024 annual report to Medicare for creditable part D prescription coverage.
The court will consider withdrawing from the current generator grant and re-applying under a different disaster mitigation grant opportunity.
The precinct two commissioner will seek authority to clear a portion of Smyrna Road at its intersection with Gary David’s property.
NEWS
Amon Carter Lake Board to meet
Members of the Amon Carter Lake Water Supply Corporation will meet at 6 p.m. on May 26 in the office at 607A Lindsey for a monthly meeting.
Items on the agenda include a consent agenda and minutes and financials. Possible discussion/action may be considered on the following topics: Treasurer’s report, review of finance and current loans; president’s report as to the written agreements with contractual employees; consider current water rates and a possible increase; and review of expenses and areas that need amendment.
An executive session may be entered to discuss personnel issues.
NEWS
Saint Jo City Council hires fire marshal
The City of Saint Jo has a new fire marshal as the city council made the appointment during its May 13 meeting.
Gary Hines, a retired professional firefighter and certified fire investigator, will take the position. City Secretary Debbie Dennis said the post is required by ordinance but has not been filled for a long period.
The council set dates for a budget workshop for 2 p.m. on June 14 and 2 p.m. on June 28 for the ordinance workshop, as the council works to update its rules.
Aldermen gave their support to a proposition by Councilman Jack Dunn who is asking the Legislature to allow Texas’ smallest cities, those with 2,500 or few in population, to receive an additional share of sales and use tax. He would like to see the funds used in these communities to repair and replace aging infrastructure without new taxes or reliance on state grants.
In letter to State Rep. David Spiller, whom Dunn will meet with on June 1, the alderman explains much of the state’s 6.25% share generated locally flows into general funds and is spent on other priorities. He would like Spiller to author this legislation. Dunn gave the letter to the council along with a powerpoint on the plan.
“A single water treatment plant upgrade or sewer rehab carries massive, fixed costs that do not shrink with population size. These communities, often with only a few hundred or a couple thousands residents, simply cannot spread those costs across enough ratepayers or a broad tax based,” the letter states.
Dunn suggests a “graduated sales tax retention policy:” 1% additional share for cities with 2,500 or fewer residents; .75% for those 2,500 and 5,000; and .50% for cities between 5,001 and 10,000. It would be dedicated to infrastructure. Dunn says the overall statewide fiscal impact would be negligible, but could help sustain small, rural cities.
NEWS
City of Nocona buys water storage tank, review dam repair
The Nocona City Council approved a bid for a new 203,000 gallon capacity tank for potable water at the water plant and learned a slide repair to the lake dam is going to be pretty costly.
At its May 12 session the council received three bids on the tank and went with one from Tank Depot of Cleburne for $193,923. It is for a a 217,600 gallon tank usable for 203,000 gallons. The price could change slightly since it was based on estimate freight costs.
Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.
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