There will be a public meeting at 6 p.m. on Oct. 30 in the Bowie Community Center’s west hall to discuss the closing of the Bowie Emergency room and what can be done to move the process toward another hospital or ER.
City Manager Bert Cunningham said while he was helping organize the meeting, he noted the City of Bowie is not involved in this process.
The Faith Community Health System Bowie ER was closed on Oct. 6 just a few weeks shy of celebrating its one year anniversary. The grand opening took place after more than two years of work remodeling and repairing the ER portion of the old hospital.
Bowie had been without a local hospital or ER since early 2020 when Central Hospital closed its doors. Prior to that Bowie Memorial Hospital had operated for 49 years before closing on Nov. 16, 2015.
After Central closed, locals had to rely on Nocona General Hospital and Wise Health System for emergency care. Faith officials said the ER was not meeting the projections required to maintain operations.
The company also had failed to obtain a designation as a Rural Emergency Hospital, which could have provided more $3.2 million for its operations. Hospital officials said the wording of the legislation allowed for an acute care hospital, not a new ER.

Members of the Bowie City Council will meet at 6 p.m. on Oct. 14 and will take steps to revitalize the Bowie Water Supply Board and consider a mountain bike trail at Selma Park.
In new business items the council will consider reappointing Steve Gilland and Randy West, and appointing Wayne Bell, Don Marlow and Ben Robbins to the Bowie Water Supply Board.
City Manager Bert Cunningham said the board is being restarted as the city handles some legal issues related to the purchase of land for the Amon Carter Lake extension, following advice from its legal council.
The water supply board was set up back then to coordinate that lake extension development and remained in place until the bonds were paid off.
Also in new business the parks board will submit its recommendation to develop a mountain bike trail at Selma Park.
Other new topics include Public Works Director Stony Lowrance will request $4,600 out of the infrastructure fund to pay for 26 meters; ordinance amending the 2023-24 budget and resolution for signatories for the Community Block Development Grant- Mitigation Resilient Communities Program.
In the city manager’s monthly report he will update the Nelson Street drainage project, substation transformer, raw water pump, downtown revitalization grant, outside audit and placement of the new Trail Boss statue at Pelham.