NEWS
Bowie City Council to review water rate hike proposals
The Bowie City Council will meet at 6 p.m. on Dec. 9 considering numerous items of new business including two proposals for a water rate increase.
City Manager Bert Cunningham will offer the two rate plans developed from a recently completed water rate study he gave the council at the last meeting. He explained these increases will help replenish the infrastructure fund which is used to make repairs across the city, as well as help pay for the new raw water pump the state is requiring the city add.
One ordinance offers a 16% rate increase this year and the following year. For 2025 the proposed ordinance would increase the base rate per month by $3.19 for residential inside the city limits with a usage charge increase of .76 cents per 1,000 gallons.
For residential outside the city limits the rate would increase $3.67 and the usage rate by .87 cents per 1,000 gallons.
For commercial and industrial inside the city limits the base rate would go up $3.65 and the usage by .76 cents per 1,000 gallons. Outside city limits the base rate would increase by $4.09 and the usage by .87 cents per 1,000.
The second proposal would be a flat $7.50 charge and a 7% rate increases this year and 7% next year. The $7.50 flat fee would be programmed to expire in 2030.
Residential in the city limits would increase by $1.40 the first year and outside the city limits it
would rise by $3.67. For commercial and industrial inside the city limits the rate will increase by $1.60 the first year and for outside the city limits it will rise $2.05. Each customer would have the $7.50 flat fee.
A change order for the Nelson Street bridge replacement project will be discussed along with the final pay request for the project.
Councilors will consider hangar lease terms for privately built hangars at the City of Bowie Municipal Airport.
There also could be a change for council meeting dates as the panel ponders a move from first and third Mondays to second and fourth Tuesdays for the regular meetings.
Councilors also will make four reappointments to the library board.
In the city manager’s report Cunningham will give updates on Nelson Street project final details, sewer line project phase two, status of substation transformer project, Wichita Street water line final report and Community Development Block Grant.
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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