NEWS
Bowie City Council approves water rate increase
After months of debate over water rate increases in the City of Bowie, the city council Tuesday night finally approved the second reading with the rates set to go into effect immediately.
While the ordinance passed last month, it failed on its second reading earlier this month, but Mayor Gaylynn Burris vetoed it bringing it back for further consideration. At that April 8 meeting two council members voted no on the second reading after previously voting yes.
It was agreed no one on the council wanted to see rates increase, but with escalating operational costs as well as mandated improvements to the water plant additional revenue will be necessary. It also will help stabilize the water department budget which has been incurring a large deficit in the last six months due to higher costs for chemicals and related items.
The city also is facing a mandate from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to install a new pump at the raw water pump station, expected to run close to $1 million. The city has been trying to get a variance to allow more time, but the TCEQ has not been forthcoming with that.
Councilor Brent Shaw reluctantly made the motion.
“I have looked at the things we have to do and the town we all want this to be, I don’t see another route. We have to charge more to cover the things we are being charged to do,” said Shaw as he moved to accept the rates.
Donna Ashley made the second and the motion passed with Councilor Brandon Walker continuing his no vote.
Read about all the rates in the Thursday Bowie News.
The Bowie City Council will meet at 6 p.m. on June 23.
The agenda includes both old and new business items.
City Manager Bert Cunningham will make his report on the 2026-27 budget process, bid opening for the Glenn Hills lift station on July 16 and the bid for Rock and Pillar repairs.
In new business a pair of planning and zoning committee recommendations for replats at 107 E. Nelson and 412 Green will be reviewed. An ordinance adopting an office of emergency management amending a present ordinance will be offered.
Old business will see the second reading of the pickleball court reservation fee ordinance and the ordinance prohibiting drilling and mining or the reopening of an abandoned well or mine in any public park in the city limits.
A HEAT ADVISORY will be in effect from noon until 9 p.m. today (Thursday). Please plan accordingly.
Hear Audio Alert:https://hrpow.us/oeFZANN
Montague County Sheriff Marshall Thomas has confirmed human skeletal remains were recovered on June 13 in the Sunset area, and they could possibly be those of a flight attendant believed to have been murdered almost a year ago in the Fort Worth.
The murder suspect, Dennis William Day, 66, admitted in June 2025 to strangling Rana Soluri, 47, an Envoy flight attendant who lived with Day during that last year. She was reported missing by a co-worker on June 11 and had not been seen or heard from since March 2025.
Day initially denied any involvement, but later admitted to the murder and indicated he dumped her body somewhere in the Montague County area. Lawmen have scoured the areas in questions in both Montague and Wise County, but found nothing.
Sheriff Thomas said on June 13 the SO received a call of possible skeletal remains in the Brushy Creek area north of Poss Dyer Lane on Farm-to-Market 1749. A deputy went to the scene and confirmed it was human remains.
Investigators responded and kept the scene secure overnight until staff from the University of North Texas Forensic Anthropology Center could arrive and made the recovery on June 14. A Texas Ranger and staff from the Fort Worth Police Department also were on scene.
“There is no determination made yet on how long it has been there,” said Thomas. “The anthropologist was pleased to recover most of the skeleton in these conditions. Heavy rains previously made the past searches difficult. We are working jointly with Fort Worth to make an identification and if it is the victim in their homicide.”
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