Connect with us

NEWS

Citizen says he feels like a hostage forced to use a trash service he doesn’t want

Published

on

During public comments Monday night the Bowie City Council heard from an unhappy citizen who says he is being held hostage to a trash company through his city water bill.
Donny Dunn, resides in the area of Mach’s Grocery Road, but receives city water service. He is angry about being forced to take service from Waste Connections just because he has city water.
“I don’t know why you are doing this reaching outside the city. There has got to be a reason, I am sure it has to do with money. I don’t understand. Just because we can is not an answer. What makes you think you have the right to tell me what I can or can’t do at my house,” said Dunn, who added silence is golden when there was no response from the council.
Mayor Gaylynn Burris said they cannot enter into a discussion on this under public comments, but he could meet with the city manager, who interjected he had already talked with Dunn on the phone.
Burris asked Dunn if he wanted to be on a future agenda where it could be discussed. Dunn said it won’t do any good because the council was not going to change its mind.
“I am unhappy with each and every one of you forcing me to do something I don’t want to. That is all I have to say. I will be on the phone with the attorney general,” Dunn concluded.
Back in June the city approved a new 20-year contract with Waste Connections and part of the service plan expanded service outside the city limits to water customers such as those at Silver Lakes. Based on city ordinances all customers will be charged for trash collection.

Continue Reading

NEWS

Amon Carter Lake Board to meet

Published

on

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.

Continue Reading

NEWS

Saint Jo City Council hires fire marshal

Published

on

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.

Continue Reading

NEWS

City of Nocona buys water storage tank, review dam repair

Published

on

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.

Continue Reading
Ad
Ad
Ad
Ad
Ad
Ad
Ad
Ad

Trending