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New electric rate ordinance passes first reading

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By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
The Bowie City Council approved an updated electric rate ordinance Monday night clarifying changes that should have been done back in 2016 and reflect the reduction approved in fall 2018.
Not unexpected, the debate was heated as two council members wanted to change the overall electric rate schedule despite the prior council’s adoption of a rate plan last fall that was reportedly “unknowingly” implemented without a new ordinance.
The electric rate ordinance approved at the last meeting was up for a second reading, but Mayor Gaylynn Burris asked the council to set that aside and consider one that has been revised with a couple of changes discussed in that meeting.
In the new ordinance, the date was taken out eliminating any need to backdate it to meet the Dec. 1 date when new electric rates went into effect. The monthly wholesale power and transmission charge will be computed at “regular intervals” instead of monthly.
It was discovered in January, after many questions to the engineers, the last time a rate ordinance was approved in 2015 following a rate study in 2015. However, in 2016 some changes were made to the electric rates directed by a former Schneider engineer without recommending a change to the electric rate ordinance.
Schneider Engineering officials said they understood nothing had changed since that time and told city officials there was no need for a new ordinance in fall 2018. The council approved the electric rate reduction effective Dec. 1, 2018, but did not do an ordinance.
Councilor Tami Buckmaster who has raised many of those questions to the engineer about the rate schedule which led to the further investigation said the new ordinance clarified a few of her legal questions, but her problem is not cutting businesses in on the rate reduction. She said this happened before she was on the council so she does not know the reasons for the rate plan.

Read the full story in the mid-week Bowie News.

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Bowie Council accepts phase two sewer line bid

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By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
The Bowie City Council accepted a $1.38 million bid for phase two of the sewer line replacement program and received an engineer’s update on Nelson Street drainage.
Council members met Monday night and opened the evening with the presentation of proclamations for Emergency Medical Services Week and National Travel and Tourism Week. Members of the Bowie EMS service accepted the first proclamation and Cindy Roller of Bowie Community Development accepted the second.
City Manager Bert Cunningham reported the city received one bid for phase two of the sewer line project that will replace the Glenn Hills lift station and sludge pumps at the wastewater plant. While the bid came in above the original estimate, Mike Tibbetts of Hayter Engineering, said there are several things that can be removed to lower the costs.

Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.

Pictured – replacing a manhole in phase one. (Courtesy photo)

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Bowie budget revenues not meeting projections

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By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
In its six-month financial report for fiscal 2024-25 Bowie City Council members saw budget revenues were not coming in as high as projected, despite the budget using conservative figures.
During the Monday meeting, Finance Director Pamela Woods reviewed the numbers at the half-way point of the year. She said all the department heads are doing well keeping their expenses within budget just below the 50% level or 49.26% overall. Despite that, expenses are above revenues in the utility fund by almost $100,000.
In the utility fund revenues are 46.11% of budget in water; 53.19% in sewer and 43.74% in electric. The total utility fund revenue is at 46.42% of the budget or $5,572,694.

(Pictured above) Carol Moore also addressed the council on disrepair at the Pelham Park walking track urging it to make repairs and maintain it.

Read the full council story in the weekend Bowie News.

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Chain-reaction crash in work zone injures two

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Two people were transported to the hospital with possible injuries from a three-vehicle crash Tuesday afternoon in a highway department work zone on State Highway 59.
The accident occurred on Hwy 59 near Allison Road at 4:09 p.m. on May 14. There were three vehicles containing a total of six people.
Vehicle one driven by Carlin Jaster, Bowie with his passenger Zana Lara, Bowie, were traveling south on Hwy. 59. Two other vehicles driven by Kjersti Compton, Sunset and Edward Meadows, Grapevine were also southbound but stopped in a construction zone.
Jaster failed to control his speed and a chain-reaction crash occurred as he struck Compton who then hit Meadows.
Jaster and Lara were transported to Nocona General Hospital with non-incapacitating injuries. The others were uninjured. Tuesday was the first day for road construction along State Highway 59. Digital signs were posted for delays.

(Pictured above) Bowie Rural Fire Department and Bowie EMS responded to this three-vehicle chain reaction crash on State Highway 59 near Allison Road on Tuesday afternoon. There were a total of six people in the three vehicles, and two were transported to Nocona General with possible injuries. (Courtesy photo)

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