NEWS
Old Bowie Lake residents asks council for more time
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
More than a dozen property owners from around Old Bowie Lake spoke to the Bowie City Council Monday night expressing their concerns about lake dam repairs and the possible draining or lowering of the lake level.
The council chambers and lobby area were filled with approximately 75 people. After nearly two hours of discussion, the council directed the city manager to explore more options and to work closely with the property owners, who suggested forming a committee to work with the city.
Dam inspection
The City of Bowie was informed last September about the poor results from an April 3, 2019 inspection of the dam, the first since 1970.
According to the report the dam was found to be “in poor condition in need of extensive maintenance and repairs.” The city was given until Oct. 10 to submit a plan of action including a schedule for work and completion.
In the response letter, City Manager Bert Cunningham provided an estimate of engineering costs which topped $193,500. The inspection report recommends doing extensive engineering studies and those costs did not include any of the work.
The letter states the city cannot afford the cost of engineering, much less the cost of making the dam a safe structure again. He asked Texas Commission on Environmental Quality officials for guidance on options.
Mayor Bill Miller opened the meeting to public comments with 16 people stepping to the podium. The majority of comments urged the council to avoid draining the lake, which would destroy their property values as well as the lake which has been a fixture in Bowie since it opened in 1939. The dam was built in 1936.
Alan Miller gave the opening statement. The local banker is looking at organizing a group of property owners and has met with the city manager about the issue.
Read the full story in the mid-week Bowie News.
Montague County Commissioners will meet at 9 a.m. on Dec. 23.
The court will consider obligating $276,961.84 of American Rescue Plan funds to completing the new wastewater treatment plant that will serve the courthouse complex. Commissioners have been working on this project much of the year.
Montague County will apply to the Nortex Regional Planning Commission for a solid waste disposal grant to purchase a tire cutter for use by all four precincts.
Developers for Kingdom Estates Phase 2 subdivision will offer a plant for lots 6-10, 16.06 acres located in precinct two.
A cooperative agreement between Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and the county will be presented, along with a non-exclusive license and service agreement between Local Government Solutions and Justices of the Peace one and two.
Annual bonds for seven elected officials will be offered, along with the county attorney’s 2024 Chapter 59 Asset Forfeiture report.
Montague County has received a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to assist individuals with the purchase and installation of a residential storm shelter.
The shelter must be FEMA-approved and individuals must install and pay for the shelter. After installation and passing an inspection, the individual could be eligible for 50% reimbursement of the cost of the storm shelter up to a maximum $3,000 reimbursement.
The initial program allows for financial assistance for the installation of up to 100 storm shelters. Visit the Montague County website at co.montague.tx.us and click on “Safe Room Program,” and under quick links to see the qualifications and requirements for participation in the program.
There is no deadline to apply, but only 100 applicants will be accepted
It’s here, the first day of winter marked by the winter solstice at 4:21 a.m. on Dec. 21.
The winter solstice is the day with the fewest hours of sunlight throughout the year, making it the “shortest day” of the year. Thankfully, after the winter solstice the days begin to grow longer and longer again and until the summer solstice, the first day of summer and the longest day of the year
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