NEWS
City says one applicant doesn’t meet requirements
Three people have submitted their names to fill the Bowie City Council vacancy, but city officials believe one person is disqualified due to the applicant having a homestead exemption in Clay County.
The vacancy will be filled at the June 22 meeting of the council.
The precinct one vacancy became open when Councilor Thomas Kent resigned on May 15. Kent was unhappy that former Mayor Gaylynn Burris was being considered to fill the mayor vacancy after Bill Miller resigned a few weeks earlier.
The city council opened the mayor vacancy up to applicants and Burris was the only one to make a submission. She was appointed on May 18.
Kent said he was resigning because it would create what he called a “double vacancy,” forcing both to a special election. However, this was not how it played out. Kent’s resignation was not accepted until June 8, so there was no double vacancy.
Local businesswoman Laura Hefley submitted her name for the vacancy. In a surprising move, Kent has submitted his name for consideration stating he wants to finish his term. Another businesswoman, Tawni Jones has submitted an application, but city officials question her meeting the residence requirements to fill the vacancy.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
August 25 – Montague County, TX will be under an ELEVATED FIRE THREAT and EXTREME HEAT WARNING today. Please be careful!
Air quality is poor across the area as large grass fires are being found in Wise and Jack County. The smell of smoke and ash are in the air.
Posted around 12:30 p.m. on Aug. 21 – The Montague County Sheriff’s Office is currently evacuating residences in the path of the wildfire in the 1800 block area of Starkey Road. If told you need to leave, please do so immediately. If you don’t live in the area, please stay out of the area to give responders room to work. (Information from the Emergency Communications Team for Montague County)
According to Saint Jo VFD – 11:30 (update) A brush truck and a tender has been requested by every department in the county to the scene of a large grass fire on Starkey Road, which is closed at this time.
Saint Jo Fire Department is assisting Nocona Rural Fire Department on a grass fire on Starkey Road near the Starkey Cemetery. Please avoid the area.
Companies on scene:
Saint Jo: Brush-341, Brush-241, Tender-141
Nocona Rural: Chief-131, Brush-231, Brush, 531, Tender-131.
Nocona City: Chief-130, Brush-130
Montague: Brush-151
Members of the Bowie City Council will meet at 6 p.m. on Aug. 25 to finalize the budget and conduct a public hearing on a proposed tax rate.
The ordinances adopting both the 2026-27 budget and the 2026 tax rate are on the agenda for action. The public hearing on the tax rate presents a rate of .5750 cents per $100 in property value, which is slightly higher than the 2025 rate that is .5430.
The new rate is projected to generate $2,990,998, compared to $2,703,176 from last year’s rate. This is the first significant change in the rate since 2019, when it was .5445 cents. The next year it went to .5447 cents, where it stayed until 2023, when it went to .5430 cents, through 2025.
A bid will be awarded for the Rock and Pillar Street drainage project. Wall Contractors will be recommended by the city engineer and staff review. The bid came in about $1.3 million, which was lower than the estimated $2 million. It is expected to straighten the channel and get this intersection reopened for traffic after more than a year of closure to collapse of a portion of the pavement on the street.
The council will consider stop signs regulating traffic flow around the Kingdom Ridge Subdivision next to the elementary school.
In the city manager’s report Bert Cunningham will provide information on the hazard mitigation plan, the 2025-26 audit preparation and the bid for the Rock and Pillar project.
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