NEWS
County commissioners call two meetings for July 6
The Montague County Commissioner’s Court has called two meetings for July 6.
The first one at 9 a.m. is a public hearing on the 2021-2022 proposed budget, which was filed on June 14 and placed on the county’s website for review. The second agenda item is to consider adopting the budget proposal.
That budget proposal does not include the $50,000 placed in contingency this past Monday for next year’s budget for additional repairs on sliding doors at the county jail. A request to spend $43,416 to repair five of the doors this year was approved Monday.
The original budget proposal showed a little more than $9.8 million general fund expenses, $486,984 for indigent health care, $1.1 million in precinct one, $985,785 in precinct two, $931,790 in precinct three and $1,006,384 in precinct four.
There also are numerous restricted funds within the budget, but these are the primary ones for county operations.
This budget also does not have a tax rate set. That figure will not be calculated until the certified property values arrive in late July; afterwhich, the court will take another look at the budget to consider a tax rate.
Depending on the projected tax revenue the budget may stay as proposed or face cuts to meet the tax rate the court desires.
In April the preliminary property values for the county came in at $2,025,557,101, which was up $74,306,876 above the 2020 certified values. Using the 2020 tax rate of .5641 cents per $100 in value those values could generate an additional $419,165.09 in revenue.
Certified values tend to stay in the vicinity of the preliminaries, but it is never a sure thing due to protests, property sales, mineral values and other factors. The county’s new fiscal year begins Oct. 1.
The second called meeting is to consider confirming the location of an existing county road Frontier Drive and accept a new survey for the property. That meeting is set for 9:15 a.m.
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.
Montague County Commissioners will adopt a budget and tax rate when they meet at on Aug. 24 in the courthouse annex.
The budget hearing will be at 8:30 a.m. Aug. 24, followed by a public hearing for the proposed tax rate at 8:45 a.m.
During the regular meeting at 9 a.m., there will be one final budget workshop for any last minute tweaks or changes, followed by adoption of the 2026-27 budget and 2026 tax rate.
The proposed tax rate is .4961 cents per $100 in property value, which is the same rate as 2025. Due to the increase in property values despite the same rate, the total tax levy on all properties will see a 3.64% increase.
A copy of the proposed budget is available on the county website at https://www.co.montague.tx.us/.
Several other financial related items are on the agenda. Accumulated comp time in the sheriff office and jail will be discussed. The commissioners also will consider any year-end expenditures utilizing any or the budget year contingency funds.
Other items on the agenda will include: Acceptance of the District Attorney’s 2023- 2024 and 2025 Chapter 59 asset forfeiture reports and authorize DA Katie Boggeman to sign them; imposition of optional fees from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles for 2027; House Bill 3834 cybersecurity and AI training certification for state and local governments compliance reports; interlocal cooperation agreement between the Department of Public Safety and the county court and district court; review the sherif office application for sheriff immigration law enforcement grant program Senate Bill 8; consider distribution of state grant HB 3000; and consider using Real Estate Station LLC Agent Denise Thurman to sell 5.9 acres on the corner of U.S. 81 and State Highway 59.
It should be no surprise, the month of July is recorded as the hottest month on record for the country.
July wrapped up with seven straight days of 100 degrees or higher July 25-31. August also opened hot with the first 100-plus degree day on Aug. 3 and it has topped that marked through Aug. 19. On Tuesday the high was 107 degrees at the water plant, but in town thermometers recorded 108 and 109 degrees.It was expected to top that mark on Wednesday.
There was no rainfall recorded in July or in August. Bowie has only 21.71 inches for the year so far and Nocona has 22.35 inches.
Lake Amon Carter
Aug. 19 –
917.22 msl, 80.2% full
July 19 – 918.10 msl, 86.1%
Aug. 19, 2025 – 919.84 msl, 98.8% full
Lake is full at 920msl
Lake Nocona
Aug. 19 – 823.48 msl, 76.3% full
July 19 – 824.41 msl, 81.05%
Aug. 19, 2025 – 826.878 msl, 95.85%
Lake full at 827.5msl
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