NEWS
Bowie Council to consider credit card fees, energy retrofit project
Credit card fees for city bills and infrastructure work are just a few of the topics slated for the March 14 meeting of the Bowie City Council that begins at 6 p.m. in council chambers.
At the last council session, City Manager Bert Cunningham reported last year the city incurred nearly $93,000 in credit card payment processing fees the customer pay their bills. In the past, the council has rejected any fees, however, as the fees continue to grow Cunningham said he was preparing a recommendation for consideration.
There will be a discussion to take $72,000 from the infrastructure fund for the southside sewer project that will replace a collapsed line. Councilors also will return to the Honeywell energy retrofit proposal and decide if the city will participate. The company has offered a plan to finance the replacement of aging HVAC units, various controls and systems throughout city operations that can improve the energy efficiency and save in energy costs, which are in turn used to pay for the financing.
Honeywell has estimated a half-million program, however, if the council decides to proceed an “investment grade audit” that would define all costs. It would then be up to the city to decide after its receives this audit to proceed forward with the overall project. If the city declines after the audit shows positive savings, it would pay a “breakage fee” of $19,000 and if no positive savings are found Honeywell would not pursue it.
A resolution related to the filing of a grant application with the Nortex Regional Planning Commission for a regional solid waste grants program will be presented, along with four appointments to the parks board.
In the city manager’s report the following topics will be reviewed: Raise grant, solid waste grant, hospital emergency room, Public Utilities Commission workshop, southside sewer bid opening, audit meeting, Enterprise meeting and credit card fees.
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
Trustees of the Bowie Independent School District welcomed one new member this week following the Nov. 5 election and accepted the 2023-24 outside audit with no exceptions.
Incumbent Trustee Jacky Betts returned to place one and Angie Christmas took the place two seat. After the board officers were dissolved with the new ones taking the oath, officers were elected. Betts will continue as president, Guy Green as vice president and Kent Dosch as secretary.
Paul Fleming of Edgin, Parkman, Fleming & Fleming, PC, presented the audit telling there were no issues and the process went smoothly. He noted the biggest change was the Legislature compressing the district tax rate and additional changes in the tax law. State aid formula grants increased due to the state’s funding formula compensating for lost property tax revenue due to the law change previously mentioned.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
Information was the watchword for the second hospital/emergency room community meeting Tuesday night, as the steering committee was announced along with additional financial considerations.
About 50 people attended the meeting. Melody Gillespie, who was named chairperson for the committee, said the goal is to gather information to get it out into the community. This group was formed after the Bowie emergency room was closed by Faith Rural Health System in early October just shy of one year of operating in Bowie.
Kylie Ward, one of the public relations volunteers, said, “This committee is not here to force things on you and there are assumptions already we are proposing a tax. We are not, we don’t have that ability, we are just a research team here to explore all the options.”
Other members of the committee include Tiffany Chandler and Damon Benton handling finance and grant research; Jennifer Tellef, secretary; Valerie Tomerson, grant research; Ann Smith, PR and Margin Latham and Gillespie, legislative research. It was pointed out there are other members of the sub-committees who are helping with research, but they also invite anyone interested to help with the process.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
Top photo – Jack County Judge Keith Umphress spoke at this week’s steering committee meeting. (Photo by Barbara Green)
The following indictments were filed with the 97th District Clerk following the November session of the Montague County Grand Jury.
There were a total of 13 indictments with one sealed awaiting the arrest of a suspect.
A grand jury indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Read the full list of indictments in your mid-week Bowie News.
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