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.
There was a small turnout for the Oct 29 town hall meeting to explain the new emergency transportation plan being offered to residential utility customers in the City of Bowie.
About 25 citizens attended the session at the community center where Will Winters of MASA discussed the plan that will offered to customers and paid for through a $7.75 fee collected on the city utility bill. Every meter is auto enrolled in the plan, but customers can opt out by filling out a form on the city website or at the city finance office.
Customers will have until Nov. 11 as the deadline to opt out before the fee becomes effective on Dec. 1. There also is a process in effective to opt out at a later time. Opting out in the first 90 days qualifies you for a full bill credit refund, but after 90 days, previous fees are non-refundable.
(Top image – Bowie citizens listen to MASA representative Will Winters about details of the program at the city hall MASA meeting Oct. 29.)
Read the full article in your Thursday Bowie News.
The Supertunia Tiara duo debuted in 2025 and in this brief amount of time has become the darling of the landscape. The love and admiration from gardeners across the country including my area of West Georgia and East Alabama has been nothing short of wow.
As much as gardeners treasure their Supertunia Vista Bubblegum petunias, Supertunia Pink Tiara and Blue Tiara are here to say look at me! Oh yes, and both are building a trophy case with awards.
At first, it would seem the Supertunia Tiara Petunias were designed with the artist gardener in mind. While that could be true it is most likely that these petunias are so unique and beautiful that any combination or application you try simply looks ready for canvas.
Read the full Garden Guy column in your Thursday Bowie News.
The Bowie City Council approved a $950,000 project to improve the walking path at Pelham Park on Oct. 27.
Bowie Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Janis Crawley said the upcoming project will repave 26,277 square feet of pathway in concrete, spanning about 0.6 miles in length.
The work covers the trail section northeast of the Blade, curving past the soccer fields and toward the swimming pool.
Another section goes around the pool and sport courts, then back down toward the Blade. The project will also widen the trail section to eight feet and add a new 36-foot bridge.
Read the full story in your Thursday Bowie News.
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