NEWS

Bowie adds 5% credit card fee to pay bills

Published

2 years ago

04/02/2022

By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
Bowie City Councilors agreed there was a need to implement a credit card fee for city utility bills, however, the panel debated the amount eventually going with a 5% fee effective June 1.
City Manager Bert Cunningham and City Finance Director Pamela Woods presented the proposal at Monday’s meeting. It was tabled from a previous meeting to allow time to research the company Certified Payments to handle the process, along with researching all the fees and calculating what is needed to help pay for more than $92,000 in fees the city pays to process card payments.
The issue had been raised in prior years, but Cunningham reported about two months ago the fees were nearly $100,000 and the city needs to do something to at least break-even with the fees. He previously noted $100,000 would buy a pretty good piece of equipment for the city.
In February the manager reported he would be researching Certified Payments as a potential vendor to handle the process; however, he said Monday night after examining the costs it was about the same as they have now and would not save money. In addition, using the present billing system would not require retraining of employees or customers who pay online or with a card.

Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.

NEWS

Bowie budget revenues not meeting projections

Published

22 mins ago

05/18/2024

bowienews

By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
In its six-month financial report for fiscal 2024-25 Bowie City Council members saw budget revenues were not coming in as high as projected, despite the budget using conservative figures.
During the Monday meeting, Finance Director Pamela Woods reviewed the numbers at the half-way point of the year. She said all the department heads are doing well keeping their expenses within budget just below the 50% level or 49.26% overall. Despite that, expenses are above revenues in the utility fund by almost $100,000.
In the utility fund revenues are 46.11% of budget in water; 53.19% in sewer and 43.74% in electric. The total utility fund revenue is at 46.42% of the budget or $5,572,694.

Carol Moore also addressed the council on disrepair at the Pelham Park walking track urging it to make repairs and maintain it.

Read the full council story in the weekend Bowie News.

NEWS

Chain-reaction crash in work zone injures two

Published

27 mins ago

05/18/2024

bowienews

Two people were transported to the hospital with possible injuries from a three-vehicle crash Tuesday afternoon in a highway department work zone on State Highway 59.
The accident occurred on Hwy 59 near Allison Road at 4:09 p.m. on May 14. There were three vehicles containing a total of six people.
Vehicle one driven by Carlin Jaster, Bowie with his passenger Zana Lara, Bowie, were traveling south on Hwy. 59. Two other vehicles driven by Kjersti Compton, Sunset and Edward Meadows, Grapevine were also southbound but stopped in a construction zone.
Jaster failed to control his speed and a chain-reaction crash occurred as he struck Compton who then hit Meadows.
Jaster and Lara were transported to Nocona General Hospital with non-incapacitating injuries. The others were uninjured. Tuesday was the first day for road construction along State Highway 59. Digital signs were posted for delays.

(Pictured above) Bowie Rural Fire Department and Bowie EMS responded to this three-vehicle chain reaction crash on State Highway 59 near Allison Road on Tuesday afternoon. There were a total of six people in the three vehicles, and two were transported to Nocona General with possible injuries. (Courtesy photo)