NEWS
Sheriff asks for 2 more deputies, 1 jailer, 1 communications officer, jail software
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
Sheriff Marshall Thomas made a pitch for two more deputies, two more jail/communications officers, along with a new jail management software as county budget workshops got underway with the Montague County Commissioner’s Court Monday.
The county elections administrator and justice of the peace two also offered their budget requests to the court.
Thomas and Chief Deputy Jack Lawson offered the requests to the court, with county growth the primary factor for the two additional deputies. The sheriff presented a population-to-officer ratio for Montague, Clay and Archer Counties. The county has 938 square miles with about 20,000 in population. There are 12 sheriff’s deputies serving the county, plus 16 on the Bowie Police, three on Saint Jo Police and five on Nocona Police.
Clay County has 1,117 square miles with 10,500 in population with 18 sheriff’s deputies. Archer County has 925 square miles with 8,500 people. Twelve deputies serve the county, three Holliday police and two Archer City police.
In other figures he stated Bowie is 5.5 square miles with 5,075 people; Nocona, 2.8 square miles with 2,982 people; Saint Jo is one square mile with 863 people and the county has the remaining 928.8 square miles with 11,080 population.
“I ask for two more deputies that will help us maintain what we have, but with 11 subdivisions coming in there will be an increase in workload and at a certain point it is a safety issue. People moving in will see we are understaffed. I would not ask if I didn’t think it was necessary,” said Thomas.
Read the full story in the mid-week Bowie News.
NEWS
Bowie School Board swears in two members
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.
NEWS
ER/hospital steering group formed
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)
NEWS
Montague County Grand Jury issues November indicted cases
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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