NEWS
Bellevue ISD asking voters for $750,000 bond
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
Bellevue Independent School District approved a $4.5 million bond in November 2019 just as rumblings of a worldwide virus were beginning in America.
Little did the district know schools would be shut down five months later in March 2020 just as designs had begun on the new construction.
It would lead to a convergence of events that pushed the building project over budget, and forced the district to ask its voters for additional bond funds to wrap up the construction and purchase needed equipment.
Located in far southern Clay County and not far from the Montague County line, Bellevue ISD has an enrollment of about 145 for its Pre-K-12th grades.
In the Nov. 8 election Bellevue voters will be asked to consider a pair of bond propositions that together total $750,000.
Proposition A asks for $655,000 for designing, constructing, improving, upgrading, updating, acquiring and equipping school facilities, plus the removal of any necessary existing facilities.
Proposition B is for $95,000 and would allow for the sale of bonds in an amount not to exceed $95,000 for refunding all or a portion of the State Energy Conservation Office Loan agreement from May 22, 2020.
Superintendent Wade Wesley and members of the school board have been conducting informational meetings on the bond proposals this week to prepare voters for the November election. He said it can be a confusing thing as the district cannot advocate for the vote and can only provide information.
Wesley emphasized that although the ballot must say “this is a property tax increase,” the school will decrease the tax rate by two cents for the debt service portion of the rate next August.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
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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