NEWS
Commissioners get broadband brief; consider engineer for new sewer plant
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienwsonline.com
Montague County Commissioners Monday received a brief overview of results from the recent broadband survey with a full report scheduled for February.
During public comments at the Jan. 23 regular meeting, Pamela Waggoner, a broadband solutions manager with Connected Nation, asked to speak. The company she works for was contacted through the Priddy Foundation to conduct the broadband survey for the county. The full report will be presented via Zoom in February.
She reported while the actual participation numbers were not as high as they would like to have seen, 93.56% of county households have 25/3 Megabits per second (Mbps) which is 25 Mbps downstream and 3 Mbps upstream.
The federal government considers 25/3 to be “high speed,” however, the industry is leaning more toward that number needs to be 100/20. Only 700 households are considered at a higher level in the county, but if the lower number is considered “high speed,” 90% are served.
Waggoner explained while some may have strong service there are a lot of gap areas and people are dissatisfied with the service speed they are experiencing.
The court voted to hire an engineering firm to design and provide specifications for bid purposes to build a sewer treatment plant. County Judge Kevin Benton said Commissioner Mike Mayfield did the research into what is needed to start bringing the plant online to replace the present septic system that serves the courthouse, sheriff’s office and jail, and annex.
Read the full story in the mid-week Bowie News.
Members of the Bowie City Council will face a brief agenda when they meet at 6 p.m. on Oct. 13 in the council chambers.
Following routine reports and consent agenda items, the council will consider a resolution authorizing submission of the city’s 2027/2028 Texas Community Development Block Grant application to the Texas Department of Agriculture.
Then council members will consider approving Bob Blackburn for appointment as a reserve police officer with the Bowie Police Department.
Following an executive session, the council will discuss and potentially take action regarding the annual employment evaluations and duties of both the City Secretary and the Municipal Court Judge.
After nearly three months of no rain, Mother Nature brought the showers this past week.
Downtown Bowie rain reports varied from 7 to 8 inches, while the Saint Jo area reported a 10-inch total. The city water plant in Bowie reported 5.55 inches on Sept. 30 with 1.6 Oct. 1-3.
Nocona saw a total of 6.31 inches of rain across Sept. 26 to Oct. 3.
On Oct. 6, Lake Amon G. Carter saw a level of 917.39 mean sea level rising to 81.31% full. Just one week earlier the lake was 73.6% full, while one year ago it was 94.01%. The lake is full at 920msl.
Lake Nocona was 73.7% full at 823.02 on Oct 6. One week earlier it was 70.41% full and one year ago it was 92.41%. The lake is full at 827.5 msl.
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
One Montague County City has joined the battle against any data centers being built in this county and there is a petition drive underway to urge the commissioner’s court to keep data centers out of Montague County.
At a Sept. 28 called meeting of the Saint Jo City Council, officials unanimously approved a resolution stating its opposition to the “siting, permitting, construction or operation of data centers and similar hyperscale computing facilities within the city limits or the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction.”
City Secretary Debbie Dennis said several citizens approached Councilor Jack Dunn about their data center concerns and he helped prepare a resolution. The council gave unanimous support.
Read the full story in your Thursday Bowie News.
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