NEWS
Bowie Council meeting moved to Feb. 7
After canceling its Monday meeting, the Bowie City Council has rescheduled for 6 p.m. on Feb. 7 in the council chamber.
The agenda remained virtually the same with one new addition, a resolution authorizing the filing of a grant application with the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security for protective equipment for the emergency operations center.
Much of the discussion centers on grant applications. EOC Coordinator Kirk Higgins has been working on a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant for generators, a Homeland Security grant and a FEMA grant for individual safe rooms.
City Manager Bert Cunningham will update the council on grant applications and programs he has been pursuing, along with a report of Ameresco and the Texas Water Development Board sewer line project in Bowie.
Finance Director Pamela Woods will present the quarterly financial statement ending December 2022.
Police Chief Guy Green will offer the department’s federally mandated racial profiling report and comparative analysis. The new Texas Department of Emergency Management county liaison officer, Whit Cross, will be introduced.
The council will consider reappointing Bill Calabretta and Bradlee Summer to the Planning and Zoning Commission. A proposal for Cody Carlton to lease the 57 acres of city property at Old Bowie Lake for cattle grazing will be examined. He is offering to pay a lease of $1,257.13.
The owners of Hilltop Tire also will be recognized for a donation.
NEWS
Amon Carter Lake Board to meet
Members of the Amon Carter Lake Water Supply Corporation will meet at 6 p.m. on May 26 in the office at 607A Lindsey for a monthly meeting.
Items on the agenda include a consent agenda and minutes and financials. Possible discussion/action may be considered on the following topics: Treasurer’s report, review of finance and current loans; president’s report as to the written agreements with contractual employees; consider current water rates and a possible increase; and review of expenses and areas that need amendment.
An executive session may be entered to discuss personnel issues.
NEWS
Saint Jo City Council hires fire marshal
The City of Saint Jo has a new fire marshal as the city council made the appointment during its May 13 meeting.
Gary Hines, a retired professional firefighter and certified fire investigator, will take the position. City Secretary Debbie Dennis said the post is required by ordinance but has not been filled for a long period.
The council set dates for a budget workshop for 2 p.m. on June 14 and 2 p.m. on June 28 for the ordinance workshop, as the council works to update its rules.
Aldermen gave their support to a proposition by Councilman Jack Dunn who is asking the Legislature to allow Texas’ smallest cities, those with 2,500 or few in population, to receive an additional share of sales and use tax. He would like to see the funds used in these communities to repair and replace aging infrastructure without new taxes or reliance on state grants.
In letter to State Rep. David Spiller, whom Dunn will meet with on June 1, the alderman explains much of the state’s 6.25% share generated locally flows into general funds and is spent on other priorities. He would like Spiller to author this legislation. Dunn gave the letter to the council along with a powerpoint on the plan.
“A single water treatment plant upgrade or sewer rehab carries massive, fixed costs that do not shrink with population size. These communities, often with only a few hundred or a couple thousands residents, simply cannot spread those costs across enough ratepayers or a broad tax based,” the letter states.
Dunn suggests a “graduated sales tax retention policy:” 1% additional share for cities with 2,500 or fewer residents; .75% for those 2,500 and 5,000; and .50% for cities between 5,001 and 10,000. It would be dedicated to infrastructure. Dunn says the overall statewide fiscal impact would be negligible, but could help sustain small, rural cities.
NEWS
City of Nocona buys water storage tank, review dam repair
The Nocona City Council approved a bid for a new 203,000 gallon capacity tank for potable water at the water plant and learned a slide repair to the lake dam is going to be pretty costly.
At its May 12 session the council received three bids on the tank and went with one from Tank Depot of Cleburne for $193,923. It is for a a 217,600 gallon tank usable for 203,000 gallons. The price could change slightly since it was based on estimate freight costs.
Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.
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