NEWS
BISD calls $65.8 million bond election
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
Trustees of the Bowie Independent School District called a bond election for Nov. 7 to consider a $65.8 million issue to build a new intermediate school, renovate the present intermediate to serve junior high students and improvements at the other two campuses.
Monday night the board met with its financial advisors Lewis Wilks with U.S. Capital advisors and Justin K. Hicks of Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, bond counsel.
The building program was presented at the last board meeting by the facilities committee made up of community volunteers. Chairman Daniel Deweber explained their original task was to consider a new junior high, however, as they explored the issues a new intermediate seemed more plausible to the group with some changes at the present intermediate updating it. Other parts of the program would expand parking at the elementary and building a covered area for drop-off in the front. At the high school, a weight room would be added plus a public restroom at the baseball field.
The new intermediate would be built on the vacant lot next to the junior high and have capacity for 600 students with complete facilities within that building. It also would include storm shelter areas and meet all the new TEA safety requirements.
Renovations at the intermediate which would then be used for junior high students, would include a dedicated wing for sixth grade where the present administrative offices are located. There would be renovations to the career tech area, storm safety locations, new instructional gym with seating, a new main entrance moved to the back and renovations to meet Texas Education Agency requirements for instruction and safety.
Wilks reviewed the preliminary tax rate analysis bond issue noting the $100,000 homestead exemption is expected to pass in the Nov. 7 election, so that was considered in the finance scenarios and reduces the overall taxable value of the district. The taxable assessed valuation is $1,221,712,443.
With a $65.8 million bond issue the maximum tax rate would be 43.5 cents for the debt service portion of the rate. The present debt rate is 18 cents per $100 in property value.
Read the full story in the mid-week Bowie News.
Concrete was poured on Nelson Street this week as the massive drainage project underway for almost nine months is getting near its end. Traffic will see a big relief once Nelson reopens, it was closed on Aug. 21, 2022 once a large section of the street on the north side collapsed following years of flooding and lack of drainage. (Courtesy photos Brent Shaw)
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
Bowie City Councilors reluctantly approved an increase of .0111 cents in the city’s electric rates in an effort to recover the ongoing increases in wholesale power costs.
The increase will go into effect in the July 15 billing cycle and residential customers can expect an increase of just under $9 a month. The average residential use is 800 kilowatt hours a month and this new rate would add $8.88 to the monthly bill.
The power cost recovery factory has been in debate by the council since earlier in February when City Manager Bert Cunningham recommended the increase, but then council said no.
Bowie’s power rates are set up in two categories: Base rates and power cost recovery. Base rates, customer charges and energy charges are intended to recover costs to the utility related to operating an maintaining the system (profit).
The PCRF is the variable portion of wholesale power costs and changes as needed based on factors in the wholesale market, including, but not limited to increases or decreases in the cost of natural gas, the fuel that generates most of the electricity in Texas. The PCRF is intended to recover wholesale costs of resale power.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
City of Bowie crews were busy earlier this week making a repair on a 12-inch water line on Pecan and Cooper where a valve was not holding. (Bottom) This was the rusty metal section of pipe cut out and replaced to repair the line. (Courtesy photos)
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