NEWS
Commissioners may lift burn ban
Members of the Montague County Commissioner’s Court will consider lifting the burn ban when they meet at 9 a.m. on Oct. 23.
The ban has been in effect since Aug. 7 and was only a few weeks from its 90-day expiration date. During the last summer months there was little rain creating extremely high fire conditions. Montague County residents experienced several large grass fires including one south of Bowie in the Fruitland Road/Highway 101 area that burned several hundred acres and many out buildings.
A jury selection plan for Montague County will be considered along with approving the 2023 tax totals.
Other topics on Monday’s agenda will include the bond for temporary Justice of the Peace Two John Swenson; appointment of a member to the Montague County Child Welfare Board; payment of several bills for repairs at the courthouse; accept the county attorney and sheriff’s chapter 59 asset forfeiture reports and review the preliminary plat of lots 1-10 in the W.R. Coley Survey in precinct two.
Members of the Montague County Commissioner’s Court will meet at 9 a.m. on May 11.
After the consent agenda and public comments, the court will discuss an interlocal agreement between precinct two and the Bowie Sports Association for the baseball complex.
Precinct three will ask for a line-time budget adjustment of $15,000 from operating expenses to part-time.
The court will open and consider accepting sealed bids for emulsified asphalt and prime oil, all on a 90-day contract.
The consent agenda of minutes, bills and reports also is slated.
A 44-year-old Bowie man was arrested Monday morning at the lake next to Bowie High School after he was acting suspiciously and ran from police.
At 7:28 a.m. May 4 Lt. Bob Blackburn saw a man trespassing at the school lake. Nearby there was a vehicle parked on the service road belonging to the suspect, Zane Huntley. The license plate on the vehicle had been concealed using tape.
“My immediate first thought was someone was here to hurt my kids. Covering up your plates is something criminals do,” said the officer.
Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
Staff of the Montague County Tax Appraisal District sent out 15,815 preliminary property value statements for the 2026 tax year.
An additional 3,500 mineral notices and 90 business personal property notices were sent out by Pritchard & Abbott.
Overall total preliminary values for the county went up 8.1% when compared to certified values from 2025 reported Chief Appraiser Kim Haralson.
Property values have undergone many changes in the last few years based on actions from the Texas Legislature, subdivision developments and energy.
Last November, Texas voters approved an increase in the homestead exemption from $100,000 to $140,000 which affected last year’s values and taxes.
Ongoing development of subdivisions throughout the county and fluctuations in the oil and gas industry also are having an impact.
Values were determined as of Jan. 1, 2026, so any activity after that date such as recent upheavals in energy due to the war in Iran have not impacted the numbers.
Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.
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