NEWS
Bowie City Council votes on tax rate
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
Bowie City Councilors accepted a proposed tax rate for 2024 and conducted the public hearing on the 2024-25 budget this week.
Those items were just part of a lengthy agenda that spanned the topics of calling an election, trash collection prices and natural gas rates.
There were no public comments in the hearing on the budget. The overall projected operational expenses total $23,296,885 with nearly comparable revenues of $23,306,568 for a closely balanced budget.
Some of the budget highlights include a 5% pay increase for hourly workers and 3% for department heads. The insurance increase is 4.9% and there are a little more than $600,000 in capital expenses for four pieces of equipment, park equipment and a 10% match for fencing at the airport. The utility fund will transfer in about $1.350,000 into the general fund and ad valorem taxes estimated at $2,587.483.
This budget’s tax rate is proposed at .5430 cents per $100 in property value. City Manager Bert Cunningham noted this is the third year for the rate to remain at this level. The public hearing for the rate and budget adoption will be on Aug. 26.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
Montague County Commissioners will meet at 9 a.m. on July 13.
Items on the agenda include the following: Approve bond for deputy clerk tax assessor-collector; reappoint Jan Ward to the Helen Farabee Center Board; approve line-item budget adjustment of $6,650 from election judges to election supplies for the purchase of a NeuraScanner; approve election judges, alternates and clerks for 2026-27 election year; consider enrollment with the Texas Association of Counties certified AI course; consider naming a private road Berkley Lane off of Farm-to-Market 1655; replat in precinct four and final plat for Twin Acres subdivision; review sealed bid for base rock and budget workshop for fiscal 2026-27.
Members of the Bowie City Council will meet at 6 p.m. on July 14 in regular session.
The city manager’s report from Bert Cunningham opens the meeting.
He will report on the Coffield to Roberts Streets waterline; budget preparation; status of the Texas Water Development Board grant application and a new water line on Session Street from Coffield to Roberts.
In new business, the council will consider a medical access and service advantage program, an ordinance calling the Nov. 3 election and an amendment to the finance department’s cash handling policy.
The city manager will make the presentation of the proposed 2026-27 budget, followed by setting a public hearing and budget workshop.
In old business, there will be the second reading of an ordinance updating the office of emergency management along with an update on an agreement for automatic aid assistance between the City of Bowie Fire Department, Sunset Volunteer Fire Department and Bowie Rural Volunteer Fire Department.
The first six months of 2026 have provided Bowie and Nocona with more than half of their average rainfall for the year, which is welcome as the steamy summer season gets underway.
Lake levels also are strong, but as always rainfall is welcome in this often dry season.
Bowie rainfall
January – 0
February – 3.0
March – 1.79
April – 5.93
May 3.63
June – 7.36
Total – 21.71 inches
Nocona rainfall
January – 0
February – 1.86
March – 2.13
April – 8.94
May – 1.64
June – 7.78
Total – 22.35 inches
Lake levels(7/7/26)
Amon G. Carter –
918.40msl, 88.3% full
Full at 920msl
Lake Nocona – 824.66msl, 82.9% full
Full at 827.50msl
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