NEWS
Bowie City Council approves water rate increase
After months of debate over water rate increases in the City of Bowie, the city council Tuesday night finally approved the second reading with the rates set to go into effect immediately.
While the ordinance passed last month, it failed on its second reading earlier this month, but Mayor Gaylynn Burris vetoed it bringing it back for further consideration. At that April 8 meeting two council members voted no on the second reading after previously voting yes.
It was agreed no one on the council wanted to see rates increase, but with escalating operational costs as well as mandated improvements to the water plant additional revenue will be necessary. It also will help stabilize the water department budget which has been incurring a large deficit in the last six months due to higher costs for chemicals and related items.
The city also is facing a mandate from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to install a new pump at the raw water pump station, expected to run close to $1 million. The city has been trying to get a variance to allow more time, but the TCEQ has not been forthcoming with that.
Councilor Brent Shaw reluctantly made the motion.
“I have looked at the things we have to do and the town we all want this to be, I don’t see another route. We have to charge more to cover the things we are being charged to do,” said Shaw as he moved to accept the rates.
Donna Ashley made the second and the motion passed with Councilor Brandon Walker continuing his no vote.
Read about all the rates in the Thursday 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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