NEWS
BISD trustees face long agenda on July 21
The Bowie Independent School District Board of Trustees face a hefty agenda of business when they meet at 5:30 p.m. on July 21.
Interim Superintendent Lee Ann Farris will review a slate of information items that include: Texas Association of School Boards 2025 nominations foe the board; schedule for collaborative school board training; BISD convocation on Aug. 4 invitation to board members; summer district planning; updates on items from the 89th Legislative session and federal grants; BISD budget workshop and future meeting dates.
The plans a called meeting on July 24 where it is expected to offer Dr. Donna L. Hale the position of superintendent. Approval of updated handbooks and code of conduct also will be on that agenda. A budget workshop meeting will be set, along with August meetings for the budget hearing, tax rate and budget adoption.
Principals, athletic director and finance director will make their monthly reports.
In action items the board will see the following: Resolution for the development of a school library advisory council or not per Senate Bill 13; resolution for home school participation in UIL activities per SB 401; resolution for use of personal communication devices per House Bill 1481; TASB local policy updates; professional development plan; appraisal calendar; declare any hazardous bus route conditions; call the November election for two places presently filled by Jeff Jackson, place three and Kent Dosch, place four; and consider proposed budgeted for the Montague, Jack and Clay County Appraisal District budgets.
A closed session has two topics: Possible action regarding employee request to continue personal business activity and compliance with HB 3372 and personnel considerations. Any action would occur back in open session.
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
The 2026 certified property values for Montague County were released to the 16 taxing entities for which it sets values and for Montague County the total numbers were up 3.591%.
With the arrival of these numbers, the taxing entities can begin serious work on creating their budgets and proposed tax rates. Last year the Montague County Tax Appraisal District had to create two sets of values pending the November homestead election so they were happy things were back to just one set.
Certified values are based on property sales made as of Jan. 1, 2026. Chief Appraiser Kim Haralson said the values held up well during the protest hearings, and while minerals went down some there were a lot of new properties added.
New taxable property totaled $87,505,775 for 1,208 properties. Haralson said people appear to be setting up manufactured homes on some of the two-acre tract subdivision and other subdivisions are seeing people start to build houses.
Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
It is going to be a tough budget season for the Bowie City Council as it works through a draft budget proposal that tries to figure out how to pay for major projects and maintain present operations for the 2026-27 fiscal year.
As per the city charter, City Manager Bert Cunningham presented the budget proposal to the council on July 14, emphasizing without the final certified property values, as well as the final health insurance rates, it truly is a draft. The city staff also await the final bid numbers for the Rock and Pillar drainage project hovering around $2 million with plans to fund it through the budget.
A budget workshop was scheduled for 6 p.m. on July 27 with a public hearing to follow on Aug. 11.
Cunningham said the certified figures may become available by the end of the week, but that is uncertain. Two months ago the city’s preliminary values were up $70,530,035 from the 2025 final values, however, usually the certified values fluctuate slightly from the preliminary numbers, which totaled $497,939,568.
Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.
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