[0:00] I didn't want to go home. They're like we don't want to go. We don't want to

[0:03] go. And and so we had to make them go because one of them had a doctor's

[0:07] appointment to get ready for school this year.

[0:09] Well, she was like well I'm not taking my

[0:11] stuff.

[0:14] But you need to because you might get Okay, where where is town? Uh

[0:18] at the time it was in Keene by Cleveland.

[0:22] It's a trip. And um

[0:24] she goes well I'm leaving my stuff. I'm like no you need to take it because if

[0:27] something could happen that where you know you might change your mind. I'm

[0:30] like where are you going to go to your friend's?

[0:31] Nope, I'm coming back. Talked him into taking it. Sure enough

[0:35] they got home and then his friends called, his cousin called and he was

[0:40] like okay grandma I think I may be I'll stay here.

[0:45] They were good though. They were good boys. Both of them.

[0:48] Very good boys. They kept us on our toes.

[0:51] No it's not. There's nobody here. Oh yeah.

[0:57] Well, thank you Mark and and Barbara for

[1:01] attending our meeting tonight. We appreciate that.

[1:07] Uh let's let let's get Doug to offer our

[1:10] invocation and open our meeting the normal way.

[1:13] » Heavenly Father God we come to you giving thanks and giving praise.

[1:17] We thank you for all you do for us God. We ask that you be with us our men are

[1:22] out there today keep the heat

[1:25] from getting to them and keep the fire at bay.

[1:27] Lord we just lift these things up to you that our council do your will tonight

[1:32] in Jesus' name. Amen. >> Amen.

[1:34] Please join me in the pledge. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the

[1:39] United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation

[1:44] under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

[1:53] » All right.

[1:56] Tonight um

[2:00] on our agenda, we have items of community interest other than the fact

[2:04] that it looks like everything around us is burning to the ground.

[2:08] Um and the temperature was 108 last time I

[2:11] looked at my truck. I don't Do you guys, Stephanie, do y'all have anything coming

[2:15] up you'd like the public to know about? >> Uh not in town soon.

[2:19] » Okay, then anybody else? All right, let's move on past community

[2:24] interest and open the meeting with our city manager report.

[2:29] » Uh we're now in the process of putting together a hazard mitigation plan

[2:34] courtesy of a North Central Texas Regional Planning

[2:37] Commission grant. Kurt Kiggins has taken the lead on this project. The hazard

[2:42] mitigation plan is a plan put together by our staff citing problem areas in the

[2:46] city and the plan has remedies to fix the

[2:49] problem. By naming the problem, having a plan to

[2:52] mitigate the problem, we will be able to get grants to repair the problems if

[2:56] they are available. Uh without the plan, we cannot get the

[3:00] grant. As we work on the plan, I will bring copies of it for you, the council,

[3:04] to review. We will have to approve of or you will.

[3:08] Uh last Thursday, we met with Matthews West and Huffhines, our auditors for the

[3:13] first part of our 2025-2026 audit. Austin Henderson,

[3:17] Dawson, and I went over what will be required from the auditors in order to

[3:21] get a good audit. The state of Texas requires us to have our audit done by

[3:26] the 1st of March 2027. So, we're starting early this year in

[3:30] order to meet the state deadline. Basically, without the audit, we cannot

[3:34] do anything with the state or federal governments that require financial

[3:37] assistance. Uh the reason we're starting so early is

[3:41] not necessarily us, but it's uh Matthews West and Huffhines.

[3:44] They had to really rush last year to get the audit done in time and so, they

[3:49] they're getting They were here uh last week and went over a lot of stuff and

[3:53] gathered a lot of information that I don't usually get until like, you know,

[3:58] in December or January. So, they're three or four months ahead of

[4:02] time. We hadn't even finished the year and they're already here. So, that's a

[4:05] good thing. On the agenda tonight, we're finally

[4:08] awarding the bid for the Rock and Pillar Street Drainage Project. Construction

[4:12] should begin in the next month or so after we have awarded the contract. I

[4:16] will have a timeline for completion of the project. Fortunately, the bids were

[4:21] such that we we should be able to totally complete the project with the

[4:25] including the alternate items which will enhance the finished product.

[4:30] Uh we finally finished the budget yesterday. Robert and I met with Rodney

[4:36] Dryden of Hub International, our insurance advisors, to discuss our

[4:40] employees health plan. We came up with a plan that the city can

[4:44] afford and we will allow the city to continue paying for employees health

[4:48] insurance. Rodney will be at our next meeting to

[4:52] explain you the plan to you and the reason for the difficulty of getting a

[4:57] plan. We will continue to insure with Blue Cross Blue Shield, but the plans

[5:01] will not be exactly the same as last year or any previous plan. If you have

[5:06] any questions about insurance, I will ask that you wait till Rodney is here.

[5:10] Robert and I can answer some questions and Robert can do a better job than I

[5:14] can because they have a lot more experience

[5:16] with the insurance. Uh but we might have to um might leave

[5:20] you confused, so it would be better to wait and get an accurate description

[5:24] from Rodney. Uh

[5:27] when I'm in Carter Lake level gets to 917

[5:30] ft mean sea level, which is 3 ft below normal pool of 920 mean sea level,

[5:38] we will automatically go into voluntary water conservation.

[5:42] This is where we ask the water customers to voluntarily limit non-essential water

[5:47] usage and voluntarily uh limit irrigation usage. Last time I checked

[5:52] today, the lake level is at 917.02. So, we're only 200

[5:58] uh above 917. So, we're about to there. Uh

[6:02] we'll be using social media and our website to announce the voluntary

[6:07] conservation plan. Any questions?

[6:12] » No, but I have something to say. Rocking Pillar

[6:15] yay. >> Yay.

[6:17] » Yeah. It has not been closed nearly nearly a fifth of the time that the

[6:23] other street was closed. And I'm hoping that this project goes even smoother

[6:27] than the last one. And we're back up and running.

[6:30] » I might read uh the letter I got from Blake Baldwin, who's with the corporate

[6:34] project board, who did the engineers uh corporate project board had reviewed

[6:39] the bids submitted, references, and verified the lowest

[6:42] responsible bidder's work history. Wall Contractors LLC has successfully

[6:47] performed similar projects ranging from $650,000

[6:51] to $3 million in and around the Metroplex. I can recommend awarding this

[6:55] project to Wall Contractors. Uh depending on the city's budget, I would

[7:00] recommend awarding the base bid and either or both the

[7:03] uh additive alternative bid items. They come with glowing

[7:09] recommendations. So, >> Yay.

[7:12] Somebody tell Rex that we're about to start on this project.

[7:16] Cuz every time he runs into Market, the grocery store, he asks him, "Are we Are

[7:19] we going to fix it? Are we going to fix it?"

[7:23] Yes.

[7:43] That's awesome. >> Yes.

[7:45] » excellent. >> We don't always hear that about a

[7:46] contractor, so that's absolutely awesome.

[7:48] » That's good. >> Wonderful.

[7:51] All right. Well, as you know, the public hearing is on the agenda tonight, so

[7:55] I've got to close this meeting at 6:06

[8:00] and reopen for a public hearing on at 6:06

[8:06] for the 2026 tax rate. So, let me read this to you.

[8:10] You you guys in the audience all pay close attention.

[8:14] The public hearing is to inform the public of the proposed tax rate of .5750

[8:21] per $100 of property value. The meeting in which the tax rate will be adopted

[8:27] will be the September 8th City Council meeting at 6:00 p.m. here in the Council

[8:31] Chambers. Do you have any questions from the public?

[8:38] » Mark, you good?

[8:42] » If we have no ques- If we have no questions, I'm going to

[8:46] close the I can't do it at 6:06. I'm sorry. You're going to have to wait.

[8:49] You're going to have to wait. 6:07. Close it at 6:07.

[8:55] » All right. Let's move on. Public comment. Do you have any public comments

[8:59] from the audience? This is probably the

[9:03] slimmest meeting I think we've ever had. All right. We're going to move on.

[9:08] » DJ, I'm good. >> You're good.

[9:12] All right. Consent agenda items for the um August the 11th regular meeting

[9:17] minutes. They are in your packet, but also um is the utility and the library

[9:21] write-offs. If you've had a chance to review them

[9:25] all, I would entertain a motion to accept as presented.

[9:31] » So moved. >> Thank you, Ms. Post.

[9:35] » Second.

[9:38] » All those in favor, say aye.

[9:41] » I feel like I should move this. Uh Sproles.

[9:44] » I. >> Post.

[9:45] » I. >> McEwen.

[9:46] » I. >> And Holstein.

[9:47] » I. >> Thank you very much.

[9:58] Sorry, I got to get I got to get on down here.

[10:05] All right. Next item on the agenda is the resolution 2026-27,

[10:12] a resolution setting a date for an adoption of the fiscal year 26-27

[10:17] proposed City of Bowie operating budget.

[10:25] I know. I'm I'm I'm trying to give my chance to take a look

[10:29] at it. So, it's not an ordinance, it's a

[10:32] resolution just setting the public date. So, I'd entertain a motion to accept the

[10:37] resolution as presented. >> So moved.

[10:41] » McEwen. Do I have a second? >> Second.

[10:44] » Post. Sproles.

[10:46] » I. >> Holstein.

[10:48] » I. >> McEwen.

[10:50] » I. >> And Post.

[10:51] » I.

[10:54] » Next item on the agenda is that ordinance 2026-29, an ordinance adopting

[10:58] an annual budget for the City of Bowie for the fiscal year beginning October 1,

[11:03] 2026 and ending September 30, 2027. Adopting a referenced document as said

[11:09] budget and establishing appropriations for the various activities and functions

[11:12] of the city, establishing an effective date and repealing all ordinances and

[11:17] regulations in conflict herewith. That was also in your packet.

[11:23] I'll entertain a motion to accept as presented.

[11:25] » I. >> Okay, second.

[11:28] » Holstein. Motion. Sproles on the second.

[11:32] Uh Post. >> I.

[11:34] » McEwen >> Aye.

[11:36] » Sprouls >> Aye.

[11:37] » and Holston >> Aye.

[11:38] » Thank you very much.

[11:42] All right, our next item is ordinance 2026-10

[11:46] an ordinance levying an annual ad valorem tax rate

[11:51] for the city of Bowie, Texas for the tax year 2026.

[11:57] » Plan to say it just like this here wants to make

[11:59] » Yeah, whoever wants to make the motion has to re-

[12:02] has to recite here. She wants to >> to accept ordinance number 2026-10.

[12:09] » Okay, well, let's see if it was read exactly like she just did.

[12:12] » I make a motion. I move that the property tax rate be increased by the

[12:16] adoption of a tax rate of 0.57 50, which is effectively a 5.89%

[12:25] increase in the tax rate. Thank you.

[12:29] » So, she made the motion and Holston seconded it.

[12:34] Sprouls >> Aye.

[12:36] » Holston >> Aye.

[12:37] » McEwen >> Aye.

[12:39] » and Post >> Aye.

[12:41] » Thank you.

[12:45] Our next item on item on the agenda is to award the bid to Wall Contractors for

[12:51] the Rock and Pillar Drainage Project.

[12:56] I'd entertain a motion to offer to award the bid.

[13:00] » So moved. >> Sprouls, do I have a second?

[13:03] » Second. >> TJ

[13:06] » Is there an amount that's mentioned? >> 1.3 million

[13:11] I don't have the number exact number in front of me.

[13:14] » We don't have the exact number at all or I haven't been

[13:17] » I it it's but I have it back in my office.

[13:20] » Okay. All right, we'll get it after Thank you.

[13:23] » Sprouls >> Aye.

[13:25] » Holston >> Aye.

[13:26] » Post >> Aye.

[13:27] » McEwen >> Aye.

[13:32] » Our next item on the agenda is ordinance 2026-11,

[13:35] an ordinance of the City Council of the City of Bowie, Texas, amending chapter

[13:38] 10, traffic control, article 10.2, stop signs established by adding D,

[13:45] regulating traffic flow around Kingdom Construction subdivision in Bowie,

[13:49] Texas, establishing stop sign traffic control devices, repealing any

[13:54] conflicting clause, providing for a severability clause, and establishing an

[13:59] effective date.

[14:02] » I'm sorry, where are those again? >> Kingdom Construction is the new

[14:05] subdivision that's being built over behind the elementary school.

[14:09] » Okay.

[14:12] » And some of these are actually in phase two and phase three, but we decided just

[14:17] to go ahead and do them all, and that way when they go into those phases,

[14:20] they'll already be in place. >> Yeah.

[14:22] » Absolutely. >> So, I'd entertain a motion to accept

[14:25] ordinance 2026-11. >> So moved.

[14:28] » Post, do I have a second? >> Second.

[14:32] » Whichever one you choose. >> T.J.

[14:34] » Sprouls. >> Aye.

[14:36] » Post. >> Aye.

[14:37] » Holstein. >> Aye.

[14:38] » And McEwen. >> Aye.

[14:40] » Thank you. All right, the last item on the agenda

[14:43] is to cast votes for the Texas Municipal League Intergovernmental Risk Pool Board

[14:48] of Trustees election. Um, you want to go over that?

[14:53] » No. Did you happen to bring that with you?

[14:57] » I did. >> I have some recommendations that I

[15:00] marked on the ballot. I hope you agree with me

[15:03] because I've been most of the people that I recommended or marked,

[15:08] I would recommend, uh, place one is Carrie D. Neil, city

[15:14] manager of Seagoville. Place two, Emily Crawford, and I know

[15:19] Emily very well. She's the city manager of Abilene. She went to Abilene from

[15:23] Brownwood. I've known her several years. She's a sharp lady.

[15:27] Uh excellent is Andy Joslin, city manager

[15:29] of the city of uh Beeville. Uh

[15:33] I don't know Andy Bagley, but I do. He's a good guy.

[15:37] And the other one

[15:42] or the other two, I don't know which it is,

[15:44] is James Houghtop. He's the city manager of Weatherford. I know him uh through

[15:50] Texas Public Power Association. He'll be a

[15:53] a good member, too. So, that's who I recommend.

[16:00] » So, I would entertain a motion to cast the votes as presented by the city

[16:05] manager. >> I'm

[16:09] so moved. I don't know any of them, so

[16:13] I'll take your recommendation. >> That's me.

[16:15] Holston, Sproles. >> Second.

[16:18] » Post. >> I.

[16:19] » Ewing. >> I.

[16:20] » Holston. >> I.

[16:21] » Sproles. >> For your understanding,

[16:24] intergovernmental risk pool is TMLIRP, which is our insurance carrier.

[16:29] » And >> They're the controlling board.

[16:31] » Houghtop is going to be a great addition to that. I know him personally, too. I

[16:35] think he'll be a great great addition. All right. So, at this point, at 6:14,

[16:40] I'm going to adjourn. Amen.

[16:43] » Okay, since we're adjourned, do we have uh

[16:47] information on who's actually running for city council?

[16:51] » Okay. Yes. Yeah.

[16:55] Um Precinct 1 is Levi Bailey and uh Valerie Thompson.

[17:00] » Is there anyone running

Notice is hereby given that the City Council will hold a Regular Meeting - 25 Aug 2026

Transcript