City Council - Regular Meeting

We might have decisions, make them in such a way that this will prosper our city.

Just bless us and we thank you for all you do.

We need you. So encourage us and strengthen us in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen.

Please join me in the pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Okay, I have an announcement for the library. The library and the Friends of the Library are hosting an event on Tuesday, July the 7th from 10 to 4 p.m. at the Community Center. It's for a free traveling museum experience. Let me just read you the little blurb here. It says, get a close-up with the massive dinosaur skulls, incredible fossil replica, and ancient prehistoric fish and mammals from all over the globe. Hosted by the Friends of the Bowie Public Library, this hands-on exhibit is perfect for the future paleontologist of all ages. Again, that's a free event, July the 7th, 10 to 4 at the Bowie Community Center. And then, of course, we have the rodeo this week. So tonight I think they moved the – I'm not positive, but they were talking about moving the youth rodeo out to Montague because of the rain, which it sounds like it might have been a good idea. And then so tomorrow night starts the rodeo and Thursday, Friday, and Saturday for the rodeo. So we'll see. Everybody be there.

Wednesday's youth.

Wednesday's youth, yeah. Yeah, tomorrow's youth rodeo. Thursday, Friday and Saturday. So all kinds of stuff happened in Saturday. Please check it out. Uh, Jim Bowie days association has a Facebook and a website. All right. At this point, let's turn the meeting over to city manager for city manager report.

Uh, you have a copy of this in front of you, but we're neck deep and putting together the 26, 22, 27 budget. Hopefully I'll be able to present the first draft, the budget. by the first meeting in July, which we are required to do. We are having some trouble trying to understand how the previous budget was prepared, but we are making progress. And we're moving along well with that. I'm getting a lot of help from Amber on the spreadsheets I'm putting our new assistant finance director through the paces and stuff, so we're learning as we go. I've done it before, but not all by myself, so it feels like I'm by myself this time, but I've got a lot of help. The bid opening for the Glen Hills Lift Station will be on July the 16th and will be awarded shortly after opening. If you will recall, it took us over a year to get the expanded easement that the current lift station sits on had to rebid the project because it took so long to get the easement hopefully the bids will come in close to what the engineers estimates were that the last bid was we thought it was high and we only had one better so we had to take it but maybe we'll get more bidders at a better price this time hopefully we're planning on advertising the rock and pillar street drainage project with a bid opening date of August the 4th and awarding the contract date of August the 18th. I will have more details on the project later. The base contract on this bid should be about $1,385,940 with two alternatives. The number one alternative is shaping the earth and channel down to Miller Street, which is the estimated cost of $133,710. And number two is concrete repairs at the Miller and Greenwood Street Bridge, estimated at $209,000, $208, $80. Anyway, I was talking to a gentleman this afternoon, and he lives in that area. And he said, we're really not in a hurry to get that fixed, because it sure has cut the amount of traffic in that intersection. But anyway, we're going to get it started. Any questions?

on the budget, what's, what's kind of been tripping, tripping us up or is it just new people in the position?

Uh, no, not new people. It's old people. That's all I'm gonna say. Okay.

That is, if you wanna know more, no, yeah, I was gonna say that was very tactful. I like that. I like it too. Any other questions? All right. So let's move on to the consent agenda items. Oh, wait a minute. I keep forgetting. We moved public comments. So I have any public comments, anybody. Okay. Let's move on to the next item on the agenda then, which is the consent agenda items. Okay. All of your minutes for, uh, the last meeting plus the write offs for the electric and the library. So I would entertain, entertain a motion for these as presented.

So moved.

Truex. Do I have a second?

Second.

Post. Shaw.

Yes.

Holstein. Aye. Scrolls. Aye. Post. Aye. McEwen. Aye. And Truex. Aye. Thank you for all of that. The next item on the agenda is the ordinance of the city. The city of Bowie, it's ordinance 2026-05, ordinance of the city of Bowie, Texas, adding a pickleball court, reservation fee to appendix C, fee schedule of the Bowie Code of Ordinances, providing a savings clause, a repealer clause, and providing an effective date. I would like to inform Stephanie and Laura that this was on the agenda last time. This is the second reading, so I'm sure you've already read it and brought yourself up to date.

But it's still free for the public to use. Yes. But they can just reserve it for a fee. Yes. Okay.

So if, if everybody is comfortable, I'd entertain a motion to accept that fee schedule as presented.

So moved.

I'm going to go with Sproles first and Holstein second. How about that? All right. Post. Aye. McEwen. Aye. Truex. Aye. Shaw. Aye. Sproles.

Aye. I had a question. Um, So like the money collected here, I know it may not be much, but is that designated for a certain area or could we?

I would say that we designate it for taking care of the pickleball courts.

That's kind of what I'm thinking.

I mean, it'll be a parks department income.

Income that we can reuse in that. Is that where that goes?

we have to make, we have to determine that and then write an ordinance for that. Wouldn't we, we'd have to restrict it falls into the general, it falls into the general fund, unless you wanna restrict it.

I would kinda like to see that, but I mean, why don't we look, why don't we do this? Doesn't obviously yeah.

Let's um, let's look at the pickleball courts in about six months and see what it's doing. And let's also by then we'll have some kind of idea on maintenance. Yep. So let's look at that and then we can come back to it and decide what we wanna do. Perfect.

Track that. So aye.

Okay. You were the last one. All approved. The next item on the agenda is, well, it's interesting because We, um, presented to you an ordinance prohibiting drilling and mining, um, or the reopening of any abandoned drills, uh, any abandoned abandoned wells. But as it turns out, we already have an ordinance on the books that they're looking for and they wanted it. Well, right now it's limited to Pelham park and that's what they wanted. So we can take no action on this item because we already have it in house. Everybody understand?

Mm-hmm.

We'll mark through that one then. So the next item on the agenda is Ordinance 2026-07, an ordinance of the city of Bowie, Texas, amending Chapter one general provisions and repealing Article 1.1 7 0 0 office of emergency management in its entirety and adopting a new article 1.1 7 0 0 entitled office of emergency management, providing a savings clause or appeal clause and providing an effective date. And Kirk is already at the podium. So he will explain to you what he had to do in the updates.

It's already been five years, five years ago, we formed the office of emergency management and got this ordinance and ordinance resolution passed. Uh, now it's time to review it and update some things. A lot of things have changed in emergency management in Texas in five years following the smokehouse Creek fire and panhandle following Kerr County flooding. A lot of things have changed that we needed to reflect in here a little bit. Now it's not all 20 pages. Did they get, did you guys get highlighted? Okay. Uh, page two. We added under the repeal of existing articles section. Um, the fact that we are repealing the previous one and replacing it with this one, because that is logistically much easier than going in and making individual changes to the original document. So it was just an ease, uh, kind of thing. Uh, section 1.1 703. We added section C continuity. This was, um, something a couple of years ago, I believe. During the defund, the police movements, we added some clauses to the police departments, uh, ordinances or resolutions and the fire departments based basically saying any attempt to dissolve or defund the office of emergency management will require a majority vote of the registered voters. Uh, so we just added that for those purposes. The threat assessment hasn't changed any at all. Duties of the mayor. Under duties of the mayor on page six, number two, line and succession. Previously we had it as the mayor, who's also the emergency management director, followed by the mayor pro tem. followed by the city manager. And since the fires in the Panhandle in Kerr County came up, there were some questions. I ended up contacting the Texas Division of Emergency Management's legal side and said, okay, who can be in this line of succession? And they came back and said, well, because it grants you the power to set curfews, order evacuations, and those kinds of things, has to be an elected official. So we change C from the city manager to the senior available member of the city council. So that gives us a little bit of depth there. Let's see. Senior being as in terms served or in age, just clarify that senior part, whoever has the most seniority on the council.

So, so if it were this council right now, it'd be me then Brent, then step because she's been on their second term.

Okay.

So that makes sense. Then actually it would just keep continuing down. Now, if we get rid of all the members of the city council, not sure where we're going after that. Things are really bad at that point because we're out of elected officials. One other topic came up. We've had several plans with TDEM that asked for a line of succession and they wanted three or four deep. And we had to go back and say, we're a small town. We don't have three or four deep, for instance, the electric department. If he were not to be available in an emergency, we don't have three or four people. So we listed those as in the event, this person's not available. The mayor would have to appoint a temporary replacement for them. That's basically the generic phrases because we just don't have the people that fell in. So, uh, under. Page 7, item C, number D. The state of Texas is getting, right now we have an emergency plan, operations plan that has annexes to it, 20-something annexes that we have to maintain. FEMA is mandating that TDEM change that from annexes to emergency support functions. which there are fewer emergency support functions, but they're more all encompassing. Uh, this was driven last year by the floods in Kerr County. TDEM recognized that they had not updated the emergency management plans in probably 15 years and you could tell. So they are in the process of renewing all that right now. We'll be, um, As we renew our plans moving forward, we'll have to go the ESF route. So it's going to get a little bit more all-encompassing. But that was one change we made. Page 13K, item C. Under the code enforcement officer, a couple of the big events that have happened in the past five years, something that we are seeing quite regularly is following a disaster, the impacted area is flooded with contractors wanting work. Roofing contractors, structural repair contractors, tree services, debris removal. In fact, with the tornado in Bridgeport last month, the police had to escort out all the contractors that were already on site that night of the tornado because they were blocking the roadways and emergency vehicles couldn't get in. So one of the items we added was for the code enforcement officer to educate the public regarding the city ordinances pertaining to licensure of contractors providing damage repair services following an emergency situation within the city limits. Now that is going to be folks doing structural work, electrical work, plumbing. There is no licensing requirement for tree services or debris removal. So we're still gonna have those issues And if we find a way to deal with that, we will. But for right now, that's where we're headed with that one. Page 14, section 1.1707, item D, TDEM is changing the updating of the emergency management plans from every five years to every three years. So that would change. Item E on page 16, the staffing of the Emergency Operations Center during a disaster. Who could also serve in those positions? Because again, we're a small town and do not have the manpower to fill all the positions we'd need. The Texas division of emergency management has established an incident support task force or incident management teams, which are available on our request to come in and assist us in whatever way we need. So they could fill those positions. We just wanted to identify those and their items, uh, page 17, section 1.1, 7, 1, 1, the local emergency management council. This was in the original plan. we've just been battling to get it incorporated and in the next probably 30 to 60 days we're going to launch this creating an emergency management council made up of a few city employees and a lot of folks in the local community who help us so much during a recovery the city buoy economic development independent school district North central Texas college text that, uh, the area retail businesses, um, largely Walmart, for instance, brochures, those kinds of things, ACE hardware, tractor supply that did so much after the tornado and during COVID to get supplies and stuff in this, into town. When we had all the supply chain problems, um, healthcare organizations, uh, if they wish to participate, insurance agencies because personal insurance is a big part of recovery so getting them involved as well and plan to meet twice a year or more frequently if needed so we just cleaned that up a little bit and i believe that's it for the changes anybody have any questions on

1.1703. OK. Codifying this office, this place, is that the right place to do this? Is that necessary for us to be able to plan and move into the future of maybe this department? I can think of numerous scenarios where the council would need to adjust that, but now our hands are going to be tied by getting it voted on. by the majority of the people here to be able to change that. Maybe it's no longer necessary. Maybe it needs to be part of the police department absorbed by them. Uh, the County could step up and actually do their part in that. So having that just saying, Hey, I've got to take this to a vote every time we want to, if I wanted to change this office in any way, um, is that appropriate to the mayor?

Because she's the one that brought this up. But it's not just change it in any way it's to be funded.

Correct. So do I have to now give you the same budget or more every year?

No, no, that's not what this is. That's not what this intention of this is. It's a, the same intention that we had, as he said prior with the police and the fire department, because our ordinance calls for a fire chief. How many, our ordinance calls for a minimum number of, uh, fire department members. Doesn't it?

I think it's charter that says charter charter.

Okay. Charter. So, um, and. This wouldn't, this isn't necessarily going to, this doesn't relate to the annual budget. It's just defunding the office period. So we can't do away with the office that I guess.

Yeah. Even in that, I think that kind of ties our hands a little bit of like, Hey, at a certain point, do we, you know, we need, may need that choice to not have this office or, um, I don't know, maybe it has a different scope in 10, 15, 20 years.

Maybe it does in 10 or 15, 20 years, then they can decide about that and they can come back and redo this. This is the same way voters do, but at that same, at that time, I'm okay. How do I say this? I just think the office of emergency management is something that has to be filled by somebody on staff.

Yeah.

And there is nobody else on staff that has the time to do what needs to be done to meet all the state requirements that we have. That's one of the reasons why Kirk is here. It had been pawned off on other departments that had their own jobs to do. Right. So, I mean, I, I don't want to, I don't wanna leave us in a position where somebody could, We have had a recent mayor that would have liked to have us to done away with that office and put it back again on another employee that already has a full-time job. So he has turned that department into what it's supposed to be.

I agree.

Um, so I don't wanna lose that because we meet all so many of the state requirements by having one person there that that's their job. Right. Um, but that's entirely up to y'all. It, it,

I guess my question is just, is it necessary? That was it basically for that to be, I don't think it's not, not necessary.

How many people do you have in your emergency management area?

Just him. I have some volunteers, but I'm the only paid employee. And Mr. Shaw would removing the word be fine. help clear it up for you?

Yeah, probably. I mean, because in reality, that is what it says. If I didn't take your budget to $1. Yeah.

The defund was included as a reference to the police mechanism.

And I don't want to split hairs here. I'm just asking the questions that get asked of me or things that come up of people that I've talked to or citizens I interact with. I know putting something else on the ballot or having to have a vote on things really ties our hands if we do need to change in the future. But I'm not against protecting institutions and things that are serving the public good, which I think is exactly what you do. I just know that you and I aren't always going to be sitting in the positions we're in.

And the verbiage of this basically came off the charter update regarding the police and fire.

Couldn't you defund it without totally ending it? That's what I'm saying, but with this we're not.

So if you defund it, you basically dissolve it.

Right.

But again, the way the charter's written, the next mayor's going to come in and appoint somebody to do that job. Correct.

Don't you need somebody to train to... That would be wonderful. In the event that something...

I don't last forever?

Yeah. I mean, I'm not wishing anything bad on you here, but I'm just... Yeah.

I mean, I would love to have that many volunteers that we could do it, but all of our volunteers... How do I say this politely? Ms. Post, I believe you're the youngest. And Stephanie is one of our active volunteers. So...

Yeah. So there's your next job.

Sorry, but the benefits. Yeah.

Any hour.

So we have to consider this as presented. Um, so let's, let's see if we even let, let's see where we sit as a council. So I would entertain a motion to accept

It almost scares me more to put it in the hands of the public vote.

That's exactly what I was about to say.

Of people that get into that position of saying, you know, we need to defund, we need to do, get rid of all of this and stop spending money on things and, It makes me nervous that people might not recognize the value of what they do and they actually do vote to do that, whereas I would like to think that we're well-informed here and have a better grasp of saying, no, we're not going to take the money away from that. to just put into a general fund or whatever. This is a necessary function. Does that make sense?

Yeah. So is that a motion to accept?

We have to take it as is? Motion to amend?

I mean, we can do whatever y'all want to do.

Yeah. If you don't want, like, if you didn't want section C, you could vote to accept without six. Yeah.

But then the question is, is then that just puts it in the hands of city council, which you may wind up in the future, having a city council that does not understand and doesn't spend any time back there to realize what's going on.

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, either way it's,

there's there's danger in it so i guess uh at some point we have to rely on our the people that put us here to make the right decision i mean i i would think that more people i mean you would have a vote of six people on council to vote to defund where you would have a better average of citizens within the city that would vote to keep them because the emergency management has helped so much in the past with the tornado, with COVID, with I almost said Armageddon, but you know what I'm talking about.

Snowmageddon.

Yeah, and stuff like that. I mean, I think in the community that, you know, the Emergency Operations Center has a better reputation. I mean, they have so many followers on Facebook and everything else, too.

The entire county is looking towards Bowie more than they do even Montague County.

Cause they drew that a good point. So I think the first, I do make a motion to accept as presented as is.

All right. So that's whole stain. Do I have a second?

Second.

What happened to my pen?

All right. The defund. This is really the only part that I'm with you on that. I struggle with, but that's not what.

Okay. So I have a motion and I have a second. So I'm going to call for a vote. Shaw.

No.

Trueaxe?

Aye.

Holstein? Aye. Sproles? No. Post? Aye. McEwen?

Nay.

Nay.

Why? Guess what? Why do you do this?

Well, we all know I agree with it, so I'm going to vote yes. So it'll pass as presented. Wow, I didn't think you'd be standing there that long, but of course you are. Thank you for your presentation.

Thank you.

Okay, so let's go to the next item on the agenda. Mr. Calabret, there you go.

You don't even have to ask. I don't even have to ask, do I?

Mr. Calabret is going to present some interesting plant changes.

The first one is to consider the recommendation of the plot 1.57 acres, block 8, Hill County School Land Survey A319, creating block 1, block 1, Pinnacle Square, also known as 107 East Nelson Street. So these were all owned by one All the different properties were all owned by one, bought as a group, and they want to make it one contiguous property so that it can be used that way. So it's just taking what was there, making it into one.

So do you guys know where this is? This is behind the original Bennett Oil Company building? Yeah.

They'll be opening up to Nelson Street, right? We're facing Nelson?

Actually, it'll open up both sides.

Yeah, it's open on both sides.

That's right.

Yeah.

Any questions? Oh, I hate this. I hate this. I go from one to the other, and then I can't.

It must be mine.

Oh, I know why. There's a wasp in front of my ring camera. All right. What's going on?

All right. Well, if we don't have any questions on this one, let's go ahead and call for a vote. So this is on the Nelson Street project. I'd entertain a motion to accept the plot updates as presented. So moved. Shaw, do I have a second?

Second.

Truex. Holstein. Aye. Truex. Aye. Sproles. Aye. Post. Aye. Shaw. Aye. McEwen.

Aye.

All right, let's go with the next one.

The second item to consider tonight is that the reclad of 1.74 acres, all of lot 2R, 3R, 5R, 6R, and part of lot 2, 5, and 6, lot 10, Lindsay addition, and all of lot 1 through lot 3, lot 1, Coker addition, This will create block 1 through 9, block 1, Stone Ridge, also known as 412 Green Street. And again, this is just putting them all together so that it's one piece. that can then be developed. And you can see there, they're gonna make these into these smaller lots. Well, actually, they're bigger, but they're gonna have these lots that'll be there for them to use. This is down by Ussery Street and all, so.

What's there right now? So there's nothing there right now. Yeah, there's not much.

All the trailer houses are gone? Somebody came in and recently bought it. It's down there, obviously, by Tiny Topia. But they're not for tiny houses, because we no longer allow that. So everybody understand it? We got any questions?

Planning zoning had no issues with this one, so.

No, and of course it ran through the code enforcement, and these are all going to be worked out quite well for it. There was a lot of consideration. They had to say no to this and yes to this, and they finally got it.

That seemed like, to me, small lots. Am I off on that?

They're going to be duplex houses on there, so that'll work out for them.

It meets all the minimum requirements with the setbacks and everything for it, for what they're going to build.

And David had a meeting to look at the city services. We're not going to have to do anything. There's plenty of water, sewer, electricity. That's a nice question. Everything works out just fine on it.

Right.

I move we accept this proposal.

Okay. Second? Second. Post? Truex? Aye. Holstein?

Aye.

Aye. Aye.

Aye.

Sprouls? Aye. I didn't know if that was a grunt or an aye. Sprouls? Aye. Post? Aye. McEwen? Aye. And Shaw? Aye. So that's a unanimous. And that was the last thing on our agenda. So thank you, Mr. Caldereta. And thank you for coming. We will close our meeting tonight at 635.