Bonham, Texas -- The Bonham City Council held a regular meeting on August 11, 2025 at Bonham City Hall. Mayor HL Compton called the meeting to order at 5:30 pm. All council members were present.
* * * * *
Council approved the minutes of the regular meeting on July 14, 2025.
* * * * *
Council accepted the financial report for the month ending July 31, 2025. Sarah Osburn noted that the July sales tax revenue was included in the report and was at 10%, which has helped, but sales taxes are still lagging behind what was budgeted. Osburn also said that a draft of next year’s budget is included in the council members' packets and more info will be forthcoming.
* * * * *
Citizens Opportunity to Speak:
Rose Schwartz, longtime resident at Lake Bonham, talked about efforts to put a battery energy storage site on Rec. Road 3. Schwartz said that everyone who drinks Bonham water should be concerned. She said that facilities like this are prone to chemical fires and these can take many days to put out. Because the proposed site is between Lake Bonham and Bois d’Arc Lake, a chemical fire would cause chemicals to end up in our water supply. She referenced Flint, Michigan and noted that a bad decision by the local government resulted in lead contamination of the water, which caused people to die, others to get sick and the local government was sued and found liable. Schwartz said she was asking the council to do all they could to prevent the battery energy storage facility to from going in on Rec Road 3. She was also asking the public to object to it, too.
Rusty Deets said he has been going to county meetings and the battery energy storage facilities have been discussed at those meetings often. Deets said this is a serious problem and encouraged folks to talk to the mayor of Savoy, where there have been efforts to have one built there. Deets advised that this topic is on the agenda for the county commissioners tomorrow. Deets urged everyone go to the commissioners meeting tomorrow to voice their objections. Deets also said that homeowners in Savoy have already had their homeowners insurance cancelled over this.
Jenn Self Knight said that on a lighter note, City Hall Selfie Day is tomorrow (Aug 12). This is the ten-year anniversary for this event. On August 12, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., the city will offer free popcorn for those who stop by to do a selfie inside at city hall. Selfies are encouraged inside or outside of city hall.
* * * * *
Council appointed Chance Peeler and reappointed Alan McDonald, Kelly Royse and Kevin Hayes to the Bonham Economic Development Board of Directors.
* * * * *
Council selected the Lochner firm to provide engineering and design services for the City of Bonham Jones Field Airport. Osburn said that four firms applied, staff reviewed the applications and recommended Lochner.
* * * * *
The Council did not go into Executive Session as was posted on the agenda. Mayor Compton remarked that “there has not been movement on this matter.” The agenda called for the council to deliberate the purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property concerning 36.698 acres of land, a part of the Mary Caldwell Survey Abstract Number 180 and a part of the Joel Anderson Survey Abstract Number 12, lying and being situated on the North side of Lake Bonham in Fannin County, Texas.
* * * * *
Council meeting adjourned at 5:41 p.m.
