Fire Department cutting budget The 7th Annual Kids

Entertaining Kids

Jones told the council that she has taken over the budget at the end of April and are going to lower the fuel bill and utility bill

"I'm going to have to be in and out more watching to see who's around " said Jones "They (volunteers) are not going to be hanging out there as much as in the past They're going to run calls, but they're going to have to do it from home Sometimes it's four or five days between calls, so I think we can cut our utilities back that way"

The department has three or four volunteers that are currently unemployed.

The budget doesn't affect the city due to the consistent $24,000 that the city funds for the volunteer unit, but the department wanted to address to the city that the budget would be fiscally responsible in 2015-16 Howe Fire Department has not gone over budget as of yet for 2014-15, but Jones told the council that they were getting close The new budget will start in October

"The bottom line with the fire department is that I told them how much they can have and they think, according to their budget that they need more " said City Administrator Joe Shephard "I would recommend to the council, since they've taken over the expenditure, is to wait two or three months and see how well they fire department In other words, show us what you're going to do as much as we've done the past several years"

As well as receiving funds from the city, Grayson County also funds the department with $22,000 The only other source of income for Howe Fire Department comes from fundraising such as the fireworks show, where the department sells hamburgers, hot dogs, glow bracelets

Howe Fire Chief Robert Maniet told the council that they do have some other ideas to bring in some additional revenue by getting rid of excess vehicles. He said that the city money covers the day-to-day expenses such as utilities, fuel, building, insurance. The county money goes towards training, gear, equipment and equipment repairs.

Councilman Bill French wanted to know whether the $15,000 debt on a vehicle that the department owes the city is one of the excess vehicles to be liquidated Jones said that the debt for that vehicle has not been paid, hence the reason for gaining control of the budget in order to pay back a minimum of $5,000 annually on the debt, with an attempt to pay more

Maniet said in Tuesday's council meeting that he hoped the fireworks show would bring in some donation money

The 7th Annual Kids Entertaining Kids Fundraiser will be held Saturday, August 15, 2015, 2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. at the Sherman Municipal Ballroom, 405 North Rusk The event will feature children’s acts including Musical Hands, Cooke County 4-H Share the Fun, Bonham High War Dancers, Maci Vickers and Chloe Walker of Jill Brown Studios, and the Denison Dance Academy Winx the Clown will be there to tie animal balloons Face painting, refreshments, a silent auction, a raffle drawing, and other activities will also be part of the fun

The quilt for the raffle was made and donated by Jerrie Faulkner of Lequire, OK. Faulkner has donated 2 other quilts in past years Tickets for the quilt drawing will be available soon and can be purchased by calling 903-957-4865. Other items on the ticket are $500 cash, $200 Shell gasoline gift card, $200 Wal-Mart gift card, and a box of Tyson’s ribeye steaks The drawing will be held the day of the event, and you do not have to be present to win. Tickets are available for a donation of $5 for 1 or $20 for five

ECI’s mission is to support families of children birth to thirty-six months of age with developmental needs by providing or helping access services that support family choice and promote independence within the context of the family’s natural environment and daily routines The program is designed to encourage and assist parents with an infant or a child who appears to be slow in development or who has organic deficiency and/or medical conditions that usually result in developmental delay Early intervention is the most effective strategy to enable the child to live as a functional adult and is the most cost-effective time This intervention helps avoid more extensive and expensive intervention as the child progresses through the school system and later in life.