Latest News

Jack Leavenworth has served as a city councilman, a member of the City of Howe’s Comprehensive Plan committee, and a board member of the Howe Development Foundation. Leavenworth Properties invested approximately half a million dollars into downtown Howe. He most recently served on Howe’s Planning & Zoning Commission, but was removed from the P&Z  after he, in the October 18, 2022 meeting, opposed a zone change request that would allow a high-density planned development. According to Leavenworth, the city did not notify him that he was removed and he came to realize it last week when he didn’t receive a packet prior to the P&Z meeting.

In the December meeting, Mayor Bill French nominated his neighbor Madison Snapp to replace Leavenworth’s seat. A month later, Larry Duncan was appointed to the P&Z board. During that meeting, City Administrator Jeff Stanley told the city council that because several members had not shown up to meetings, Larry Duncan had been asked to join the P&Z.

“Me and him has talked and he’s willing to participate,” said Stanley. “Both him and the mayor and I have known him for several years, but I’ve known him for probably as long as anybody around here. Our kids went to school together and we did band together and he’s a super great guy—likes this town and wants to see nothing but good for this town.”

In the October P&Z meeting, Leavenworth made a motion to deny the Ponderosa Point development just north of Howe High School. Leavenworth stated the reason he didn’t support the development was because it didn’t include space for a school site and it didn’t match the city’s Comprehensive Plan established in 2010.

Stanley told Leavenworth that he had discussed the development with Howe ISD Superintendent Kevin Wilson and that there were other plans for school sites down the road.

“On a subdivision this small, we wouldn’t ask for something like that,” said Stanley.

“I don’t think 3,000 people is small,” said Leavenworth. “The acreage is small, but it’s high-density. The need for schools should be by people, not the acreage.”

P&Z meetings and council meetings generally do not draw members of the community, but this particular October meeting did draw a standing-room-only crowd. One of those was Crystal Lawson who lives in the Howe ISD school boundary who stated that the schools were already overcrowded and the development would impact the ISD.

Beyond the schools, her second stated objection was her concern for nearby roads that would be impacted by the heavy traffic.

“That’s a major site with a lot of accidents,” said Lawson.

After listening to comments from the audience and the development group, Leavenworth made the motion to deny the necessary zone change for the planned development. With only three P&Z members present, the motion died without a second.

During the following city council meeting, members of the audience were concerned about what the influx of population would do to the schools in which Mayor Bill French told the citizens that they needed to attend Howe ISD Board of Trustees meetings for their concerns with the school.

Councilwoman Sarah Myrick was the lone dissenting vote in the rezoning for the planned development. Since then, French’s mayor seat is being challenged by Karla McDonald who formally announced her candidacy in January, and by Cort Myrick (Councilwoman Myrick’s husband).

Leavenworth, 85, said he was not surprised by the removal. He said the city’s comprehensive plan is being ignored as well as the citizens.

“I’m not so much upset that I’m not on P&Z as I am that they aren’t following the 2010 Comprehensive Plan that was put in place,” said Leavenworth.

The Howe Enterprise reached out for comment from Howe City Administrator Jeff Stanley, but received no response.

David Carl Griffin, 63, of Van Alsytne, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for felony Theft of Property and several counts of Misapplication of Trust Funds.  The defendant pleaded guilty to the charges in November of 2022 and was sentenced by Judge Jim Fallon of the 15^th District Court following a sentencing hearing.  Judge Fallon also sentenced the defendant to 10 years deferred probation on a 1^st degree felony of Misapplication of Trust Funds exceeding $300,000.00 and ordered restitution to the victims. 

 In October of 2020, the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office received a complaint from a property owner who advised they had entered into a contract with and paid the defendant; however, a sub-contractor simply did some basic dirt work and the defendant never returned to complete the project.  An investigator with the Sheriff’s Office began conducting an investigation and determined there were at least six other victims in Grayson County who had paid the defendant for work and they all suffered the same fate as the original complainant.   In addition, the investigation revealed several more victims in Collin County.  Many of the property owners ended up with sub-contractors who were never paid by the defendant and all the property owners spent significant sums of money satisfying the sub-contractors and having their construction projects completed by a different builder. 

“Everyone understands that in business sometimes deals fall through and contracts are broken.  However, in this case there was a clear pattern of criminal conduct.  We also applied a unique aspect of the Texas Property Code which requires builders who enter into contracts and receive funds, to hold those funds in trust,” said First Assistant District Attorney Kerye Ashmore.  District Attorney Brett Smith added, “We hope this sentence sends a message to builders and contractors, especially in light of the tremendous growth currently in Grayson County.  If you take money from citizens and repeatedly fail to meet your commitments that may just be a crime.”

The case was prosecuted by First Assistant District Attorney Kerye Ashmore.  DA Investigator Mike Ditto assisted in the case.     

The City of Howe released the following statement on the city’s website (cityofhowe.org) which outlines to the citizens a temporary change in disinfectants:

Attention (All customers East of Hwy. 75 & Abbington Meadows Apartments):

The City of Howe public water system, (PWS) ID TX0910013, will temporarily convert the disinfectant used in the distribution system (ONLY EAST OF HWY. 75 AND INCLUDING ABBINGTON MEADOWS RESIDENTS) from chloramine to free chlorine. The conversion will begin on March 6, 2023 and continue through April 3, 2023. During this period, you may experience taste and odor changes associated with this type of temporary disinfectant conversion. If any water quality issues arise at your residence, please contact City Hall at (903) 532-5571 so that a work order can be produced for Public Works to respond and properly document and address the issue.

Public water systems are required to properly disinfect their water and maintain an adequate disinfectant residual in the distribution system. Chloramine, free chlorine combined with ammonia, is widely used as a disinfectant because it persists for long periods while also limiting the formation of disinfection by-product contaminants. Prolonged use of chloramine coupled with other factors that can affect water quality, such as high temperatures or stagnation of water, may result in the growth and/or persistence of organic matter within the pipes of the distribution system, which may hinder the ability to maintain an adequate disinfectant residual. A temporary conversion to free chlorine, partnered with flushing activities, helps to rid distribution pipes of this organic matter and improve the quality of your water overall.

City of Howe has chosen to implement a temporary disinfectant conversion to free chlorine based on the purchased water supplier North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) performing their routine annual chlorine conversion also known as “Chlorine Burn”.

Please share this information with all people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (i.e., people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.

If you have questions regarding this matter, you may contact Director of Public Works Michael Phillips at (903) 532-5571.

Additional informational resources pertaining to this treatment process are below:

►        ntmwd.com/temporary-change-in-disinf ectant/

►        tceq. texas.gov /downloads/drinking-water /chemicals/ gi-466.pdf

Sincerely,

Michael Phillips

City of Howe, Texas

Director of Public Works

Howe ISD encourages students and their families to exercise and engage in healthy lifestyles. They are hosting the 9th Annual Bulldog Run, 5K Run , 1 Mile Family Fun Run/Walk and Health Fair on April 29, 2023.

1 Mile Walk/Run starts at 8:30 am. Donations over $10 receive a T-Shirt.
5K Run starts at 9 am. Entry fee $20 and receives a T-shirt.
Health Fair: 8:30 am- 10:00 am (set up at 8 am)
Race start/finish & Health Fair will be held
at Howe Middle School Gym parking lot.