Bryant voters approved extending the city's 0.5 percent sales tax Tuesday night to support the construction of a new road, two fire stations and parks improvements.
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Voters were asked in the special election to decide whether to refinance the bond issue they first approved in 2006 to build Bishop Park.
After that, the ballot asked voters to approve of using the bond refinancing for the three city departments -- streets, parks and fire -- that would carry out the construction and improvement projects. None of the projects could have been carried out without approving the refinancing, which was the first issue on the four-issue ballot.
Refinancing and approving all of the projects will allow collection of the accompanying 0.5 percent sales tax to continue beyond 2031 to 2034.
The current bonds for Bishop Park are on pace to be paid off by 2019 instead of 2031, based on current sales tax revenue in the fast-growing city, city officials said. Based on 2015 sales tax revenue, the new bonds would be paid off by 2034.
"We are very excited that the people of Bryant supported these initiatives, and we're ready to go to work," Mayor Jill Dabbs said.
With 100 percent of precincts reporting, according to Saline County Clerk Doug Curtis' office, 1,476 of the 12,042 registered voters cast ballots in the election. That's a voter turnout of 12.3 percent.
Unofficial vote totals for Refinancing Bonds were:
For 1,053
Against 414
Unofficial vote totals for Park and Recreational Improvement Bonds were:
For 1,015
Against 449
Unofficial vote totals for Fire Improvement Bonds were:
For 1,091
Against 368
Unofficial vote totals for Street Improvement Bonds were:
For 1,029
Against 429
The refinancing will cover up to $23 million in infrastructure projects. The biggest chunk of money -- $14 million -- would go toward new road construction, mainly the construction of Bryant Parkway from Interstate 30 to Reynolds Road.
Jeremiah Oltmans, chairman of the campaign committee Keep Bryant Moving said the projects would help the city's infrastructure keep pace with its growth.
Saline County is the state's third-fastest growing county, according to the U.S. census, and Bryant has grown by 20 percent since 2010.
"This is a great step for Bryant," Oltmans said of Tuesday's results.
Many people left comments on Keep Arkansas Moving's Facebook page in support of a new parkway but argued that the city should address the conditions of current roads before building a new one. Some said they would vote against the reissue.
The bond refinancing also will provide $4.5 million for new entrances to Bishop Park, a flood mitigation study for the park and additional construction. Other city park improvements include updates to Mills Park, new shade structures, more soccer fields and a new park at a location to be determined north of Interstate 30.
The financing also provides $5.5 million for building two fire stations to replace the mobile homes currently being used to house two of the city's three fire stations. Assistant Fire Chief Brandon Futch has said the mobile homes are large enough for a small family but not for a firefighting operation.
Voters approved a bond a few years ago to build two fire stations, but that bond did not come with an additional tax increase. The city never began construction on those stations because officials decided the bond couldn't be paid for with existing Fire Department revenue, which is about $1.2 million to $1.3 million annually, based on three-eighths of the city sales tax revenue.
Metro on 08/10/2016