Guest Starring

Tab Townsell as...The Mayor. I'm going to allow a rare guest author post on the RunandPlay blog. Mayor Townsell has written a comprehensive summary of the parks election. I think it wraps things up well. JG

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2007 Parks Bond Issue June 12 Election Day - Early Voting at Courthouse NOW

PARKS BOND ISSUE: The Basic Facts

• No New Taxes. The two cent prepared food tax already exists. Tax rate will not go up!


• One cent of the prepared food tax will be extended to 20 years from a scheduled sunset in November 2008. The other cent was already permanent and will not change.


• The bond issue will be $13.5 million; ALL dedicated to parks.


• The one cent to be extended will be dedicated to paying the debt service on the bond issue.


• Three quarters of the “permanent” one cent will be available for other park projects not included in the bond issue. This will generate about $800,000 annually before inflation and growth. This extra money is NOT included in the bond issue but available OVER and ABOVE the proceeds of the bond issue.


• This money can only be used for parks! By State law it can NOT be used for anything else.

The Bond Issue Work Program:

• Girl’s Softball Complex: $3.5 Million The turn-key cost of a four field complex is estimated at $2.5 million dollars. The city wishes to build four if not five fields as a home for the girl’s softball. Currently, the girl’s program has no home but “borrows” the UCA softball complex. The girl’s complex will be located in a newly purchased park land at Siebenmorgen Road and Bob Courtway Drive. This park will also have playgrounds and walking trails among other amenities.


• Boy’s Baseball Complex: $7.5 Million Complete remodeling of the YBMA Park to build nine boy’s baseball fields replacing the ancient and embarrassing fields currently in use. Other amenities will include playgrounds, spray parks, and a small lake. (Not all other amenities may be included in the initial construction depending on budget)


• Relocation of County Fairgrounds $1 Million Acquisition of land and development of new fairgrounds; removing the fair and fair buildings from the YBMA Park allowing full redevelopment of that park. Relocation was a condition of the city’s deeply discounted purchase of the YBMA Fairgrounds for $75,000 when its actual worth was arguably between $2 and $4 million dollars.


• New Trails Construction $1.5 Million Construction of new trails which will more than double the current length of bike/walking trails in the city. #1 Trail Priority: The Stone Dam Creek trail in south Conway from UCA along the creek across South Donaghey towards South German Lane. #2 Trail Priority: Continued extension of the Tucker Creek Trail up Tucker Creek north and east across Salem Road, across College Avenue, across Prince Street, through the new Pompe Park at the corner of Prince Street and Morningside Drive to Gatlin Park on Tyler Street.

THE BOND ISSUE HELPS ALL PARK PROJECTS GET DONE FASTER. THE MAIN QUESTIONS: You are already paying the tax . . . How long until you see benefits? Will your children benefit? The City Council CAN NOT issue bonds (borrow money) without the public’s approval. You can help get all these Park Improvements and ONLY Park Improvements much quicker by voting for the bond issue. How long do you want to wait?