Rogers voters approve city bond plan

NWA Democrat-Gazette/FLIP PUTTHOFF Poll worker Anna Farar (left) helps Sherry Chacon vote Tuesday in the Rogers bond election.
NWA Democrat-Gazette/FLIP PUTTHOFF Poll worker Anna Farar (left) helps Sherry Chacon vote Tuesday in the Rogers bond election.

ROGERS -- Voters gave a green light Tuesday to almost $240 million in projects for the city's roads, parks and Police and Fire departments.

The five questions contained in the proposed $299.5 million bond issue received between 72 percent and 76 percent approval in unofficial results. In all, 1,661 voters participated in the special election out of 36,549 registered voters.

Vote totals

Rogers residents approved a $299.5 million bond issue to pay for projects in four areas. The fifth question on the ballot asked voters to renew a 1 percent sales tax to refinance current bonds. Ballot questions and unofficial vote totals for each are:

• $180 million for streets

For: 1,046 (75 percent)

Against: 346 (25 percent)

• $59.5 million for debt refinance

For: 1,015 (74 percent)

Against: 357 (26 percent)

• $41 million for parks and recreation

For: 1,002 (72 percent)

Against: 391 (28 percent)

• $11.5 million for police

For: 1,062 (76 percent)

Against: 331 (24 percent)

• $9.5 million for fire

For: 1,064 (76 percent)

Against: 329 (24 percent)

In Siloam Springs, three candidates were vying for the Board of Directors Ward 1 position. The candidates and their unofficial vote totals are:

• David Allen: 87 (33 percent)

• Mindy Hunt: 115 (44 percent)

• Fares Trinidad: 61 (23 percent)

Source: Benton County Election Commission

The bond issue will be repaid by extending a 1 percent city sales tax. The city has levied a 1 percent sales tax for capital projects for almost 30 years, Rogers Mayor Greg Hines said.

The 2018 bond issue will repay and replace a 2011 issue that was extended in 2015.

Hines said he's excited voters approved all of the issues and thanked them.

"This process has always been about the future of our city and citizen input has always determined what projects to invest in," Hines said. "We are the downtown of Northwest Arkansas because of the investments we've made in our infrastructure, parks and public safety. We look forward to delivering on our promises."

The City Council took the first step Tuesday night toward starting the bond-funded projects before vote results were announced. Council members approved a construction contract to begin building an overpass for Magnolia Street, which is a part of the bond issue. Council members authorized the city to enter agreements with five engineering and architecture companies to begin designing the infrastructure improvements.

The ballot question to extend the sales tax and refund the 2011 and 2015 bonds had to pass or none of the four projects on the ballot could be funded. Hines said the sales tax likely will be extended for eight to 10 years. The refunding cost, $59.5 million, passed with about 74 percent of the vote.

The total cost of the four city projects for police, fire, parks and roads is estimated at $240 million. The amount each project will receive from the bond issue is an estimate, said Ben Cline city spokesman. City officials expect the bonds to be issued by the end of the year.

Transportation work will receive the largest amount of money at an estimated $180 million and will pay for about 30 new and ongoing projects throughout the city. One of the largest will be construction of three to five overpasses over Interstate 49 to help separate interchange traffic from cars trying to get from one side of the interstate to the other.

Other road projects have been grouped into four quadrants representing sections of the city and will have work specific to its needs.

The city will also be building a park and renovating two others for an estimated $41 million.

The new park will be built in the west area of the city at the intersection of Mount Hebron and Garrett Road on 77 acres, which has been identified by city officials as one of the fastest growing areas in Rogers. The Parks Department also plans to renovate Northwest Park, the city's oldest sports field park, and Frisco Park in downtown Rogers.

Voters also approved spending an estimated $11.5 million on a new emergency dispatch center and radio system for the Police Department. The current dispatch center is above the Police Department lobby and in cases of severe weather, dispatch personal have to move to a converted jail cell that lacks needed equipment. The new facility will be capable of withstanding severe weather and will also include rooms for tactical training.

A new radio system was included in the bond issue because the current one is almost 12 years old and outdated. The new system will be part of the Arkansas Wireless Information Network. The network is a statewide communication system that allows communication with both the Arkansas State Police and other local law enforcement departments.

The city also received voter approval to spend $9.5 million to help build a fire station and expand the fire training center.

The station will be built across from the Shadow Valley neighborhood on West Pleasant Grove Road. Officials said it will improve response times for the surrounding area. The average response time for the Rogers Fire Department is five minutes, and a new station is expected to help the department reach its response time goal of four minutes.

Renovation and expansion to the training center would be the first since it was built 22 years ago, officials said. Fire Department officials plan to add a multistory burn building to better aid in training for the city's firefighters.

photo

NWA Democrat-Gazette/FLIP PUTTHOFF Jackson Minor casts his ballot Tuesday in the Rogers bond election with election official Ken Abrams (right).

NW News on 08/15/2018

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