City Council seems on board with fall bond election that could top $100M

It looks as if a bond election is coming our way this fall.

At a special meeting Thursday, the Abilene City Council heard presentations in the morning that targeted streets, the Abilene Zoo, two recreation centers and a lake trail.

It didn't seem as if council members were hearing any of these pitches for the first time.

In fact, total rebuilds of G.V. Daniels and Cesar Chavez (the new name for the facility at Rose Park, as of 2022) rec centers was talked about last year, enough that a $25 million price tag was given. The cost now would be $27.5 million.

Any construction project these days is volatile, regarding cost. The downtown hotel cost shot up from the $60 million range into the $80 millions. The three-phase, $55 million Taylor County Expo Center project began running out of money due to higher steel costs. Corners were cut at the end.

School district projects delayed by voters cost more when eventually done.

Cost aside, 2022 didn't seem to the right time to put rec centers before voters. Not during a downturn in the economy, and not to jeopardize passage of a proposal to build a new fire station. That passed.

The "sanctuary city for the unborn" ordinance also took centerstage.

But, as council members saw Thursday, the aging buildings that have too many points of entry - a safety factor - and maintenance issues need to be replaced. Either the city continues to provide quality recreation centers that also serve as community hubs, or it doesn't.

It's believed use would shoot up if people had a more modern place to go, one that is designed for the today's usage. New centers, too, are seen a boost for neighborhood pride, though community-wide use always is the goal.

Also bubbling recently is how to address the growth of Abilene to the south. City parks peter out, and the solution is developing the Kirby Lake area. Once considered an isolated, muddy fishing hole, it now is surrounded by development and offers a unique place for recreation and appreciating nature. A nature trail already has been established.

The plan is to build a 10-foot-wide trail around the lake, similar to what has been installed along Cedar Creek. The total cost of the project has been tabbed at $9 million.

Going east to Nelson Park, zoo director Jesse Pottebaum would like to begin development of the 22 acres to the north, land set aside years ago for just that.

Like the centrally located Rose Park, Nelson is a multi-use park, offering the zoo, softball fields, a splash pad, play area and Camp Barkeley, the dog park. Tittle Lake makes it unique.

The zoo has big plans, both to expand and to improve its current footprint. It's the city's top tourist attraction and the only zoo for hundreds of miles.

Pottebaum offered the first of four phases of development Thursday at a cost of around $25 million. The last bond request, which was overwhelmingly OK'd by voters, was less costly because it was split with the Grover Nelson Foundation - an example of the new push for public-private partnerships. This is the likely scenario in a new bond proposal, cutting the cost in half.

Finally, there are streets. The street maintenance fee and other sources of funding have pumped money into taking care of our streets. However, there are streets that need to be rebuilt.

Yes, they were allowed to deteriorate to that level by past councils and city leadership. But that doesn't take away the need now, council stated.

It was noted in a review of 2022 accomplishments that 30,000 potholes have been filled, most in a 48-hour turnaround.

That tells you how many potholes there are.

A bond is needed to put significant money into those projects. City Manager Robert Hanna started with $50 million and worked his way up. In 2015, voters approved an expenditure of $46 million. If that seems recent, consider that bond experts would say that eight years between bond votes is too long.

By our count, using Hanna's low number for streets, the total is close to $100 million if three proposals are brought to voters.

That's not change found under sofa cushions.

Council did not blink. Well, they did, about building eight pickleball court. Councilman Travis Craver raved that pickleball is - we can't resist - a big dill. Hanna believes a facility at Rose Park at a cost of $1 million, if pursued, would not require a bond.

With a carton of eggs and a gallon of milk costing more than a gallon of gas, Abilene residents are tightly managing their money.

But, it was emphasized, each of these proposals in some way fuel the growth of the city. That resonates with this pro-business council.

Would it do the same with voters?

This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: City Council seems on board with bond election that could top $100M