Broken Arrow City Council
Meeting of: 12-19-2023
Title:
title
Presentation and discussion of upcoming Citizen Bond Survey
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Background:
On August 28, 2018, voters approved the $211 million 6-proposition package of the Build Our Future BA General Obligation Bond initiative. General Obligation (GO) Bond financing is a common funding tool used by Oklahoma municipalities to pay for large capital projects, such as the building of roads, public facilities, and parks. The 2018 propositions easily surpassed the required 60 percent approval of the voters. The propositions included:
Proposition 1: Transportation (74 percent approved)
$142.625 million
Proposition 2: Public Safety (71 percent approved)
$20.35 million
Proposition 3: Parks and Recreation (68 percent approved)
$17.75 million
Proposition 4: Public Facilities (62 percent approved)
$16.8 million
Proposition 5: Stormwater (75 percent approved)
$7.5 million
Proposition 6: Drainage (73 percent approved)
$5.5 million
A total of 88 projects appeared on the final list of the propositions, including:
• Several road widening projects in the community
• Constructing and open new Fire Station No. 7
• Constructing and opening the new Senior Center annex facility
• Constructing and opening the new Veterans Center
• Improved drainage in several neighborhoods
• Multiple parks improvements throughout the city
Due to the impressive economic vitality of Broken Arrow regarding the significant increase in the city’s net assessed value, as well as the City Council’s prudent stewardship of the public’s money, the City of Broken Arrow is well ahead of schedule and intends to sell the final two series of 2018 bonds in 2024 and 2025, two years earlier than planned.
The position to close out the 2018 General Obligation Bond two years early presents the city with the opportunity to reengage voters in 2026 for their consideration of capital improvements that will continue to enhance the quality of life citizens enjoy in Broken Arrow.
The City of Broken Arrow proposes to hold a General Obligation Bond election in April 2026. Before the process to select bond projects for consideration, public input is highly desired to hear from citizens about how the City is doing.
On September 19, 2023, City Council appointed Mayor Debra Wimpee and Councilor Johnnie Parks to lead the newly formed Citizens Survey Committee. Through the committee’s
collaborative efforts, it created a comprehensive survey that polls citizens’ satisfaction level with the public services the City of Broken Arrow provides, gathers demographic and household information, and seeks input on future public infrastructure and quality of life projects.
The goal of the survey is to gain an understanding of what is important to the citizens of Broken Arrow and use the data as a guide in the bond project selection process to better align the capital improvements being considered with what the public desires.
The survey will be available online and in paper copy if necessary.
Cost: $0
Funding Source: N/A
Requested By: Michael Spurgeon, City Manager
Approved By: City Manager’s Office
Attachments: Citizen Survey Questions DRAFT
Recommendation:
recommend
Accept the survey and provide direction to staff to work with an outside firm to open the survey in early 2024.
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