Information on proposed bond issue shared
Gentry bond election set for Sept. 10
GENTRY — There was a dropin town hall meeting from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 27, in the McKee Community Room at the Gentry Public Library to provide voters with information prior to the upcoming bond issuance election on Sept. 10.
Mayor Kevin Johnston, city officials and Janie Parks, the director of the Gentry Chamber of Commerce, were on hand to answer questions and explain the proposal, as well as a representative from Garver, an architectural engineering firm employed by the city to study and develop plans for park expansion and improvements. A video and park plans were shown to those who stopped by.
Though it will not be a new tax, the bond measure, if passed, will allow the city to issue bonds for up to $15 million of the money to be generated by 1/2 cent of the city’s 7/8 cent sales and use tax increase which was passed by the voters in November 2018.
The proposed bonds will be designated to the city’s parks master plan which includes the
purchase of land and the construction of recreational-use facilities and improvements and parking areas. The money could be used for the construction of amenities like a splash pad, athletic courts and fields, bicycle and walking trails, parking areas and more.
Early voting at the Benton County Clerk’s office in Bentonville and Siloam Springs is from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Monday through Friday through Sept. 9, with the election to be held at First Baptist Church in Gentry on Tuesday, Sept. 10. The poll will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
The bond issue was placed on the ballot by the action of the Gentry City Council at its July 8 meeting. The council passed on three readings, and with an emergency clause attached, an ordinance calling for a special election to consider issuing bonds for the purpose of financing the costs of capital improvements to allow the city to move forward with its park improvement plans.
The ballot asks Gentry voters to vote for or against the bond measure.