The Polk County Board of Supervisors voted to direct advertisement for the sale of two general obligation bond issues totaling $21,200,000 during its regular meeting.

Deb Anderson, budget director with the Board of Supervisors Office, told the board the county will issue two series of bonds, with the larger portion intended for capital improvements and housing commitments and issued on a short-term basis. Anderson said issuing bonds against tax-increment financing (TIF) valuations lets the county “capitalize on taxable valuations that would have been excluded from us because they're in a TIF.”

Anderson further described the housing portion as repayable early without penalty: “On the housing tax credits, this is the way we have to do it and we actually pay those back early, and we don't face a penalty for early repayment on the the housing portion.”

During public comment, Ray Sears of Pleasant Hill questioned whether issuing more debt was necessary. “Resolution 31 and 32 has to do with issuing bonds for necessary improvements. And I'm wondering whether or not incurring additional debt for the taxpayers is the only way to fund this,” Sears said, adding that the county has “about $80,000,000 in reserves and rainy day funds” and “$17,000,000 that you have set aside for the soccer arena” that could be used instead. Sears urged the board not to approve the bond resolutions and to consider other options.

Board members moved and seconded the motions and approved both resolutions in roll-call votes. For the resolution directing advertisement for sale of $6,890,000 general obligation bonds, series 2025C, the roll call recorded Supervisor Holm: yes; Supervisor Hawkinsmith: yes; Supervisor Connelly: yes; Supervisor Altringer: yes; Supervisor McCoy: yes. The board took the same unanimous vote on the $14,310,000 taxable general obligation bonds, series 2025D.

The board did not discuss specifics of using reserve funds or the soccer-arena allocation during the motion; Anderson said the financing approach produces net revenue because TIF valuations are included in the bond structure. The board’s action directs county staff to advertise the bonds for sale and to proceed with electronic bidding procedures and the official statements that will accompany the issues.

The bond resolutions were numbered 31 and 32 on the published agenda. No amendments to the motions were recorded.