Troy City Council approves precinct redraw and park project, hears eight liquor-license cases and OKs public-safety upgrades

Troy City Council on Monday approved several administrative and capital items while hearing eight liquor-license violations and several public comments. The council voted to adopt a revised precinct map that reduces the number of precincts, approved initial funding and a budget amendment for an inclusive play structure at Boland Park using Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) money, and approved renovations and equipment upgrades to the city’s emergency communications center. The council also heard eight separate liquor-license violation matters; two were approved as presented and six were continued to the council’s May 19 meeting for additional information.

The precinct map revision, presented by City Clerk Aileen Dixon, reduces Troy’s precincts from 37 to 27 under new state guidance that raised the recommended maximum number of registered voters per precinct from 2,999 to 4,999. Dixon said the change reflects voter behavior seen in the 2020 presidential cycle and the growth in early and absentee voting; the city expects to complete required updates in the qualified voter file and notify voters by mid‑year. “We tried to keep disruption to a minimum for voters,” Dixon told the council, noting the city will send voter information cards and run targeted outreach where polling locations change.

The council approved the first phase of an inclusive play-project at Boland Park using CDBG funds, moving forward with a roughly $630,000 financing package for the initial, 5‑to‑12‑year‑old play structure and related site work. Public Works Director Kurt Bovancey described the playground design as “inclusive” in the broader sense — not only ramps but integrated features that let children with mobility challenges pull through and play alongside peers without special equipment. Bovancey said the full project has a larger master plan that could ultimately reach about $2 million and that the phased approach will allow the city to seek additional grants for later phases.

On public-safety infrastructure, Police Chief Josh Jones and Communications Manager Sam Phillips described a modernization plan for the city’s emergency communications center,…