City details $12 million GO bond question for historic sites and athletic complex ahead of April ballot

Parks, Recreation and Tourism Director Morris Heide briefed the council on Jan. 10 about Geo Bond Question 3, a $12 million general obligation bond measure that will appear on the April 8 ballot and would fund repairs and upgrades at three historic sites and the Independence Athletic Complex.

Heide said the bond question would allocate $3,700,000 for the Bingham‑Wagner Estate, $2,200,000 for the Vail Mansion, $969,000 for the Truman Memorial Building and $5,000,000 for the Independence Athletic Complex. “The $12,000,000 will be divided between the following locations,” he said, citing a 2018 facilities assessment updated for inflation to derive cost estimates for the historic properties.

The nut graf: staff said the work would address deferred maintenance and safety items — including electrical upgrades, HVAC, roofing, masonry and accessibility — and that bond oversight and an itemized project list are available on the city website for review.

Heide reviewed highlights for each site. For the Bingham‑Wagner Estate (acquired by the city in 1979 and on the National Register of Historic Places), staff identified about 49 projects from a prior assessment, including replacing knob‑and‑tube wiring and upsizing the main service to about 400 amps, adding whole‑house air conditioning, roof and plaster repairs, and exterior painting. For the Vail Mansion (acquired 1983), items include replacing deteriorated wood windows and storm windows, stone sill repair, HVAC replacement, roof, pavement and tuckpointing. For the Truman Memorial Building, projects include masonry and site work to fix water infiltration, HVAC and roof repairs and replacement of audio‑visual equipment.

Heide described the athletic complex as a 165‑acre site with 17 fields and amenities and presented one conceptual option under study to consolidate fields into 17 full‑size soccer fields to support sports tourism; he said the slide was a concept only and the department will solicit community input as it updates a 15‑year‑old Parks and Recreation master plan.

Heide also presented estimated annual tax impacts: for a $100,000 residential assessed valuation, the annual cost would be $9.49; for $200,000 it would be $18.98; $300,000 would be $28.47; and $400,000 would be $37.96. City Manager Zach Walker noted the council adopted resolution language establishing oversight mechanisms and said an itemized line‑item list of projects and amounts is available on the city website for public review.

Ending: Councilmembers praised the inclusion of air conditioning at Bingham‑Wagner and discussed field surface questions for the athletic complex; staff said more community engagement will shape final design and priorities if voters approve the measure.