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Timnath consultants report strong public support for recreation center; council approves outreach contract
Summary
Consultants told council a statistically valid survey found 94% support for exploring a recreation center. Council approved a $45,000 base contract plus up to $17,000 in hard costs with Beyond Your Base to conduct voter research and outreach for a possible ballot measure.
Jason Gank, a senior lead on the parks and recreation master plan and recreation feasibility study, told the Timnath Town Council on Feb. 11 that community engagement and initial analysis strongly favor further work on a recreation center.
Gank said a statistically valid survey conducted by project partner ETC found 94% of surveyed respondents were “very interested” in supporting exploration of a future recreation center. He and staff also described pop-up events, focus groups and mobile travel-data analysis that identified where residents currently travel for recreation services.
The finding prompted council to consider moving from study to ballot planning. At the council’s regular meeting later that evening, staff asked council to approve a bid waiver and contract with Beyond Your Base, a public engagement and opinion-research consultant. Parks and Recreation presentation materials and staff testimony described a base contract of $45,000 and up to $17,000 in additional hard costs for mailings, voter data and similar items; additional digital or media work would be extra.
Council discussion focused on timing, turnout and cost. Beyond Your Base told staff the firm’s voter analytics favors a November ballot because higher turnout improves the firm’s ability to model likely support; staff said they would have a recommendation by August on whether to place a measure on the November ballot. Council members stressed the need to refine project scope, cost recovery options and a financing plan before finalizing a ballot proposal.
Council voted to approve Resolution No. 9, Series 2025, authorizing the contract with Beyond Your Base. The vote was recorded as approved unanimously.
The consultants emphasized next steps: finalizing the pro forma and feasibility work, reviewing alternatives (plan A and plan B), conducting voter research and convening a task force. Staff reported the draft pro forma would be delivered to town staff the week after the meeting and that more detailed master-plan materials would return to council in March, with a work session planned for March 25.
Council members and staff noted caveats: the feasibility work is ongoing and a favorable survey is not a commitment to a ballot measure. Several council members highlighted inflation and rising construction costs as a reason to move deliberately if a ballot measure is desired.
