McMinnville council finalizes draft ballot title for $98.5 million parks and recreation bond; resolution to be placed on next agenda

The McMinnville City Council reviewed and refined draft ballot-title language for a proposed $98,500,000 general-obligation bond to buy property and build a combined aquatics and recreation facility, and to update parks, the senior center and the public library, during a council work session.

The language the council reviewed would ask voters to authorize bonds totaling up to $98,500,000 and include a citizen oversight committee; staff and bond advisers also presented levy-rate and timing projections so councilors could weigh how the measure would read on the ballot. “The purpose of tonight’s workshop session is to review the proposed ballot title and give staff feedback on that ballot title,” CPR project manager Susan Muir said.

Why it matters: If placed on the November ballot and later approved by voters, the bonds would finance capital projects the city says are needed to replace or update aging facilities and to pursue a combined recreation/aquatics center. City financial advisers told the council the new bonds and the city’s existing debt are modeled together and, based on current assumptions, the combined levy rate is projected to be about $1.79 per $1,000 of assessed value — roughly a 95-cent increase over the current levy of 84 cents. Lauren McMillan, the municipal financial advisor, summarized the projection as “the projected total is an estimated $1.79.” She and the team emphasized those numbers are projections that depend on future assessed-value growth and interest rates.

Details and debate - Ballot structure and wording: Staff explained that Oregon ballot titles include…