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Public questions $24 million Evansville park bond as board keeps record open
Summary
At an Evansville City parks board hearing, residents pressed the board for details on a proposed $24,000,000 park bond—especially whether a $10,000,000 line for a giraffe barn is necessary—and officials left the record open for more testimony, scheduling continuation for Oct. 30.
The Evansville City Parks Board opened a public hearing on a proposed $24,000,000 park bond and heard sharp questions from residents about the scope and cost of projects the bond would fund. The board left the record open and scheduled continuation of testimony and formal votes for Oct. 30.
At the hearing, Cynthia Sable of 2916 Schoenfeld Avenue said the bond’s line item for "aquatics" was vague and asked whether specific pools such as Harkey Pool or Helfrich Park Pool are included. "What are we working on? What are we doing? Does that include Harkey Pool? Does that include Helfrich Park Pool that is closed down now?" she asked, and urged the board to provide receipts and clearer budgeting for proposed projects.
Don Nichols of 624 South Englewood criticized the bond proposal as potentially misleading to taxpayers and urged fiscal caution. Nichols said the board appeared reluctant to carve out an approximately $10,000,000 allocation for a giraffe barn and suggested placing those funds in a lockbox if they are not needed in 2024.
Bond counsel (Mr. Stahl) told the board the hearing record will remain open per the published legal notice and that the board will resume public testimony and consider three specific items at the Oct. 30 meeting: confirmation of the declaratory resolution, approval of the bond resolution to issue bonds, and approval of the appropriation resolution to allocate bond funds. The board also confirmed there will be time for public comment at the Oct. 30 meeting.
No formal bond votes were taken at the session. The continuation date gives residents another opportunity to speak and requires the board to address the specific funding and scope questions raised during public comment before any final bond approvals.
The board adjourned with the bond hearing record left open; the Oct. 30 meeting will include further testimony and formal consideration of the resolutions mentioned by counsel.
