Independence council votes 7-0 to place multi-question general obligation bond on April 2025 ballot

The Independence City Council voted 7-0 on Dec. 16 to place a multi-question general obligation bond on the April 2025 ballot, a measure city leaders said would fund a new justice center, infrastructure repairs and historic-site and parks projects.

City Manager (name provided in the meeting record) told the council that, if approved by voters, the proposal would be split across three questions. The public-safety question was described as totaling up to $130,000,000, including up to $123,000,000 for a Justice Center, up to $4,000,000 to remediate the current Independence Police Department site and up to $3,000,000 to acquire the regional animal shelter. The transportation question includes $30,000,000 for street overlays and reconstruction, $15,000,000 for bridge repair or replacement and $10,000,000 for elementary-school sidewalks. A parks and tourism question would include $7,000,000 for three historic sites (the Vail Mansion, the Bingham Wagner Estate and the Truman Memorial Building) and $5,000,000 for enhancements to the Independence Athletic Complex.

Supporters on the council said the bond is a long‑term investment needed to address deferred maintenance and safety concerns. Council member (speakers on the record) told the chamber of commerce and police representatives that the city has worked on the plan for nearly two years, used a citizen committee to set priorities and assigned oversight committees to monitor spending. "This is our opportunity, as a community, to make a gigantic investment in improving this community," Mayor Roland said during debate.

Speakers from the business community and the Independence Chamber of Commerce urged the council to put the question to voters. Tom Lesnick, president and CEO of the Independence Chamber of Commerce, said the community is falling behind on infrastructure and that the bond would improve the city’s competitiveness. Several public speakers, including municipal employees and a police representative, described current facilities as aging or dilapidated.

Council members pressed city staff for clarification on one outstanding fiscal issue: how the Jackson County senior property-tax freeze might interact with a debt levy tied to the bond. The City Manager said the county's ordinance is silent on debt levies as applied to the freeze and that staff had sought a written, definitive interpretation from county officials but had not yet received one. "This is a question for the county to answer," the City Manager said; the record shows the issue remained unresolved at the meeting.

After public comment and final remarks from council members, the clerk called the roll. The ordinance calling the election passed by recorded vote (7 in favor, 0 opposed). The council’s action sends the bond questions to the April 2025 ballot; any further ordinance language, project budgets and election materials will be prepared as required by election law and posted for public review.

Next steps: the election ordinance was adopted on second reading and the city will proceed with required election notices and ballot preparation; staff said they would continue to seek county clarification on the senior tax-freeze question.