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Union County adopts bond ordinance repurposing $14.1 million in capital funds
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Summary
The Board of County Commissioners adopted Ordinance No. 860-2025, which repurposes $14,116,985 of previously authorized capital funds from completed or lower-priority projects for parks, technology, equipment and drainage; the measure passed 7–0.
The Union County Board of Commissioners adopted Ordinance No. 860-2025 on final reading, moving roughly $14.1 million in previously authorized capital funds into new priorities while stating the change will not increase county debt.
County Manager Oatman told the board that the ordinance "does not add anything to the county debt" and described the measure as "a repurposing of capital funds in the amount of $14,116,985 from projects that are deemed complete or others that have a greater priority." He said funds will support projects including park improvements, technology upgrades, equipment purchases and drainage work.
The ordinance, read by title by the clerk, amended or consolidated a set of previously adopted bond ordinances dating back to 2012 and later amendments. During the public comment period, Bruce Patterson of Garwood asked for clarity on what happens to aggregated balances and cited one earlier ordinance (8‑45‑2023) he said included an original $46,000,000 authorization; Patterson said the changes and the shortened public-speaking time felt "arbitrary and capricious." The county manager responded that the ordinance is intended to reallocate unspent or lower-priority authorizations rather than create new borrowing.
Fiscal committee chair Commissioner Rebecca Williams moved the ordinance for final reading and to authorize the clerk to advertise; Commissioner Baker seconded. The clerk recorded seven affirmative votes on the roll call and the ordinance was adopted.
The board did not set additional itemized allocations during the meeting; county staff and the clerk's office are the next points of contact for residents seeking detailed project-by-project accounting.
The ordinance takes effect under the timetable in its text; the county said projects repurposed under the measure include investments in parks, drainage and county technology, but the meeting record did not list a detailed line‑item budget for each redirected authorization.
