Council calls May bond election for police facility, $55 million proposition; amends term to 30 years

The council voted to place a $55,000,000 police facility bond question on the May 2, 2026 ballot following a bond advisory committee recommendation (12 of 14 members favored the $55M package). Deputy City Manager Passion Hayes presented committee findings and the proposed election language; CFO Stephen Glickman reviewed tax‑rate modeling using conservative interest assumptions (the packet used 5% for projections though market rates at the time of the meeting were lower) and explained that sales of 20‑year bonds are the expected financing approach.

Council debate focused on timing (May vs. November), term length and taxpayer impacts. Several council members asked for clarity on tax projections and long‑term costs; Glickman estimated interest in the neighborhood of $20M under the modeling assumptions (noting that actual rates would change the total). One council member opposed placing the measure on the May ballot, citing a desire to see results of the DART ballot first; council amended the statutory language to limit the proposition's term language to 30 years (the statutory maximum is 40) and approved calling the May election.

Why it matters: The bond would fund a new or renovated police and courts facility; the CFO estimated roughly $310 per year initial impact on the median Addison home (approximate) under the packet’s conservative assumptions, translating to several thousand dollars over a 20‑year payoff in aggregate. The measure, if approved by voters, would commit the town to a long‑term capital financing plan and future debt service obligations.

Key quote: "The committee's recommendation…is to call a bond election in May for the remodel of an existing building or the construction of a new building for a police facility not to exceed $55,000,000," Passion Hayes said. CFO Stephen Glickman noted modeled interest costs and said the packet used conservative assumptions.