Council approves $160.5 million K–5 school bond and $6.3 million stormwater bond

The Mulberry City Council voted to approve a $160,544,091 bond for the proposed K–5 elementary school project and a separate $6,300,000 stormwater bond intended to fund design and construction of drainage improvements supporting the new school.

The finance committee had recommended both measures. During the council’s roll-call votes, members recorded 10 votes in favor and one absence for each bond, approving the appropriations and allowing the projects to proceed to the next implementation steps.

Councilor Irish, reporting the finance committee’s recommendation, said the committee reviewed job descriptions, salary scheduling for a recreation coordinator and recommended suspension of rules to consider the bond appropriations at the same meeting.

Councilor Bridal described the stormwater work in more practical terms: “This project is going to involve taking an existing culvert that goes under the development … and take a larger volume of water out of the basin and the streams in that area, and take it to the other side of the development,” a description the council cited as the basis for the stormwater appropriation.

Both bonds were presented as necessary elements of the larger school project: the school bond funds construction, while the stormwater bond addresses drainage alterations tied to the development. The council approved suspension of the rules to consider the bond ordinances in the same evening, then carried out the roll-call votes.

Next steps include administrative actions to execute the approved appropriations and any subsequent design and permitting steps required for construction. The council adjourned the bond discussion after the votes and moved on to other agenda items.