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Council approves bond presentation after contentious debate over Almy Pond and Rogers High School allocations
Summary
Council approved a $98.5 million bond package to present to voters after extended debate and competing amendments that sought to redirect funds to Almy Pond remediation or Rogers High School completion. Staff warned Almy Pond remediation could cost much more than the proposed $5 million amendment.
City Manager Kennedy and staff presented an educational document outlining a proposed $98.5 million bond referendum that lists projects for voter consideration, including seawalls, park and beach projects, road and sidewalk improvements, utilities, public facilities and school-related items. The package is advisory to the public and does not itself appropriate funding.
Councilor David Carlin proposed an amendment reducing a $5 million allocation for the Maha Center renovation and instead assigning $5 million to the utilities department for Almy Pond cleanup. Director Rob Schultz told the council that an order-of-magnitude estimate for full Almy Pond rehabilitation could be in the $30 million range (±50%) and that the project would need extensive engineering and regulatory coordination. Carlin argued public-health needs demanded action; other councilors worried about removing line items previously prioritized in budget workshops.
After multiple amendments — including a failed attempt to add Almy Pond as a TBD line and votes on removing or modifying items — the council voted to approve the bond packet as the information to be presented to voters. Several public speakers urged completion of Rogers High School and stressed community needs. The council recorded both supporting and opposing votes during the debate; the final motion to present the bond package to voters passed.
