Sales Tax advanced to primary ballot

Funds sought for Downtown revitalization, Northwest Drainage, culture and recreation needs

By Larry Peirce
Banner-Press Editor

The voters will determine at the May primary ballot whether to approve a 1 1/2 percent sales tax for the City of David City.

The city's 1-cent sales tax passed in 2000 will sunset in October. It has enabled the city to pay for the David City Family Aquatic Center that opened in 2002 and other park improvement projects.

At the Feb. 10 meeting, the City Council voted 5-0, to put the sales tax option on the ballot. Councilman Bill Scribner was absent,

Mayor Dana Trowbridge explained the "three-legged stool" approach that was discussed by the sales tax committee.

The legs would represent necessary funds for necessary improvements in the community: the completion of the Northwest Drainage Project; infrastructure upgrades in the city, with the most critical need being water, sewer, streets and sidewalk replacement in the downtown area; and funds for recreational/cultural projects.

The Northwest Drainage Project is intended to address the flow of storm runoff that occurs in heavy downpours on the north side of town, specifically from O Street north along Nebraska 15. Much of the engineering has been in place for more than two decades.

For the downtown upgrades, a local committee worked on design themes with Olsson Associates two years ago. The theme is evident in the upgrades nearly completed on D Street west of Fourth Street.

$6.955 million

While it is impossible to predict how much the sales tax would raise, Trowbridge said, early projections would call for raising $6.955 million, with about around $900,000 going toward interest payments on the funds necessary to accomplish the city projects.
Downtown redevelopment would probably require $3.1 million, Northwest Drainage, $1.5 million, and that would leave around $1.5 million left over during the long haul for recreation and culture improvements.

Trowbridge referred to the necessity of fixing the water lines, storm sewer lines, streets and parking areas of the downtown area, including the poor condition and drainage of the corner of Sixth and D streets in front of the David City Fire Hall.

The city will need to address its infrastructure needs.

"Those are going to get done one way or another," he said, explaining that if a sales tax isn't in
place, the city would need to issue bonds to pay for the improvements. That would put the cost on property tax owners in the form of a special bond levy.

"This isn't going to go away," Trowbridge said. "I would rather have the guy coming through town help to pay for it."

Regarding the aging water mains, Trowbridge said the David City Volunteer Fire Department is on board. Fire Chief Matt Hilger is part of the sales tax committee.

Water Superintendent Gary Janicek said that the water mains could deliver the water pressure to the Fire Department's trucks, but several large pumpers working at once could cause lines to break.

"It's the (system's) credibility, more than anything," he said. "It's the weakness of the infrastructure. We haven't bothered to address it."

The mayor stressed the importance of providing funds for infrastructure improvements.

"This needs to get sold. The alternative is zero. We could have $6 million to $7 million worth of progress. If the sales tax issue fails, you can't run it for two years," he said.

Questions came from the audience about the meaning of recreation and culture and where the funds would go for those two categories.

Sales tax committee spokeswoman Carolyn Yates said that the advisory Park Committee had compiled a list of expenses the city will be facing in the years ahead, including dredging of the lake and maintenance of the stadium and track.

The funds have to go for city programs, and facilities such as the privately held Thorpe Opera House would not qualify.

The City Council would have the ultimate approval of where the recreation and culture funds would go.

The organizing committee for the sales tax met on Jan. 28. The committee included City Council members Gary Kroesing and Nick Hein, Hilger, Trowbridge, interim Butler County Development Director Keith Marvin, Parks and Recreation committee members Deb Dinkelman and Jim Witter, Thorpe Inc. board member Beth Klosterman, business owner Mike Moravec, interested citizen Donna Storrer. The committee was chaired by business owners Yates and Janis Cameron.