By LYNETTE SOWELL-STEVENS
Cove Leader-Press
During Tuesday’s meeting, the Copperas Cove city council approved the City giving a notice of intent to issue just over $34 million in annual certificate of obligation (CO) bonds.
Of that total, $6.4 million would be supported by general fund taxes.
The bonds supported by taxes would go for several projects. One is to start Phase 1 of the expansion of the Copperas Cove cemetery, at $2.1 million.
City Manager Ryan Haverlah told the council there is approximately three to four years of space left at the city cemetery and that depends on the death rate in the community and available plots.
“If we make it through that three to four years and we haven’t done any additional improvements out of the cemetery, what is the impact? We just don’t have additional plots to sell to family members for their loved ones,” he said. “Either community members or families have to go to a different cemetery to find a plot for their loved ones, or they have to move into the cremation option for their loved ones, and so that’s the impact of that project, and that’s also why city council said let’s do a master plan.”
The second is for irrigation system and greens renovations at the Hills of Cove Golf Course, $1.6 million.
Although it’s been “business as usual” at the golf course, Haverlah said the Parks & Rec Department continues to struggle with greens maintenance and greens quality.
“We’ve replaced greens several times, and that means we’re going to continue to put additional money through the maintenance process of replacing those greens. It also means that in order to have good greens, that irrigation system we have out there is not efficient. We need to put a lot of water on the greens, but that means the collars around the greens are now soaked and muddy and it’s now causing additional maintenance issues,” Haverlah said.
The next segment of tax-supported bonds would purchase items in the Capital Outlay Plan, $2.164 million.
Lastly, $600,000 of the tax-supported bond funds would be used for proposed City Hall renovation.
City Manager Ryan Haverlah explained that there are leaks in the building that have continued to cause damage, and it is not the roof. Rather, it is the plaster on the exterior that has cracks.
During the workshop, Councilman Dale Treadway suggested paying for one project out of the General Fund account and not financing it, along with putting off another project.
“This is just my suggestion. Since City Hall is at $600,000, the lowest amount, I would prefer to use the general fund account,” he said. “The golf course, I understand needs to be fixed. I can support that. The cemetery phase one, I understand it needs to be done too. Maybe if we can hold off on that until next year, and then I could support the capital outlet plan.”
The majority of the bonds, $21 million, will be paid for and supported by the City’s Water & Sewer Fund.
The Water & Sewer supported funds will be used for water distribution and water treatment plant projects, along with water line replacement, particularly the South Main Street vitrified clay pipe replacement, which will cost an estimated $4.8 million for that project alone.
The Drainage funds ($1.7 million) will be used for seven drainage projects and equipment earmarked in the Capital Outlay Plan.
Solid Waste funds ($2.4 million) will be used for Phase 1 of the Solid Waste Complex improvements, along with Capital Outlay Plan purchases.
Street Maintenance supported bond funds will include $1.7 million in funding for the Bradford Oaks subdivision streets reconstruction, along with scheduled equipment purchases.
The Golf Course will get some new equipment ($184,000) as outlined in the City’s capital outlay plan.
The issuance of bond funds is not a done deal yet, and the council will have the opportunity to remove items from that list.
“The award of the sale cannot be greater than $34 million, but it can be less. Once we get that date, we’ll share with you, and then you have that time to decide whether you want to keep those tax-supported items, or which ones you want to keep,” said Haverlah.
The council will further discuss those items listed on bond issuance at its June 16 meeting.
The bond issuance is scheduled for Aug. 4.
- Log in or Subscribe to post comments.