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$2.5 million bond issue on ballot in Manvel
Published October 16, 2009
MANVEL — City Council wanted to seek a loan for a new city hall and expanded library, but voters wanted a say.
Residents will get a chance to decide whether the projects move forward when they head to the polls on Nov. 3 to consider a $2.5 million bond issue.
The bonds would pay for a new 8,000-square-foot city hall on property next to the current 1,600-square-foot building at 6615 FM 1128. The money also would pay to expand the current city hall to 4,000 square feet to become the city library and extend city water and sewer lines to the buildings.
If passed, the bonds would increase the city’s tax rate about 1.5 cents per $100 of appraised property value. That would be an additional $15 for a home valued at $100,000.
Early voting begins Monday.
Those who support the bond issue say the city is growing rapidly as housing developments continue to expand. Opponents say the development isn’t rapid enough to justify the bonds.
U.S. Census estimates show Manvel’s population has almost doubled to about 6,057 people in 2008, compared with 3,046 people in 2000.
That growth has led to a cramped City Hall, and council members don’t have a lot of room during meetings, Councilman Buddy Williams said. If the council has a hot issue on its agenda and a lot of residents show up to listen in, most of them won’t get in the door, he said.
“We’re living in a matchbox,” he said. “Half of the people can’t come in because of fire codes.”
Residents are suffering financially in the bad economy and it’s not a good time for the city to take on debt, resident Jimmie Joe Del Bello said. If City Hall needs to be bigger, the city can expand the current building, Del Bello said.
“I don’t think we need that project,” he said of the bond issue. “We can just add on to that thing.”
The city considered several options to build and pay for the changes, including seeking a $1 million loan or passing certificates of obligation, which don’t require voter approval. Some of the proposals included making the library an addition to an expanded city hall.
“We found it wasn’t as feasible as we thought,” Mayor Delores Martin said.
The city is looking to build a new library after a dispute with the former site’s landlord. The city recently moved the library from 7104 Masters Road into its current location at 19500 Highway 6.
As council considered passing certificates of obligation for an expansion several months ago, some residents voiced concern about the plan and asked if voters could decide whether the project was needed.
Council obliged and voted unanimously in August to place the issue on the ballot.
Martin said the current city hall location was too small when the city moved in. If Manvel continues to grow, services will grow too, and the city needs the space to expand, she said.
“If you want the city to grow, you have to give us the tools to do it,” Martin said.
Martin said the bonds would be good economically because the city could find a contractor at a relatively low cost.
“Contractors are hungry for work,” she said. “Building materials are down, and interest rates are down.”
Former councilman Larry Akery said while the city might need a bigger city hall, with slumping economic conditions and housing construction slowing, now might not be the right time.
Revenue from building permits is expected to drop to $175,000 this fiscal year, compared with the $375,000 budgeted in 2008-09.
“I would have no problems if those developments were under construction,” he said.
If the tax base stops expanding because of slower development, it would be difficult for residents to pay for the bonds, Akery said.
Akery said if the city did want to take out bonds, money would be better spend on improving roads.
“There are a lot of roads out here that are still not better off than they were 30 years ago,” Akery said.
John Tompkins is senior reporter for The Facts. Contact him at 979-849-8581.
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TOWN HALL MEETINGS
Leading up to the election, Manvel city officials have had town hall meetings to explain the need for the bond issue. Another meeting is set for 7 p.m. Thursday at Emily's Mexican Restaurant, 20211 Highway 6.
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