What is this, when is it and who can vote?
Registered voters who reside within the city limits of Bartlesville will have the opportunity to decide funding for several proposed community projects and other improvements during a General Obligation Bond election set for March 6, 2018.
How much will this cost?
Voters will consider projects in four categories: Streets, Storm Drainage, Facilities and Equipment and Parks and Recreation. The projects total $16.5 million, which includes the cost to issue the bonds (COI).
How are the projects decided?
At any given time, the City of Bartlesville has a working list of capital needs that total over $100 million. City staff and citizen committees narrow the list and then the City Council is tasked with determining the bond amount and deciding which projects will be put before voters in an election. This process was recently completed, and now it’s time for the voters to decide.
Where does the money come from?
GO bonds are funded through ad valorem, or property taxes, which are paid by Bartlesville property owners.
Will approval of this bond issue increase my taxes?
No. Approval of these projects will not result in an increase in taxes. The City’s mil levy would remain at 15 with approval of the issue, which would have no impact on ad valorem taxes.
How much are these projects by category?
The funding breaks down to $8,260,000 in park and recreational improvements, $5,120,000 for street repairs, $1,995,000 million for facility and equipment upgrades and $1,125,000 for storm drainage projects.
What are “70 percent” and “30 percent” projects?
Oklahoma law requires that 70 percent of the projects in each category be specified on the ballot for a GO bond election. The remaining 30 percent are “discretionary” and are not placed on the ballot. Discretionary projects are not legally required for completion; however, the City of Bartlesville has completed all projects identified as “30 percent projects” in the past.
To view details of projects to be completed using bond proceeds dating back to 2005, see Bond Transparency Act of 2017 – Notice (March 6, 2018).
General Obligation Bond 2018 Projects*
Parks & Recreation — 70 Percent Projects
Price Tower Green — $1,776,500
The Price Tower Green project consists of closing Silas Street (Sixth Street) between the Price Tower and the Bartlesville Community Center, removing the existing hardscaping in that area and constructing a green space at that location for events and to provide an urban green space with programmed events offered free to the public.
The space would include an outdoor amphitheater and other amenities. Such events would include community concerts, movies, music and art festivals, public markets, art displays and other opportunities for recreational and leisure activities for both children and adults. A committee would be formed to oversee the management and maintenance of the facility, under a partnership between the City of Bartlesville, the Price Tower and the Bartlesville Community Center.
This space was envisioned in both the 2004 Downtown Master Plan and the 2009 Downtown Redevelopment Plan to serves as the heart of the Downtown Arts District, and is intended to serve as a community gathering space.
Price Fields Phase 3 (reconstruction of the existing center fields) — $3,654,500
Phase 3 of the multi-phase Price Fields Complex Renovation would consist of replacing the four main central fields in the complex, located just south of the two new baseball/softball quads built on the north end of the complex.
During Phase 1, a new softball quad was built in the northeastern area of the complex, and a new baseball quad, Phase 2, was recently opened in the northwest area of the complex.
Additional phases could include street alignment, improved access into and out of the complex, emergency access to the complex, additional parking, restrooms and a playground.
This project was recommended in the 2009 Park and Recreation Development Plan.
Lighting for Daniels Soccer Fields — $355,300
Daniels Soccer Fields, two adult-sized fields located near Lee Lake, on Adams Boulevard just east of Silver Lake Road, were constructed in 2013. Lighting at the facility would make the fields the only lighted City soccer fields in Bartlesville.
Kiddie Park entrance and perimeter fence — $101,500
Located on City of Bartlesville-owned property in Johnstone Park but managed by an independent, non-profit board, Kiddie Park is a one-of-a-kind youngster’s amusement park where rides — which include a just-the-right-size ferris wheel, a twisty-turny roller coaster and scenic train ride — still cost 50 cents and the cotton candy is plentiful on hot summer nights.
A favorite destination for tourists and long-time residents alike, Kiddie Park is one of the city’s crown jewels. This funding would replace the aging fence at the entrance and around the park.
Veterans Park playground and memorial — $81,200
The long-time need for a children’s playground at Veterans Park has been on hold pending completion of the new Boy’s and Girl’s Club. With the recent opening of this new facility, the construction of a playground and a veterans memorial near Frontier Pool and the existing shelter can now move forward as originally planned in 2008 when the name of the park was changed from Frontier Park to Veterans’ Park.
Pathfinder repaving — $304,500
Pathfinder Parkway, another jewel in the City’s park system, is a 12-mile linear park consisting of paved trails that wander through the City of Bartlesville along the Caney River and Turkey Creek drainageways.
Over the years, many areas of the path, popular with walkers and joggers, have deteriorated and are in need of repair/repavement. The cost to repave the path is approximately $150,000 per mile. This funding would accommodate repaving two miles.
Johnstone Park restroom remodel — $76,100
Time, weather, vandalism and community use have deteriorated the restroom building in Johnstone Park. Originally constructed in 1972, it is time to upgrade and remodel it so our citizens can have a clean, safe, and healthy restroom to use while at the park. This project will modernize the restrooms and will incorporate vandal and theft resistant fixtures and materials.
Parks & Recreation — 30 Percent Projects
Paved parking lot for Cooper Dog Park — $76,100
Cooper Dog Park is a leash-free park located near Lee Lake, on Adams Boulevard east of Silver Lake Road, which is managed and maintained by Bark Park Buddies, a local area non-profit organization. The park, constructed largely by grant funds and donations with City and volunteer labor, is a popular gathering spot for dogs and their owners.
This project would pave the existing gravel parking lot, located on the south side of the park, and ultimately connect to the existing paved parking lot for the soccer fields located to the west.
Lighting for Lee Lake trail — $32,300
A relatively new addition to the Bartlesville park system, Lee Lake and the asphalt trail that circles the lake, opened to the public about two years ago, has quickly become a popular destination for fishing, walking, jogging and picnics. This trail loop, the City’s only outdoor closed circuit walking trail, provides an opportunity for residents to meet their need for regular outdoor physical activity, to begin and end at the same location, walking the loop as many times as desired while experiencing nature in a public park area.
The use of this trail loop has steadily increased over the past two years and lighting of this trail will provide much needed safety for users of the trail loop in the dawn and dusk hours of the day, but will also serve to deter crime and vandalism in the park.
Funding of this project will be used to provide a portion of the match for a $70,000 Land and Water Conservation Fund grant from the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department to provide solar powered lights and mileage markers along the trail loop and other amenities at Lee Lake. This project was included in the 2009 Parks and Recreation Development Plan.
Johnstone Park parking lot/entry access — $406,100
This project involves providing additional paved off-street parking to serve the new Johnstone Park Pavilion, the Kiddie Park and other park facilities located within Johnstone Park, as well as improvements to the entry and paved roads within the 95-acre regional park.
Community skate park (downtown or Lee Lake) — $355,300
Utilizing a matching grant and donated funds, the City of Bartlesville constructed its first and only public skate park in Johnstone Park in 2003. Constructed of modular pre-fabricated steel frame components, this equipment has outlived its useful life. While relatively inexpensive to purchase and install, these skate park components, through normal wear and tear, have been excessively susceptible to ongoing maintenance problems with a resultant escalating cost to repair. This project would replace this modular skate park with a poured-in-place concrete structure.
Splash pad at Johnstone Pavilion — $355,300
The construction of the pavilion at Johnstone Park was the first part of a master plan intended to enhance and expand recreational opportunities at Johnstone Park. With Doenges Stadium and the Kiddie Park, this area has long served as a family entertainment venue. The addition of the Pavilion and its amenities in this highly visible location has enhanced and boosted the use of Johnstone Park. This project would add a water feature to this area that will provide an accessible heat-friendly recreational opportunity for residents of all ages and abilities.
Parking lot repairs/improvements (all parks) — $152,300
This funding will provide for much needed parking lot and roadway repairs and improvements throughout all City parks, including the roadway and parking areas throughout Sooner Park, Jo Allyn Lowe Park, Douglass Park, Lyon Park and Robinwood Park Playground.
Miscellaneous park improvements and erosion rehab — $101,500
As with all property, weathering and erosion occur in City parks. Soil erosion has occurred along sloped areas and along the shoreline of lakes, creeks and the Caney River in several areas which require stabilization. This project would provide funds for such stabilization as well as for other park improvements.
City gateway signage — $101,500
This project involves the construction of gateway signage into the City of Bartlesville at major entryways. These signs will be eye-catching and contemporary and will reflect Bartlesville’s characteristics as a creative, vibrant, and connected community, a promotional moniker developed by the community in 2014 as recommended in the 2013 Community Strategic Plan.
Consistent signage in all City parks — $91,400
One of the goals for the City’s Park and Recreation Department has been to provide consistent high quality entrance and wayfinding signs for all city park and recreational facilities. Such signs would be directional as well as informational and would be linked to mapping that would facilitate pedestrian, cyclist and vehicular access to and throughout the city’s parks and trails. Signage created through this project would be cost efficient in fabrication, implementation, and long-term maintenance. This project was recommended in the 2009 Parks and Recreation Development Plan.
Douglass Park walkway — $45,700
This project will provide funding to repave the existing asphalt walking trail at Douglass Park.
Golf course bunker repair — $101,500
This project involves the removal and replacement of sand and drainage structures in the bunkers at Adams Municipal Golf Course. The existing bunkers range from 17 to 25 years in age and have become contaminated with dirt and defective drains, resulting in frequent wash-out and compromising playability.
Golf course equipment — $50,800
This funding will be used to cover some of the equipment requests from Adams Municipal Golf Course staff. Requested items include a new sprayer, a tee mower, a zero-turn mower, a utility cart and a pull-behind rough mower. Although the $50,000 provided in this item will not cover all of these items, the intent is to provide some funding to allow golf course staff to shop for deals and get what equipment they can within the allocated funds.
Replacement of drinking fountains in all parks — $40,600
This funding would be used to replace drinking fountains in all City of Bartlesville-owned parks.
Facilities & Equipment — 70 Percent Projects
New pumper truck for the Fire Department — $619,200
This pumper truck would replace the first run pumper truck at Station 3, located at Madison Boulevard and Tuxedo Boulevard. The existing truck is 20 years old and lacks the safety features and operating capabilities recommended by the National Fire Protection Association. This purchase is the second in the Fire Department’s long-range plan to upgrade fire apparatus at each of the three fire stations to meet the current NFPA standards.
Replace Police Department software system — $482,200
The new software system, Spillman Records Management System, would replace the existing and highly problematic Sleuth system, which has been in use at the police department for many years. The software will permit interaction between all police department functions, which is not possible using the Sleuth system.
Replace older servers — $304,500
This funding would be used to replace all of the City’s current servers. The current servers are all over five years old and are becoming increasingly unreliable.
Facilities & Equipment — 30 Percent Projects
Downtown Christmas decorations — $20,600
The quality of Bartlesville’s Downtown Christmas decor remembered by many Bartians from years past has slowly waned with those memories as funding for the maintenance and replacement of this annual public display has been eliminated. This funding would enable the purchase of commercial-grade decorative Christmas lights and displays, such as lights, pole-mounted decorations and skylines, along Frank Phillips Boulevard in Downtown Bartlesville during the Christmas season. (This project is separate from the Downtown Limited project that will place lights on private buildings.)
Gradall (excavator) — $355,300
The Street Department, which is under the Public Works umbrella, has many responsibilities within the City of Bartlesville. The department’s primary purpose is maintenance of the City’s streets and drainage systems. Street Department crews are also called upon to help with facilities and parks projects that require larger amounts of paving, building erection and grading activities.
One of the department’s primary tools for these types of projects — and also utilized for the majority of their drainage maintenance and street repair projects — is the Gradall Excavator. This piece of equipment would replace the department’s existing Gradall, which has been well used and is becoming costly to maintain in working condition.
Bartlesville Public Library HVAC — $213,200
Bartlesville’s Public Library opened 26 years ago in January of 1992. This project provides funding to replace the original temperature controls with a modern system that can be monitored and controlled remotely, and to replace the air conditioner coils and bearings. This project will increase the efficiency and reliability of the existing system.
Storm Drainage — 70 Percent Projects
Quail Place Tributary improvements (Woodland Park) — 523,700
This project is one of the suggested projects to improve the City’s drainage systems in the 2004 Master Drainage Plan, conducted by Meshek & Associates. The project has been approved for the GO Bond election due to flooding issues at Cherokee Hills Drive in recent years with some of the larger rainfall events.
The existing channel between Evergreen Drive and Cherokee Hills Drive has a two-year drainage capacity. Though this project would not eliminate all drainage issues, it would target elimination of the rainfall events that cause nuisance flooding. The project would essentially increase the size and capacity of the existing concrete lined drainage channel and the box culvert under Cherokee Hills Drive.
Candlestick Court storm drain (Camelot) — $366,600
Rainfall events this past spring revealed a drainage system that is in need of repair. Multiple large sink holes appeared in the back yards of homes located along Candlestick Court in Colonial Estates.
After further investigation, it was determined the existing 71 inch by 47 inch corrugated metal pipe is corroded to the point that it has collapsed in multiple locations. Over time, this resulted in the creation of large cavities that eventually created the sink holes. The project will replace approximately 500 feet of pipe from Camelot to the end of the pipe where it daylights at Rice Creek near the south end of Candlestick Court.
Storm Drainage — 30 Percent Projects
Eighth Street storm drain rehab, Shawnee to Choctaw — 234,700
The existing storm drainage system located on Eighth Street between Shawnee Avenue and Choctaw Avenue is regularly in need of repair. The Street Department included this project as a priority for replacement when requesting projects for the upcoming bond election.
Street Department crews have made multiple repairs, but the system is constructed of clay tile pipe, which is very old and brittle. Each time a repair is needed, it is difficult to find a point to connect to the existing system as it falls apart very easily. This project will replace approximately 1,300 feet of 24 inch pipe located underneath Eighth Street.
Streets — 70 Percent Projects
Downtown streets mill and overlay — $2,030,300
One of the highlights of Bartlesville is the Downtown area. The streets located in this area are in need of repair and striping. This project will be a mill and overlay of all streets between Adams Boulevard and Hensley Boulevard and between Keeler Avenue and Cherokee Avenue. Adams, Hensley, and Cherokee would be excluded from the project along with the portion of Frank Phillips that was recently rehabilitated. Everything else located within this area would be milled, overlaid and then re-striped.
Frank Phillips mill and overlay from Sunset to Park — $786,700
One of the major east/west thoroughfares through Bartlesville is Frank Phillips Boulevard. The portion between Sunset Boulevard and the railroad tracks just west of Keeler Avenue is in need of repair. This project would consist of a mill and overlay, picking up where work on the recent Frank Phillips rehabilitation between the railroad tracks and Cherokee left off.
13th Street concrete panel (Cherokee to Garden) — $456,800
Thirteenth Street between Cherokee Avenue and Garden Street is heavily used for Kane Elementary School traffic. This portion of concrete roadway is in very poor condition. This project would include a concrete panel replacement and target replacement of close to 85 percent of the panels along this stretch of 13th Street.
Cudahy concrete panel (Virginia to Santa Fe) — $406,100
Cudahy, which accommodates a surprising amount of traffic on the west side of Bartlesville, has been on the radar to be rehabilitated for some time. This project would include a concrete panel replacement between Virginia Avenue and Santa Fe and would likely be coupled with the other proposed Cudahy project, which includes an asphalt overlay between Santa Fe and Johnstone Avenue. Estimates are that up to 95 percent of the concrete portion of Cudahy may need to be replaced as part of this project.
Streets — 30 Percent Projects
Minnesota overlay — $659,800
Minnesota Street between U.S. Highway 75 (Washington Boulevard) and Madison Boulevard is essentially an older county road that is in desperate need of repair. This mile-long stretch of Minnesota is constructed of asphalt and is suffering from a large amount of base failure. This project would include point repairs and overlay of Minnesota.
Pathfinder connect from downtown to west Bartlesville — $406,100
This project involves the extension of the existing Pathfinder Parkway pedestrian and bicycle trail system from its end point in Johnstone Park into and through Downtown Bartlesville and then to West Bartlesville via a combination of both on-street and off-street designs along with informational and directional signage.
This project meets two key goals identified in community planning processes: 1) Strengthening pedestrian connections to link West Bartlesville into Downtown, identified as a high priority in the 2011 West Bartlesville Redevelopment Plan; and 2) Providing a wayfinding system that orients people to the many opportunities located within Downtown Bartlesville, identified in the 2009 Downtown Redevelopment Plan and the 2013 Community Strategic Plan.
Downtown landscaping — $253,800
Funding for this project would continue steps taken to remove and replace the existing landscaping and streetscape improvements in the downtown area with a design that is sustainable, low-maintenance and suitable to an urban environment. This is a multi-phase project completed as funding is identified. This project was included in the 2009 Downtown Redevelopment Plan and the 2013 Community Strategic Plan.
Cudahay overlay, from Santa Fe to Johnstone Avenue — 120,400
This project would consist of an asphalt overlay between Santa Fe and Johnstone Avenue and would likely be coupled with another Cudahy project proposed (see above), which is a concrete panel replacement between Santa Fe and Virginia. Some point repairs would be included to address areas with failed subgrade.
*Project costs include the estimated cost to complete each project as well as the Cost of Issuance (COI). The COI is based on what it would cost to issue the bonds per project, which is roughly 2 percent of each project cost, rounded for clarity. “Seventy percent” project costs are presented as they will appear on the ballot.