Oct. 11—Chief Financial Officer Kyle Demeester introduced a proposed ordinance this week that would allow the Decatur City Council to increase its debt by $35.2 million.
Council President Jacob Ladner said they plan to spend just over $16 million from a bond issue on a second parking deck. He said they need more funds for the Modaus Road ball field complex that’s under construction.
There are several other projects that need funds, but how the remainder of the money is spent is undetermined, Ladner said.
“The next council will have to make that determination,” said Ladner, whose term ends Nov. 2 because he didn’t seek reelection.
Councilman Carlton McMasters said a portion of the money is going to the commitment to partner with Cook’s Properties LLC. Discussions are ongoing on how to spend the remainder of the money.
“This is how much (debt) we felt comfortable with,” McMasters said. “Normally, municipalities run from 6 to 10% on debt service, and this would put us within 6.5 and 7%.”
The City Council committed to building the parking deck off Holly Street Southeast as part of the Cook Museum of Natural Science expansion and a new hotel project.
The museum is planning a $29.5 million expansion that includes $9.5 million that the state appropriated when it designated the Cook Museum as the North Alabama STEM Center in May.
Cook’s Properties also has a commitment for a $23 million, 130-room “prominent national brand” hotel between Lee and Holly streets Northeast, a block from Cook Museum and adjacent to the planned parking deck. The council voted in August to fund the parking deck, without an estimate on its cost, in a called meeting two days before Gov. Kay Ivey was scheduled to visit the Cook Museum to celebrate its designation as a STEM center.
At the time, Ladner said Brian Cook, president and board chairman of Cook Museum, wanted the city to demonstrate support for the project before the governor’s visit.
The city is building a ball field complex on 32.4 acres between Austin High School and the Jack Allen Sports Complex that was originally expected to cost $17 million. The park plans include a four-field ball field area and two multi-use fields with artificial turf, with a parking area on the right at the park’s entrance.
The city recently hired Fite Building Co. to step in as project manager.
Councilman Kyle Pike said they need more money for the ball field project because design changes increased the cost, and they have to do additional work because of rock on the site.
New Parks and Recreation Director Hunter Allen said they don’t know yet how much more money is needed for the ball field project.
Ladner said some of the other projects under consideration or in the plans are a new Decatur Youth Services facility, renovations of the Carrie Matthews Recreation Center and the new event center at Point Mallard Park.
The first reading that was held on Monday sets the council up to vote on the bonds at the 10 a.m. Oct. 22 meeting.
— bayne.hughes@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2432