North Port commissioners to discuss proposed May 13 special election questions
NORTH PORT – North Port City commissioners are poised to set up a special election for May 13 to again ask the community give the city permission to borrow money, this time for emergencies or to pay for select projects.
The commission opted for a piecemeal process after North Port voters last November narrowly rejected a charter change that would have allowed the city to borrow for both emergencies and for projects paid for by bonds that don't have to be paid back by property taxes.
North Port is the only known municipality in Florida that does not have the ability to borrow in such cases without first getting voter approval.
General Development Corp. created that provision 65 years ago, when the city was incorporated as North Port Charlotte in 1959.
Commissioners are set for a final vote to set a referendum asking voters to authorize issuing debt in response to an emergency or disaster without voter approval.
Current restrictions prevented North Port from participating in some state or federal low-interest loan programs following Hurricane Ian.
Mayor Phil Stopes noted that the language in the ordinance specifically states that the funds would be used for emergency services such as debris removal and repairing or reconstructing public infrastructure or capital facilities damaged in the disaster.
Many critics of that November referendum question – including newly elected city commissioners David Duval and Demetrius Petrow – favored the emergency borrowing provision but not a second issue that would have lifted the requirement for voter approval to issue bonds backed by special district fees.
A preliminary vote to set the referendum for the emergency borrowing provision passed unanimously on Jan. 14.
City voters would also be asked in the May special election to approve a bonds to be repaid through a dedicated property tax that would generate about $115 million to help pay for a new police station and is projected to meet North Port's needs through 2065.
The current North Port property tax rate is 3.7667 mills. The owner of a typical house with an assessed value of $246.400, pays about $739.78 in city property taxes.
To finance the $115 million bond, an additional 0.618 mills would be assessed, which would increase that overall tax bill by $121.38 annually.
Another referendum question – one that does not involve property taxes – would allow the city to issue bonds backed by solid waste fees to build a new solid waste transfer station to serve the fast growing eastern part of the city.
The city has about $2.5 million available for the project and needs an additional $12.5 million, which would be financed through revenue bonds backed by user fees already set aside to save up for a pay-as-you-go funding process.
Voters will also be asked to approve the use of water and sewer fees to pay for two separate projects.
The first is a $3.4 million master pumping station and force main to serve water needs for growth in the Toledo Blade and Price Boulevard area.
The cost would be financed with a goal of starting construction in the 2027-28 fiscal year.
The city also needs to borrow $15 million to pay for construction of a wastewater pumping station and corresponding pipeline.
It currently has only $1 million of the projected $16 million project cost.
That project is needed both for growth and to deal with existing wastewater transport needs during wet weather events, as flow already exceeds capacity during those storms.
One referendum question also expected to be included on the special election ballot doesn't deal with money. Commissioners are expected to ask voters to to rewrite the city charter to remove residency requirements for the city clerk and city attorney position.
The commission meeting starts at 6 p.m. in North Port City Hall, 4970 City Hall Blvd.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: North Port commission will discuss five questions for May 13 ballot
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