Ovilla city council talks bond election

OVILLA – The Ovilla city council held a special meeting Monday night to discuss a bond election to be on the November ballot.

A citizen’s advisory committee had recommended municipal facility improvements that included a new police station, city hall and city park improvements.

Council gave Ovilla City Manager John Dean new direction regarding the plan that needs to be presented at an upcoming special city council meeting prior to the next regularly scheduled council meeting on Aug. 12.

The bond election would be a three-part bond meaning residents could vote on a bond, for example for a new police station, but vote against the park improvements.

Cost estimates varied depending on location whether city hall and the police department will be under one roof.

At Monday’s meeting, a one-story city hall/police station was presented costing approximately $5.167 million, a two-story city hall/police station at $5.025 million, a police department with parking at $1.953 million, a police department with required parking at $1.848 million, a city hall at $2.638 million, as well as the dollar amounts for various stand-alone parking lot options.

A proposed 60 x 60 park pavilion cost came in a $350,000, this cost would likely include other city park improvements too.

Council members decided they would prefer to keep the location of a new city hall and police station in the same area as the current facilities.

The fire station will stay in the current location attached to the existing city hall.

If the bond is passed for a new police station, then public works would eventually move into the old police department facilities with ADA improvements costing $26,500.

“We want to have something read to vote on at the August meeting,” said Mayor Pro Tem David Griffin.

Earlier this month a map was presented by staff to identify potential locations.

It was said at that time the location must be decided before cost estimates could be determined for the construction project.

Possible locations discussed included near the corner of Cockrell Hill and Westlawn or Main Street on a recent piece of property purchased by the city.

“The city appointed a municipal facilities improvement committee, which made recommendations to the city council to consider,” said Ovilla Mayor Richard Dormier.

“We are looking at various options to prepare information for a possible bond election in November to consider a new police station, city hall, and park pavilion.”

Council is eager to have the plans for the new Municipal Facility finalized so the bond election can take place in Nov. 2019.

The election must be called by Aug. 19 for the election to be held in November.