The Soldotna City Council is having a public hearing on July 27 determining if a ballot measure should go before qualified voters on October 4. It relates to the Field House project, including authorizing the city to incur general obligation debt in the amount, not to exceed, $15 million for construction, and sending the question of incurring debt to the voters at the upcoming municipal election.
Soldotna Public Works Director Kyle Kornelis tells KSRM:
“In order to fund the project, some general obligation bond debt is required. Council will need to consider the ordinance placing the question on the ballot and authorizing the bond debt. That’s why the public hearing and the ordinance will be heard on July 27th.”
Kornelis provides details on the building’s design:
“It’s a 42,000 square foot pre-engineered metal building. It’s got various turf and sport court flooring so that it can accommodate a variety of different functions. It’s a fully ADA accessible building. It’s got an upper-level track for walking and jogging, a general purpose room for party rentals and small events and things of that nature. It’s a very, kind of a big open multipurpose facility. It would be adjacent to the Sports Complex. There would be a connection facility that would connect the existing sports complex to this proposed new building. It would accommodate the entry to the sports center and the conference rooms as well as an entry into the new building.”
As of June 2022, the cost estimate for the Field House is $19.5 million. The City Administration recommended that the majority of the project costs be financed through debt service, with the remaining portion covered through a combination of grants, support from foundations, private donations, and a contribution from the city’s General Fund.
If approved by the council and voters, the $15 million would be used to complete the project, including site work, construction, inspection, furniture, fixtures and equipment.
If approved by the Soldotna City Council, the ballot measure will look like this:
PROPOSITION NO. 2022-A GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS FOR CONSTRUCTION OF A FIELD HOUSE AT THE SOLDOTNA REGIONAL SPORTS COMPLEX
Shall the City of Soldotna incur debt and issue general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed Fifteen Million Dollars ($15,000,000) for the purpose of paying costs of construction of a Field House containing an indoor turf field and elevated track, together with related capital improvements, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex?
The bonds shall be secured by a pledge of full faith and credit of the City of Soldotna (Ordinance 2022-020)
A similar ballot measure went before the voters of Soldotna in 2019, which proposed $10 million in bonds, but failed to pass.
The public hearing will be held at the July 27 Soldotna City Council meeting, which is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.
Click here for more information (note: look for Ordinance 2022-020)
