CityofBryant,SalineCounty,Arkansas

Office(501)9430999

MediaRelease
FromtheDeskofMayorJillDabbs

FORIMMEDIATERELEASE

May31st,2016
TheBryantCityCouncilvotedtonighttoforwardresidentstheopportunitytocomplete
severalimprovementprojectswithinthecity,allwithoutpassinganyadditionaltaxes.
In2006BryantvoterspassedabondthatallowedBishopParktobebuilt.Whenthis
bondwasissued,payoffwasnotexpectedtobeachieveduntil2031.Insteadthisbond
willreachmaturityin2019.Yearsbeforeitwasexpected.
Thereasonforthisearlypayoff?Thetremendousgrowthofourcity.
Bryanthasalmostdoubleditspopulationtwiceinthepast20years.Whilethatcontinued
growthhasmanypositives,itbringswithitaveryuniquesetofchallengesthatthecity
cannolongerignore.Challengessuchasstreetconnectivityandtrafficcongestionwithin
thecity,publicsafetyconcernstopthelistaswellastheaddedexpectationsandneeds
placedonourparksdepartment.
ItwasthiscontinuedgrowthofBryantthatledtothefollowingthreeprojectsthatwillbe
placedontheballotbeforevotersthisAugust
ParksandRecreationImprovement:FinancingimprovementsatMillsParkandBishop
Park,includingenhancementstoTheCenteratBishopPark.Thiswillalsoupgradethe
existingsportsfields,addressstormwaterissues,andfinancetheconstructionofanew
cityparknorthofI30addingtotheoverallqualityoflifeforBryantresidentsand
familieswithamaximumcostof4.5million.

FireImprovement:Financingthecostoffirefightingfacilityimprovementsby
constructingtwonewfirestations.ThesenewfirestationswillreplaceoutdatedStation
#2andStation#3withamaximumcostof5.5million.

StreetImprovement:FinancingthecostofconstructionofthenewBryantParkway.
BryantParkwaywillbebuiltfromtheI30overpassatEchoLakeBoulevardandRaymar
Road,southtoHighway183.Newonofframpsfortheoverpasswillbebuiltbythestate
highwaydepartment.VotingFORtheBryantParkwaywillrelievecongestionon
ReynoldsRoad,andprovideasaferandmoreconvenientnorthsouthroadway.The
maximumcostwillbe$15.7million,
withoutraisingtaxes
.
BryantresidentswillchooseAugust9thinaspecialelectionwhetherornottoreissue
thosebondsandfocusthe$23milliondollarstowardsmovingBryantforward.Making
criticalprogressinpublicsafety,easeoftravel,economicdevelopmentandqualityof
life,allwithoutraisingtaxesandbyonlyextendingtheoriginalbonddatebythreeyears.
MayorDabbsstated,Thegrassrootseffortsofnumerouscitizens,chamberandbusiness
leaders,cityadministration,citycouncil,andcommitteestoputtogetheracomplete
moveforwardplanforthecityisahugesteptowardsmorepositivegrowthforBryant.I
amproudofeveryonescollaborativeefforttogettotonightsdecisiontoplacethese
measuresbeforethevoters.NowitisuptothevoterstogotothepollsinAugustto
reducetrafficcongestion,improvepublicsafety,andexpandourparksservicesforthe
continuedgrowingneedsofourwonderfulcity.
JudgeArey
NorthandSouthroutesleadingfromI30areverymuchneededthroughout
SalineCountyandarevitaltoeconomicgrowth.TheproposedBryantParkwaywould
haveahugeimpactonnotonlytheCityofBryant,butSalineCountyaswell.