Durant residents will be voting on Feb. 13 to extend a half-cent sales tax passed in 2004 to fund the Multi-Sports Complex and benefit Southeastern to change so it funds infrastructure in the city.
It has a 25-year sunset to expire on Sept. 30, 2049.
Durant City Council members approved the election in a December meeting and in recent meetings, city offi cials have stressed it is important for maintaining infrastructure and keeping up with future growth.
If approved, the tax would be used to fund capital improvements including street, water and wastewater improvements, according to a sample ballot.
Mayor Martin Tucker pointed out the proposal does not increase taxes and only changes the purpose of an existing tax.
“I’ll just tell you, you drive the streets, you use the utilities, you’re familiar with the services the city provides and we need desperately to have more funding to pay for that and also not just to maintain the City of Durant, which we’re having a difficult time doing, but also the growth of the City of Durant because growth is here,” Tucker said.
Interim city manager Rick Rumsey said that in a survey of citizens last year, infrastructure, mostly roadways, was the number-one issue cited by those who responded to the survey. He said water and sewer services are important, too, and also that potential retailers look at the city’s infrastructure.
“Number one, they want nice roads for people to get to their business and number two, they want to make sure water and sewer is operating,” Rumsey said. “When we talk about sewer, a lot of of our sewer lines here, underground, when we dig them up, they’re clay tile. That’s where you’re getting the 70 years old plus.”
In other elections on Feb. 13, Bryce Segotta, Jaci Bates, Matt Tarr, Rachael Smith and Jenny Gilbert are running for Bennington Board of Education Office No. 4.
Boswell School District residents will be voting on a $450,000 bond proposition for the purpose of constructing, equipping, repairing and remodeling school buildings plus obtaining furniture, equipment and fixtures. These bonds will bear an interest not to exceed the rate of 10 percent annum, payable semi-annually and become serially due within 10 years from their date.
Norris said the Boswell School District includes approximately 15 Bryan County voters with the remaining in Choctaw County.
Early voting began Thursday and continued Friday at the Bryan County Election Board Office at the courthouse and polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 13. Voters must bring an approved form of identification.
For questions, contact the Bryan County Election Board at 580-924-3228 or BryanCounty@elections. ok.gov.