Orange in a couple of years will pay off bond debt from the police station and a fire station. The city council at that time would be able to choose to borrow more money to pay for new projects without any change in the budget, City Manager Dr. Shawn Oubre told the council Thursday.
The council met in a budget workshop Thursday to talk about what the members would like for “quality of life” features in the city plus capital improvements.
Oubre began by telling the council the city staff has not received the certified property values to calculate tax income for the upcoming 2016-17 budget year. Seventy to 72 percent of the city’s yearly budget goes to paying salaries and benefits for employees, he said. “We don’t make products; we proved a service” like police and fire protection plus street repairs, he said.
The current tax rate is 70 cents per $100 valuation with homeowners getting a 20 percent exemption. It’s the same rate as Pinehurst and lower than Vidor in Orange County.
Oubre said in 2019, the city will pay off the bonds used to build the police station and the fire station on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. The city has been paying $490,000 a year to on those bonds.
If the city council members vote on new projects, they could borrow $5 million for 10 years or $20 million for 20 years and pay back the same amount each year. He said the figures are based on estimates on current markets and interest rates and could change.
Oubre pointed out the city has good credit. “Moody’s is going to give you a good rate,” he said about the finance company.
Mayor Jimmy Sims said he wants a “multi-purpose covered structure at the Boat Ramp off Simmons Drive.”I’ve heard that request by a lot of people,” he said.
The city has been having numerous fishing tournaments at the Boat Ramp and could use a covered area for weigh-ins and activities. “But we don’t want to take away from the other pavilion we have,” he added.
The city has an entertainment pavilion on the Sabine River at Fifth and Division in downtown. The mayor during the meeting pointed out that pavilion was designed with lighting and sound electronics for performances.
Councilors exchanged ideas of installing splash pads in different parts of town or building one large water park similar to the one in Port Neches.
The city has installation of a skate park at Sunset Park in the current budget. The council’s agenda for the regular meeting set for Tuesday includes discussion and approval of the skate park.
District 2 Councilor Dr. Wayne Guidry talked about making the 16th Street business district look better. He likes the angled street lights on Texas Avenue in Bridge City and said perhaps Orange could get lights like those.
District 4 Councilor Annette Pernell said she would like to see more sidewalks so people can walk and asked to fix the existing sidewalks. She said Park Avenue along Shangri La Gardens is beautiful but there is no place for people to walk.
Citizen Ruth Hancock, who is currently the president of the West Orange-Cove school board, suggested the city get U.S. flags to put out along streets like in Bridge City. She also suggested sidewalks on Sunset Drive.
Oubre said a problem installing sidewalks on Sunset Drive is that utilities are underneath the ground where sidewalks would be built.
At-Large Councilor Larry Spears said the city needs to finish improvements at Navy Park. The city recently completed a splash pad, but Spears said the park doesn’t have playground equipment.
District 3 Councilor Essie Bellfield suggested tearing down the old Wallace school on John Avenue and the former Cove school on DuPont Drive. She added DuPont Drive needs to look better.
Guidry also said the city’s old covered shelter at Lions Den Park needs to be demolished and replaced. Schools from around the area bring classes to the Stark Cultural Venues and then play at the park with picnic lunches.
The new budget year starts October 1. The city staff will prepare a budget later in the summer for the council’s comments and changes. A public hearing on the proposed budget will be held in September.
-Margaret Toal, KOGT-
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