Council takes up recreation complex funding

The Maricopa City Council will consider a resolution Tuesday night for the sale of bonds meant to fund the completion of a multigenerational-aquatic center and regional park.

The recently named Copper Sky Recreation Complex is under construction at John Wayne Parkway and Bowlin Road. It is scheduled for completion next year. 

The resolution would authorize a public sale of bonds of up to $33 million. This would mark the second issuance of bonds for the construction since voters approved $65.5 million in parks, recreation and library improvements in November 2008. 

The first bond issue – $20 million – in March 2010 paid for construction and park land acquisition. The public sale of the bonds being considered Tuesday would take place in June. 

The city’s debt is being re-paid using a secondary property tax dedicated to the project. After the sale of the second set of bonds, the city anticipates homeowners whose houses are valued at $100,000 to pay $176 a year. The amount is doubled – $352 – for homeowners with houses valued at $200,000. 

During a 6 p.m. work session before the 7 p.m. meeting, a presentation will be given updating the council on the latest trends in the city’s housing market. According to a March report from the real estate and consulting firm, Elliott D. Pollack & Company, home sales in Maricopa have increased over the last year with an average of 18 sales per month. 

About 30 percent of city homes were in the process of foreclosure in January – a number cut in half from last year’s 61 percent.

Also during the work session, representatives from the Arizona Department of Transportation are scheduled to present information on the Passenger Rail Corridor Study, which looks at alternative transportation between Phoenix and Tucson. 

In two separate agenda items during the regular meeting, council members will consider upgrading the police department’s records management system and approving the purchase of 17 new Panasonic Toughbook laptops. Upgrading the management system comes with an $85,474 price tag and includes purchasing hardware, software and services such as installation and maintenance. The purchase of the new laptops – up to $75,000 – is part of an effort to replace older version laptops used by the department.