For Immediate Release
Contact: Bruce Ledford, Mayor
City of Elkins, Arkansas
1874 Stokenbury Rd
Elkins, AR 72727
bruceledford@elkins.arkansas.gov
ELKINS BOND REFINANCE ELECTION – TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 2021
March 23, 2021 – Elkins Mayor Bruce Ledford announced that the Elkins City Council has unanimously passed ordinances which calls for a special election on the question of issuing Bonds for the purposed of financing much needed capital improvements, primarily the improvement of the Elkins Sanitary Sewer System. The proposed election date on April 13, 2021 and registered voters within the City of Elkins will be eligible to vote in the special election.
The City of Elkins is in a period of prolonged and substantial growth. In order to meet the challenges of this growth and maintain the high level of service that the citizens of Elkins enjoy, Elkins has the opportunity to leverage our existing tax proceeds to fund the much needed improvements to the sewer lines, manhole connections and lift stations that perform the essential job of handling and moving the waste water of Elkins in a safe and responsible manner.
“Parts of our sewer system are very old, and it has handled the needs of our citizens well, but it with the growth and the years on the system, it is time to get going on the repairs and improvements we need,” explains Mayor Ledford. “The voters of Elkins have a special opportunity to fund the sewer improvements by reauthorizing and extending the existing sales tax to refund our existing bonds and raise funds to finance the work. And the best part of this opportunity is that we will not have to raise taxes to do it.”
If the voters approve all four of the questions on the ballot of the special election on Tuesday, April 13, 2021 what is left of the City’s bond debt will be refunded by new bonds and the existing sales tax will be reauthorized and extended to pay off the new bonds. Sales taxes are paid not just by the citizens of Elkins, but anyone who makes a taxable purchase in the City of Elkins.
The City of Elkins wants to make sure that the voters of Elkins are well informed and receive answers to any questions they may have about this opportunity to raise the funds needed to finance the capital improvements necessary to serve the citizens of Elkins with a safe and efficient sanitary sewer system and to provide the benefit of continued, orderly growth. Any questions can be made to Mayor Bruce Ledford by email at bruceledford@elkinsarkansas.gov or write to Mayor Ledford at the above address.