ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Alpharetta officials have backed down from plans to discuss reprioritizing the projects approved in the 2021 parks bond referendum.
The City Council raised the idea at its annual planning retreat Jan. 21-22 after Parks and Recreation Director Morgan Rodgers said the $29.5 million bond budget fell some $5 million short from completing the work outlined in the original projects list.
At the retreat, City Councilman Dan Merkel and Councilman Brian Will supported an agenda item to consider prioritizing the bond projects. City staff tentatively scheduled the item for discussion Feb. 26, but the topic did not appear on the City Council’s agenda at that meeting.
In a phone interview with Appen Media Feb. 29, City Administrator Chris Lagerbloom said since the retreat, councilmembers have grown satisfied with the Parks and Recreation Department’s plans to use the bond account interest money, and there are no plans to discuss any changes to the parks bond.
“With all the members of council saying they’re satisfied, there’s really no reason to have a discussion because we’re not going to be moving any money around,” Lagerbloom said. “And I don’t want the public to think that we’re trying to shuffle money from one project to the next. Right now, we’re just maintaining the status quo.”
Plans for funding
Rodgers said the parks bond budget discussion at the retreat accounted for inflation and the cost of business, labor and materials. The $5-6 million shortfall estimate included all bond projects.
Not factoring in Farmhouse Park, the Alpha Loop and the Wills Park Equestrian Center, Rodgers said the city needs $3.5 million to complete work on Old…
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