According to figures from Bell County, 246 voters cast ballots in Temple on Friday, a city with a $9.7 million parks bond in the balance, and 65 people voted early in Salado. In that city, voters will decide whether to allow beer and wine sales in local grocery and convenience stores. Last year the city approved a plan that permitted restaurants to serve beer and wine in the city.
Temple officials in particular are interested in high voter turnout, since a bond election in 2002 failed by a relatively small number of votes.
During that election, voters approved more than $16 million in bonds for fire and police department upgrades, but voted down by 105 votes a third proposition for $3.6 million in park improvements.
More than 2,700 people voted in that election. More than 1,400 of those votes were early ballots. Early voting went against the 2002 parks issue 627 to 790 and day-of votes did not make up the difference, with the issue failing 1,306 to 1,411.
This election Temple hopes to pass projects which include a $4.1 million family aquatics center; $2,250,000 for a Sammons Park indoor pool and Sammons Golf Links improvements; $1,625,000 for Summit Recreation Center expansion including pool family changing rooms; $600,000 for Miller Park playground and hike and bike trail; $475,000 for a West Temple spray park; $400,000 for Lions Park soccer practice fields; and $300,000 for Ferguson Park picnic area and playground improvements.
Temple Mayor Bill Jones III said he and other supporters of the bond have been in the community encouraging people to vote.
“I’ve made about a dozen personal presentations at civic organizations and community groups, such as the Rotary Club, seniors at Sammons (Community Center), giving the facts of the bond issue,” He said.
“I hope our citizens will get out and vote,” he said. “We’ve got 16 constitutional amendments to vote on at the same time,” he said. “Vote. That’s the most important thing.”
EARLY VOTING TOTALS:
Belton-579
Harker Heights-298
Killeen-494
Temple-1419
Killeen Community Center-388
Mail ballots-24
Federal Post Card Application-22
Salado-566
Grand Total: 3790
rstinson@temple-telegram.com
