City Of Sullivan Voters To Decide Parks Tax

Voters in the city of Sullivan will decide April 4 on a tax that would fund the parks and recreation system.

The half-cent tax passed in 2004 to fund the Elmont overpass project.

With the tax sunsetting, the city is asking voters to renew it, but roll the money towards improving the parks and recreation system.

City Administrator JT Hardy told the council in November that the city is growing and its needs are changing.

A parks and recreation plan would ideally be conducted to give the city insight on what types of improvements are needed and where they should be located.

During that November council meeting, Hardy said the swimming pool complex is an immediate need.

The pool was built in 1993 through voter-approved bond and is outdated, with operation and maintenance costs growing.

Last year, the pool had a delayed opening after replacement of PVC liner and structural repairs involving concrete.

According to city officials, the pool has lost about $50,000 annually since its opening 30 years ago. Hardy told the Independent News that, similar to the recreational fields, the pool doesn’t generate enough revenue to cover expenses.

The city has laid out a plan of what the parks and recreation tax would do, which includes building a new soccer complex; improving the baseball and softball facilities; adding new playground equipment and/or a splash pad location; more walking trails; improvements to the fairgrounds; dedicated football fields; improvements to the city lake and upgrading the senior center.

Several community organizations are supporting the parks and recreation tax, including the Sullivan Area Chamber of Commerce and the Meramec Community Fair.

“The MCF Board realizes that this tax will help the entire Sullivan Parks system and the fairgrounds are a big part of the parks system,” said James Bartle, fair board president. “Although we generally use the fairgrounds in late June for our fair, other organizations and groups utilize it throughout the year and we hope to utilize the grounds more in the future. The key is there are improvements we would like to work hand in hand with the city in the future and know that some of these funds could very well help the parks, help us to also improve the fairgrounds.”