Rosemount voters on Tuesday rejected borrowing $15 million to finance the city's second ice arena and other parks and recreation developments.
Fifty-seven percent of the almost 3,000 people who voted said no; 43 percent voted yes. The vote is unofficial until it is canvassed by the City Council on Friday. There were 1,685 total no votes and 1,292 yes votes.
The council announced an all-or-nothing referendum in March to meet rising enrollments for youth sports. If it had passed, the bond sale would have raised property taxes for the average homeowner — with a property value of $238,250 — by $99.
The $15 million would have included $8.7 million for the ice arena, $2.7 million for four more soccer/lacrosse and football fields at Flint Hills athletic complex, $1.8 million for two youth baseball/softball fields at UMore Park and $1.1 million for an ice skating plaza at Central Park.
Before the vote, Rosemount's Parks & Recreation Department held two public meetings that about 25 people attended, according to director Dan Schultz.
"I think there were mixed feelings about the referendum at both meetings," Schultz said last week. The cost of the hockey arena was "a big number in some people's opinions, and so that was discussed," he added.
After the referendum was defeated Tuesday, Schultz said the next step will be for council members to "see what they want to do going forward."
Natalie Daher
