Voters approve Brookhaven Parks Bond referendum

$40 million dedicated to substantial improvements in City parks

Brookhaven, GA, Nov. 7, 2018 – On Nov. 6, voters approved a referendum which dedicates $40 million in capital improvements to Brookhaven parks and facilities, identified in City Council master plans.

“The residents of Brookhaven have delivered a clear mandate for us to follow through with our City founders’ vision of a top-notch park system that can be enjoyed in the near-term,” said Brookhaven Mayor John Ernst.  “With the funding in place, we can now make it happen.”

“Our community stakeholders communicated their priorities in 2015 and 2016, and reaffirmed their commitment on Election Day.  Now substantial improvements are in the pipeline for all of our parks, especially in six of our most popular parks,” said District 1 Councilmember Linley Jones.

“By segregating the park expenditures into a separate line item on the tax bill ($98 dollars average a year for 30 years) and fund ‘bucket’, we protect our financial future. By law and city council resolutions, the bond proceeds have to go towards park capital improvements in the master plan and cannot be misused to fund other expenses like festivals, paving, or office buildings,” said District 2 Councilmember John Park.  “This is an investment which will pay dividends for generations.”

“I was initially against the Park Bond because I am a fiscal conservative, but more than that I am a firm believer in delivering on the mandate from the electorate.  I am certainly looking forward to needed improvements in our Parks, especially Brookhaven Park, but with a close eye on controlling costs,” said District 3 Councilmember Bates Mattison.

“The passage of our Park Bond was a referendum on City Council’s leadership. The voters spoke and they spoke loudly. For that I remain thankful. I know all of us will continue working hard to maintain your confidence and trust. It’s unfortunate we had to spend so much time addressing falsehoods and misinformation published in the mainstream and social media,” said District 4 Councilmember Joe Gebbia.  “I remain confident common sense will prevail as we continue on our journey to make Brookhaven the best place to work, play and raise a family.”

The recommended project list of Parks capital improvement projects identified for the referendum was submitted to the Mayor and City Council on July 10, posted on the City’s website and feedback was solicited from the community.  This list followed an analysis of the potential Park Bond Referendum which was submitted in June. 

The public is encouraged to view the recommended project lists and Park Bond Referendum report on the City’s website here: https://www.brookhavenga.gov/parks-bond-ref

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