The city of Buda's $55 million bond package to improve infrastructure in the rapidly growing city will be split into five propositions, officials said during an Aug. 5 City Council meeting.

Buda City Council was poised to call the bond election at the meeting. But because Hays County has yet to confirm the polling sites for the Nov. 4 election, which must be explicitly stated in the bond election order, the council will have to wait until an Aug. 12 special called meeting to take action, City Manager Kenneth Williams said.

It would be the first time in the 65 years the city has been incorporated that it has called a bond, Mayor Todd Ruge said.

Ruge said he is pleased with the proposal that will be posed to voters if the measure to call the bond issue passes next week.

Originally, the City Council planned to have just one proposition on the ballot, but Ruge said having five different propositions gives voters a "menu of options."

The mayor pointed to examples in other cities where projects of varying popularity were lumped into one proposition, and that led to the failure of the bond issue.

"We wanted to completely avoid any of that mismatching of things," Ruge said. "If there are pieces the citizens don't feel that we need, they have that option to vote it down. If they feel it is something that we need, obviously they can vote for all five."

The owner of an average-valued home in Buda, valued at about $158,000, could face an approximately $180 hike in annual property taxes if the bond issue is approved.

However, the tax implications were made based on a worst-case scenario, Financial Advisor Jennifer Douglas told the council. Should the city continue its current growth trend, the tax impact could be lower, she said.

The propositions include:

• $21 million for a municipal complex that will include a new city hall, public library and other facilities
• $6.75 million for a standalone public safety building, including a police station and emergency training facilities. The police department was originally slated to be located in the same municipal complex as the proposed new city hall and public library, but bond advisory committee members worried placing criminals in the same location as children would pose a public safety threat
• $12.25 million for improvements to the intersection of FM 967 and Main Street and other Main Street upgrades
• $7 million for flood control and drainage projects
• $8 million for improvements to City Park and other parks and recreation upgrades in the city