Fourteen members of a new Cedar Park bond task force committee will discuss possible projects and costs for a proposed bond that would go before voters in November.

City Council established the committee Jan. 22 and appointed committee members in February. Members of City Council, as well as Mayor Matt Powell, nominated two committee members each. Powell also nominated the committee chairman, Cobby Caputo. During City Council’s Jan. 22 meeting, Director of Finance Joseph Gonzales said the committee will evaluate the city’s needs for capital improvements, including transportation projects. The committee will also use recent city revenue data to make bond project recommendations to City Council, Gonzales said. “It is an ideal time to begin planning for the city’s future infrastructure needs as we wrap up master plans related to transportation, parks [and the] library,” Gonzales said. Gonzales said Cedar Park’s next round of transportation projects will deplete funds left over from its 2007 bond election, and the city needs new bond funding to pursue more projects. In November 2007 city voters approved $62.07 million in bonds, including $36.2 million for road improvements, $17.98 million for parks and recreation facilities, and $7.89 million to fund public safety facilities. Mayor Matt Powell said the 2007 bond funded improvements in the city for more than seven years. However, roadway improvements continue to be one of Cedar Park’s greatest needs. “For many years now the council has been pretty unified [about bond funding],” Powell said. “We recognize that debt can be a helpful tool. It’s a tool that cities, especially growing cities, can very well utilize. But we wanted it to be a last option.” Place 1 Councilman Stephen Thomas said the city can use bonds to keep tax rates low. Committee members will spend about three months planning and researching bond projects and cost estimates before presenting findings to City Council in May, Gonzales said. “The committee would identify and recommend projects to council to be considered for a future bond election,” Gonzales said. “However, it is ultimately council’s responsibility to call for a bond election and decide which projects would be included on the ballot.”