Prosper officials discuss priorities for 2026, post-bond next steps

Officials also reflected on the town’s next steps after Prosper voters turned down most of the town’s $192.3 million bond package last November.

Some context

Residents voted down nearly $100 million in funding for police headquarters improvements, a new library, parks improvements, and a new public works and parks service center.

Only propositions A and F passed, totaling $95.1 million for roadway improvements and downtown upgrades.

Of the failed propositions, Mayor David Bristol previously said the public works service center is his top priority. Council members approved just under $23 million in funding for a scaled-back version of the facility in December.

What happened

Bristol said in light of the bond results, town officials are reassessing how to fund projects, likely shifting to a pay-as-you-go model and finding new revenue sources. He also wants to strengthen communication and involvement from boards, committees and residents.

“I failed as a leader to communicate correctly,” Bristol said. “I believe that we did not communicate collectively as a council, and I believe that we, as our boards and commissions, did not engage on the things that were important.”

Bristol noted several members of the town’s boards and commissions did not vote in the November bond election, in addition to some members of the bond committee.

“Elections have repercussions,” Bristol said. “There’s going to be impacts maybe not this year or next year, but it’s going to be four, five, seven years down the road.”

He added that the town will continue to avoid using certificates of obligation and reaffirmed Town Council's commitment to only using voter-approved debt.

What they’re saying

Several attendees expressed concerns about the town’s communication strategy, which Bristol said he is working with staff to evaluate and improve.

“We have to move our mindset into the future and not be working in the past,” Bristol said.

Other questions included why town officials were moving forward with projects when voters rejected funding, such as the new public works service center. Prosper Town Council approved just under $23 million in funding in December for a scaled-back version of the facility.

Council member Chris Kern said the bond funding was not necessarily about approving individual project but rather allowing the town to take on long-term debt for major facilities, freeing up existing funds for other projects.

“The bond questions were about whether or not to take the longer-term debt,” Kern said. “Had we had that money and been able to take out long-term debt for a long-term town facility that we’ve been trying to build up money for, then that would’ve freed up money for other things.”

Bristol also addressed questions about whether a flexible recreation space is something the town is looking at.

When identifying bond projects, Bristol said the recreation center was excluded because it was seen as having potential alternative funding sources.

“We are about what the citizens and the residents want,” Bristol said. “There may still be another opportunity for a [recreation] center to come around, but it will come from either public-private partnerships or pay-as-you-go funding. It will not come from debt.”

Zooming out

Council member Marcus Ray said bond propositions struggled statewide in November and pointed to a new state law that requires taxing entities to list “this is a tax increase” on the ballot propositions.

“You’re always going to have state headwinds as a community,” Ray said. “We have to think lean and how do we do more with less.”

One more thing

Prosper’s filing period for May general elections closed Feb. 13. Prosper Town Council has two seats up for election, and both races will be uncontested.

Incumbent Amy Bartley filed for Prosper Town Council Place 3, and Doug Charles filed for Place 5.