The vote to call for a bond election occurred during City Council’s Feb. 4 meeting, with council members Jackie Rasco and Joe Machol voting against the measure.
What you need to know
The bond will include two propositions worth a total of approximately $22 million. The propositions include the construction of a new community pool for $4 million and a police station for $18 million.
As of September, Seabrook’s total outstanding debt service is $60 million, according to agenda documents.
If passed, the debt would have a $0.159 per $100 valuation impact on taxpayers in fiscal year 2026-27, according to agenda documents.
In 2024, Seabrook issued $4 million in general obligation bonds and $10 million in certificates of obligation, according to the city’s website.
What they said
Rasco said the prospect of increasing the city’s debt was “alarming.”
“$0.78 of every dollar goes to your debt,” Machol said. “Would you do that at your own personal home? I doubt it.”
Other city officials felt the city was in a position to take on more debt.
“We have a great deal of debt that’s dropping off in the next two years,” council Member Rob Hefner said.
Council member Buddy Hammann said that if voters did not support the bond, it could lead to the city having to increase property taxes to cover essential services.
“We’re talking about [going up] $11 a month on the average $300,000 home,” Mayor Thom Kolupski said. “There are people in this town who can’t afford that, I understand that, but the majority of [Seabrook residents] know that we have to spend money. In order to get the services that they want, we do have to acquire debt.”
What else?
Community Impact previously reported that City Manager Gayle Cook said the city needed to relocate the current police station, which was built in 1996, due to the flood risk at the station’s current location.
The police department, for example, lost vehicles and equipment, including computers and a 911 dispatch console, and experienced damage to the offices and jail during Hurricane Ike, according to a city staff presentation. Staff were displaced for over a year in temporary offices.
“During Hurricane Ike, this building was significantly impacted,” Cook said in November. “At that point, it set the current council on a path of looking at getting critical infrastructure out of harm's way.”
One more thing
In addition to a bond, Seabrook voters will also have the chance to cast their ballot for several open positions, including:
Seabrook Mayor
- Jackie Rasco
- Jim Sweeney
- J.P. Byers
- Jared Sessum
- Angela Cervantes
- Kim Morrell
- Gary Johnson
- Kyra Burton
- Summer S. Sanford
