BREAKING: Bond issues pass in Fayetteville special election

Washington County Election Commissioner John Logan Burrow (center) watches while a team of election officials and volunteers count votes after the special election Tuesday night in the Washington County Courthouse.

Photo by Dustin Bartholomew, Flyer staff

Fayetteville voters approved measures to help fund Walton Arts Center renovations and a planned regional park during a special election held Nov. 12.

Voters also agreed to pay off the remaining debt from bonds used to finance the Fayetteville Town Center, a measure that was required before new bonds could be issued for the two projects.

Construction on both projects is expected to begin sometime in 2014.

Walton Arts Center design rendering

WAC/Boora Architects

Fayetteville Mayor Lioneld Jordan was pleased with the results.

“I always say Fayetteville voters always make the right choice, and I think that’s what they’ve done,” Jordan said. “It’s the right vote for the right city at the right time.”

According to the final results, about 9 percent of the city’s 47,654 registered voters turned out for Tuesday’s special election.

A little more than 7 percent of registered voters cast ballots in the October 2011 special tax extension election.

The final and unofficial results released by the Washington County Election Commission are listed below.

Question 1

Should $1.5 million in bonds be issued to repay the remaining Town Center debt?
For – 3,704 (86.64%)
Against – 571 (13.36%)

Conceptual park master plan

City of Fayetteville

Question 2

Should $6.9 million in bonds be issued to help fund Walton Arts Center expansions?
For – 3,638 (84.53%)
Against – 666 (15.47%)

Question 3

Should $3.5 million in bonds be issued to help build a regional park?
For – 3,680 (85.42%)
Against – 628 (14.58%)