Voters will decide whether the city of Warrenton can borrow $7.5 million to build a new aquatic center and park during a special election Aug. 8.The city’s board of aldermen wants to issue general obligation bonds to pay for a facility with indoor and outdoor pool areas, along with development of a 39-acre property as a new city park. The property is located west of Highway 47 and Warrior Avenue.The ballot language approved May 16 will ask voters, “Shall the City of Warrenton, Missouri, issue its general obligation bonds in the amount of $7,500,000 for the purpose of constructing, furnishing and equipping park, recreation and aquatic facilities and any related utility and roadway improvements?”The bond measure requires a two-third approval to pass.Passing the bond measure would authorize the city to levy property taxes in order to pay off the bonds. However, city officials have stressed that they do not intend to raise taxes.Instead, they want to pay for the project using funds that currently go toward the Warrenton Athletic Complex. The loan for the athletic complex is expected to be paid off next year, freeing that tax funding for other parks and recreation uses. The city could also use excess general revenue funds to help pay for the project.Warrenton Director of Operations Terri Thorn said she hopes to have a general design and estimated construction costs for the aquatic center by the board’s next meeting June 6.City officials are setting an amount for the bonds before they know the actual cost of the project because the deadline to file with the Warren County Clerk’s office for an August election is May 30. If the city delayed making a decision until June, public voting on the ballot measure would have to be pushed back to the November election.Work to begin on park groundsCrews are beginning to clear foliage and do rough grading at the new park property after an extended delay.The city had been waiting for a permit from the Army Corps of Engineers, which unexpectedly required a time-consuming “cultural resource survey” at the site of the park. The permit was finally issued near the beginning of May.Once built, the aquatic center will replace the city’s current municipal pool complex, which was built in 1989. Thorn previously said the pool is at the end of its life-span.The city hopes to have the aquatic center open by fall 2018.In addition to the aquatic center, the city has plans for a variety of other amenities at the park. Those include an outdoor amphitheater, fishing dock, disc golf course, walking trails and a dog park.Warrenton purchased the land for the new park for $285,000 in 2015. The property is in a wooded area on the far side of a vacant field along Highway 47, across from Warrior Avenue and the Scenic Regional Library.Warrior Avenue will be extended to enter the southeast corner of the park.The city already has money budgeted for work on the park’s walking trails and dog park, which Assistant Director of Operations Brandie Walters said will begin at the same time as the aquatic center.The other park amenities won’t be put in immediately.“Our plan is to put money in our budget each year to accommodate all the amenities,” Walters said.New city park