BURLINGTON, N.C. — There are two bond referendums on the ballot in Burlington. As of current, one of them appears to pass while the other is a tighter margin.
The two referendums include a $47 million Recreation & Parks Bond and a $21.5 million dollar Streets & Sidewalks Bond.
Breaking down the Parks & Rec bond, 50.38% voted 'yes' while 49.62% voted 'no,' according to North Carolina's State Board of Elections website.
The Street & Sidewalks Bond has a larger margin, 57.51% voted 'yes' while 42.49% voted 'no,' also according to the state board of elections website. The close margin is the reason why Burlington city leaders are waiting until canvas to announce official results.
"We're seeing that there is a lot of favorability for the bonds right now. Again, we're waiting on all of those absentee ballots and provisional ballots to come out, but the numbers do look like many of them are excited about the projects. So, we'll see where it lands," explained Burlington's Community Engagement Coordinator, Morgan Lasater.
The Parks & Rec bond includes building a new enclosure for the Maynard Aquatic Center pool, upgrading Paramount Theater, and building a new Burlington Sportsplex.
The Streets & Sidewalks bond includes resurfacing roadways, sidewalk repairs, and money for the city's streetscapes project.
"Voters could vote on either one of the items. So, if both of these pass the tax implications are 5.7 cents per $100,0000 evaluation. So, if you have a $100,000 home, you're going to see it increase $57 per year on your taxes," said Lasater.
If one or both of these bond referendums fail that doesn't mean the projects won't happen. The city said it will try and find another way to offer them, whether that be with a different funding source or by changing the projects.
The bonds are welcome news for sister cities like Mebane.
"We have our own opportunities here in Mebane, but the parks and recreation in other cities and trails and those kinds of things are important to our citizens and I think the things that they do in other cities help us in our planning and what we're going to do," exclaimed Mebane Mayor, Ed Hooks.
The first Buc-ee's in the state is coming to Mebane, accompanied by a potential shopping center, retail stores, and apartments. All this proving, Alamance County as a whole is growing and businesses are coming to support it.