To learn more, residents & City property owners

are encouraged to attend.

Hamilton City Hall (Bedford Building)

223 S 2nd Street Hamilton

February 21st ~ 6 to 7pm 23rd

~ 12 to 1pm 28th

~ 6 to 7pm

March 2nd

~ 12 to 1pm

Canyon Hideaway play area at Claudia Driscoll Park

The Hamilton City Council has called for a

on March 21, 2017.

Ballots will be mailed on March 2nd.

(for consideration by qualified city voters)

For the purchase of Claudia Driscoll Park & the former National Guard Armory Building

$1.35 million principal amount of general obligation bonds may only be used for:

Purchase of 5.9 acres of real property on which Claudia Driscoll Park, the former National Guard Armory building, and a portion of 10th Street are currently located

Park improvements

Costs of issuing the bonds

The City does not currently own the property on which Claudia Dris-coll Park, the Canyon Hideaway play area, and the seating area in front of the community band shell are located. The City has been us-ing the property with the permission of the Department of Military Affairs.

In 2016, the Department of Military Affairs made a decision to relo-cate the Hamilton National Guard Armory and offered to sell the prop-erty to the City for $1.2 million. This price is not negotiable because the Department of Military Affairs must sell the property for at least the appraisal value established by the Bitterroot Appraisal, LLC, Appraisal Report dated August 10, 2016.

Information related to this ballot issue is available on the City of Hamilton website at http://www.cityofhamilton.net.

These documents are also available for inspection, emailing and/or copying at the Hamilton City Clerk’s Office, 223 South 2nd Street, Hamilton, Montana.

Prior to calling for the bond election, the Hamilton City Council received input regarding citi-zen interest in the continued use of Claudia Driscoll Park, as well as the need for some im-provements to the park facilities.

The Council also received input regarding the growing need for an updated facility for the City’s public safety agencies: Hamilton Police Department, the Hamilton Prosecutor’s office, and the Hamilton City Court.

The Council determined that the former Armory building and site next to Claudia Driscoll Park would be a favorable location for a future public safety facility (Justice Center) given its proximity to downtown Hamilton, emergency health care services, and emergency access (through) streets.

If the ballot issue passes, the City would be authorized to issue bonds in the maximum princi-pal amount of $1.35 million to purchase the property at the appraised value of $1.2 million and pay the costs for park improvements and issuance of the bonds. No bond proceeds will be used to pay the costs of improving the existing armory building.

The estimated tax impact is calculated based on the City's average valuation per mill, a 15-year term, an annual interest rate of 4.5 percent, and the current tax rates established by the Montana legislature. The exact interest rate at the time of the bond sale is not known at this time and may be based on a variable interest rate if it is financially beneficial. The tax esti-mates could change from year to year if mill values, or financial terms including interest rates, fluctuate. The ballot issue also allows a financing term of up to twenty years.

The $50,000 costs of bond issuance depend on the form of financing, costs of soliciting and procuring the bonds, the need to pay underwriter or insurance fees and other costs of issuing bonds, and legal fees.

Residential Home Value of $100,000 $17.89

Residential Home Value of $200,000 $35.78

Commercial Assessed Value of $200,000 $50.09

(5.9 acres proposed property purchase indicated by white outline)

National Guard Armory Bldg.

Band Shell

Claudia Driscoll Park

Former National Guard Armory Building Seating area in front of the band shell Canyon Hideaway play area

This newsletter, prepared by City of Hamilton Staff, is not intended to support or oppose the ballot measure.