Del City manager previews $3 million GEO bond to fund police, fire vehicles and warning systems

City staff told Del City councilors on April 20 that they plan to explore a $3 million general obligation (GEO) bond to finance police and fire equipment and upgrades to the city's outdoor warning system.

The manager outlined a timeline for the proposed bond: if approved for the ballot, the city could place the question on an August 25 election; the council would then set the bond sale later in September with a market sale in October and a closing in December, at which point funds would be available for projects. Staff said the GEO bond proceeds would be dedicated to police and fire vehicles (the manager noted a typical fire engine can cost roughly $1.5 million), a combination brush/rescue rig, and upgrades to the outdoor tornado-warning system.

Chief Williams, who reported public-safety statistics earlier in the meeting, described limitations of the current warning system and the benefit of a modern platform that can trigger sirens automatically for defined 'polygons.' "We can set that to automatically activate. So, there's no human error," Chief Williams said, noting automated activation could reduce late or early activations.

Staff said they will hold multiple neighborhood meetings, Rotary and civic-club briefings and a town-hall before any ballot measure to explain needs. The council did not vote on the bond at the April 20 meeting; staff said they will return with more detail and public engagement opportunities before any final decision to put the measure on the ballot.