The June 2024 election date for the Lake Mitchell Project will stand after the Mitchell City Council last night voted 5-3 in favor of keeping the date as voted on last month. The issue is whether the city can pursue a $25 million loan for the project, which would include dredging the lake. Mitchell Mayor Bob Everson had proposed moving the election date to November 7th of this year.
The election date could have an effect on a multi-million dollar grant for the project according to City Public Works Director Joe Schroeder. “We do have that grant application with the Bureau of Reclamation,” Schroeder told the council. “If the vote is in November and the dredge is approved, we still would have the option to accept that grant, if awarded, and that’s a $5 million grant. If we move the election to June, we would not be able to accept it.”
Councilman John Doescher expressed concern that a single-item election’s voter turnout would be far less than a general election’s voter turnout. A November election would be a special single-issue election. The June 2024 election is a general election.
There was also concern that a November date is too soon for the public to get enough information on the project. Councilman Jeff Smith disagreed. “I talked to several marketing people, and they said you can explain everything you want to an individual, but until it gets closer to the date, no one is going to pay attention,” Smith said. “So if you try to start educating people right now, they’re going to probably just not pay attention. But when it gets closer to the date, they’re gonna pay attention.”
Councilman Marty Barington said a decision needs to be made on the project for budgetary reasons, and that a delay would waste another year.
None of the council members changed their votes, with Mike Bathke, Tim Goldammer, Kevin McCardle, John Doescher, and Dan Sabers voting to keep the June 2024 election date.