Historic Site Preservation FAQs
Overview
Frequently Asked Questions about the City Council's historic site preservation resolution, potential ballot measures, funding options, and the City's next steps.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The Independence City Council approved an ordinance placing a General Obligation Bond question on the November 3, 2026, ballot. The measure will ask voters whether the City should be authorized to issue up to $19.9 million in bonds dedicated to City-owned historic sites.
This follows Resolution 26-758, which the City Council approved on July 20, 2026, requesting that the City Manager bring forward an ordinance for Council consideration related to a historic sites bond issue.
No. Council approval places the question on the ballot. The bonds would only be issued if approved by voters.
Voters will be asked to consider the following ballot question:
General Obligation Bond Question No. 1
“Shall the City of Independence, Missouri, issue its general obligation bonds in the amount of $19,900,000 for the purpose of renovating, improving and equipping historic buildings, facilities and grounds, and for the creation of a 20-year business plan for historic buildings, with priority given to the Bingham-Waggoner Estate, the Vaile Mansion, the Truman Memorial Building, the Old Fire Station One, and the 1827 Log Courthouse?”
The business plan referenced in the ballot language would help guide near- and long-term capital improvements and maintenance for the historic buildings included in the bond question.
What would a “yes” vote mean?
A “yes” vote would authorize the City to issue up to $19.9 million in General Obligation Bonds for the purposes listed in the ballot question. It would also authorize the levy of a property tax sufficient to repay the bonds within 20 years.
What would a “no” vote mean?
A “no” vote would mean the City would not be authorized to issue the bonds for these historic site improvements. The City would need to continue evaluating other ways to address deferred maintenance and long-term needs at these facilities.
The bond question prioritizes the following City-owned historic sites:
- Bingham-Waggoner Estate
- Vaile Mansion
- Truman Memorial Building
- Old Fire Station One
- 1827 Log Courthouse
The proposal also includes funding for a 20-year business plan for these historic assets.
If approved by voters, the bond funds would be used for renovating, improving, and equipping historic buildings, facilities, and grounds. The proposal also includes developing a 20-year business plan to guide future capital improvements and maintenance needs for these historic buildings.
No. General Obligation Bonds pay for capital projects and cannot be used for operational costs such as salaries and supplies.
The proposed bond authorization is $19.9 million. This includes an estimated $15.6 million in project costs, along with the cost of issuance fees and a 25% contingency.
The ballot language includes funding for the creation of a 20-year business plan for historic buildings. The intent of this plan is to guide near- and long-term capital improvements and maintenance for the City-owned historic sites included in the bond question.
The cost of the business plan could not exceed 5% of any bond issuance. For example, if the City issued $10 million in bonds, no more than $500,000 from that issuance could be used for the plan. The City anticipates the actual cost of the plan would be well below that amount.
If approved by voters, the City would be authorized to levy a property tax sufficient to repay the bonds within 20 years.
The estimated average annual impact for the $19.9 million bond issue would be:
The $173,000 example reflects the average home value in Independence based on 2024 Census numbers.
Yes. The estimates above reflect the average annual tax impact over the life of the bond. The first year could be higher to help establish the required debt service reserve. In the final year, the levy could be lower or potentially zero, depending on the reserve balance and remaining repayment needs.
No. This ballot question is not a sales tax. If approved by voters, the bonds would be repaid through a property tax levy.
Yes. Under the ordinance, City of Independence residents would receive free admission to the Bingham-Waggoner Estate, Vaile Mansion, Truman Memorial Building, Old Fire Station One and 1827 Log Courthouse through the date the bonds are retired.
City-owned historic sites are an important part of Independence’s identity, history and tourism economy. However, many of these facilities have significant deferred maintenance needs that cannot be fully addressed through current General Fund resources alone.
This proposal also follows years of documented deferred maintenance needs across City-owned assets, including approximately $903 million in citywide needs identified in the 2016 Deferred Maintenance Report.
Yes. A prior General Obligation Bond question for parks and recreation and historic site facilities was considered in April 2025. It received 55.42% yes votes but did not meet the required four-sevenths approval threshold.
The question will appear on the November 3, 2026, ballot. Voters will be asked to vote “yes” or “no” on whether to authorize the City to issue the bonds for the listed historic site purposes.
Resources
Presentation materials will be posted here as they become available.
City Council Meeting
July 6, 2026 | Independence Municipal Commons
Agenda | Meeting Recording | Press Release
City Council Study Session
July 13, 2026 | 6:00 p.m. | Independence Municipal Commons
City Council Meeting
August 3, 2026 | 6:00 p.m. | Independence Municipal Commons
Agenda | Meeting Recording
2025 G.O. Bond Ordinance & Ballot Language
November 11, 2024 | City of Independence
Election Results
April 8, 2025 | City of Independence