STARKVILLE — Vote Yes for Starkville Parks has raised more than $8,000 in its campaign to raise support for a 1-percent increase to Starkville’s tourism taxes, with nearly half of that coming from the city’s mayor and a prominent developer.
According a campaign finance report filed Tuesday with the city clerk’s office, Vote Yes for Starkville Parks has raised $8,600 and spent $7,060. The group has $1,040 cash on-hand.
Mayor Lynn Spruill and developer Mark Castleberry’s Castle Properties development company donated $2,000 each.
Vote Yes for Starkville Parks was formed to support the city initiative to add 1 percent to Starkville’s 2-percent restaurant and hotel/motel sales taxes. The city is looking to use the additional money to build a new, $20-million-plus tournament-ready baseball and softball recreation facility at Cornerstone Park on Highway 25 in west Starkville. The city also plans to use additional revenue from the tax increase, should it pass, to fund maintenance and capital improvement projects at its existing parks.
Starkville will hold a citywide referendum on the 1-percent tax increase on Thursday. The tax needs support from at least 60 percent of voters to take effect. Starkville currently uses the Sportsplex, on Lynn Lane, for baseball, softball and soccer tournaments and recreation league play.
According to the report, $7,300 on Vote Yes for Starkville Parks’ donations came through itemized contributions. Political committees and candidates for elections are required to itemize donations or expenses of $200 or more.
Spruill, who has been an avid supporter of the parks initiative, and Castleberry’s Castle Properties development company, contributed the most funding to Vote Yes for Starkville Parks, with $2,000 donated each. Russ McReynolds and Canton-based Corporate Relations Management contributed $1,000 each to the Vote Yes campaign.
Terri and Tommy Nusz donated $300. George Taylor, Wayne Wilkerson, Jennifer Cougle and Spencer Broocks each donated $250, according to the report.
Of the $7,060 in expenses Vote Yes for Starkville Parks reported, $6,821.54 are itemized. The report shows the itemized expenses going toward campaign materials, such as signs, and advertising costs.
Vote Yes for Starkville Parks’ campaign report comes after the group missed last week’s reporting deadline. At the time, Bart Gregory, who is listed as the group’s head, said the group was told by the Secretary of State’s Office no campaign finance report was required to be submitted. However, Gregory said he’d check with the Secretary of State’s Office and submit a report if required.
Absentee votes
Nearly 250 voters have cast absentee ballots ahead of Thursday’s special election, according to the city clerk’s office.
In addition to the citywide 1-percent tax referendum, Starkville is holding a special election in Ward 5 to replace former Alderman Patrick Miller.
Miller, who was elected in 2017, resigned in April to take a job on the coast. Three candidates– Hamp Beatty, Kayla Gilmore and John Michael VanHorn — are seeking election to the Ward 5 seat.
According to City Clerk Lisa Hardin, 245 people voted absentee by the noon Tuesday deadline for in-person voting. She said the total does not include any additional ballots the city may get in the mail today. Starkville is accepting mail-in absentee ballots through 5 p.m. today.
Ward 3 voters have cast the most absentee ballots so far, with 68, followed by 56 in Ward 5. Ward 4 voters have cast 40; Ward 1 voters have cast 33; Ward 2 voters have cast 17; Ward 7 voters have cast 16; and Ward 6 voters have cast 15.
Hardin said the total is about in line with what’s expected for a special election.
Starkville has 14,760 registered voters. Of those, according to Oktibbeha County Deputy Elections Clerk Sheryl Elmore, 13,333 are active and 1,427 are inactive. Voters are inactivated if they don’t respond to a jury summons or if mail from the circuit clerk’s office is returned from their address. Elmore said they can still vote but must fill out an affidavit voting form at their polling place.
Alex Holloway was formerly a reporter with The Dispatch.
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