What Is Hurricane Borrowing For? Quick Answer
Hurricane City is preparing two separate bond issues, and residents can weigh in at back-to-back public hearings on Thursday, November 5, 2026, at 6 p.m. at 147 N 870 W. The first, through the city's Municipal Building Authority, would fund a new police station and a new city hall. The second, approved by the City Council on October 1, authorizes up to $24 million in electric revenue bonds for two new substations and transmission lines in the city-owned power system. Both notices were posted on October 2, and Mayor Clark Fawcett's October 5 "In the Loop" update confirmed the council approved both authorizing resolutions. Here is what each one means for Hurricane residents and ratepayers.
| Bond | Pays for | Size and term | Repaid from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Series 2026 Lease Revenue Bonds (Municipal Building Authority) | New police station, new city hall, related improvements, reserve fund, issuance costs | Principal not stated; average payment $2,024,754.57 a year; term up to 31 years | Annual lease payments from the city's general budget |
| Series 2027 Electric Revenue Bonds (City) | Two substations, transmission lines, related electric system work | Up to $24 million; up to 26 years; interest capped at 6.5%; about $48.8 million total debt service if held to maturity | Net revenues of the electric utility (customer power bills) |
The Police Station and City Hall Bonds
Utah cities often build major facilities through a municipal building authority: the authority issues bonds, owns the building, and leases it to the city, which makes annual lease payments until the bonds are paid off. That is the structure here. The Municipal Building Authority of the City of Hurricane published a notice of intent on October 2 to issue Series 2026 Lease Revenue Bonds to pay for "the acquisition and construction of a new police station, a new city hall building, and related improvements," plus a debt service reserve fund and issuance costs.
The notice does not state the principal amount. It does say the term will not exceed 31 years and that the city, as lessee, expects to pay $2,024,754.57 a year on average. Because lease payments come from the general budget rather than a dedicated tax, the city will have to carry that roughly $2 million line item alongside everything else it funds. The Building Authority's governing board plans to vote on the bonds immediately after the November 5 hearing, in the same meeting. The notice is signed by Secretary-Treasurer Cindy Beteag and cites the Local Building Authority Act and the Local Government Bonding Act.
The current city offices and police department share the municipal building at 147 N 870 W, where the hearings will be held. The city has not published designs, sites or a construction schedule for the new buildings with these notices. Residents who want those details should ask at the hearing or contact City Manager Kaden DeMille at (435) 635-2811, ext. 125, the number listed in the bond notices.
The $24 Million Electric Bonds
Hurricane runs its own electric utility, which means growth in the city shows up directly as demand on city-owned substations and lines. On October 1 the City Council adopted a resolution authorizing up to $24,000,000 in Series 2027 Electric Revenue Bonds for "capital improvements to the City's electric system, including two substations and transmission lines." The terms set a maximum maturity of 26 years, a minimum sale price of 98 percent of principal and a maximum interest rate of 6.5 percent. The city estimates total debt service of about $48,832,200 over the life of the bonds if they run to maturity, based on current rate assumptions.
These are "special, limited obligations" payable only from the net revenues of the electric system. The city currently has no other debt secured by those revenues. The notice does not say whether electric rates will change to cover the payments; the November 5 hearing is specifically for public input on the issuance and "any potential economic impact on the private sector." The resolution and the indenture are on file at the City Recorder's office for at least 30 days from publication, and state law gives interested parties 30 days from publication to contest the legality of the bonds. The city can also decide not to issue them at any time before the sale.
How to Participate
- Attend: Thursday, November 5, 2026, 6 p.m., City Council Chambers, 147 N 870 W, Hurricane. Both hearings are on the same agenda.
- Read the documents: the full notices are on the city's News Flash page (links below). The bond resolution and indenture are available at the City Recorder's office.
- Ask questions: City Manager Kaden DeMille, (435) 635-2811, ext. 125.
Hurricane is not alone in paying for growth this fall. St. George adopted a 0.33 percent emergency services sales tax on October 1 to staff six more fire stations, and several Washington County cities have local sales tax questions on the November 3 ballot. Hurricane's bonds do not go to voters; revenue bonds and building authority leases are approved by the council and the authority board after public hearings.
Other Recent City Business
At the same October 1 meeting, the council adopted Ordinance 2026-23, which abandons and vacates part of 2460 West, and zone change ZC26-14, which rezones parcel H-311-C-2 from R1-10 to R1-8 (smaller minimum lot sizes). Separately, 100 North is closed between 700 West and 870 West through October 16 for utility work, which affects access to the municipal building from the west. The Planning Commission also heard a zone change to update the Sky Mountain planned development on October 8.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Hurricane City bond hearing?
Thursday, November 5, 2026, at 6 p.m. at 147 N 870 W, Hurricane, Utah. Two hearings are scheduled back to back: one on lease revenue bonds for a new police station and city hall, and one on up to $24 million in electric revenue bonds.
How much will Hurricane's new police station and city hall cost?
The October 2 notice does not state the principal amount of the Series 2026 Lease Revenue Bonds. It says the term will not exceed 31 years and that the city expects average annual lease payments of $2,024,754.57.
Will Hurricane electric rates go up because of the bonds?
The notice does not say. The up-to-$24 million electric revenue bonds are repaid from the electric utility's net revenues, and the November 5 hearing is the public's chance to ask about rate effects. The city estimates about $48.8 million in total debt service if the bonds run the full 26 years.
Do Hurricane residents vote on these bonds?
No. Revenue bonds and municipal building authority lease bonds are approved by the City Council and the authority's board after public hearings, not by ballot. State law allows a 30-day period after publication of the notice to contest the bonds' legality.
Sources
- Hurricane City: Municipal Building Authority notice of intent, Series 2026 Lease Revenue Bonds (Oct. 2, 2026)
- Hurricane City: notice of bonds to be issued, Series 2027 Electric Revenue Bonds (Oct. 2, 2026)
- Hurricane City: approved ordinances 2026-23 and ZC26-14 (Oct. 6, 2026) and 100 North road closure notice
- Mayor Clark Fawcett, "In the Loop" update (Oct. 5, 2026), cityofhurricane.com
Published October 12, 2026. We will update this page after the November 5 hearings.
