Formal petitions seeking signatures opposing the city borrowing $3 million for Propst Park upgrades began circulating Monday.

One is available to sign at the front desk of City Hall.

Ward 6 Councilwoman Jacqueline DiCicco drafted the petition following advice she received from the Stennis Institute of Government at Mississippi State University. It is also available at her office at 3491 Bluecutt Road Suites 5 and 7. She told The Dispatch in a text message that citizens are making their own copies and collecting signatures in their neighborhoods.

“I have had citizens asking me about how to protest the issuance of more debt,” DiCicco wrote. “I didn’t have an answer. I am disappointed in our bond counsel and our city attorney for publishing the debt announcement that did not include clear directives for a protest.”

The city council, on a 4-2 vote May 17, approved a $4.4 million parks renovation plan centered on improving Propst Park. The council resolved to use $1.4 million the city had on hand from tourism tax collections, while borrowing the remaining $3 million and repaying the debt with future tourism tax revenue. The interest and fees on the debt will come to about $1 million, city CFO Jim Brigham said.

Forcing a referendum on the bond issue requires written protests from at least 1,500 registered voters in the city limits be presented to the city council by 5 p.m. July 18.

Citizens, at the urging of the organization A Better Columbus, began late last week sending emails to Brigham with their name, address and clear representation they were protesting the bond issue. As of Monday afternoon, Brigham said he had received 71 such emails, none of which bear a signature.

Tray Hairston, an attorney with Butler Snow, the Ridgeland-based firm handling legal work for the bond, told The Dispatch on Friday that valid protests required signatures.

City Attorney Jeff Turnage, when reached by The Dispatch on Friday, refused to elaborate on what constitutes a legal protest of the issue – namely, if emails counted – saying that a majority of the council voted for the bond so it was a conflict to give advice on protesting it.

Turnage did confirm to The Dispatch on Monday that if the bond is issued, he will receive 1% of the total, which would amount to roughly $30,000.

DiCicco, one of the two council members to oppose the bond, said citizens need clearer answers than that.

“We in government and the attorneys we hire should always operate above reproach,” DiCicco said. “In my opinion, not making the protest procedure clear does not meet that requirement. They probably met the very minimum standard required.”

As of press time Monday, the petition at City Hall had only received two signatures. DiCicco did not say how many signatures other petitions had generated.

Mayor Keith Gaskin said the city is making preparations for a referendum.

“We are taking all of the steps, just in case,” Gaskin said.