Pothole patch STAFF PHOTO BY MICHAEL CARY Juan Ledezma, left, works with Cody Claypool and Mike Sanchez to keep the potholes on streets in Port Aransas filled. They most recently fixed holes in the street on J.C. Barr Boulevard at the entrance to the marina and Roberts Point Park. Joyce Williams does not live on a street that needs to rebuilt or repaved, but she voted for the $4.9 million bond issue proposition to fix several streets in Port Aransas.

"It's a lot of money, but we can sell bonds. Municipal bonds are considered by many people to be pretty safe," Williams said.

Jan Montgomery also said she doesn't live on a street that needs work, but has decided to support the bond issue.

"There is one section of Sixth Street that is unpaved, and I drive on it all the time. It would be nice if it was paved," Montgomery said.

Port Aransas residents have the opportunity to vote whether to issue the general obligation bonds to either completely rebuild or to repave more than 40 city streets during early voting until 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31, and on election day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 4.

Many of the streets on the repair or rebuild schedule are also slated to have curbs and gutters that tie into existing drainage infrastructure.

The work that is planned for the city's "dead streets" (meaning tough to rebuild) includes an unpaved section of Sixth Street; Ninth Street from Avenue G to Avenue H; Beach Access Road 1; Aransas Channel; Avenue D from Gulf to Seventh streets; Avenue I from Sixth Street to Tropic Lane; Beach Street from Station Street to Dunes Drive; Bralley Drive (part of 11th Street project); Bujan Street; Corpus Christi Channel; Dunes Drive; Dunesway; Farley Avenue; Island Moorings Parkway; Laurel Street from White to Oaks streets; Lighthouse Channel; Lydia Ann Channel; North Palmino Road; Oaks Avenue from Laurel Street to the dead end; Rockport Channel; Sand Key Drive; Sea Secret Street (part of 11th Street project).

Two streets, Beach Street and Access Road 1, will be rebuilt, but they are not part of the bond issue proposition.

City Manager Michael Kovacs said the bond issue would be in the form of a 15-year note that could be paid fairly quickly at a low interest rate.

He also said that Standard & Poor's stored the city's bond rating at A-plus. S&P upped the rating after reviewing city and community economic and financial information.

Kovacs said he has presented information on the bond proposition to the board of directors of the Port Aransas Chamber of Commerce and to members of the Rotary and Kiwanis clubs.

"People have said they have seen what the city can do on major projects, and they have a higher confi- dence that we can get things done," Kovacs said.

Mayor Claude Brown said he wanted to reiterate that Port Aransas residents have shown faith in the city's leadership to continue working on the city's streets and drainage.

"This wouldn't happen if people didn't vote for it. We made promises and we kept our promises, and we want to continue what we're doing," Brown said.

A map of the proposed street projects can be viewed on the city's Web site at www.cityofportaransas. org, or at city hall.