Voters Approve Park Funding Shift and Citywide Ethics Ordinance
Grand Traverse County voters approved two charter amendments on Nov. 4 that clear the way for limited use of Brown Bridge Trust Fund principal for park capital improvements and create a citywide ethics ordinance for officials, staff and volunteers. A third proposal to create a revolving loan fund using trust principal was rejected, leaving broader trust protections intact.
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Voters in Traverse City on Nov. 4 passed two of three city charter proposals that reshape how the Brown Bridge Trust Fund may be used and strengthen local ethics rules. Proposal 1 and Proposal 3 were approved, while Proposal 2 was rejected by the electorate.
Under Proposal 1, the City Commission gains authority for the next five years to move up to $3 million of Brown Bridge Trust Fund principal into a separate trust. Those transferred funds are designated specifically for park capital improvements and accessibility projects, or for acquiring new parkland. Any portion of the $3 million that is not used for those purposes must be returned to the Brown Bridge Trust Fund principal, according to the charter language approved by voters.
Proposal 3 amends the charter to require a citywide ethics ordinance that will apply to elected and appointed officials, city employees and volunteers. The measure embeds ethical standards and oversight expectations into the charter, signaling a formalization of conduct rules across municipal roles.
By contrast, Proposal 2 — which would have authorized creating a revolving loan fund using up to $5 million of the Brown Bridge Trust Fund principal to support inter-fund loans — failed at the ballot box. The rejection leaves intact the trust’s principal from that larger level of redeployment and preserves current limits on borrowing from the trust’s capital.
The immediate, practical impact for residents centers on parks and public trust stewardship. Passage of Proposal 1 authorizes a targeted investment in park infrastructure and accessibility enhancements that city leaders can begin planning to address. The five-year window and the revert clause aim to balance flexibility with protection of the trust’s long-term capital, giving the City Commission a defined period and a capped amount to pursue capital projects while assuring unused money returns to the fund.
The ethics ordinance requirement reflects rising expectations for transparency and consistent standards of conduct at the municipal level. By including volunteers as well as paid staff and elected or appointed officials, the charter change broadens the reach of ethical rules to encompass a wide range of actors who influence city operations and public trust.
For Traverse City, these outcomes represent a measured recalibration of local governance priorities: enabling targeted park investment while declining a broader repurposing of the trust for inter-fund lending. Residents can expect city officials to begin outlining how to structure the separate trust and prioritize projects that improve park access and facilities within the parameters voters set. The measures also put ethics policy front and center, setting the stage for forthcoming ordinance drafting and implementation.
These decisions underscore the community’s appetite for both preserving the financial integrity of a public trust and advancing equitable access to public spaces, reflecting local values about stewardship, civic accountability and quality of life.
