MARIETTA - Only a handful of residents showed up Thursday night for Progress Marietta Inc.'s second meeting to promote the passage of the $25 million parks bond. But that's because residents have already decided they are going to vote Tuesday in favor of it, said Kim Gresh, chairwoman for the citizens committee Progress Marietta.

"We've been criticized that there's not many people here," she said in reference to the similar turnout at the group's first meeting Oct. 21. "Well, maybe there's not many people here because they've decided they're going to vote yes and they don't need to be in this room tonight when they could be at home with their family ... When you're talking about something people are against, that is when people show up."

The committee's treasurer Steve Imler added, "People not being here shows they are not here to protest the (increase in) taxes; or they already know enough."

Further, committee member Larry Ceminsky said he attended meetings when the county was proposing its parks bond and, proportionally, the same amount of people were there.

Other than the few committee members, the city's parks and recreation director, and Councilwoman Annette Lewis, only a handful of residents attended the meeting at City Hall. Lewis appeared halfway through the meeting "to hear what the committee had to say," she said.

Marietta residents will decide on the Nov. 3 ballot if the city should issue $25 million in bonds to improve the city's existing parks and acquire land for future greenspace.

For property owners, the bond will result in a 20-year tax increase of about $25 per year for each $100,000 of appraised value, said Rich Buss, the city's parks and recreation director. He said the exact dollar impact to taxpayers will depend on the interest rate the city obtains if and when the bonds are issued.

Imler said he is "encouraged" that voters will support the referendum, stating, "I think it will do better than people expect."

He said he has talked with neighbors in the Church Street area and the feedback has been positive for the advocacy group. Progress Marietta's members have been busy putting up signs and distributing promotional information throughout the city.

Gresh and Imler said the only way the city's parks will be improved is though the parks bond.

In response to an attendee's question, Buss said he could not think of a time when the City Council has earmarked more than $100,000 for parks.

Mayor Bill Dunaway and Councilwoman Holly Walquist spearheaded putting the parks bond on the Nov. 3 ballot and selected members for Progress Marietta. State law prohibits governments from advocating for or against a bond issue, but does allow for the distribution of information that is neutral in content. Councilman Philip Goldstein earlier suggested Dunaway was blurring the line between government and advocacy using his official mayor's e-mail to send out information and coordinating with Progress Marietta. Further, questions were raised over Progress Marietta's co-chair Arthur Vaughn also being a member of the Marietta Board of Lights and Water, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the city.

Buss clearly stated Thursday night that he was not advocating for the bond and was there only to inform people about it.

The council voted 4-3 on Aug. 12 with Goldstein, Lewis and Anthony Coleman opposed to put the parks bond on the Nov. 3 ballot. Goldstein and Coleman have said, in the current recession, now is the wrong time to be asking voters to approve a tax increase.

The bond will be used to improve existing city parks ($11 million); acquire land ($5 million); develop new and existing facilities, trails and greenspace ($5 million); and for planning, design and administration costs ($4 million). According to the city, "the allocations of funds for project components are estimates and may vary."