By Teresa Williams
May 25, 2006 12:02 am
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CAIRO — The Grady County Board of Commissioners and three Cairo City Council members came to a tentative agreement on how to split the proposed 2008 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) proceeds during a called meeting on Tuesday.
“It’s a great deal to get sales tax money for special projects,” said Rusty Moye, county administrator, Wednesday. “Also, it’s a good way to obtain revenues necessary to maintain the county roads and bridges.”
Projected SPLOST funds will be distributed as follows: $325,000, Whigham; $4,680,000, Cairo; and $7,320,000, Grady County.
The Grady County Board of Commissioners’ suggested a six-year, $12 million SPLOST and distribution amounts for special projects were figured using that proposal.
The city of Whigham was not asked to contribute funds to special projects this time because it asked for a $75,000 increase for its own projects. Therefore, the county and city of Cairo split funding special projects at 61 percent county/39 percent Cairo.
Special interest groups up for SPLOST funds are: Grady General Hospital Authority ($1,500,000), Roddenbery Memorial Library ($120,000), the Grady County Aquatic Center ($900,000), Grady County Volunteer Fire Department ($250,000 — only the county funds this group), the Grady County Historical Society ($200,000) and the City of Whigham ($325,000).
City of Cairo Mayor Richard VanLandingham brought up outside funding because the council had suggested in its proposed distribution chart that agencies fund a required amount for their own projects.
Commissioner Bobby Burns said he disagreed with required self-funding.
“I don’t see asking those agencies to go beyond what they are paying in taxes for special interest projects,” he said. “They should be fully funded through tax dollars and supported. I don’t have a problem with voluntary funding but I don’t think it should be required.”
Moye said that enough money must be included in the SPLOST distribution to complete each project as described in general terms on the ballot, without outside funds or promise of raising outside funds.
The proposed aquatic center garnered the biggest discussion.
Issues brought up concerning the pool included: if the proposed pool was “the right pool” for the area; when the pool would be open; if there would be enough funds to finish the construction; and, if not, how would it be funded.
Commission Chairman Al Ball suggested possibly renovating and upgrading the current Holder Park pool instead of building a new one. Ball said he had not heard a convincing argument for the pool and did not agree to using SPLOST funds for the project.
“I’m not sure that this pool is something we really need and it could be wasting taxpayers’ dollars,” he said.
John Brannon, an advocate for the pool who has been attending various government meetings to inform entities of the project, told those present that it would be an eight lane, competitive swimming pool, include some amenities and cost an estimated $850,000 (if done today).
“I have no problem with the $900,000 (proposed amount),” said Jimmy Douglas, councilman. “Concerned citizens who want the pool can contribute, too, as funds become available.”
If the cost of the project increased and there was not enough funds, said Moye, then the county would have to make up the difference.
Douglas and Burns both said that the sooner pool construction could begin, the better.
County Attorney Kevin Cauley told those present that once the project was on the ballot, that it had to be finished.
“You have to do it,” he said. “You can be careful in defining it and can scale back if you need to, but you have to do it and construct that facility.”
He also suggested not specifying amounts for each project on the ballot (like the Grady County Board of Education did in its 2005 SPLOST), but including those amounts in the intergovernmental agreement.
Another topic of discussion was funding Whigham’s $325,000 request.
“There is a real need at this time for SPLOST funding for Whigham,” said Moye.
Representatives from the City of Cairo asked if Whigham would have any share in excess SPLOST proceeds because it was not giving up any funds for special interest groups.
“No,” said Moye. “The $325,000 allotted to them would be all the funds they would receive. They would have no share in additional SPLOST proceeds if there was any excess.”
Representatives for the City of Whigham were not present at the meeting.
The current SPLOST ends March 31, 2008, and, to ensure continued collections of SPLOST monies, the 2008 proposal must be approved six months prior to its end.
“Now we draw up an intergovernmental agreement and everybody has to agree to it and sign it,” said Moye, on Wednesday. “We have to pass a resolution in September calling for the SPLOST ballot and that will be given to the superintendent of election’s (Sadie Voyles) so she can call for the election.”
The proposed special election for the SPLOST ballot is March 20, 2007.
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