More than $8 of every $10 raised via a new sales tax would be spent on repair and maintenance of city’s infrastructure
A group of Peachtree City citizens on May 19 presented their recommendations for city infrastructure improvement projects if a countywide SPLOST (special purpose local option sales tax) is put on the November ballot and receives voter approval.
It was in February that Peachtree City Manager Jon Rorie recommended that a citizen advisory group address infrastructure needs for a potential countywide SPLOST. The group formed and presented their findings to the Peachtree City Council on May 19
Rorie noted during the meeting that a five-year SPLOST would be expected to generate approximately $37 million while a six-year SPLOST would generate approximately $42 million.
Going with the high end, the list summarized as “if feasible” included a variety of projects in eight categories. Rorie noted that the list, including categories, could be modified and is expected to come back before the council in early June.
An initial breakdown of the current project categories showed:
• Multi-use path projects at $8.6 million
• Multi-use path maintenance at $3.3 million
• Multi-use tunnel and bridge maintenance at $770,000
• Road resurfacing/maintenance at $19.8 million
• Intersection improvements at $3.6 million
• Capital purchases at $2.1 million
• Category 1 dam/spillway replacement at $2.2 million
• Recreation amenities at $1.4 million
The group was originally tasked with evaluating and prioritizing approximately $84 million in project needs identified by Rorie earlier in the year.
A sampling of infrastructure projects include work at Ga. Highway 54 and MacDuff Parkway, Hwy. 54 and Commerce Drive, Crosstown Drive at South Peachtree Parkway and new multi-use path projects for added connectivity, including several new bridges and tunnels.
The group also identified the need for roadway maintenance and resurfacing, the upgrade of the spillway on Lake Peachtree and recreational amenities such as the recently identified splash pad addition at the Glenloch Recreation Complex.
The group also reviewed capital purchases needs such as an ambulance, camera system, breathing apparatus for firefighters and digital radio replacements needed soon in conjunction with the upgrade of the county’s 911 system.
Rorie said he and the county’s other city managers will meet with county staff to development an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) required for the SPLOST. Though the final decision to put a SPLOST on the ballot rests with the Fayette County Commission in late June, Rorie said he will bring a updated city list back to the council in early June. The council will need to finalize the list for submission to the county prior to the decision by the commission next month.
Though the ballot issue would be stated in general terms, city will need to prioritize the specific project list as part of the IGA document, said city attorney Ted Meeker.
The citizen advisory group included residents from each of the city’s five villages. The group included Mike Latella, Pam Kemp, Jay Scheibler, Patrick Phillips and Eric Imker.
