PTC decides how to spend windfall of 6-year SPLOST
The recent move by the Fayette County Commission approving a 6-year Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) referendum next spring led to the need to adjust the Peachtree City project list. A 6-year SPLOST and removing a donation for the performing arts center would provide an additional $10.38 million of potential revenues.
The most pressing Tier 1 projects on the city’s SPLOST list came with a total of $37.58 million. The City Council by consensus told City Manager Jon Rorie to adjust the list to take into account the additional $7.89 million, now totaling $45.47 million, in potential revenues that would come from a 6-year SPLOST.
The council also agreed to remove the proposed performing arts center and its $2.494 million in allocations from the list. The city is following suit with other municipalities and the county in removing the center from SPLOST lists.
In total, and if the initiative is approved by voters on March 21, the city would receive an additional $10.38 million more than what would have been received from a 5-year SPLOST with the arts center.
That led to Rorie making a number of suggestions as to how those additional funds might be used. Council at the end of the presentation agreed to the changes by consensus.
Projects approved by the council fell into the categories which include roads, multi-use paths, public safety, parks and recreations and Category 1 dam and spillway enhancement.
The roads category, as expected, came with the largest amount of additional funding, assuming that the SPLOST passes.
The council agreed to $2.82 million to increase resurfacing from seven miles per year to eight miles per year, $3.227 million to add a sixth year to the resurfacing schedule, adding $279,980 for a sixth year of seal coating and $1 million allocated to matching funds to leverage outside dollars for additional intersection improvements along the Hwy. 54/74 corridor.
As noted later in the meeting, Rorie said the $1 million would revert to previously-identified Tier 1 and 2 projects should no opportunties arise for matching funds.
Rorie in the public safety category recommended adding $973,000 for radio funding which will be needed with the $18 million upgrade to the county’s 911 system.
The move would increase funding from the current $494,100 to $1.467 million.
In the dam and spillway category, Rorie recommended adding $300,000 to the spillway bridge estimate and for the re-alignment of cart paths in the area.
In the multi-use path category, council members agreed to an increase of $519,000 for a sixth year of resurfacing, $672,951 to elevate Tier 2 projects which include paths near the police department on Ga. Highway 74 South, Line Creek Nature Area, widening the cart bridge at Lake Peachtree and Ga. Highway 54 East and bridge engineering at Crosstown Drive and Ga. Highway 74 South.
A final allocation in the category would provide $464,495 to use as matching funds to leverage outside dollars for path and trail connectivity to neighboring communities. Rorie noted that those funds would revert to previously identified Tier 1 and 2 projects if no opportunity arises for the use of matching funds.
In total, 65 percent of SPLOSt dollars would go for roads, 21 percent for the multi-use path system, 7 percent for public safety, 4 percent for the dam and spillway and 2 percent for parks and recreation.
