COVINGTON, Ga. — An advisory committee will recommend that county commissioners approve using the millions expected to be collected from renewal of a 1% sales tax primarily for rebuilding roads and buildings and new public safety equipment.
The remainder is recommended to be spent on “Quality of Life” items including countywide park improvements, a “Westside Community Park” facility, and improvements to the county library system.
The Newton County Board of Commissioners will have the final say on what projects will be presented to voters as part of the referendum for renewal of the SPLOST in November.
The 2023 SPLOST is expected to produce a total of $108 million over its six-year life — of which the county is expected to receive $84 million based on past splits of the proceeds with the six cities in Newton based on population.
Volunteers on an advisory committee on the county’s share of the funding recently wrapped up weeks of work.
They completed a final list of where they were recommending commissioners approve where the estimated $84 million should be spent over the six-year life of the 2023 SPLOST if approved by voters on the Nov. 8 ballot.
Two-thirds of the money — about $56 million — is recommended for resurfacing, reconstruction and widening of county roads; renovation of fire department buildings; replacement of equipment for the detention center; and money for new vehicles for the sheriff’s office.
More than $141 million in projects were originally requested, and a number of requested projects did not receive a final nod from the committee.
Some of the requested projects not on the list included:
• A $15.3 million renovation or reconstruction of an aging sheriff’s office special investigative unit’s building, which includes a morgue.
• A total of $11.9 million in renovations and improvements to the R.L. Cousins Community Center building and adjacent recreation facilities.
• $4.5 million in improvements to the county-owned Nelson Heights Community Center.
• $4.5 million for Washington Street Community Center improvements.
• $1.5 million for projects for the Hwy. 278 Community Improvement District.
• $3.7 million for Newton Trails for improvements to the countywide trail system, including Cricket Frog Trail.
• $4 million for a Senior Services enrichment center.
• $4.3 million for relocation and construction of a fire station.
However, officials noted the funding collected in excess of what was expected to be raised from the 2017 SPLOST already has been designated for the Senior Services and Washington Street projects.
Committee chairman Baxter Bouchillon said the panel came to an informal agreement on the division of the funding after finding it could not satisfy all the requests from county department heads and nonprofit agencies.
He noted the county government is in the midst of negotiations with the six cities in Newton County on the final split. He said he expected the county to receive less than the overall $84 million amount it was using in its recommendation.
During a final meeting Thursday, May 26, committee members agreed with Transportation Director Chester Clegg that more than an original $16 million amount for roads and bridges was needed.
He said the committee needed to keep $30 million in a general recommendation for roads and bridges because of the need to have enough money for matching funds when state and federal grants were made available.
He and Bouchillon said state law requires that designating $12 million for a specific project like widening Brown Bridge Road in the referendum sent to voters would mean that amount could only be used for Brown Bridge Road and not for the myriad other road improvements needed in the next six years.
Sheriff Ezell Brown and Fire Chief Mike Conner argued for keeping funding in place for new vehicles. Brown noted some of his vehicles were 15-20 years old and needed replacement.
Committee member Dana Herring, representing District 3, said she did not want a Westside community center facility relegated to a phase two list of projects not in the 2023 SPLOST.
However, county special projects coordinator Jeff Prine suggested the final $10.5 million figure for a Westside facility could include part of what District 3 County Commissioner Alana Sanders wanted in the facility.
He said $10.5 million could be used to buy the land and design and build a 10,000-square-foot building that could be shared with Senior Services. Development of a park surrounding the facility could be done later, he said.
The committee’s recommendation now goes to the full Newton County Board of Commissioners.
The Board can include the recommendation in its final decision on how the money will be spent, or it can scrap the panel’s work and make its own decision on projects to fund.
