The names of volunteers for a Citizens' Oversight Committee for the proposed $75 million Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax were presented at the Board of Commissioners work session today.

Fred Straub, a member of the current SPLOST Citizens Oversight Committee, emphasized that these names were prepared in case the proposed SPLOST was approved at the July 20 ballot, and was not an assumption that the SPLOST, a 1-cent sales tax, would pass.

The list of 27 names were taken from a combination of members of the current SPLOST Citizens' Oversight Committee, attendees at public meetings about the SPLOST that volunteered their services, and the current list of volunteers maintained by the county, said Straub. The new committee would be made up of 30 members, and extra spots were deliberately left empty.

"We've heard a lot of conversations about, 'Well, I'd like to do that, but the time you find out about it, it's already filled up.'" said Straub. The extra spots would ensure there will be room for last minute volunteers as well.

The volunteers are:

Ed Conway
Garvin Haynes
Bill Hughey
Elaine Nash
Tamae Partain
Charles Staples
Don Meyer
Phyllis Turner
Frank Culbreath
Mo Talley
Bill Campbell
Julie Mills
Craig McCullough
Sue Chappel
Kysa Daniels
Mac Broughton
Buck Vaughn
Earnelle Winfrey
Anita Smith
Shirley Russell
Mike Hilleboe
Fred Straub
Mike Houchard
Sam Smiley
Josie Dean
Chip Hatcher
Charles Chance

The volunteers would be further broken down into sub-commitees with five members each, in the areas of transportation, fire/public safety, the Rockdale County Sheriff's Office, Recreation/Senior Services, water/sewer, finance and communications.

The Oversight Committee and the subcomittees determine the actual projects that would be funded that would fall within the SPLOST guidelines. For more information about joining the committee, call 770-278-7001.