The Henry County Board of Commissioners took the next step toward an agreement with the county’s four cities on the next SPLOST referendum, but not all of the commissioners got exactly what they wanted – and none of the cities were pleased with the decision that was made.
The board voted 4-2 to approve an intergovernmental agreement with a 75-25 SPLOST revenue split and the stipulation that the cities provide their project lists by July 19. Gary Barham and Johnny Wilson voted against the motion by Dee Clemmons.
A previous motion by Clemmons failed 3-3 with board chair June Wood also voting no. Clemmons originally wanted to remove the fleet replacement program from the SPLOST list and replace it with two aquatic centers at a cost of $11 million each. That motion was amended by Bruce Holmes, who wanted to leave a portion of the fleet replacement program and move the jail pod off the SPLOST list to make way for the aquatic centers.
Wilson said that would lead to tax increases even if the SPLOST passed because of the need for the items being removed from the list. Had the original motion passed, the jail pod and fleet replacement would have been moved to a separate capital projects list created several months ago but with no official funding source yet.
Assistant county manager Brad Johnson said the jail has frequently been at maximum capacity of late, and it will have to be expanded very soon regardless of whether SPLOST pays for it. The last jail expansion was due to a federal mandate, he pointed out. Johnson also said the county is constantly looking at how to keep its overall fleet updated having recently decommissioned fire trucks dating back to 1995.
Aside from the specific projects themselves, the commissioners raised the ire of the cities with the 75-25 split. City officials have made it known recently that they want 30 percent of the SPLOST revenue, although county officials noted that this was never brought up during the past year and a half of committee meetings and county staff has worked from the start under the assumption that the split would be 75-25.
Barham repeatedly urged his fellow board members to go back and talk to the cities in their districts to get their feedback and see what they want.
Clemmons, Holmes and Vivian Thomas touted the aquatic centers, with Holmes saying the county needs such “quality of life” items and Clemmons stating that giving young people such a place to gather and spend their time will help keep them out of jail later.
Wood said she was definitely not in favor of eliminating the jail pod and that the board needs to think more about the overall cost of the aquatic centers, including their staffing and upkeep after they are open.
After Clemmons’ original motion failed, Wood offered a compromise of sorts, with a motion to move only the fleet replacement program and put only one aquatic center on the SPLOST list. Clemmons asked if she would amend that motion to put both aquatic centers on the list but Wood would not do so. Her motion died for lack of a second.
No city officials spoke during the SPLOST discussion, but Stockbridge Mayor Anthony Ford signed up for public comment time, saying he still wants the 70-30 split and he knows that other cities do as well.
“But I’m still optimistic,” he said. “I still have an open mind and I’m looking forward to an open dialogue.”
Ford invited Clemmons, Holmes and Thomas – all of whose districts touch the city limits of Stockbridge – to talk to him.
A special called meeting is being scheduled for July 24 to finalize the details and call for the SPLOST referendum.
