The first Henry County Board of Commissioners meeting of 2021, with a new chair, included discussions of key topics and a few tie votes.

One such deadlock came on a motion to transfer $5 million in SPLOST money from the proposed I-75 interchange at Bethlehem Road to other road projects. Dee Clemmons, Bruce Holmes and Vivian Thomas voted in favor of the resolution, while the no votes came from Gary Barham, Johnny Wilson and new board chair Carlotta Harrell.

In 2013, voters approved the SPLOST IV project list which included an allocation of 5.5 million toward the interchange. The project has not started and SPLOST transportation director Roque Romero, who presented the item at the meeting, said that the project is expected to cost approximately $40 million. Romero was scheduled to meet with the Georgia Department of Transportation representatives this week to discuss funding, engineering and a project timeline.

Holmes said he was concerned that putting funding toward the project would result in an inland port and that he has several roads in District 5 that need repair and improvements. He said he favors giving district commissioners autonomy in deciding on how funds would be best spent.

Barham said when the SPLOST funds were approved, it was for Henry County to have “skin in the game”? to alleviate traffic congestion on Highway 155.

Commissioners weighed in on possible reallocation of funds from approved SPLOST projects, and county attorney Patrick Jaugstetter explained that funds may be reallocated, but approved SPLOST projects must still be completed. Funds can come from a variety of sources, he added, but funds to complete a SPLOST IV project may not come from SLPOST V unless the project is also on the SPLOST V list.

Harrell looked for clarification on the status of other SPLOST IV projects and what funding was available for unfinished projects. Wilson suggested tabling the item until staff had an opportunity to meet with GDOT representatives. “We can then find out their recommendations and have a clearer understanding from them,” he? said.

Clemmons maintained that the resolution was not calling to abandon the interchange project, but rather to move funds to be used for shovel-ready projects.

“We are not trying to abandon this project, and I don’t want to convolute this resolution,” she said. “This project was approved by the voters and we would still fund the interchange project once GDOT comes up with the other $40 million.”

County manager Cheri Hobson-Matthews explained that the $5.5 million was allocated because the BOC at that time wanted the project to be a priority with GDOT. Jaugstetter said that the current debate raises one of the problematic things about SPLOST; due to the timetable in the way SPLOST project lists are approved, current commissioners are saddled with policies and priorities from previous boards.

Harrell asked for further clarification on the specific projects to which funds would be reallocated and said that before moving those funds, she would like to see a specific project list. However, no list was available at the time.

Thomas asked county management on the feasibility of a line item to replenish funds that are reallocated. “We should make good use of this money,” she said. “Its been sitting too long.”

In response to an inquiry by Harrell about unfinished projects and unused funds, Matthews noted that the county “started cleaning up our SPLOST IV project list” several months ago. She went on to detail several projects that still needed funding, the difference between county-wide and district specific projects, and tier one and tier two project lists. She explained that if the funds are reallocated, the county would still have to provide the $5 million to put towards the project because it has already been approved by voters.

Romero is expected to brief the board on his GDOT meeting later this month.