Madison County development authority requests $1.5 million in SPLOST allocation for business park and land acquisition

Ben Morris, representing the county development authority, asked the Board of Commissioners on June 24 to allocate $1.5 million in the 2026 SPLOST (sales tax) loss allocation to support long‑term economic development projects.

Morris said the request—described in the meeting as $1,500,000 or about 5.3% of the projected loss allocation for 2026—would be used primarily to advance infrastructure on a 73‑acre parcel along Highway 72 (between Hall and Culvert) for a light‑industrial and commercial business park. Eligible uses outlined by Morris included waterline installation, grading and site preparation, and road engineering and construction. He also described a strategic land‑acquisition fund to allow the development authority to secure high‑opportunity tracts (roughly 50–100 acres in examples he provided) when they become available.

Morris described an optional use of funds: reducing outstanding debt from prior water‑infrastructure loans (JEESA loans) but noted the existing loan rate (2.25%) is low and refinancing options might not be financially advantageous. He said the $1.5 million request is modest compared with a prior 2020 request of $1.62 million and reflected a shift in planned priorities since the development authority no longer oversees the water system.

Commissioners asked for a projection of current SPLOST balances and for a follow‑up email with the projected remaining balance from January through June; Morris said he would provide that figure.

Ending: Morris said the development authority will refine project budgets and answer technical follow‑ups; the board did not vote on the request at the meeting.