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County staff outlines SPLOST project list and recommends jail upgrades as a Level 1 priority
Summary
Deputy COO Landry Murchison said staff will build a capital project list for the 2026 SPLOST; he described the jail upgrade as a likely Level 1 project and circulated estimated municipal allocation percentages to cities ahead of required notice.
Deputy Chief Operating Officer Landry Murchison told the board on June 17 that staff will compile a full SPLOST project list next week and intends to prioritize maintenance and capital projects identified in the county's facilities master plan.
Murchison said the board previously signaled it wanted a Level 1 project and that the jail upgrades qualify as a Level 1 project because the facility serves the whole county; Level 1 projects are funded 'off the top' of SPLOST allocations before municipal shares. He told the board the juvenile court roof removal (described as a 'green roof' project requiring the removal of soil/vegetation) is estimated at about $2.5 million and is one of several maintenance priorities.
Staff outlined the timetable: municipalities must receive notice by June 23 and the county will convene a meeting of municipal representatives within 10 days to collect municipal project lists. Murchison said he circulated projected allocations to municipalities and asked for feedback; absent response staff will proceed with the schedule required by state law and previous practice.
He listed the allocation percentages derived from the last negotiated SPLOST allocation certificate: College Park 1.6%, Forest Park 11.28%, Jonesboro 2.96%, Morrow 3.77%, Lake City 2.25%, Riverdale 8.75%, Lovejoy 3.34% and the county 66.59%. Murchison said the county percentage declined by about 13 percentage points in the latest certificate, shifting more share to municipalities.
Commissioners pushed for clarity. Commissioner Elena Reeves asked for a written list of Level 1 options with cost estimates so the board can make an informed decision before notifying cities; several commissioners said they had not received a formal presentation or written options and requested more detail on cost and scope. Commissioner Hayford asked how municipal limits were calculated; Murchison said percentages are set by the last SPLOST certificate and depend on how many Level 1 projects the board chooses.
Murchison said he will meet next week with department heads to build the project list and will return to the board with recommendations and an accompanying needs assessment. He also said hearings will follow and the county will produce ballot language for the referendum.
Staff did not ask the board to vote on any project at this meeting; the board agreed staff should proceed with the schedule and return with a prioritized project list.
