Richmond County commissioners resumed work on the proposed SPLOST 9 project list on a Tuesday afternoon, hearing updates from the administrator, the sheriff's office, parks and recreation and the fire department as they weighed additions that would increase the package total and lengthen the collection period.

Administrator Allen opened the session and outlined the schedule to place SPLOST 9 on the May 19 ballot, with a second work session scheduled for Dec. 4 and a goal to approve the final list on Jan. 6. Allen said updated recommendations in the commissioners’ packets highlight changes: $14,000,000 was added under quality of life for a full riverwalk and boathouse reconstruction, $5,000,000 was added to the Craig Horton juvenile court allocation (bringing that line from an attempted $15,000,000 toward a $20,000,000 estimate), and $4,000,000 was proposed for construction management services tied to large building projects.

Those additions brought the preliminary SPLOST 9 total to about $434,000,000; with subsequent department requests it could grow. Finance projected a collection period of roughly 78 months (about 6.5 years) for the baseline package; adding further requests could extend that timeline.

Public safety requests were a central focus. The sheriff’s office said its original $100,000,000 request for two new pods and 300 beds had been reduced to $50,000,000 but that new prefabricated construction estimates now justify asking for an additional $20,000,000, bringing the sheriff’s capital request to roughly $70,000,000 for pods. The sheriff’s representative said prefabricated pods can deliver the planned bed count more cheaply but are designed for lower-risk detainees; the most violent offenders would remain in the brick-and-mortar jail. The sheriff also requested $3,000,000 per year for vehicle replacement over six years (an $18,000,000 total). Chief Blanchard explained staffing tradeoffs and that equipment and vehicle prices are rising, noting that an average equipped patrol vehicle without IT is about $67,000.

Commissioners pressed on staffing and operational impacts. Chief Blanchard said staffing remains the largest ongoing expense and that design choices can reduce but not eliminate staffing needs. He also emphasized that the county is running over capacity in the jail, estimating daily populations about 300 over capacity, and urged planning for facilities even if judicial changes reduce population later.

Parks and recreation items prompted debate over priorities and location. Commissioners discussed $5,000,000 proposed for May Park (which the commission retained by consensus after a show-of-hands with “no objection seen”) and a $2,000,000 request for a Newpark/South Augusta project. A larger question concerned a proposed $10,000,000 allocation to plan/seed a community center or park in the western corridor along Jimmy Dais/Gordon Highway. Some commissioners argued the area is the county’s fastest-growing and needs planning dollars now; others said the county should first fix and consolidate underused existing centers (including the Sue Reynolds site) and warned that $10,000,000 would not cover a full modern recreation center.

Commissioners and staff discussed timeline, bonding and fiscal options. Parks staff estimated that land acquisition alone could take 1–2 years, municipal design 2–3 years and construction 1–2 years — roughly 6–7 years from funding to completion unless projects were bonded. Attorney Plunkett advised that the SPLOST list language can be generic or more specific and that intergovernmental agreements help voters understand the intended projects.

The fire department requested additional capital for apparatus and stations. Fire Chief Bridal asked for $19,200,000 to rebuild three stations (approx. $6.4M each) and sought consideration of adding two more stations (an additional approximately $14,000,000). Administrator Allen said adding the full fire request to the list would move the projected total toward $476,000,000. Commissioners indicated more work sessions are needed to reconcile rising totals and requested department heads attend the Dec. 4 session.

On consensus and next steps: the commission recorded no objections and kept $5,000,000 for May Park in the recommended list; the sheriff’s modular pods request received consensus support after discussion; debate over the $10,000,000 western corridor allocation continued, with a subsequent call for consensus recorded as consenting by the administrator. Commissioners agreed to reconvene Dec. 4 for additional review and to give staff direction on language and scope for ballot materials.

The meeting concluded with the chair asking departments to attend the next session; the body adjourned without a formal recorded roll-call vote on the overall SPLOST list.