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Board reviews FY26 first-quarter finances and outlines SPLOST 27 priorities including farmland preservation
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Summary
Finance staff presented the county's FY26 first-quarter report (July–September) showing revenues and expenditures, sales-tax collections up about 5% year over year, and discussed SPLOST 27 planning and allocations including farmland preservation; the board accepted the Farmland Preservation Committee recommendation.
Oconee County staff presented the FY26 first-quarter financial update (covering July through September) at the Nov. 4 meeting and outlined initial SPLOST 27 planning priorities.
Finance staff said general fund first-quarter revenues were approximately $5.3 million (about 11.7% of the amended budget) and expenditures for the general fund were about $8.2 million (about 17.5% spent), reflecting annual insurance and software payments that occur early in the fiscal year. Sales-tax collections (local option sales tax and SPLOST distributions) were up roughly 5% from the same quarter last year and staff said collections are on target to meet FY26 projections. The presentation covered capital-project status updates (including paving and public-works projects), anticipated vehicle and equipment purchases, and water-resources fund activity where revenues were on target and capacity/connection fees exceeded year-to-date budget percentages.
The board also received a presentation from the Farmland Preservation Committee. Thad Padgett, committee chair, and Demetrius Jordan of Athens Land Trust said the committee focused on education and outreach this year, held two public events and received one formal easement application; committee recommended acceptance and the board voted to accept that recommendation.
Staff outlined proposed SPLOST 27 referendum planning (a referendum asking voters to approve up to $90,434,289 with a conservative working budget of $75,000,000). Preliminary allocations discussed included debt service (general obligation bond payoffs), $5–6.2 million for water-resources projects, funding for farmland preservation easements, emergency services facilities and equipment (including tanker and EMS vehicle replacement), parks-and-recreation renewal and replacement (including Herman C. Michael Park and Bogart Sports Complex projects), historic-property preservation funding, and public-safety radio system upgrades. Staff provided a tentative calendar for referendum activities and intergovernmental agreements (IGAs) with municipalities, aiming for a May 19, 2026 election and town-hall outreach through early 2026.
The board approved routine consent items and adjourned after completing the docket.
