Kennesaw SPLOST draft draws debate over $16 million proposed city hall

Kennesaw staff presented a draft project list for the proposed 2028 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) and told the City Council the committee is waiting on the county’s apportionment before finalizing which projects will be funded. Marty, the SPLOST Committee representative, said the committee developed a roadmap for apportioning revenues and that the city has identified tiered projects to ensure Tier 1 work is completed before Tier 2 funds are spent.

Several councilmembers questioned the inclusion of a Tier 2 $16,000,000 new City Hall. One councilmember said the current building has significant maintenance needs but asked whether renovating the existing structure would be more cost‑effective than new construction. Marty and staff responded that engineering assessments indicate the building has surpassed its life expectancy, with foundation cracks, inefficient heating and cooling, and escalating maintenance costs; staff characterized the new City Hall as a Tier 2 project that would be considered only after Tier 1 priorities are funded.

Other councilmembers urged prioritizing street and intersection improvements, noting traffic issues and deferred road maintenance. Staff acknowledged the tradeoffs and said more detailed assessments comparing renovation versus replacement would be undertaken before any final decision. The SPLOST committee also emphasized that final project lists depend on the county apportionment and that the committee will forward a finalized list to the city manager and council for approval once that figure is known.

The council did not vote on any SPLOST items Monday; the matter remains under study with further assessments and prioritization to come.