Jones County certifies SPLOST election, earmarks $225,000 for stage curtains and fuel-tank upgrades

The Jones County Board of Commissioners on Dec. 2 certified the results of a recent SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) election and authorized staff to move forward with two proposed uses for roughly $225,000 left from the 2015 SPLOST. A staff presenter reported the certified vote total as "2,558 yes votes" and asked the board to adopt a resolution confirming the election results; the board voted unanimously to approve the resolution.

County staff recommended two projects that fit the categories approved by the 2015 ballot. The first is replacing curtains and reworking some stage rigging at the county stage, with a most recent estimate of about $75,000. The second would upgrade and expand a fuel-tank monitoring system at county facilities (parks and recreation, golf course, water department and other sites) to replace single-walled tanks and add electrical and monitoring upgrades; staff estimated that work at about $150,000. Staff said both projects would be put out to bid.

Commissioners asked questions about budget timing and whether the library position under consideration had been budgeted; concern about broader budget priorities prompted a separate motion to postpone the library personnel item. The board gave staff permission to proceed with planning and bidding for the two SPLOST projects contingent on the usual procurement steps.

The SPLOST certification clears an administrative step required before funds can be allocated. The board did not approve contracts at the meeting; it approved moving forward with project development and competitive bidding. The resolution to certify the election results was approved at the meeting; staff gave the $225,000 figure and the two project estimates as the proposed uses that will be developed next.