Cobb County commissioners voted unanimously Jan. 13 to authorize an additional $2,000,000 in 2022 SPLOST funding for the county's planned Veterans Memorial and to approve related city distributions of about $703,000.

Parks Director Michael Brantley told the board the county's current SPLOST collections and projections justify the increase. "The total increase to the Veterans Memorial is $2,000,000 and the total increase for the cities is just over $703,000," he said, describing the change as driven by revenue above projections.

Commissioners questioned whether the additional money fully funds construction. Commissioner Gambril asked if $2,000,000 was enough given an earlier $1,000,000 allocation; Brantley said the county does not yet have full design documents under county contract and that additional foundation funds and value-engineering options remain under consideration. "We do not have the full amount to build it per all of the, county funds," Brantley said, adding the county has discussed design-build and construction manager-at-risk options.

Commissioner Burrell reviewed the project's history and the financing approach, saying the board intends to reach a funding target for a scaled-back plan. "We were trying to get to the funding and the $5,000,000 and, solidify this once and for all to move forward with construction," Burrell said during discussion.

Representatives of veterans groups addressed the board during public comment. Donna Rowe, president of the Cobb Victims Memorial Foundation, thanked commissioners for the vote and described the project as a decade-long community effort. "By your positive vote and support today, I believe it's fair to say that today, you have lived well," Rowe said.

The board voted to authorize the budget increase and related documents; the chair announced the motion carried 5-0. County staff said the Veterans Memorial Foundation and the county attorney will complete a revised memorandum of understanding (MOU) and that procurement steps will follow once design and contractual arrangements are finalized.

What happens next: staff will work with the foundation and county attorneys to finalize an MOU, complete required procurement steps and return to the board with implementation details and any revised drawings.