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County advances request to use tourist taxes to resurface St. George Island commercial streets
Summary
Franklin County staff advanced a request to the Tourist Development Council to fund additional roadway resurfacing in the St. George Island commercial district as a Section 6 public-facility project tied to the RESTORE SGI Storm Water Project; the board approved forwarding documents for independent analysis.
Franklin County commissioners on Jan. 7 authorized staff to forward a Section 6 Tourist Development Council (TDC) request to pay for additional roadway resurfacing in the St. George Island commercial district as part of the county’s ongoing RESTORE SGI Storm Water Project.
Erin Griffith, the county’s fiscal manager and grants coordinator, told the board the resurfacing was proposed to repair busiest throughways left unpaved between areas already scheduled for reinstatement during stormwater work. Staff presented a construction change-order quote of $577,351 for the additional resurfacing and an associated $45,446 proposal for additional construction engineering inspection (CEI) services.
Griffith framed the request under a 2025 statutory change that enables fiscally constrained counties to use up to 70% of Section 6 tourist development tax revenues for public facilities provided several conditions are met, including a two-thirds governing-board vote, identification of non-TDC funding for the balance, and an independent professional analysis showing benefit to tourist-related businesses. The board voted unanimously to authorize the chairman to submit the project materials to the TDC for the required independent analysis.
The proposal covers resurfacing segments in the commercial district (areas described in staff materials as segments between 3rd Street East and 3rd Street West and additional busy connectors highlighted in staff exhibits). Griffith noted Gulf Beach Drive is included in FDOT’s five-year plan and that the resurfacing request targets the busiest tourist corridors on St. George Island, which staff said are primarily used by visitors.
County staff will forward the change-order quote and supporting documentation to the TDC; the project cannot proceed with TDC Section 6 funds until the independent professional analysis and required statutory conditions are satisfied. The board’s vote advances only the county’s request for TDC consideration; it does not commit TDC funds or finalize construction contracting terms.
