Commissioners debate capital priorities, consider quarter-penny sales tax to raise $2.3M for projects

County Manager Warren Cabe opened a broad discussion on capital expenditure priorities to inform the upcoming budget. Commissioner Shearl emphasized the need for a comprehensive county-wide pay-scale study and presented a long list of capital projects including a new Justice Center (courthouse, jail, sheriff's department), a senior services center needs assessment, continued Macon County Rec Park development, county building repairs, a fire-training facility, and a driver training facility partnership with Southwestern Community College.

Commissioner Antoine prioritized a new senior center, accelerating rec-park completion (potentially using partial fund-balance financing) and faster project delivery rather than multi-year phasing. Commissioner Breeden supported the justice center and senior center and advocated planning for indoor gym space and a pool to serve year-round programming. Commissioner Shields recommended pursuing a quarter-penny sales tax to create a capital reserve (estimated to generate $2.3 million) instead of raising property taxes, and the group discussed voter education materials for the potential sales-tax option.

Chair Josh Young proposed focusing on lower-cost, high-impact "low-hanging fruit": proactive maintenance, staying on schedule with current projects, and forming a community committee to evaluate multi-department facility consolidation that could meet senior, veterans, and elections space needs in a single project. Finance Director Lindsay Leopard reminded the board of the county's current fund-balance policy (25% minimum, 30% target unassigned fund balance), which would apply if the board chose to use fund balance for capital projects.

No formal vote was taken; the exchange served to identify preferred priorities and potential funding tools for staff to include in budget proposals.