Albany expecting $59.2 million, Dougherty County expecting $33.3 million, from SPLOST VII

ALBANY — The city of Albany is expecting to realize $59.2 million, and Dougherty County $33.3 million, from SPLOST VII if it is approved by voters in November.

Assistant City Manager Phil Roberson said at a town hall meeting in East Albany Saturday that close to 60 percent of Albany’s $59.2 million is expected to be used on infrastructure, $5.8 million will be spent on public safety, $6.6 million on information technology, and $4.6 million will be spent on recreation renovation.

Street resurfacing is expected to take up $10 million of the infrastructure costs, accounting for about 25-30 percent of the city’s total needs. Railroad crossing improvements, alley paving, traffic signal upgrades, sewer updates, street light upgrades, underground cable installation and an extension of North Washington Street are also on the list of proposed infrastructure projects.

About $4 million is expected to be used for transportation needs including the construction of a new general aviation terminal building and a new transportation center. Another $2.07 million is likely to be spent on Chehaw infrastructure, pool improvements to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Albany unit on North Jefferson Street and improvements to the Thronateeska Heritage Center.

Roberson said the request list for SPLOST VII started at $116 million, but as projects were being considered, he said the focus was given to projects that would be the most cost-effective to taxpayers in the long-term. Road resurfacing, ideally done every 20 years, is one example because it is much more costly to replace a road — and such a project is not likely to be funded any other way.

“Without SPLOST, there would not be any road resurfacing,” he said.

Assistant County Administrator Michael McCoy said the $33.3 million Dougherty County is expected to receive includes $15.9 million for infrastructure. The infrastructure investments will consist of projects such as improvements to roads, the Central Square Complex, the Government Center and Dougherty Judicial Building, as well as $414,000 for a county morgue.

“The county has not had its own morgue, but it will,” McCoy said.

Public safety investments for the county are likely to total about $10.7 million, and include improvements to the jail, new police vehicles and equipment, Albany Fire Department stations, ambulances, and an upgrade to the 911 communications system.

Information technology, including new elections equipment, an aerial mapping system, and upgrades to current equipment, will cost $518,000 in SPLOST VII funds. Roughly $3.4 million is to be spent on education and health projects such as improvements to the Flint RiverQuarium, public health facilities, mental health facilities and the Dougherty County Public Library buildings.

Recreation projects will receive $2.6 million from the county’s portion of SPLOST VII, including improvement to current parks, renovations at Hugh Mills Stadium, and $750,000 for greenway trails.

Voters will have a chance to decide on SPLOST VII in the Nov. 8 election, which if passed, will enable the 1 percent sales tax to be collected over the next six years for community projects. An E-SPLOST, a sales tax focusing on schools, will also be up for renewal since it is expiring at the same time as SPLOST VI.

The projects proposed for SPLOST VII are expected to be brought before the Albany City Commission and Dougherty County Commission for approval if it is enacted. More specifics regarding the projects will be discussed in the coming months.

Jennifer Parks