The members of the Whitfield County Board of Commissioners are expected to vote at their Monday meeting on whether to place a Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) referendum on the May general primary ballot.
The commissioners are also expected to vote on an intergovernmental agreement with the cities of Dalton, Cohutta, Tunnel Hill and Varnell that would determine how that money is spent if voters approve the SPLOST.
The commissioners will meet at 6 p.m. in the meeting room of the county courthouse. The meeting will be livestreamed on the county’s Facebook and YouTube pages.
The resolution calls for a four-year SPLOST that is expected to collect some $80 million.
Under the intergovernmental agreement, about $3.4 million would go to Tier 1, or higher priority projects, including capital improvements to the county jail such as replacing the parts of the heating and air conditioning (HVAC) and security hardware replacement; improvements to the courthouse HVAC system; and replacing the aging firing range cover and storage shed at the sheriff’s office training center and improving drainage at the center.
“The range can qualify or re-qualify any law enforcement individuals in Whitfield County, not just the sheriff’s office but the town and city police forces, too,” said board Chaiman Jevin Jensen.
“Those Tier 1 projects are more accurately called countywide projects,” said Jensen. “They benefit all the citizens in the towns, cities and unincorporated county. However, the funding will come from only Whitfield County’s portion of SPLOST, so Dalton and the smaller cities can fully maximize their portion of SPLOST funding.”
All told, the county would receive approximately $50.144 million, and Dalton would receive approximately $26.9 million. Tunnel Hill would receive approximately $752,000 with Varnell receiving roughly $1.696 million and Cohutta receiving approximately $592,000.
More than half of the county’s share of the money — $28.1 million — would go to road improvement projects, including Reed Road, Rauschenberg Road and Hollywood Drive flood relief; Old LaFayette Road/Houston Valley Road realignment; Brickyard Road/South Dixie Highway intersection improvements; bridge and culvert replacements; and general road paving, as well as new public works equipment.
Some $6.95 million would go to the fire department including renovations to fire stations and the training center, new breathing apparatuses and new pumper trucks.
Another $3 million would go to replacement and upgrades of the radios used by first responders; $4.05 million to improvements to Westside Park, including a new gymnasium/community center; $2.25 million for improvements to Edwards Park, including replacement of field lighting with LED lights; $1.831 million for new vehicles and equipment at the sheriff’s office; $900,000 for capital improvements including sewer expansion; $478,000 for improvements at Prater’s Mill, including restrooms and a new outdoor events stage; $150,000 for improvements at Rocky Face Ridge Park, including a veterans memorial; and $85,000 for a storage facility for first responders and Whitfield County Transit.
“With 86% of the projects related to roads and public safety, it is logical to start with these projects if the SPLOST is approved,” said Jensen. “The next set of bridges to extend their life and improve weight limits will be inspected and design work will start along with our continued paving in 2024.”
“The jail improvements with replacing 23-year-old HVAC systems and security updates will also start in 2024,” he said. “The 911 phone system is past its useful life and needs to be upgraded as soon as possible to handle the latest technology. Finally, first responders’ fire and police radios are out of warranty now, and with limited spares remaining, we will need to order the first portion immediately.”
A 2020 SPLOST expires at the end of October 2024. It has funded among other projects the creation of Riverbend Park and Rocky Face Ridge Park, Whitfield County Fire Station 12, two soccer fields at Heritage Point Park, renovation of Dalton’s John Davis Recreation Center and road paving across the county and Dalton.