Members of the Jones County Board of Commissioners discussed options for renewing the county’s current Special Local Option Sales Tax and the possibility of trying again for a penny transportation sales tax.
Chairman Chris Weidner called the June 3 work session to order. At the beginning of the meeting, Weidner and Commissioner John Wood were in attendance with Commissioner Sam Kitchens connected by phone.
Commissioner Wendy Vaughn arrived at the meeting a few minutes later.
County Administrator Jason Rizner said the county’s SPLOST will end in 2027, but it can be put on the ballot early. He said, when a new SPLOST is approved, the county can borrow against it and get started with projects.
Rizner said the statewide election for Public Service Commissioner is on the ballot in November, and if the county wants to put the SPLOST on that ballot, the information needs to be sent to the election superintendent by August.
The administrator said the City of Gray would need to be notified of the county’s plans, and the elected officials need to meet to start negotiations. He said another option would be to wait until the election in the spring of 2026.
Weidner said he has concerns about trying to put the SPLOST renewal and TSPLOST on the same ballot, and Kitchens agreed.
“I prefer to just put the SPLOST renewal on the ballot,” he said.
Wood was also in agreement that the best plan was to focus on the renewal of the SPLOST.
“The courthouse is in dire need of expansion and improvement,” he said.
Weidner said he understands the timeframe and is in favor of moving forward.
Rizner said the debt for jail expansion and recreation improvements will continue being paid in the next SPLOST, but the industrial park debt would end in 2027.
Kitchens said the TSPLOST can wait. He added that its failure in November of 2024 was the commissioners’ fault because they did not promote it.
Rizner suggested the commissioners consider future long-term projects for future SPLOST funds.
Weidner said the paving of the recreation complex parking lot is a priority.
Wood added that the courthouse expansion had been talked about for many years.
“Now it’s to the point of being a safety factor,” he said. “That’s one of my priorities, and the recreation complex parking lot. People have trouble walking over that gravel.”
The commissioner went on to talk about the need for overnight facilities at county fire stations. He said down the road there will be full-time firefighters.
Weidner said he would like to see the county finish projects that have been started.
Rizner said $1 million of the current SPLOST was allocated to courthouse projects. He said there may be some surplus funds that can also be used for those projects.
The administrator said average monthly sales tax collects are $308,000, which is $120,000 over the original projection.
“We estimated SPLOST receipts at $14 million, and we could receive as much as $25 million in the next SPLOST, minus the city’s portion,” he said.
Weidner asked the estimated cost of the courthouse project.
Rizner said that amount is not known. He said the architect was working on a new conceptual plan.
Vaughn said it is important for the courthouse project to continue.
“I would like to see one project finished in my term,” she said.
Weidner noted the cost for the expansion would not get any cheaper.
Rizner said the next step is a letter to the city about the SPLOST renewal and a meeting with city council members 10 days after the letter is received.
“Then we can begin those negotiations,” he said.
