$9 million SPLOST windfall announced

By Winston Jones Staff Writer

Posted: Wednesday, December 19, 2007 1:20 AM EST

The action came at the 10 a.m. regular BOC meeting in Citizens Hall at the county courthouse.

The scheduled Thursday, Dec. 27 BOC work session and the Thursday, Jan. 3 Planning and Zoning meeting have been cancelled.

Douglas County’s proposed 2008 budget total is $99,618,521, a 2.8 percent increase over last year’s budget.

The budget was presented for its first public hearing at the Dec. 4 BOC meeting and approved Tuesday as part of the consent agenda.

“Employees will receive a 2 percent cost of living increase and a 2.5 percent merit increase of $1,311,650 (total in the budget),” Jennifer Hallman, county finance director, told the Dec. 4 BOC meeting. “Other allocations include $1,500,000 for park expansion, $1,750,000 for road improvements and safety projects and $885,493 for jail annex debt service.”

Hallman said the county is budgeting $400,000 for new sheriff’s office vehicles, $95,000 for technology replacements and $379,500 for software and data center replacements.

Twenty-eight new county positions are expected to be created, including those in the departments of property management, traffic operations, Superior Court clerk, solicitor, district attorney, State Court, public defender, State Court public defender, sheriff’s detention, fire/EMS, Boundary Waters Park, skateboard park and library.

The county budget is available for viewing at the BOC offices in the courthouse, public libraries and online at the county Web site, www.CelebrateDouglasCounty.com.

County commissioners got a pleasant surprise when the final accounting of the 2002 SPLOST proceeds were reported.

The county initially forecast collections of $102 million over the five-year period. The actual collection was $105,610,889. This $3.6 million surplus plus associated interest, governmental grants and revenue transfers brought the total gain to $9,010,115.

“It’s amazing our former county manager, Mike Cason, could come within $3 million with his projection more than five years ago,” said Vice Commission Chairman David Latham.

The additional $9,010,115 was divided as follows:

Douglas County Parks, $3,730,042; Douglas County Roads, $2,310,761; Douglas County Fire, $489,119; Douglasville Parks, $1,321,313; Douglasville Roads, $1,007,739; Villa Rica Parks, $47,358; Villa Rica Roads, $64,667; Austell Parks, $39,116.

In other action, the BOC unanimously approved:

• acceptance of a $42,820 HEAT (Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic) grant for the sheriff’s office;

• acceptance of addition $6,000 in hotel and motel tax fund;

• signing of liability policy renewals at a net savings of $110,000, due to negotiations and removal of surplus vehicles;

“This is a great example of the county being run like a business,” said District 3 Commissioner Mike Mulcare. “The county decided a year ago to hire a risk manager (Matt LaVerne). It’s going to save the county a considerable amount of money.”

• employment contract with Leisa Mason on family treatment program court assessor grant;

• agreement with Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) for acquisition of right-of-way on State Route 5 and Bright Star Road;

• annual agreements with the Chamber of Commerce, Tourism and History Commission/Old Courthouse, Inc., sheriff’s office chaplain, Cultural Arts Center, Julie Banks of Probation Office, SHARE House, Whaley lease, juvenile prosecutor, juvenile defender and court administrator;

• license fees of $3,750 for MicroStation computer aided design drafting software;

• award of bids for traffic signal equipment to three firms: Temple, Inc., Traffic Products, Inc. and Quality Traffic Systems, Inc.;

• award of $36,250 bid to Security Solutions to provide security cameras at the Post Road Park and Ride Lot;

• agreement between the county Parks and Recreation Department and county school system for sharing recreational facilities;

• a tax incentive plan for Southwire/Villa Rica Industrial, LLC, subject to a reciprocal approval of a companion tax incentive plan by the city of Villa Rica;

• and preliminary plat approval of Sanctuary Cove, a 66-lot, 230.36-acre development on Dorsett Bridge Road.