By DON PITTMAN First published in the March 26 edition
(LEFT) - Brent Roberts with Merchant Capital, an investment firm, sits between David Young and Robin Rogers and discusses financing options for the new courts facility at the county commission's March 20th meeting.
The Dade County Commission made short work of a sizable SPLOST list, finalizing the registry of projects and amounts to be voted on in July. County Executive Ben Brandon kept the group focused and on task as the body fine tuned a SPLOST list they have been working on for a number of months.
The first project that the body mulled over was the new courthouse project. On the recommendation of Commissioners David Young and Lamar Lowery, the group agreed to earmark $2 million for the development.
“We feel like this is an amount that the people will support,” Young explained to County Executive Ben Brandon.
The revised courthouse plan will include space for the District Attorney’s Office, Superior Court Clerk, and a large courtroom. The plans have changed since the last time the full body of commissioners had seen them.
“You’re actually cutting out Probate and Magistrate, correct,” Sarah Moore asked. “But it will be designed so that it could be added later?”
Young explained that the building would be expandable, according to Arcadis engineers.
The new court facility is planned to be around 14,000 sq. ft., twice as big as the old courthouse. The commissioners have $1.6 million of the previous SPLOST to add to the $2 million to spend on the new courts building.
The county also approved $2.4 million for Trenton’s guaranteed portion of the SPLOST, of which at least $100,000 will be allotted to the proposed Animal Control Facility, according to Animal Board Chairperson Ann Brown who was at the meeting. Around $5 million was allotted for county roads and bridges, and $1.78 million was approved for the seven area fire departments.
E-911 was awarded $1.6 million to upgrade to a new radio system, according to Director Alex Case. Public Works was allotted just under $1 million, to buy a couple of new trucks and paving equipment. $700,000 was set aside for the Sheriff’s department for the purchase of new cars, and to improve plumbing at the jail.
The water and sewer authority was allotted $1 million to put in some new fire hydrants and waterlines. Commissioner Lowery said that in past times, the fire departments were responsible for paying for new hydrants, but he wanted that changed. He said that the money awarded the fire departments did not have to be spent on hydrants this time.
$200,000 dollars will be for renovations on the old courthouse, and $300,000 allotted for the recreation department. The recreation money will be used to build bathrooms at the soccer fields, and to purchase some new playground equipment among other projects.
$100,000 is planned for what had been called the Davis Community Center by Commissioner Scottie Pittman, but appeared as the Davis Voting Precinct on the final SPLOST list.
Commissioners plan to put $80,000 toward new library books out of the next SPLOST, and the extension office was allotted $50,000.
$1.2 million is planned for the Industrial Development Authority, to be used to purchase land to expand the Industrial Park in Trenton.
To finish the list, the commissioners agreed to plan $200,000 for the Animal Control Facility, and $350,000 for paving and site work near the new courthouse.
After discussing each project and voting on them individually, the commissioners met with representatives from the investment firm Merchant Capital to discuss financing options for the new courthouse project. Although nothing was set in stone,
Commissioner Lowery said he was in agreement with Commissioner Brandon that the county would probably need to borrow money to get started on the project.
“We have no choice but to do the courthouse project,” Lowery said.
The commissioners plan to look at all the projects and to further consider the money borrowing options at next month’s meeting.
After the meeting Commissioner David Young said he was hopeful the voters would recognize the commissions hard work on getting the SPLOST list culled down and organized.
“I’m hopeful SPLOST passes,” Young said. “A majority of these projects would have to be funded out of property tax if it wasn’t for SPLOST.”
Comments (0)
The Dade Sentinel
http://dadesentinel.com/article.php/20080327082444885