Columbia County leaders talk SPLOST plans with the community

COLUMBIA COUNTY. (WRDW/WAGT) - Construction and development all over Columbia County in one of the fastest-growing counties in Georgia, and with every new project comes a cost.

County leaders are meeting with the community to find where you want your tax dollars to go in the SPLOST package.

There are dozens of possible items in SPLOST plans. Here are some of the highlights.

Changes are in the works for Columbia County. From everyday things like a projected $8 million investment on the internet to the roads we drive on.

“While we have a broadband network, Columbia County does not provide internet services. So, we have the ability for internet companies to come here and run our fiber. And we could expand that fiber,” said Scott Johnson, Columbia County manager

SPLOST could pay for a connector between Horizon South Parkway and Chamblin Road. North Belair would get turn lanes to Marshall, Pierwood, and Deerwood Lane.

“Traffic is always a concern. Roads are always a concern. Infrastructure, in general, is a concern. When you’re a growing community, you have to stay in front of your infrastructure,” he said.

SPLOST could change the landscape for sports with a $33 million gateway tournament complex.

“What we don’t have is the adequate space to be able to do the same thing for baseball and softball. So the idea was we would put a regional tournament park in the gateway area and Grovetown near the restaurants near the hotels near the interstate that we could then draw people from all over the state,” said Johnson.

The $270 million SPLOST package also includes about $9 million in upgrades to Patriots Park. We’re talking about improvements to fields, tennis courts, and the gym.

Terrance Hillary, Columbia County resident said: “I think it’s just falling off. You could look around and tell, I mean, it still is good out here, but some things have fell to the wayside.”

The next session is on June 20 at 6 p.m. When the sessions are over, it’s up to the board of commissioners to come up with the final project list in early July.

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