Franklin Co. Preparing For Next SPLOST

By MJ Kneiser, WLHR Radio, Lavonia

Franklin County Commissioners are moving forward to put the next SPLOST referendum on the November ballot.

Last month, Franklin County Commissioners voted to do just that.

Franklin County’s current SPLOST doesn’t run out until the end of 2016, but County Commissioners are asking voters to approve the next SPLOST a year early.

In June, Franklin County Manager Beth Thomas told the board that the SPLOST revenue is needed in order to supplement county funds that will be used to help pay off the hospital bond debt.

According to Thomas, current payments on the Hospital Authority Certificates are approximately $625,000 per year through 2040.

Thomas said the Board is also moving forward with re-financing the current hospital bond.

“The other referendum calls for voters to approve refinancing the hospital obligation debt,” she said. “By refinancing the hospital debt we will be able to save money over the course the debt.”

Also, Thomas has been meeting with municipal governments over the summer to develop a project list and SPLOST allocation for each city.

She said each government body in Franklin County has now sorted out their portions of the next SPLOST.

“The cities have already held their meetings to approve their portions of the intergovernmental agreement. Now, the Board of Commissioners will finalize that by calling for approval of the intergovernmental agreement,” Thomas said.

According to Thomas, everything had to be ready last month in order to get ballots ready for November.