On Feb. 18, Macon-Bibb County made decisions about SPLOST funding for 2020. 

Special-purpose local-option sales tax, or SPLOST, is an optional sales tax in Georgia used to fund the construction of public facilities such as parks, roads and schools. Macon-Bibb County approved its 1% tax increase SPLOST program in 2011, and since then it has been used to fund large projects in public safety, infrastructure, economic development, recreation and debt payments.

Over $16 million of Macon-Bibb SPLOST funds from 2016-2018 will be divided among several projects scheduled in 2020.

According to an ordinance of the Macon-Bibb County Commission, some of these projects and the funding they will receive includes:

• $480,710 from 2020 Public Safety: 
  • Fire upgrade line item for the purchase of turnout gear and fire department equipment upgrades as identified by the Fire Chief and for four vehicles

• $480,710 from 2020 Cultural and Public: 
  • Coliseum line item for repairs and upgrades to the fire alarm and monitoring and the mechanical systems and for other needs as identified by facilities management and spectra venue management

• $60,000 from 2020 Parks and Recreation: 
  • East Macon line item for the purchase of weight room equipment and other furniture, fixtures and equipment and other construction needs at the Delores A. Brooks Recreation Center

Commissioners also approved that $934,474 from SPLOST funding will go to the renovation of the Robert S. Train Memorial Recreation Center and $184,000 to construction services at Elm Street Park.