County, Cities Approve SPLOST Distribution

By JACK BAGLEY
The Meriwether County Board of Commissioners met with representatives of the county’s eight municipalities met June 9 to establish an intergovernmental agreement regarding the distribution of funds from the 2026 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, or SPLOST, should it be approved by the county’s voters in November.
The one-cent sales tax is expected to generate $14 million in revenue over the six years it will be in effect, if approved. The tax is distributed to the county and to its municipalities based on population.
For the 2026 SPLOST, the distribution is as follows, assuming the entire $14 million is collected:
• Manchester will receive 17.39% of the funds, or $2,434,600;
• Woodbury, 4.41% or $617,400;
• Greenville, 3.85% or $539,011;
• Luthersville, 3.77% or $527,800;
• Warm Springs, 2.25% or $315,000;
• Lone Oak, 0.55% or $77,000;
• Gay, 0.53% or $74,200; and
• Pine Mountain, 0.42% or $58,800.
The total amount distributed to the municipalities is $4,643,811, with the remaining $9,356,289 going to Meriwether County. The question of renewing the SPLOST will be on the November 4, 2025 general election ballot.
Following that meeting, the Commissioners held their regular meeting. In that meeting, the Board:
• Appointed Martine Foster to the District 1 seat on the Recreation Advisory Board;
• Appointed Johnny Williamson to the District 3 seat on the Recreation Advisory Board;
• Appointed Vic Dowis to the District 5 seat on the Recreation Advisory Board;
• Tabled to the June 24 meeting appointments to the Districts 2 and 4 seats on the Recreation Advisory Board;
• Approved the annual insurance policy premium with ACCG, at $665,577;
• Approved spending $17,719.57 for a priority valve for the county’s Hyundai HX-85 tractor, which had been omitted originally to bring the price of the equipment down but was causing issues with hydraulic pressure;
• Tabled to June 24 a decision on the road selection for demonstration of the Road Widening Machine by the Public Works Department;
• Approved correcting a miscalculation in the 2020 TSPLOST funds to the city of Greenville, which would give the city an additional $1,660;
• Tabled to July 7 a discussion on allocating funds in the General Projects Line Item after discussion of necessary work at the Meriwether County Courthouse;
• Approved on a 4-1 vote a request to transfer ownership of two parcels of land at Roosevelt Memorial Airport to the Meriwether County Airport Authority, Commissioner Emmett Collins voting no;
• Approved confirmation of the county’s E-911 expenditures for 2024; and
• Set public hearings for June 24 for requested variances for Hidden Meadows and a road closure request for Old Woodbury Road to Cane Creek Road.
The next regular meeting of the Meriwether County Commission will be Tuesday, June 24, at 6 p.m.