Commissioners approve transfer of SPLOST funds to Hospital Authority for emergency-department HVAC work

The county authorized transferring SPLOST-designated funds to the Burke County Hospital Authority to pay for HVAC work in the emergency department.

A commissioner said the board was not "awarding the [Bridal]" project at that time but was authorizing sending money to the hospital authority from SPLOST funds earmarked for hospital improvements. A motion was made to transfer funds for the HVAC unit; the motion was seconded and the board proceeded to vote in favor (motion and second recorded; commissioners called for those in favor and proceeded). Staff said the Hospital Authority has discretion to use the designated SPLOST funds for hospital improvements.

During discussion, staff read bid figures for the HVAC work; they reported Goldmec as the lower bid and noted an alternate the hospital sought to include that increased scope and price. Commissioners discussed how much SPLOST money remained and that the requested transfer would use a portion of those funds; precise remaining SPLOST balance was described in the meeting as "about 800-some odd" and later approximated as roughly half of the remaining funds would be used, but staff numbers were not read as a single clear total during the discussion.

Commissioners clarified that SPLOST funds for hospital improvements were designated by voters and therefore must be used for eligible hospital projects. The board authorized the transfer so the Hospital Authority could proceed with procurement and improvements.