Pickens County development projects advance as SPLOST bond prep continues

Pickens County development officials told the authority on Nov. 7 that several capital projects are moving forward and that work to validate a SPLOST bond is underway so construction can begin when sales-tax collections start.

A board member said the airport fixed-base operator (FBO) terminal is ahead of schedule and expected to be finished in May; only punch-list items and furniture remain before it opens. The speaker said the Taulkerup fire station is roughly "50% dried in," with siding up and interior work next, and also targeted for a June completion.

Officials described parallel planning for Roper Park and a new public safety center. Bond counsel is being consulted to validate the SPLOST-related bond the county placed before voters; once the bond is validated and collections begin in July, staff expect to have bid-ready plans and go out to bid so construction can proceed midyear.

The board also discussed logistics for park and pool work to minimize service interruptions, including sequencing field demolition so current fields remain usable as long as possible. The authority said it is coordinating with the local school system to explore an intergovernmental agreement in which the schools would help pay the additional cost of building an indoor pool instead of another outdoor pool.

Officials emphasized that the tax commissioner's office project is separate from the SPLOST bond and was described as a "level 1" project, meaning initial collections will fund that office before distributing funds to other projects. The planned tax commissioner's office site, adjacent to the administration building, would include a drive-through for handicap tag renewals.

What happens next: bond counsel validation and the July collection start are the immediate steps; staff said they aim to have bid-ready documents in hand so bidding can begin when funding is available.