Precinct-by-precinct vote count
Although Liberty voters approved the renewal of the $51.5 million Special Local Option Sales Tax by about 53 percent, totals varied widely from precinct to precinct.
The Fleming East voters turned SPLOST down 45 percent to 54 percent. Of the 2,046 registered voters, 33 percent voted in the referendum at Fleming East, which is in District 4.
In the Walthourville precinct, of the 523 votes cast on the SPLOST question, 46 percent voted no; 54 percent yes. Walthourville is in District 3.
SPLOST squeaked by in the Allenhurst precinct, 228 voting yes and 222 no.
At the Lyman Hall precinct, the spread was similar, 329 in favor of SPLOST and 320 against.
Seven votes in the Hinesville Lodge #271 precinct brought approval of SPLOST; the vote was 209 yes to 202 no.
Gum Branch area voters decided to extend the SPLOST by 301 yes votes to 282 no votes.
At the Hinesville precinct, the SPLOST extension drew almost 52 percent of the 518 votes. Those opposed numbered 237, 48 percent.
At Button Gwinnett, almost 55 percent of the SPLOST voters said yes, 45 percent voted no.
The percentages at the Lewis Frazier precinct were almost the same as Button Gwinnett’s.
Although the lowest percentage turnout was at the Liberty County Pre-K Center - 23 percent of the 2,069 registered voters; they approved SPLOST by a healthy 57 percent.
The Dorchester precinct agreed to extend SPLOST by about 58 percent yes; 42 percent no. Dorchester is in District 1, the largest district and the only one which includes no portion of Hinesville.
Riceboro, also in District 1, also said yes to SPLOST, 62 percent to 38.
The Fleming West precinct gave the sales tax its largest majority, 65 percent voting yes; 35 percent no.
Of the 8,854 absentee votes, 53 percent were in favor of extending SPLOST and 47 percent opposed it. Eight provisional ballots were cast in the sales tax referendum and they split right down the middle: four, yes; four, no.Although Liberty voters approved the renewal of the $51.5 million Special Local Option Sales Tax by about 53 percent, totals varied widely from precinct to precinct.
The Fleming East voters turned SPLOST down 45 percent to 54 percent. Of the 2,046 registered voters, 33 percent voted in the referendum at Fleming East, which is in District 4.
In the Walthourville precinct, of the 523 votes cast on the SPLOST question, 46 percent voted no; 54 percent yes. Walthourville is in District 3.
SPLOST squeaked by in the Allenhurst precinct, 228 voting yes and 222 no.
At the Lyman Hall precinct, the spread was similar, 329 in favor of SPLOST and 320 against.
Seven votes in the Hinesville Lodge #271 precinct brought approval of SPLOST; the vote was 209 yes to 202 no.
Gum Branch area voters decided to extend the SPLOST by 301 yes votes to 282 no votes.
At the Hinesville precinct, the SPLOST extension drew almost 52 percent of the 518 votes. Those opposed numbered 237, 48 percent.
At Button Gwinnett, almost 55 percent of the SPLOST voters said yes, 45 percent voted no.
The percentages at the Lewis Frazier precinct were almost the same as Button Gwinnett’s.
Although the lowest percentage turnout was at the Liberty County Pre-K Center - 23 percent of the 2,069 registered voters; they approved SPLOST by a healthy 57 percent.
The Dorchester precinct agreed to extend SPLOST by about 58 percent yes; 42 percent no. Dorchester is in District 1, the largest district and the only one which includes no portion of Hinesville.
Riceboro, also in District 1, also said yes to SPLOST, 62 percent to 38.
The Fleming West precinct gave the sales tax its largest majority, 65 percent voting yes; 35 percent no.
Of the 8,854 absentee votes, 53 percent were in favor of extending SPLOST and 47 percent opposed it. Eight provisional ballots were cast in the sales tax referendum and they split right down the middle: four, yes; four, no.
It’s hard to miss the empty Main Street lot downtown, site of the county’s future justice center where $8 million of the renewed SPLOST will be spent.
County Administrator Joey Brown said, “I guess the justice center will be first out of the chute,” explaining where the spending of the SPLOST revenue will become visible. Brown, architect Craig Buckley and a group of officials will be meet Monday to discuss the cost and timing of the justice center work.
The largest chunk of the funds collected over the next six years - 28.99 percent - is expected to be spent on roads all over the county. The nearly $15 million sum will cover building new roads and bridges, repairs, sidewalks and safety measures. Brown said these funds would be particularly important to the county, as future money from the state Department of Transportation appears shaky.
Brown said another early, visible benefit of the SPLOST would be seen at the former Liberty Elementary School in Midway. That building now houses a sheriff’s office substation and the Midway Civic Center. Plans, some of them on the books for years, call for additional services there.
Probably by using SPLOST funds to leverage bonds, Brown said, “This property will accommodate a branch library, a swimming pool and community meeting space.”
There are also plans to provide county services, now available only in Hinesville, in Midway. This could be done electronically at kiosks, or by stationing county staff in the building.
Almost two percent of the estimated revenue will be spent to repair and renovate the courthouse after the courts and related functions move into the justice center.
Continued drainage improvements throughout the county will get 3.8 percent of the SPLOST revenue, about $2 million.
Fire protection, mostly replacement and purchase of equipment, is expected to cost another $2 million. Brown said the first part of 2009 will see many difficult decisions, including how to implement countywide fire protection.
About $1 million, less than 2 percent of the total expected revenue, has been allocated for an additional pod for the Liberty County Jail.
“You’ve got to have adequate jail space,” Brown said, “I don’t know how to get around that.”
Recreational facilities and equipment throughout the county will get upgrades worth $3 million, 5.8 percent of the total.
The eastern portion of Liberty County will benefit from $3.3 million allocated for a new branch library, a swimming pool, meeting facilities and other county services. That is 6.4 percent of the estimated revenue.
Hinesville’s city hall and public works facilities will get $4 million for improvements, about 7.7 percent.
Emergency communications, including fire, police and first responders will receive $1 million, 1.9 percent. The county is working on sharing the cost of communication towers, such as a new one Coastal Electric is planning near Midway.
A new animal control facility is slated to get another $1 million.
A new branch library for Hinesville will get $5 million, 9.7 percent of the estimated total income.
The civilian-military partnership for MidCoast Regional Airport at Wright Army Airfield will get $1 million for continued enhancements — that’s about 1.9 percent of the amount of tax expected.
Ambulances for Liberty Regional EMS are set to receive about half a million, less than one percent of the SPLOST estimate.
An item listed as hospital improvements will get $750,000, apparently for a new EMS facility to replace the existing station.
A new roof for the multi-government records retention facility is expected to cost 2 percent of the SPLOST receipts.