SPLOST II Resident Review Committee Meeting

The next SPLOST II Resident Review Committee meeting is scheduled for June 11, 2026, at 6:30pm. We are meeting at 178 Sams Street in Decatur. This is the second committee meeting focused on project delivery and funding priorities across the districts.

This session includes presentations from Recreation, Parks & Cultural Affairs Director Christopher Bass and Sanitation Director Eugene McKinnie. They will review the SPLOST I Parks & Recreation portfolio, including completed work, projects in closeout, and lessons learned. The presentations will also cover SPLOST II projects that are advancing from design into permitting and construction.

Meeting Format

6:30 – 6:40 Call to Order and Approvals

6:40 – 6:45 SPLOST II Community Awareness @ Deercreek (District 4/Super 7)

6:45 – 7:25 Presentation: Parks & Recreation and Beautification (Christopher Bass, Eugene McKinnie)

7:30 – 7:45 Q&A & Open Discussion (15-minute block for committee questions)

7:45 – 8:00 Public Comment

What the Committee Learned From SPLOST I

The committee spent the last two months reviewing the SPLOST I Parks portfolio.

Highlights from that review:

• $41.41M total Parks & Recreation budget. Of that amount, $35.37M has been expended. About $1.73M remains in projects listed as "complete," which reflects the capital delivery process: construction completion, equipment installation, punch lists, retainage releases, and final inspections can extend after a project is operational.
• Countywide geographic coverage. SPLOST I Parks projects reached every district and both super districts, with investments in athletic fields, playgrounds, pools, courts, trails, and resurfacing work.
• Closeout timelines vary. Smaller projects like playgrounds commonly take around two years from concept to final financial closure, while larger renovations and complex facility work can extend three to five years.

The review was intended to clarify how delivery status and financial closeout align, and to provide a shared understanding of what that means for project reporting.

What SPLOST II Looks Like Now

SPLOST II is projected to generate $496M in revenue, with $48M allocated to Parks and Recreation. Of that allocation, $24.2M has been authorized to date.

Projects currently in motion include:

• Fisher Trail Park Development — in design
• Pleasantdale Park Concession Buildings and Synthetic Turf Soccer Fields — $2M, in design
• DeKalb Tennis Center — $4.5M, in permitting
• Lucious Sanders Recreation Center expansion — $15M, in design
• USACE CWIFP Dam Repair and Rehab — $2.5M across Exchange Park, Arabia Preserve, and Chapel Hill Park, in design

The committee will review these projects and discuss the remaining unprogrammed Parks allocation, which is currently more than $24M.

Sanitation's presentation will focus on how SPLOST II supports beautification and related enhancements. To date, this includes a demonstration project with Sanitation and Transportation SPLOST support for decorative railings on three I-285 bridge replacement projects.

Participation

Resident participation is important for the committee’s work. The meeting offers a chance to hear from department leaders, ask questions, and share perspectives on current project priorities and funding allocations.

The committee’s oversight is shaped by public input and by the information it gathers from departments. That includes how the remaining Parks and Recreation allocation will be programmed and how committee concerns are conveyed to commissioners and department leadership.