Baldwin approves Banks County SPLOST amendment

BALDWIN, Ga. — The Baldwin City Council unanimously approved an amendment Tuesday to the intergovernmental agreement governing Banks County’s 2027 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, allowing Maysville to participate in the agreement and making changes to Banks County’s own project allocation.

City Attorney Sammy Tomasello explained that Maysville was not included in the original agreement because the city missed the deadline to approve it. Maysville later resolved the issue and asked to participate, but adding the city requires all existing parties to approve an amendment to the agreement.

Maysville added to agreement

Tomasello told the council that the amendment does not change Baldwin’s expected SPLOST allocation or the projects the city plans to fund. Instead, it allows Maysville to execute the agreement after missing the original approval deadline.

“Most of the changes are just removing future-tense language because we already have an agreement,” Tomasello said, explaining that the primary substantive change involving the participating municipalities is the addition of Maysville.

Mayor Doug Faust asked whether the amendment would have any financial impact on Baldwin. Tomasello said it would not, adding that the change would allow Maysville to participate while also making adjustments to Banks County’s allocation.

County shifts $200,000

The amendment also changes how Banks County plans to use a portion of its SPLOST proceeds. Tomasello said the county is moving $200,000 from its public utilities allocation to its county vehicle fleet.

The amended agreement also identifies additional eligible county improvements, including signage, streetscapes and public spaces. Tomasello emphasized that the changes do not increase or decrease the overall amount allocated to Banks County.

“As far as legal effect, this is a policy decision,” Tomasello said, noting that Baldwin’s agreement remains virtually unchanged aside from the addition of Maysville and the changes to Banks County’s own allocation.

Councilman Joe Elam asked about a $1.3 million figure included in the updated agreement. Tomasello explained that the original calculations had apparently been made with the expectation that Maysville would participate, and the amount associated with Maysville was not removed after the city initially missed the deadline.

Tomasello said Maysville subsequently obtained the necessary approval and is now being allowed to participate in the SPLOST agreement with the allocation that had originally been contemplated for the city.

“I appreciate you making that acknowledge that publicly, so people understand that this $1.3 [million] didn’t come out of thin air,” Elam said.

Baldwin’s allocation unchanged

Faust returned to the question of whether Baldwin would see any financial impact from the amendment.

“So there’s no financial impact to us,” Faust said. “It does assist Banks County, and we’re able to get Maysville into the SPLOST program?”

Tomasello agreed, saying the amendment shifts money within Banks County’s allocation and allows Maysville to execute the agreement.

The council then moved the matter from the work session into New Business and approved the amended Banks County 2027 SPLOST intergovernmental agreement unanimously.