DeKalb County SPLOST Committee Meeting: Road Resurfacing Presentation and Public Comment - April 9, 2026

The DeKalb County SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) Oversight Committee held its April 2026 meeting on April 9, 2026, at 11:00 AM. The meeting focused on the SPLOST II road resurfacing program, including the road rating process, contractor selection, project oversight, and budget updates. Committee members heard presentations from county staff, engaged in a question-and-answer session, and received public comments. The committee also approved the meeting agenda and corrected minutes from the February meeting.

Consent Calendar

• Adoption of April Meeting Agenda: The committee unanimously adopted the April meeting agenda without amendments.
• Approval of February Meeting Minutes: The minutes were approved with corrections to include: the motion maker (Theresa Hardy) and second (Rebecca Perkins) for adopting the bi-monthly meeting schedule, and the removal of a substitute motion for a tentative 2026 calendar that was withdrawn and not voted on.
• Note Taker Discussion: The committee requested that the county provide a note taker for future meetings. County COO Zach Williams stated that Stephen Mahoney would transcribe the current meeting and provide minutes.

Public Comments & Testimony

Three members of the public spoke, each focusing on road conditions and SPLOST-funded projects:

• Robert Farsen (President, Hidden Hill Civic Association; MARTA board member) expressed appreciation for the committee’s communication, but raised two concerns: (1) sanitation trucks leaking debris on newly resurfaced roads and (2) the practice of cutting and patching around manholes after resurfacing, which creates uneven surfaces. He requested explanations from county staff.
• Larry Kaiser (Executive Director, Mitchell South Community Improvement District) described the deteriorating condition of Old McDonough Road (from Transport City Drive to Lancaster Road), a previously paved road that has become gravel due to heavy truck traffic (300 trucks/day). He noted that the CID has had to spend its own funds on temporary stone repairs and urged the county to rehabilitate and repave this section.
• Martha Jackson (First Vice President, DeKalb County NAACP; member of Greenforest Community Baptist Church) asked for a specific timeline for striping on Wesley Chapel Road, a major arterial in her community. The county acknowledged the need and noted a striping contract is pending.

Discussion Items

The core of the meeting was a detailed presentation by county staff on the SPLOST road resurfacing program:

• Road Rating Methodology: Peggy Allen (Director of Roads and Drainage) explained the Pavement Condition Index (PCI) system, which rates road segments from 0 (excellent) to 62 (failed). The county maintains over 7,000 road segments (approximately 1,400 miles) and rates each segment at least once a year. The system uses 12 distress types (e.g., alligator cracking, potholes, rutting).
• SPLOST I & II Progress: SPLOST I funded 300 miles of resurfacing over about six years (average 50 miles/year). SPLOST II aims to resurface an additional 200 miles over six years (average 33 miles/year). The average PCI has improved from 18.75 in 2017 (pre-SPLOST) to 16.17 at the end of the 2025 paving season, indicating network-wide improvement.
• Budget and Costs: The SPLOST II budget for road resurfacing is approximately $250 million out of a total $496 million referendum. The cost per mile has doubled from $450,000 (2018) to $900,000 currently, driven by oil prices and inflation. The county combines SPLOST funds with an annual Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant (LMIG) from GDOT averaging $4–5 million.
• Contractor Selection and Oversight: Chris Kingsbury (SPLOST Program Manager) described the competitive bidding process, on-site inspection, and quality control measures. Contractors are held to specifications on mix temperature, depth, and joint quality. The county uses change orders for cost escalations tied to a state asphalt pavement index. Contracts are fully bonded with performance and payment bonds.
• Additional Topics: The committee discussed issues such as granite curb repair (handled through the county’s annual maintenance budget), striping (a pending contract for major arterials; county purchasing its own paint truck for smaller roads), how to respond to citizen inquiries about specific roads, and the importance of making PCI data publicly accessible via the county website.
• Budget Status: As of March 31, 2026, SPLOST II collections were $146 million against a projected $147 million, with expenditures of about $18 million. Approximately $147 million in projects have been board-authorized but not yet expended.

Key Outcomes

• Agenda adopted and minutes approved (as detailed under Consent Calendar).
• Note taker provided: The county will supply transcription for committee meetings going forward.
• Public comments to be addressed: County staff will provide written responses to all issues raised by speakers.
• Next meeting: Tentatively scheduled for June 2026; a future topic will be determined.
• No formal votes taken on resurfacing projects or policy changes; the meeting was primarily informational and for public input.