County budget documents from May and June 2026 show the SPLOST VII Capital Projects Fund winding down, with a final debt payment of $1,975,000 due July 1, 2026, and zero tax collections projected for FY2027, leaving interest income as the fund's only remaining revenue source.
IssueStephens Countyunder consideration
Stephens County board approves final Sheriff's Office purchase from SPLOST VII fund as account winds down
The sales-tax-funded capital projects account that paid for jail repairs, HVAC and other county upgrades is set to make its last debt payment next year with no further tax collections expected.
Latest
June 23, 2026: SPLOST VII final debt payment due July 1, 2026
What happens next
A final debt payment of $1,975,000 is due July 1, 2026.
At a glance
What this means now
The story
In June 2025, Stephens County commissioners proposed a $5,875,100 SPLOST VII Capital Projects Fund budget for FY2026, listing projects including computer and server upgrades, jail repairs, solid waste equipment, HVAC upgrades, building improvements and shop upgrades.
At their January 2026 annual retreat, commissioners discussed how to use the fund's remaining surplus dollars, with potential projects raised including a new coroner's building, recreation facility upgrades and a new CID building. No decision was recorded on these proposals.
On February 24, 2026, the board unanimously approved Sheriff's Office equipment purchases of $47,328 and $10,034, using what the record describes as the remainder of the Sheriff's SPLOST VII funds. An earlier packet had listed the purchases as proposed, from Ed Murdock and Fasten Products LLC.
County budget documents from May and June 2026 show the SPLOST VII Capital Projects Fund winding down, with a final debt payment of $1,975,000 due July 1, 2026, and zero tax collections projected for FY2027, leaving interest income as the fund's only remaining revenue source.
What happened
How this issue got here
Open any step for its supporting record. A proposal remains labeled as proposed until later evidence establishes an outcome.
mentionedunknownSPLOST VII final debt payment due July 1, 2026
One final debt payment is due July 1,
2026 for $1,975,000.
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SPLOST VII final debt payment due July 1, 2026
One final debt payment is due July 1, 2026 for $1,975,000.
mentionedunknownSPLOST VII final debt payment due July 1, 2026
One final debt payment is due July 1,
2026 for $1,975,000.
+
SPLOST VII final debt payment due July 1, 2026
One final debt payment is due July 1, 2026 for $1,975,000.
Appeared on agendaproposedSPLOST VII Capital Projects Fund wind-down
Zero collections in FY2027 and only revenue source is interest income
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SPLOST VII Capital Projects Fund wind-down
Zero collections in FY2027 and only revenue source is interest income
ApprovedunknownSheriff's Office equipment purchase using SPLOST VII funds
Sheriff's Office — this will use the remainder of the Sheriff's SPLOST VII funds
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Sheriff's Office equipment purchase using SPLOST VII funds
Sheriff's Office — this will use the remainder of the Sheriff's SPLOST VII funds
Appeared on agendaproposedSheriff's Office purchases from Ed Murdock and Fasten Products LLC
Sheriff’s Office
a. Ed Murdock $47,328.00
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Sheriff's Office purchases from Ed Murdock and Fasten Products LLC
Sheriff’s Office a. Ed Murdock $47,328.00
Appeared on agendaproposedSPLOST VII surplus funds
Administration
i. SPLOST VII Surplus
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SPLOST VII surplus funds
Administration i. SPLOST VII Surplus
DiscusseddiscussedSPLOST VII surplus funds and potential projects (coroner's building, recreation facility upgrades, new CID building)
discussion of remaining SPLOST dollars: potential
projects include new coroner’s building, recreation facility upgrades, and new
CID building.
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SPLOST VII surplus funds and potential projects (coroner's building, recreation facility upgrades, new CID building)
discussion of remaining SPLOST dollars: potential projects include new coroner’s building, recreation facility upgrades, and new CID building.
DiscusseddiscussedSPLOST VII surplus funds and potential projects (coroner's building, recreation upgrades, new CID building)
SPLOST VII Surplus — discussion of remaining SPLOST dollars: potential
projects include new coroner’s building, recreation facility upgrades, and new
CID building.
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SPLOST VII surplus funds and potential projects (coroner's building, recreation upgrades, new CID building)
SPLOST VII Surplus — discussion of remaining SPLOST dollars: potential projects include new coroner’s building, recreation facility upgrades, and new CID building.
Appeared on agendaproposedSPLOST VII Capital Projects Fund project list (computer/server upgrades, jail repairs, solid waste equipment, HVAC, building improvements, shop upgrades)
Projects include computer and server upgrades, jail repairs, solid waste equipment, HVAC upgrades,
building improvements, and shop upgrades
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SPLOST VII Capital Projects Fund project list (computer/server upgrades, jail repairs, solid waste equipment, HVAC, building improvements, shop upgrades)
Projects include computer and server upgrades, jail repairs, solid waste equipment, HVAC upgrades, building improvements, and shop upgrades
Research the record