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The West Point City Council approved the proposed SPLOST VI intergovernmental agreement at its work session on Tuesday. The agreement, between the cities of West Point, LaGrange, Hogansville and Troup County, allocates $4 million dollars to West Point for the Kia roadway project and approximately $3.8 million dollars of SPLOST proceeds for infrastructure and municipal projects. 

Under this agreement, there is a 45-45-5-5 split between the four government entities, with Troup County and LaGrange each receiving 45% of the SPLOST fund, while West Point and Hogansville will receive 5% each. Additionally, funding was allocated from the overall SPLOST pool due to their importance to the entire county. These projects included the creation of a county-wide camera system and the Kia roadway project.

Mayor Steve Trammell expressed his distaste for the agreement, particularly in regards to the $4 million allocation for the Kia roadway project. The project, which revolves around the reparation and maintenance of approximately five miles of four-lane highway next to Kia, was initially proposed to have an estimated cost of approximately $7.8 million. 

“They do not look at the fact that we have 10,000 people here everyday and that we have to provide police and infrastructure for those people,” Trammell said. “[The county] looks at us as 1700 people that do not elect them or unelect them, and they don’t care … 4 million dollars is not going to do the Kia project, not by a long shot.”

City Attorney Alex Dixon noted that any other funding needed for the project would have to come from the city. 

“The city is facing the potential of having to pay any additional costs of the Kia roadway improvements that are above the $4 million,” Dixon said. “If it is more than that and there are not any available grants or funding, the city is going to be responsible for that.”

Additionally, of the $3.8 million of the SPLOST proceeds, approximately $300,000 will be allocated to parks and recreation, $1.5 million to public works and utilities, and $1.86 million to public safety. City Manager Ed Moon noted that, while the amounts are not ideal, it is too late to change the agreement. 

“The county has already said that they are not changing this agreement, it is what it is,” Moon said. “West Point already agreed to it.”

After a brief discussion, the city council approved the intergovernmental agreement, with everyone voting in its favor except Councilwoman Deedee Williams, who abstained from the vote. If approved by the state, the funding will begin to come through in 2025.