This story has been updated.

Decatur, GA — The City Schools of Decatur School Board, at its Jan. 24 work session, discussed the education special purpose local option sales tax funding and the projects it will fund.

“The special purpose local option sales tax, commonly referred to as SPLOST, is a 1% sales and use tax for educational purposes imposed on all sales and use in DeKalb County for a period of five years…,” Chief Financial Officer Lonita Broome said.

The total ESPLOST V budget was about $30 million. SPLOST V was issued in 2017, and it expired in June 2022. The largest expenditure of SPLOST V was acquisition of facilities. The bus depot location on Kentucky Street in Scottdale was one of the major acquisitions of SPLOST V. The second-largest expenditure was classroom technology, followed by construction, Broome said.

Projects funded by SPLOST V included installation of LED lights in classrooms and hallways, the expansion of solar arrays at Talley Street Upper Elementary and Beacon Hill Middle School, the replacement and upgrade of kitchen equipment and playground additions and upgrades.

ESPLOST VI was approved by voters in November 2021.

CSD anticipates receiving $8 million from ESPLOST VI this fiscal year, which is the first year of the ESPLOST program. About $2.7 million will carry over from the previous ESPLOST program. In total, CSD anticipates receiving $40 million in ESPLOST funding.

The largest estimated expenditures of ESPLOST VI are facilities acquisition and construction at $3.7 million and instruction at $2.1 million.

The only footprint the district is looking at adding is the track and field at Legacy Park, Superintendent Maggie Fehrman said.

CSD is working with the city of Decatur to build a track and field at Legacy Park. The entities entered into an intergovernmental agreement for the project in August 2022. The plans include a synthetic turf field sized for soccer, but set up for football and lacrosse. There will also be an eight-lane track with areas for long jump, high jump and pole-vaulting.

The city and CSD will each contribute about $3 million to the project.

Other ESPLOST projects include upgrading HVAC equipment and adding an 8,000 square-foot gymnasium to Decatur High School. The estimated budget for each project is $6 million.

“The current gym is located beside the performance arts center. It was built back in 2009, and it was designed for a capacity of roughly 1,650 [students, which is] not enough for today’s need. We have several issues scheduling classes in physical education, personal fitness, and team sports,” Chief Operating Officer Sergio Perez said.

Here are some more projects proposed to be funded by ESPLOST:

– About $400,000 has been allocated to renovate restrooms at the lower elementary schools.

– Playground equipment would be replaced at College Heights Early Childhood Learning Center, as well as Oakhurst, Westchester, Winnona Park and Glennwood elementary schools. The estimated cost is $350,000.

– Elevator renovations are also planned, and the estimated cost is $1.2 million.

– Kitchen equipment would be replaced throughout the school district at a cost of $650,000.

– The district is also planning to upgrade the intercom system. Many of the systems at several schools are past their useful life and replacement parts are unavailable and obsolete. The intercom system at College Heights ECLC, Clairemont, Oakhurst, Glennwood, Winnona Park and Westchester elementary schools, and Fifth Avenue Upper Elementary School would be replaced. The estimated cost is $480,000.

– CSD would also update the district’s security camera software program to allow for analytics and event alerts. An internal security system is also planned to be installed at Oakhurst Elementary School. The estimated cost is $450,000.

To see the presentation of ESPLOST funding, click here.