Fayette County's need for a new jail and judicial complex and the Fayette County Board of Education's need for local money for two new schools plus other necessities topped the list of concerns discussed jointly by the two bodies Monday afternoon.

“We have one set of taxpayers and two major needs,” said Harold Bost, chairman of the Fayette County Commission.

“We've been planning this jail for two years and we've discussed a bond issue, and a special local option sales tax,” Commissioner Herb Frady added. Proposed cost of the jail and court complex is between $60 million and $70 million. Bost said the commission doesn't have a timetable, but “talked about November” as the time to put the project before the voters for funding.

The Board of Education is working on a time schedule with next June as a deadline for having funding in place and construction bids out for one of two new schools. The board risks losing $7 million in state funding if it fails to come up with its local share of $12 million. “We all recognize the tremendous needs in the county,” said school board Chairman Debbie Condon.

“When the SPLOST failed last March,” she added, “it put us back... we're directing our staff to look into [funding] options and give us a needs assessment. Some things addressed in the last SPLOST are desperately needed.”

If the school board decides on a SPLOST, November would be the earliest it would be placed on the ballot. The amount would certainly exceed the $12 million needed for the new elementary and middle school.

The purpose of Monday afternoon's meeting was to “Know each other better and open up lines of communication,” Bost said. The commission has met with the councils of all the county's municipalities as well.

The two groups also agreed to take a second look at how the numbers are deciphered for number of children per household and where the greatest impact due to growth is being felt in the county. “We need to be area-specific, rather than generic across the county,” said Commissioner Linda Wells. She suggested comparing county growth versus city growth and identifying areas that are growing too quickly.

Wells called Monday's joint session “beneficial.” School board member Connie Hale added,” We need to do this once in a while.”

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