County spends $1.1M to clear way for trailhead along Ocmulgee River

Macon-Bibb County will soon own more riverfront acreage.

The county commission voted Tuesday to use Special Pupose Local Option Sales Tax money to buy 23 acres along Arkwright Road from the estate of Lucy Lofton. The property, a total of five lots, is valued at $134,618, according to the tax assessor. 

The land — behind a cluster of hotels and chain restaurants on Arkwright Road along the Ocmulgee River — is connected to a 210-acre swath of riverside real estate the Georgia Department of Transportation deeded to the Macon-Bibb County Urban Development Authority in 2019. 

“It’s for preservation and the future development of our trail system along the river,” county spokesperson Chris Floore said of the county’s acquisition.

The properties, sold to the county for $225,000 plus closing costs, include: 4005 Arkwright Road (15.86 acres); 4025 Arkwright Road (1 acre); 4035 Arkwright Road (4 acres) and 4055 Arkwright Road (2.24 acres.)

The commission also voted to approve using 2018 SPLOST money to buy the Jumbo gas station at 40 Spring St. from MF 45 LLC for $1.1 million plus closing costs. That’s more than twice its value of $463,694.

“As part of the purchase process, an appraisal was conducted on the property to determine its value and allow a purchase price to be agreed upon,” Floore said in an email of the county’s purchase of the gas station.

The nearly 1-acre lot abuts land recently purchased by Mercer University for its new medical school.

“It will become a new trailhead as part of the development coming to that area,” Floore said. 

The county commission also approved spending $3 million of its revenue from the automatic school zone speed cameras. 

One million will go to the Bibb County School District for it to revamp and create new crosswalks and hire school-based police officers. Two million will help recruit public safety officers by boosting annual pay by $5,000 for officers without certification.

The money for recruitment will bring starting salaries for non-certified officers up to $45,000.

“Those are folks who are just getting into law enforcement and have no prior law enforcement experience,” Sheriff David Davis told The Melody of non-certified officers for which the raise was approved. “That’s a group that we’re really wanting to get in there. We’ve seen some interest from those individuals wanting to get into law enforcement so we want to make our salaries competitive to the region.”

In other business Tuesday, the commission voted to approve: 

• Phase II of sidewalks in Barrington Hall to be completed by Dublin-based Bostic and Bostic Associates LLC for $310,775 paid for with 2018 SPLOST 
• Linear Park improvements by Stafford Builders for $1,027,549 paid for with federal American Rescue Plan Act money
• A new elevator for the city auditorium by Sheridan Construction for $704,485, paid for with 2018 SPLOST 
• Maintenance for Rose Hill Cemetery by Alpharetta-based Tri-Scapes LLC for $209,448.24 paid for with general funds
• Guard rail repairs by Fairburn-based Stembridge Custom Metals, Inc. for an estimated $100,000 paid for with the engineering department’s budget
• Acceptance of a Violence Against Women Act grant including $75,874 federal money and a $25,271 local match from the Macon-Bibb Solicitor-General for a total of $101,145
• Acceptance of a Violence Against Women Act grant including $84,563 in federal money and a $28,188 match from the Macon District Attorney’s Office for a total of $112,751
• Acceptance of a $48,537 donation from the Macon-Bibb Law Enforcement Foundation, to purchase a Dodge Charger vehicle for recruitment, the sheriff said