Macon-Bibb Commission 3-7-23

The Macon-Bibb County Commission allocated nearly $9.4 million in SPLOST funds for final closure of the Walker Road Landfill, which has been a goal for about 30 years. Commissioners also shifted the SPLOST timeline as tax collections are running ahead of schedule and prompted a discussion about other projects that could be done with that money. Mayor Lester Miller said the county will first proceed with the items voters specifically agreed to. The Downtown Business Improvement District has been renewed for another six years as of July 1. A majority of downtown property owners have agreed to pay extra taxes for additional services such as the ambassador program that keeps the streets clean and added amenities such as new lights recently installed in the alleyways. The DBID originally was formed in 2017 and this renewal expands the territory toward Plum Street as the Central Business District continues to expand. During public comments, the pending fare hike for the Macon-Bibb Transit Authority drew protests from riders and concerned citizens. A couple of commissioners floated the idea of moving toward free public transit as other cities have done. A 40-minute executive session ended the proceedings but no action was taken before adjourning. Here are the highlights of from tweets sent during the meeting.