SPLOST VII Completed Projects

Police Department:

  • IT Remodel – completed – the department completed an IT Unit with a room for servers to include the in-car camera servers, body-camera servers, and interview room servers. The new area also includes offices for IT personnel.

  • Investigations Remodel – completed – outdated cubicles (over 20 years old) were replaced with walls and doors for each detective, wired with electricity, lighting, and IT cables, allowing for privacy and also making more room for additional detectives.

  • In-Car Camera System – completed – in 2014 the department added an in-car camera system for the patrol bureau which includes a dash camera, rear seat camera, and wireless download of all videos at police headquarters.

  • Radio System Upgrade – between the city and county, a 6.5 million dollar upgrade of the city/county radio system was completed. The new system moved the radio system to an all-digital system, added new radio equipment and antennas at the 911 Center and at different radio antenna stations throughout the city/county, and doubled radio capacity. The upgrade is good for 20 years.

  • New Handheld radios – completed - between the police and fire departments, all old analog radios were replaced with new handheld digital radios (walkie-talkies) to match the new city/county infrastructure. The previous radios were over 15 years old.

  • SWAT Team Equipment – completed – all out-of-date SWAT Team to include but not limited to helmets, shields, gas masks, etc. were updated because this equipment has expiration dates.

  • Mobile Command Vehicle – the consoles on the command truck was updated from analog consoles to new computerized/digital consoles. There are three consoles (police, fire, and EMS). The consoles tie in different radio systems (800 MHz, VHF, and UHF) to allow for inoperability communications.

Engineering:

Road resurfacing, drainage improvements, intersection improvements, street maintenance repairs, piping of ditches, traffic improvements, and sidewalk improvements throughout the city.

 

South Troup Street Project:

A large group of citizens and community leaders gathered in December of 2016 for the ribbon cutting of the S. Troup Street Enhancement Project. The completed project runs from Griffin Avenue to Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in one of Valdosta's oldest neighborhoods. Funded by SPLOST VII, the project positively impacts the quality of life within the neighborhood through the construction of new sidewalks on the east side of the street, crosswalks, new street signage, curb and gutter, bicycle lanes, underground storm sewer and drainage inlets, new driveway aprons, and new water & sewer service connections.

 

Public Works:

The Public Work Department purchased a Tractor and Boom Mower which improved the department's ability to cut the right of ways, clear ditches and remove low hanging branches. In doing so, Public Works is able to improve visibility for drivers and pedestrians on the road. It also keeps Valdosta beautiful - supporting the department's new motto "Love Where You Live".

 

Fire Department:

The Valdosta Fire Department unveiled four new fire trucks in November of 2016. The new trucks replaced four 18-year-old pumper trucks in its current fleet at stations 2,3,4 and 6. The new trucks are front-line pumpers that are custom-built with the latest and most updated equipment and meet the current National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards and the fire safety needs of the city.

Utilities:

Force Main Project

  • 2 master pump stations
  • 2 minor pump stations
  • Over 6 miles of force main
  • New headworks structure
  • 6 million gallon per day (MGD) flow equalization (EQ) basin
  • Project Cost: $36 million – Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) Loan
  • Contract Awarded to Garney Construction on April 24, 2014
  • Estimated Completion Date: July 2016
  • Actual Completion Date: July 2016

 

New Plant / Relocation Project

  • Relocation of the remainder of the old plant to the new site
  • Project Cost: $23 million – SPLOST VII
  • Contract Awarded to Parsons - June 19, 2014
  • Estimated Completion Date: August 2017
  • Actual Completion Date: June 2016

Smoke Testing Project

  • Constantine Engineering began work in January 2014
  • Test 300 miles of sewer lines
  • Project Cost: $700,000
  • Completion Date: December 2018

Annual Sewer Manhole Replacement / Rehabilitation Program

  • Minimum 30 manholes each year
  • Project Cost: $2,250,000
  • Completion Date: December 2018

Pump Station Replacement / Rehabilitation Program

  • Project Cost: $5,000,000
  • Completion Date: December 2018

Pump Station Emergency Portable Generators

  • 1 generator each year over the next 4 years
  • Project Cost: $250,000
  • Completion Date: December 2018

In addition to the projects listed above, the city spends on average $4 – 5 million for regular repairs, maintenance, etc. throughout the system annually. The city has also completed the following short-term projects for a total of $2,500,000 to assist with the overall function of the Withlacoochee Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) until all the projects can be completed:

  • Mobile belt filter press
  • New bar screens
  • New Return Activated Sludge (RAS) piping
  • Air piping
  • Two new blowers
  • Converted old primary clarifiers to storage basins

Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP)

  • Contract Awarded to Parsons December 2014
  • Project Cost: $200,000
  • Update the existing SewerGEMS Hydraulic Model of the Withlacoochee sewershed
  • Develop the base case and the hydraulic model for use as a predictive tool to identify potential sewer overflow locations based on the existing model data.
  • Based on modeling, identify potential I&I locations and prioritize I&I elimination through system rehabilitation.
  • Completion Date: August 2015

Other (inc. Parks and Rec, Mathis, Downtown):

 

On Wednesday, June 6, 2018, City of Valdosta leaders joined the Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority (VLPRA) to hold a ribbon-cutting for the new playground at the Vallotton Youth Athletic Complex.

The $85,000 project was funded by the City of Valdosta SPLOST funds. The new playground replaced the old, existing playground structure. The new playground will offer safer equipment to play on and will accommodate double the amount of children.

On August 6, 2019, The Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks & Recreation Authority held a ribbon cutting for the Harry B. Anderson Tennis Center expansion. The new courts located at McKey Park on Burton Street in Valdosta. The six-court addition takes the total number of courts at the Harry B. Anderson Tennis Center to 18.  The courts are open to the public and there are no reservation fees for open play.  In addition to offering open play, VLPRA holds private lessons, tennis clinics, and leagues.  The Authority also facilitates tournaments like the USTA Mixed Doubles State Championships that will be utilizing the facility August 9th-12th.  Events like these bring a huge economic impact with athletes and their families staying, eating, and shopping in our area.