At their April 19, 2022, regular meeting, the Camden County Board of Commissioners voted to approve spending $387,600 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding towards the new Camden County Health Department. This is the final approval for the joint city-county collaboration to fund the new facility.
“We think this is a good use of ARPA funds for our community because the new facility will be a benefit to public health and all Camden County residents,” said Commission Chairman Gary Blount. “Since initial planning for the building, construction costs have increased.”
The project cost for the new facility is $4.5 million. Funding is provided by:
- Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) VIII for $1.2 million;
- Community Development Block Grant COVID (CDBG-CV) for $1 million;
- Coastal Georgia Public Health for $800,000; and
- Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) for $300,000.
The remaining $1.2 million will come from the collaboration between Camden County and the Cities of Kingsland, St. Marys, and Woodbine. Based on population, Camden County is providing $387,600, the City of Kingsland is contributing $378,840, the City of St. Marys is funding $399,960, and the City of Woodbine is adding $33,600.
The $1.2 million in in SPLOST VIII funding was approved by Camden County voters in March 2019. This one-cent sales tax is paid by all residents and visitors that purchase goods in Camden County. SPLOST VIII began collection in July 2019 and concludes in June 2025.