In 2021, the City of Savannah entered into an Intergovernmental agreement with Chatham County to commit $3.125 million each (total of $6.25 Million) of anticipated SPLOST VII tax dollars to fund the development of an Early Childhood Learning Center (the “ECLC”) as a means to address substandard educational achievement, reduce poverty, and address employment and health disparities in East Savannah. This proposed amendment outlines an agreement in which Chatham County agrees to fund improvements to the playground that are necessary to satisfy the licensing requirements of the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning in the amount $574,101 and the City agrees to pay the County for the purchase furniture, fixtures, and equipment ("FF&E") for the ECLC in the amount of $276,564.85.

The ECLC will be designed to offer quality education-based childcare services to young children who are at least six-weeks of age but no greater than four-years of age. The ECLC will be a facility designed to accommodate approximately 144 children and associated staff, will be licensed by the State of Georgia, and designed to meet all state licensing standards, including the Quality Rated model promoted by the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning. The ECLC is planned to be developed on land currently owned by the Housing Authority of Savannah (“HAS”) located at 814 Hitch Drive (the “Property”); said land located along the north side of Wheaton Street approximately 1,000 feet east of Randolph Street being part of the larger parcel identified by the Chatham County Board of Assessors as Parcel Identification Number 20014 04007. HAS intends to enter a long-term lease or conveyance of the Property to the County at a nominal annual fee to facilitate the development of the ECLC.

Approval