County commissioners are considering other options for $36 million in federal stimulus money after rejecting a plan to help a private company convert the former General Motors factory site in Doraville into a mixed-use development.

District 3 Commissioner Larry Johnson and District 2 Commissioner Jeff Rader suggested using the funding — bonds which must be repaid — for water and sewer infrastructure projects.

“[The bonds] have to be focused on improvements that would result in economic development and expansion … basic public infrastructure fits under that category,” Rader said last week.

The state initially set a deadline of June 30 for a proposed use for the bonds, but the county was in the midst of negotiating an inter-governmental agreement with Doraville concerning the GM site. The state granted an extension until Sept. 30.

Deputy Chief Operating Officer of Development Jabari Simama said the county will have to ask for another extension.

“That’s the only thing we can do, because we can’t get [a new plan] issued by Sept. 30,” he said.

If DeKalb is not granted the extension, the bonds may be offered to other counties.

Commissioners voted 5-2 last week to deny the plan supported by county CEO Burrell Ellis to adopt a development agreement between the county, city of Doraville and Florida-based New Broadstreet LLP concerning the GM site.

District 5 Commissioner Lee May said development experts have called the site “one of the most attractive pieces of property in the Southeast.”

“If it is that attractive, a developer will undertake it without this amount of incentive,” May said.

Commissioners Connie Stokes and Kathie Gannon voted for the plan while May, Johnson, Rader and commissioners Elaine Boyer and Sharon Barnes Sutton opposed it.

The plan involved DeKalb County contributing $36 million in federal stimulus money to the $60 million project to build offices, retail and living space on the 165-acre site at I-285 and Peachtree Industrial Boulevard.

Ellis said on Monday 9,000 construction jobs would have been immediately created, generating an additional $360 million in wages.

With interest, the county would have repaid about $55 million over the next 30 years.

New Broadstreet LLC Vice President of Investment Blake Peepers said last week a “no” vote by commissioners would kill the proposed facility, as the developer does not have the means to undertake the project without county support.