Emergency no-bid repairs, a bridge where, and unnecessary resurfacing @ LCC 2016-04-25

$89,005 in emergency no-bid repairs on the agenda for Monday morning and voting Tuesday evening. Agenda Sheet Also $634,800 for a bridge we can’t tell where, and some unknown fraction of $1,663,888.78 to resurface a road that shouldn’t be used as a highway in the first place. Who’s in charge of budget planning for the county?

Why is replacing the fiber optic data cable that connects the South Lowndes Data Center and the E911 Center an emergency repair for $61,020, when apparently the problem has been going on for years? Meanwhile, it’s good that it’s not an emergency that the 911 Center Core Network Equipment needs replacing for $38,621. Planning ahead is good. Is one of these items in the budget and the other not?

Another emergency not marked as such in the agenda is the Stone Creek Well Pump. The agenda sheet says “Due to reduced output, the well will not supply enough flow to operate the MIEX plant at Stone Creek. It doesn’t say why the flow is reduced. Was the pump failing? Has the water table dropped, perhaps due to pumping? It does say “Due to the emergency situation, staff recommends the Board of Commissioners approve the purchase of a new pump & installation for $27,985.00, from Shea Well & Pump, to be paid from the capital budget.”

Speaking of planning, still more fallout from the failed James Road development and the relocation of that road the county paid for anyway are the James Road/Riverside Drive Quitclaim Deeds. At least the three road projects are Bids. However, where is this Replacement of Beatty Creek Bridge on Williams Road, with the $634,800 low bid from Southern Concrete Construction of Albany, GA? There are two Williams Roads in Lowndes County and no Beaty Creek. In the north end of the county Cat Creek has a tributary Beatty Mill Creek, with a Williams Road running near it between Upper New Bethel Road and Beatty Mill Creek Road. But according to all the maps I can find, Williams Road does not cross Beatty Mill Creek. So what exactly is it that the county wants to pay the low bidder $634,800 for?

The winning (and only) bid of $1,663,888.78 from Scruggs Company for Resurfacing of 3 County Roads is for Touchton Road, Clyattville Nankin Road, and Hambrick Road. $801,155.64 is from a GDOT LMIG grant, “while Lowndes County will be responsible for $862,733.14.” I have an easier solution for Hambrick Road: put signs at each end saying “Local Traffic Only” and enforce them, so through traffic would go along GA 122, less than a mile to the north. I bet that would cost a lot less than whichever fraction of that $1.664 million is allocated to Hambrick Road. We don’t even know which fraction, because the county didn’t publish the contract with Scruggs Company.

Here’s the agenda.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016,  8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

  1. Call to Order
  2. Invocation
  3. Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag
  4. Minutes for Approval
    1. Work Session Minutes- April 11, 2016
    2. Regular Session Minutes- April 12, 2016
  5. For Consideration
    1. Core Network Equipment-911
      Approval of core network equipment

      Documents:Core Network Equipment-911.pdf

    2. Liquor License – Ghanshyam B. Patel of A & M Food Store – 5859 Bemiss Road
      Board’s Pleasure

      Documents:Liquor License Ghanshyam B Patel Food Store 5859 Bemiss Road.pdf

    3. FY2017 Juvenile Justice Incentive Grant
      Request authorization for the Chairman to sign the required documentation for staff to submit the proposal to CJCC.

      Documents:FY 2017 Juvenile Justice Incentive Grant.pdf

    4. James Road/Riverside Drive Quitclaim Deeds
      Approve and authorize Chairman Slaughter to execute Quitclaim Deeds

      Documents:James Road Riverside Drive Quitclaim Deeds.pdf

    5. Emergency Fiber Replacement to South Lowndes
      Approval of emergency fiber replacement to South Lowndes

      Documents:Emergency Fiber Replacement to South Lowndes.pdf

    6. Stone Creek Well Pump
      Approve purchase of a new pump and installation for Stone Creek

      Documents:Stone Creek Primary Well Pump.pdf

  6. Bids
    1. Paving on Stewart Circle
      Accept bid proposal and authorize execution of contract documents to Reames and Son Construction Company or direct otherwise

      Documents:Paving on Stewart Circle.pdf

    2. Replacement of Beatty Creek Bridge on Williams Road
      Accept bid proposal and authorize execution of contract documents to Southern Concrete Construction, Co. or direct otherwise

      Documents:Replacement of Beaty Creek Bridge on Williams Road.pdf

    3. Resurfacing of 3 County Roads
      Accept bid proposal and authorize execution of contract documents to The Scruggs Company or direct otherwise

      Documents:Resurfacing of 3 County Roads.pdf

  7. Reports – County Manager
  8. Citizens Wishing to be Heard-Please State Your Name and Address
  9. Adjournment

-jsq