Here’s what happened at the September 7, 2021 Bulloch County Board of Commissioners meeting:
Call to Order
Invocation & Pledge
Roll Call – all Commissioners were present
Approval of Zoning Agenda
Wayne McQuaig submitted an application to rezone 33.73 acres from AG-5 (Agricultural 5 acres) to R-80 (Residential 80,000 square feet) to develop a residential subdivision with 10 cottage style homes similar to Briar Rose Subdivision on Clito Road. The property is located at the intersection of Maria Sorrell Road and Mount Olive Lane.
Nicholas and April Newkirk submitted an application to rezone 5 acres from AG-5 (Agricultural 5 acres) to R-80 (Residential 80,000 square feet) to sale the adjoining property owner 3 acres. The property is located at the intersection of Stilson-Leefield Road and Rough Rider Road.
William Ashley Milton submitted an application for a conditional use to allow for a single-family dwelling to be located in an HC zoning district. The property is located on Cody Lane.
Clint Smith submitted an application for a condition modification to the conditions approved by the Board of Commissioners on October 9, 2007. The result is to allow vinyl siding as an exterior building material in condition number 2. The property is located on Hwy. 46
Presentation
Sheriff Noel Brown – read about the presentation here.
Work Source Coastal
Approval of General Agenda
Minutes of Aug 10, 2021 6:00 PM
Public Comments
No one from the public was present to speak
Consent Agenda (The collective items on the Consent Agenda are voted on as a single line item) ALL ITEMS ON CONSENT AGENDA APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY
Minutes of Aug 10, 2021 6:00 PM
Minutes of Aug 17, 2021 8:30 AM
Minutes of Aug 17, 2021 6:00 PM
Resolution Authorizing Acceptance of Roads in Buckhead Plantation Subdivision
The roads in the above subdivision were inspected for acceptance by the County. This review includes Spotted Fawn Road and Eight Point Drive. These roads appear to have been constructed according to County requirements. The county engineer approves County acceptance of the road rights of way, except for medians and mail kiosk areas
Purchase of software for the Bulloch County Magistrate Court for Civil and Criminal Case Management as well as Bookkeeping/Accounting
This is a web based system that would allow us to be available to LEO at any time to consider the issuance of warrants without consideration of social distancing/personal contact. LEO’s could be sworn on face-time and warrants approved and processed immediately, thus saving the officers time and saving is all face-to-face contact. In the event of another COVID shut down, this could be vital to meeting the needs of all law enforcement agencies. In addition to our criminal warrant program, all other current civil and bookkeeping will be upgraded and converted to web based. No additional hardware is needed and there will be no change in monthly cost after initial conversion fee. Current bookkeeping program has an on-going issue with writing checks to wrong parties, causing delays in end of month close-out. Approval is recommended.
Approval of Joint Ch. 11 Bankruptcy Plan-Reorganization of Mallinckrodt National Opioid Litigation
The attorneys representing Bulloch County in the national opioid litigation are recommending that Bulloch County vote to accept the Joint Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Plan of Reorganization of Mallinckrodt and its Debtor Affiliates. The Plan will establish a master disbursement trust called Opioid MDT II that will be funded with $1.6 billion over seven years, 80% of which will be distributed to public opioid claimants and 20% of which will be distributed to private opioid claimants.
Approval of Pitney Bowes Equipment Lease Renewal
The current leases on three postage machines located at the North Main Annex, Tax Commissioner’s Office and EMS are expiring in the near future. These leases are for sixty months subject to annual appropriations. The leases fall under Georgia statewide contract and the service and equipment is satisfactory. These leases are for sixty months subject to annual appropriations. The total quarterly payment for all three machines will be $1,971.15 for the first year and $2,422.53 for years 2 through 5. This is a significant cost reduction from the current leases, which have a total quarterly payment of $4,581.81. The reduction is due to removal of unnecessary folding/inserting machines from the NMA and EMS machines and EMS has also requested a smaller machine as they are outsourcing much of the mailing they had done in the past.
Approve bid from Invisionpix A/K/A LaRita & Company
Invisionpix A/K/A LaRita & Company provided the lowest cost picture package for athletic program participants. Participants select a picture package and pay for the pictures themselves so no expense will be incurred with this picture contract.
New Business
Motion to approve a change order in the amount of $149,846.25 with Ellis Wood Contracting, Inc. for the Cypress Lake Road at Veterans Parkway Intersection Improvements Project.
This Change Order is due to a conflict between the proposed traffic signal and overhead transmission lines belonging to Georgia Power. The proposed traffic signal was redesigned to feature steel mast-arm poles rather than the traditional concrete strain poles with span wire. The mast-arm type poles are shorter in height and eliminated the conflict with Georgia Power. GDOT has approved the revised design.
The cost of the change order includes the cost of the mast-arm poles (which are more expensive than the concrete strain poles in the original plan) as well as the additional costs of the directional boring of underground wiring (the original plan utilized overhead wiring, which is cheaper). Also included were some minor costs for price changes in asphalt and other materials. If the County had opted to relocate the transmission lines instead of redesigning the project, the cost for Georgia Power to move the utilities would have been $287,000.
The original contract amount was $538,948.75. The new contract amount after the Change Order would be $688,795.00. GDOT awarded the County $350,000 for the project, and the remaining expenditures were to be funded by TSPLOST. The original total budget for the project was $700,610. The County Engineer estimates that total project expenditures, including construction, design, and utility relocations, will be about $720,000.
The County Engineer has reviewed the change order and some changes were made after negotiation. The County Engineer recommends approval of this change order.
Approved unanimously.
Motion to approve a bid and enter into a contract with Sikes Brothers, Inc. for Old River Road South Pavement Widening and Resurfacing in the amount of $911,610.15, to be funded by LMIG and TSPLOST.
This contract includes two-foot paved shoulder widening on both sides of the road, and the resurfacing, restriping, and shoulder dressing of Old River Road South from PW Clifton Road to Lanes Church Road, a distance of 4.3 miles. The existing road width is less than 20 feet wide in many locations, and the surface treatment pavement is riddled with potholes and deterioration. It does not appear that this section of Old River Road has ever been resurfaced since it was originally paved. Because the road has a speed limit of 55 mph, the widening and resurfacing are much-needed safety improvements. Sealed bids were received on August 24, 2021, as detailed in the memo from Faye Bragg, Purchasing Manager, attached in the agenda packet. The low bidder, Sikes Brothers, Inc., met all requirements of the County’s bid specifications.
The County Engineer’s cost estimate for the project was $928,000. The low bid was $911,610.15. The County has $1,465,339.36 in LMIG funds and $1,340,000 in TSPLOST funds, for a total of $2,805,339.36 budgeted for Resurfacing in FY 21. Current resurfacing projects in progress that are being funded by this account include 10 miles of Resurfacing with Reeves Construction ($1,443,100) and HA5 Installation on several subdivision roads with Blount Construction ($122,000). A road patching project is also planned to be let at a later date. The County Engineer recommends awarding the contract for Old River Road South Shoulder Widening and Resurfacing to Sikes Brothers Inc., in the amount of $911,610.15.
Approval of Intergovernmental Agreement for the Provision of P-25 Radio System Access for Users
The intergovernmental agreement provides the terms and conditions upon which municipalities and other agencies will provided access to and use of Bulloch County’s P-25 radio system. One of the primary provisions is that the County and all other users will share on a pro rata basis the cost of operating and maintaining the radio system based on the number of radios each user has on the system. We anticipate approval and execution of this agreement by all other parties prior to the end of September. Approval is recommended by staff.
Approved unanimously.
Motion to approve a bid and enter into a contract with Mill Creek Construction for the Hood Road Paving project, in the amount of $882,336.40, to be funded by TSPLOST.
This contract includes clearing, grading, storm drain installation, road base installation, and paving of Hood Road, from Parrish Road to Pulaski Road, a distance of approximately 1.9 miles (see attached map). Sealed bids were received on August 31, 2021, as detailed in the attached memo from EMC Engineering. Mill Creek Construction submitted the lowest bid and met all requirements of the County’s bid specifications. Mill Creek’s base bid of $882,336.40 (this total excludes the two add alternates) is well below EMC Engineering’s cost estimate of $1,068,780.50. The budgeted amount for this project is $950,000 in TSPLOST funds. The County Engineer is recommending to exclude the two add alternates from the contract. The surveying and design services for this project cost $40,335 (with about $9,370.00 left to be paid). In addition, there will be some utility relocation costs with Excelsior EMC, which have been estimated to cost approximately $107,133.34. Since the low bid is within budget and all bid specifications were met, the County Engineer recommends awarding the contract to Mill Creek Construction in the amount of $882,336.40.
Approved unanimously.
Commission and Staff Comments
County manager Tom Couch brought up the idea of hosting town hall meetings around the county give the public additional opportunities to meet with commissioners and ask government-related questions. Chairman Roy Thompson was amenable to the idea and the idea was echoed by Commissioner Walter Gibson.
Adjourn
The meeting adjourned at 7:05 P.M.
