DCSS School Board wants to take another look at Sylvester Road contractor

ALBANY — The Dougherty County School Board, by a 3-3 vote on Wednesday, rejected a bid from Dukes, Edwards and Dukes on a $4.2 million construction management bid for renovations at the empty Sylvester Road Elementary School, which will house the South Georgia Regional Achievement Center.

The decision of the buildings and grounds committee to recommend Dukes, Edwards and Dukes to the full board for approval was 3-2, despite the fact that DED, owned by state Rep. Winfred Dukes, is not bonded.

Board Vice Chairman Robert Youngblood, who conducted the meeting in the absence of Board Chairwoman Velvet Riggins, said he was uncomfortable with the recommendation because the said the committee disregarded its own rating system, which showed DED the lowest qualified bidder and did not include any supporting documentation with the recommendation.

“It was a red flag to me to see the rating sheets, which ranked the three bidders from one to three, and see the firm that was at the bottom of the list get the committee’s recommendation,” Youngblood said. “Considering the amount of money involved in the project, I made a motion to remove the item from the agenda and bring it before the full board for discussion.”

That motion died 3-3 with James Bush, Milton Griffin and Dean Phinazee voting against. Melissa Strother, Geraldine Hudley and Youngblood voted for.

Griffin then made a motion to approve the recommendation, which was seconded by Phinazee. That motion also died 3-3 in an identical vote.

“I’m not sure if they (Dukes) are bonded or not, and I am also uncomfortable with having a state representative in the process. There are just too many red flags for me,” Youngblood said.

Bush, Griffin and Phinazee are all members of the DCSS building and grounds committee.

In other action items, the board approved entering into a MOU (memorandum of understanding) with Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital to provide two more athletic trainers — giving the system a trainer for each high school and their respective feeder schools.

The board also:

— Approved spending $414,000 on weight room upgrades and equipment at the three high schools.

— Approved spending $400,000 to convert the field house at the former Albany High School into a wellness center for employees.

— Voted to name LaKisha Bryant Bruce the district’s director of community relations. Bruce will assume the position effective Sept. 1.

“By bringing LaKisha on board in this position, we hope to continue to cultivate a spirit of pride in the DCSS as well as develop a new community engagement initiative through a new 501(c)(3) that will enhance the organization as we position for the future,” DCSS Superintendent Ken Dyer said.

“Having LaKisha as director of community relations is great for us because she is a product of this school system, this community and she is passionate about the people in this community, especially our youth. She understands the importance of strategic partnerships between the DCSS, faculty and staff and the business community.”

Bruce comes to the DCSS after having served as the president/CEO of the United Way of Southwest Georgia since 2012. Prior to that, she served as executive director of Girls Inc., and was director of communications and downtown manager for Albany Tomorrow Inc.