Dougherty County Commission OKs temporary alley fixes
Four people still under consideration for new county administrator
Dougherty County Manager Richard Crowdis, left, Commission Chair Chris Cohilas and County Attorney Spencer Lee are shown prior to the commission going into executive session on Monday. (Staff Photo: Terry Lewis)
By Terry Lewis
ALBANY — The Dougherty Country Commission breezed through a light work session agenda on Monday before moving into executive session to discuss retiring County Administrator Richard Crowdis’ replacement.
The work meeting centered around a street renaming, a recommendation from Crowdis to amend the General Fund Budgets for Maintenance and Operations (M&O) and Capital Improvement Programs (CIP) for the current Fiscal Year 2018, and approving a payment of $116,225 to Tetra Tech for developing the county’s long-term recovery plan.
The commission also discussed what to do about erosion issues that are occurring in some alleyways around the county. The commission approved consideration of buying 80 tons of gravel to fill potholes and fill in ruts beginning in the Radium Springs area.
The area runs from Poinciana Avenue east of Regina Road, and north of Holley Drive. The temporary repairs are a prelude to discussions of possibly paving some of the alleys in the future.
“It is a future possibility,” Crowdis said. “But right now we don’t have the money for it.”
“I’ve been with the county for a long time and we’re never paved an alley,” Assistant County Public Works Director Chucky Mathis said. “Like Commissioner (Lamar) Hudgins said this morning, those alleys were originally put into place as utility easements.
“The city has been paving alleys for years, but we haven’t.”
The commission also heard a request from residents of Fairview Avenue to rename it to Fairfield Road, its original name. Residents have complained about difficulty receiving items bought online because some shippers systems don’t recognize Fairfield Avenue. The commission agreed to consider the request.
The board approved a payment of $116,225 to Tetra Tech for developing the county’s long term recovery plan.
The commissioners also agreed to consider a budget amendment to the general fund — M&O, reducing the fund balance and expenditures by $318,725. That reduces the overall budget from $49,451,946 to $44,133,221 and the general fund balance from $6,518,270 to $6,199,545.
The commission also announced the board would have its annual meeting with the Albany legislative delegation Monday at 9 a.m. at the Candy Room on Pine Avenue.
The board adjourned and went into closed session. A source confirmed the called session was to discuss Crowdis’ replacement. The retiring administrator’s last day is Dec. 31. The source also confirmed that the number of candidates, which began with 115 applicants, remained at four names. County officials have refused to divulge the names of the finalists.
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