Albany Utility Board reaches Rails-to-Trails agreement

ALBANY — The Albany Utility Board has hammered out an agreement with Rails-to-Trails officials that will allow the utility authority to use the organization’s 13-mile right-of-way to provide utility services to potential customers in Dougherty, Lee and Terrell counties.

The proposal will be presented to the Albany City Commission at its April 21 work session.

Interim City Manager Tom Berry told the Utility Board at its Thursday meeting that a five-year agreement had been reached with Rails-to-Trails for an easement that will allow utilities on a stretch of property that starts in downtown Albany and runs to Sasser along U.S. Highway 82.

“We reached an agreement that, we feel, protects the city’s interest,” Berry said. “We think it’s an agreement that everyone can live with.”

The City Commission must approve the agreement before it moves forward.

Also at Thursday’s meeting, Berry said the Utility Board is working on technology that will allow customers to determine the level of usage they’re incurring on a daily basis.

“One thing we need is a method to let our ratepayers know what they’re using on a daily basis, whether its electricity or water,” the city manager said. “We’re close to doing that. That’s something that will be before you very soon.”

Berry’s comment came in response to board member Chad Warbington’s concern over recent squawks and articles in The Albany Herald that discuss utility costs.

“I did some independent research, and compared to (utility authorities) in our region, we blow everybody else out of the water,” Warbington said of utility costs after the meeting. “We’re still in the bottom tier of costs statewide.”

The board approved a $53,000 purchase of interface technology from Hansen Technologies that will allow employees in the field to view work orders on mobile devices.

“That sounds like it will streamline the process and help our employees be more efficient,” board member Jay Sharpe said before the request was approved.

The board also voted to rescind its previous approval of a contact with Gresco Utility Supply to provide 36,000 feet of 1/0 power cable and to award the contract to second-lowest bidder Tri-State Utilities. Assistant City Manager for Utilities Stephen Collier said Gresco’s bid had been submitted before a price increase left it looking at a major loss.

“We could actually penalize them for asking to withdraw their bid, but we chose not to do that,” Collier said. “We felt it best to go with the next-low bidder.”