Albany City Commission approves office furniture purchase

ALBANY — Ward I Commissioner Jon Howard held nothing back in his reaction to staff’s request for $406,714 to supply furniture, fixtures and equipment at the city’s office complex at 401 Pine Ave. that is under renovation.

“When I saw this, I was shocked,” Howard said of the price tag. “Are we getting the same stuff President Trump’s wife is using to redecorate the White House?”

Howard’s outburst led Ward VI Commissioner Tommie Postell to inquire as to the cost so far in renovating the former Synovus Bank building to house the city’s Utility Board, Administrative Services, Information Technology and Telecommunications personnel. City Manager Sharon Subadan’s answer to that inquiry drew its own share of raised eyebrows.

“We’re probably at $3 million,” Subadan said of the renovation that had been projected to cost half as much and be ready for occupancy a year ago. “It cost close to a million dollars (around $850,000) for the main building, the drive-through, the secondary building (that will be used as a call center) and the parking lot.

“But the estimated cost to renovate just three floors of the (Rodeman Building, which has long served as the Utility Board’s offices) was more than what we’ll spend to complete the 401 Pine project. And that project did not include a call center, a drive-through or an expanded parking lot.”

Mayor Dorothy Hubbard added that the eventual cost of the new office complex will “still come in under the cost of renovating the other building,” and Ward III Commissioner B.J. Fletcher said the savings in utilities costs alone will “pay for the (401 Pine) building in nine years.”

“That, plus the fact that the furniture we’re ordering has a shelf life of around 30 years, is what helped me to swallow this (high furniture cost),” Fletcher said.

Central Services Director Yvette Fields offered a comparison for commissioners to consider as she outlined the costs for the furniture, which comes at a discounted state contract rate.

“We’re moving 90-plus people into that building,” Fields said of the 401 Pine structure. “Valdosta State moved 51 people into a much smaller, one-story structure, and their cost was $375,000. In another office, they moved in 45 people at a cost of $350,000. That’s half as many people into a smaller space and our cost is nowhere near twice as much.”

With Howard casting the lone dissenting vote, the board approved the furniture purchase.

“We’ve heard complaints consistently about the (Rodeman Building),” Ward II Commissioner Bobby Coleman said. “Citizens complain that there’s never any parking space, and there are all kinds of things wrong with that building. What would it say to our citizens if, this far into the project, we quit financing it?

“The citizens of Albany have made it clear that they want changes, and it’s their money we’re spending.”

Ward V’s Bob Langstaff added, “When I first saw the numbers, I said ‘Wow!’ too. But in researching further and talking with staff, I’m comfortable with the cost.

“The furniture that our employees are using now is not conducive to a good work environment. The comparisons we’ve been given show that our cost is on the low end. I think it’s in line with what we’d expect to spend.”

The commission finally ended months of speculation as to what it can do with its Downtown Development Authority, which will oversee redevelopment in the city’s Central Business District. With the same seven board members that are on the Albany-Dougherty Inner City Authority — which oversees private development city- and countywide — comprising the DDA, the city came into compliance with state law by naming a new DDA board.

Chosen to serve on the authority were Langstaff, Thelma Johnson, Omar Salaam, Martin Carter, Carl White, Michael Stewart and CaMia Hopson. That group met all the requirements that had, until Tuesday’s vote was taken, left the joint authorities out of compliance. Langstaff, who volunteered to represent the commission on the DDA, said he would report regularly to the City Commission on the authority’s actions.

The commission also:

— Approved an alcohol license application for the Northside Lounge at 2238 Palmyra Road;

— OK’d an alcohol license transfer at Mel’s Bar, located at 1408 W. Broad Ave.;

— Signed off on the purchase of a firearm training simulator for the Albany Police Department that would replace the department’s “antiquated” equipment;

— Approved the purchases of generators ($148,169); a walking gas leak survey ($78,875.19); street light rehabilitation ($134,979); LED street lights ($148,932.50); reclosers ($235,248); pump repairs ($178,456.98) and the furniture, fixtures and equipment for the 401 Pine building.

Subadan told the board the street light rehabilitation, which includes light poles, lights and underground lines damaged during January storms, would be eligible for reimbursement from both FEMA (75 percent of cost) and GEMA (15 percent).

Also at the meeting, Planning Services Director Paul Forgey and Planning and Code Specialist Angel Gray outlined plans to create a joint city/Dougherty County land bank. In a presentation similar to one presented to the Dougherty County Commission on Monday, Forgey said that while an $80,000 to $100,000 budget for the start-up of the land bank would be ideal, he reiterated to the board that “I’ll work with whatever funding is available.”

Howard called the plan, which his been in the works for the better part of a decade, a “step in the right direction.”

Amid all the business of the meeting, students from Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School showed off the trophies they’d won in taking first place in the district Robotics Lego team competition. The students also put on a skit for commissioners.

Subadan told the board that the city had extended its contract with Ceres Environmental for a 90-day period to collect the remainder of storm debris in the city. That cost will be reimbursed by FEMA at a 75 percent rate.