Dougherty County Commission approves urgent facility needs

ALBANY — While the Dougherty County Commission addressed some urgent facility needs Monday, the board also gave approval to zoning requests and vehicle purchases.

County Administrator Michael McCoy and Facilities Management Director Heidi Minnick explained to the commission at its regular meeting that a proposal to replace an air handler unit for the third floor of the Albany-Dougherty Government Center in the amount of $26,778 was necessary to quickly handle the issue of a unit that is failing.

County staff recommended that the contract on the unit be awarded to the U.S. General Service Administration contract holder, RHS Heating and Cooling of Albany, in the amount of $26,778.

Minnick said another vendor had given the county a price tag of $55,000, so she sought other options in a timely matter.

“(That quote) was higher than needed,” she said. “I contacted RHS, because we needed it quick.”

The county’s staff also recommended to the commission acceptance of a proposal to provide waterproofing repairs for Dougherty’s Facilities Management building to the lowest quoted vendor able to complete the work, J.J. Morley Enterprises in Alpharetta, in the amount of $25,190.

The highest quote received was for $48,625. McCoy said this is being treated as an emergency purchase.

Damage to the building was sustained from Hurricane Michael, and Minnick said damage to the walls and roof due to the hurricane has caused rainfall since October to get between the slats and the floor, the floor has buckled and there is evidence of environmental health hazards as a result.

“If it had not been for the rain events, we would be able to kick this can down the road,” McCoy said.

The commission also approved the following with unanimous votes:

— Glenda I. Eubanks, owner and applicant, requested to rezone 28.225 acres from agricultural district to R-G, single-family residential district. The property addresses are 3421 and 3423 Wildfair Road. The Albany-Dougherty Planning Commission recommended approval.

— Stuart Sinyard, owner and applicant, requested to rezone 8.331 acres from agricultural district to R-1, single-family residential district. The property address is 5112 Old Dawson Road. The Planning Commission recommended approval;

— Purchase of one 2018 Ford F-150 SSV four-door 4×4 pickup for the county’s Solid Waste personnel from Wade Ford in Smyrna in the amount of $29,978. Pricing for the vehicle is “piggy-backed” from the city of Atlanta’s annual vehicle purchasing contract. Funding is budgeted for $30,000;

— Purchase of one 2019 model T370 Kenworth Cab and Chassis with a 4,000-gallon water tank for Solid Waste personnel from MHC Kenworth of McDonough in the amount of $118,417.67. Pricing for the equipment is provided by the Sourcewell cooperative purchasing agreement, formerly titled National Joint Powers Alliance. Funding was budgeted for $150,000.

Jennifer Parks