Dougherty County Commission awards bid to local car dealership

ALBANY — At least this time, local won out.

The Dougherty County Commission, without discussion, voted unanimously Monday to award a contract for two Ford Transit Vans to Sunbelt Ford Town of Albany, despite staff recommendation that the contract go to Wade Ford of Smyrna, whose bid on the vehicles was $3.80 lower on each than the Albany dealership’s bid.

“The right decision was made this morning,” Ford Town Fleet Manager Harry Prisant said after the meeting. “I was proud today that the commissioner who represents me (Ewell Lyle of District 4) made the motion, and there was no discussion after Commissioner (Anthony) Jones seconded it. I think the fact that there was no discussion told it all.

“(Since the issue arose two weeks ago), even the next-door county (Lee County) is looking at a local preference policy. I think everyone sees the importance of keeping dollars local when possible.”

The commission’s vote came during its regular business meeting, during which the board also approved an application for a state Criminal Justice Coordination Council grant that will apply $314,880 to the local Family Functional Therapy program. Juvenile Court Judge Herbie Solomon told commissioners the program is working in Dougherty County.

“It costs $90,000 a year to house a student in YDC (youth detention center),” Solomon said. “The Family Functional Therapy program targets students and their parents to help keep our children out of the juvenile justice system.”

Commission Chairman Chris Cohilas, the county’s former chief assistant district attorney, praised Solomon for emphasizing such programs in the county.

“I’m pleased with the philosophical shift away from just locking our young people up,” Cohilas said.

The board also approved a $744,604.25 bid from Reeves Construction Co. of Albany for a countywide resurfacing project, and voted to appoint Rod Garner to the Department of Family and Children Services Board and Erica Wilson to the Southwest Georgia Regional Commission.

In a work session that immediately followed the business meeting, the commission discussed a 2 percent Consumer Price Index increase in tipping fees at the county landfill (from $38.21 per ton to $38.97), agreed to sell a dump truck that had been listed as surplus to Worth County for $20,000 and discussed a stormwater facility management agreement with Antioch Missionary Baptist Church.

County Public Works Director Larry Cook told the board the offer by Worth County on the dump truck is “in line” with what the vehicle would have brought on the govdeals.com website. County Administrator Richard Crowdis said Worth officials had come to Albany to inspect the dump truck, and that county’s commission had already approved the proposal.

“We want to help out our neighbors when we can,” Cook said of selling the vehicle directly to Worth County.