[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6265488,"mediaKeyId","3090815-d558d4749d08970542415ee66d5b60a8","parentId",3090815,"title","Commissioners approve routine contract renewals and service agreements including tax-collection contracts, senior meals and extension-service staffing","audioSeconds",107,"startMs",1096000,"endMs",1203000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3090815-d558d4749d08970542415ee66d5b60a8&start=1096&end=1203","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3090815-d558d4749d08970542415ee66d5b60a8/thumbnail_1096000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6265488/Columbia-County/Georgia/Commissioners-approve-routine-contract-renewals-and-service-agreements-including-tax-collection-contracts-senior-meals-and-extension-service-staffing","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6265488-efaf9b9a04083523043baacac64fdb69/orig.mp4?Expires=1771055938&Signature=bTyE17xvNbuBzj2wMtNmHE-5rn0i2MVM-ih6FYVKEN5-Y26hXmzLPypTBWa2yl5niJEF5BJZYK7ZwDJgApKlaEw-KgGD8eTj0S2UzN4rSjRjtFXklhmgSGlYbHIwMdFHwz~-fmEZ8ZppZrwNV~FNFnI7YYj5~waNXvBCeAK9z34AH9hGBaguaSzBcJJTF1dOKgufWzEj~Zx4bpeBfgvScuS~cPMgyQ4DQy~gHuthvKWXAPEWV0iZXbsC4DolC8zXcRZiM6wehNDg~slwD5QA8puVF~IcZDwtKzoK3CXN6jCtgtUytm7o13ajFrk8jJsixqBIfALczH1byQpY01vAQQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-04-23T08:30:52.007Z","article","Columbia County commissioners approved a series of routine contracts and renewals on the meeting’s consent agenda, including tax-collection agreements, senior‑center meal purchases, extension‑service staffing reimbursements and miscellaneous facility and promotional contracts.

County staff presented continuation contracts that allow the county tax commissioner to collect taxes for municipalities and the Board of Education under Georgia law for counties with 50,000 or more residents. Staff said the existing contracts had expired in 2024 and recommended 10‑year extensions with collection rates of 2% for the cities of Harlem and Grovetown and 2.25% for the Board of Education. Staff noted each municipality and the Board of Education must accept the county’s offer to continue collections.

On human services, staff recommended renewing the agreement with the sheriff’s office for purchase of senior-center meals, both home-delivered and congregate; staff said the price will remain $3 per meal and that the county serves over 50,000 meals annually. The board moved and approved the item on consent.

Other consent items approved included a $240,988 contract with the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension for extension‑service personnel (the amount was included in the FY26 budget), renewal of the Convention and Visitors Bureau contract to promote tourism, a renewal of the Columbia County Cares lease for the Appling building (lease amount not specified in the discussion), and a contract with Bliss Products and Services for replacement shade structures at Patriots Park in the amount of $141,566 (insurance coverage to be determined), among other routine renewals and consent items.

These items were moved, seconded and approved on the consent calendar. The transcript shows motions and seconds but does not record roll-call vote tallies for these items.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Columbia County | Committee Meetings (April 22nd)","oneSentenceSummary","Columbia County commissioners approved multiple routine contract renewals and service agreements on the consent agenda, including tax-collection contracts, a senior-meals agreement at $3 per meal and an extension-service reimbursement of $240,988.","taxTitle","Columbia County, Georgia","taxId",12804,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6265493,"Public Works committee approves multiple stormwater, road and facility contracts including $542,031 change order at Sugar Creek site",235,2248000,2483000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3090815-d558d4749d08970542415ee66d5b60a8&start=2248&end=2483","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3090815-d558d4749d08970542415ee66d5b60a8/thumbnail_2248000.jpg","/articles/6265493/Columbia-County/Georgia/Public-Works-committee-approves-multiple-stormwater-road-and-facility-contracts-including-542031-change-order-at-Sugar-Creek-site","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6265493-7542639dc652d759b41930aef8d292bf/orig.mp4?Expires=1771055938&Signature=iq5kwzxiOqcJ0B27N16Vu3TDfIWAq2wyknq8vW8QzFi-lO56xXq6NDMi~FZ1riOe0OjeyNOszpCzzSNVpa5I9hC9gxCb2rlv1n9dtrurSzoLYMiTjfTxR6j1XkwxfdlUykjX0~Z32Ic0jGS4MSvMr~OfDUaQjUluAF5W042DfM580yIUshI3WY8FuHik2ulPtDgWKOdcUtCad8T17B7~pgmXi64sdWRznMS5d~sVpC0C01C3nEZLmKpBZBcrsuNlxTDkQUjGNH5yndltFw6coMGWg6-WE-SMrEzKgFRmyPRufFEhFG9~w7gzeuZ0bHDGLmewOtV5ZLxxm4HOI5j5Dg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Public Works and Engineering Services Committee approved multiple construction and professional services contracts covering stormwater rehabilitation, roadway resurfacing and building systems, including a sizeable change order at the Sugar Creek booster station.

Mr. Gordon, Public Works staff, told the committee that an unexpected condition at the Sugar Creek booster station site required relocating a septic drain field, upsizing the system for current fire-department occupancy, removing contaminated soil and clearing a new site. He said the work led to a change order “that is, dollars 542,000, dollars 31.25.” Staff recommended approval and the committee moved the item forward.

Committee members approved a TriScapes contract for Lakeside Park green-infrastructure improvements totaling $476,404.70, about 50% of which staff said will be reimbursed through an EPA Section 319 grant. The project rehabilitates three existing bioretention systems, constructs a new bioretention area next to the parking lot and installs a permeable trail; the contractor will have 135 days to complete the work.

Other stormwater and wastewater items approved include a $283,884 contract with Cajun Construction for UV lining of corrugated metal storm drain pipe (13,68 linear feet across multiple locations) funded from SPLOST 23–28, and a separate $18,250 design contract with Southern Civil Solutions for a Marshall Place storm-drain UV lining project.

Public Works also approved professional design work and repairs across utilities and roads: a $79,400 design contract with Blue Water Engineering for Mill Branch culvert replacement after a hydraulic analysis found two 72‑inch culverts undersized for a 25‑year storm; a $72,930 independent-contractor agreement for bar‑screen repairs at Little River and Reek Creek wastewater plants; and a rejected bid for the Crawford Creek generator (staff had budgeted $250,000; the bid came in at $466,000 and staff recommended rebid).

The committee approved a $689,722 preliminary-through-final design contract with Pond & Company for the Clary Cut Road–Old Union Road tier‑2 project and accepted multiple resurfacing and rehabilitation contracts: a $737,459.50 bid award to Southern Asphalt for Wildwood Park resurfacing and a $3,241,864.42 contract with Beams Contracting for multiple Fort Eisenhower road rehabilitations to be reimbursed by the base, plus other TABT- and SPLOST‑funded projects. A $702,241.18 purchase of a video wall and workstations for the new Building A traffic control center was approved to be paid from 2024 PFA bonds.

Committee discussion touched on timelines and funding. Jacob Center, preconstruction staff, explained Fort Eisenhower reimburses work as federal funding becomes available; the base provides a portion up front and reimburses the county as projects are completed. On the Crawford Creek generator, staff said they will seek options to meet the originally budgeted amount.

All listed items were moved, seconded and carried as part of the committee’s consent/debate agenda. Specific roll-call vote tallies were not read into the transcript.","The Public Works and Engineering Services Committee approved a slate of contracts and a $542,031.25 change order for the Sugar Creek booster-station project after discovering unexpected septic-drain-field and soil issues during construction.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6265498,"Columbia County approves one-year Gold Cross ambulance contract with larger county subsidy, service changes",231,1436000,1667000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3090815-d558d4749d08970542415ee66d5b60a8&start=1436&end=1667","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3090815-d558d4749d08970542415ee66d5b60a8/thumbnail_1436000.jpg","/articles/6265498/Columbia-County/Georgia/Columbia-County-approves-one-year-Gold-Cross-ambulance-contract-with-larger-county-subsidy-service-changes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6265498-975a9ae1d9a0becba015ea0197ffcc67/orig.mp4?Expires=1771055938&Signature=j5X6NLXfX8HN9kDwjG1ZdhmujfHhg~hgvklyHCWBkrjhcPuXRAl5OiGmgqNsNDOyajMBxkvZsPP9FSN0eTwcABorckmp4qlpEw2Y2tt93aUi2eqoMfsapNfCQfs~bF-WoGWUUthQBYSSIqHuLjTuj7EX219H1cL66LXfR~L2iGQwHAWnOpYUkdKbnB1bwNeUzZyhQtrSXAjIRflIDxOb6PDcLIPvJylON1u2I2FE2GQ5JrLNiiMUVPErOSqZCnBDf2ba8AYBXIu6U917Toe2fb1udCHtRYxFnRKrEJVAuhQE7vTbBQk0BTtqISQjJrDDx7IkfmoQ3OaHSY65Zpt8cQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Columbia County commissioners approved a one-year contract with Gold Cross for emergency and nonemergency ambulance services that raises the county subsidy to $1,543,750 annually and takes effect June 1.

County staff presented the contract to commissioners, saying the agreement will add “an additional 24 hour ALS ambulance, so we'll have a total of 8 in the county,” and will also add a BLS ambulance 12 hours a day Monday through Friday. The contract reduces quick-response vehicles (QRVs) from three to one and adjusts billing limits for insured patients, staff said.

The change increases the annual subsidy from the figure staff described as previously around $850,000 to $1,543,750. A county presenter said staff recommends approval and that the subsidy increases are covered in part by current fiscal-year savings in the EMS budget and are budgeted for FY 2026.

Commissioners asked about how performance will be measured. A county presenter said the key performance indicator (KPI) is that Gold Cross maintain the required number of ambulances 24 hours a day, seven days a week. He also said the county monitors response times quarterly and requires Gold Cross to report any response time exceeding 30 minutes. He added that Gold Cross meets traditional contractual response-time targets more than 90% of the time.

A Gold Cross representative told the board, “We feel confident that we can do this, otherwise we wouldn't agree to it,” and said staffing challenges are a nationwide issue but that Gold Cross expects to maintain the contracted staffing levels.

The contract was moved, seconded and approved as part of the meeting’s consent/debate items.

The vote record for the motion was not read into the transcript; the transcript shows the motion was moved and seconded and the chair announced the item as carried.","The county approved a one-year contract with Gold Cross that raises the annual subsidy to $1,543,750, adds one 24-hour ALS ambulance and a part‑time BLS unit, and changes response-unit mix and billing limits; the contract is effective June 1.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Commissioners approve routine contract renewals and service agreements including tax-collection contracts, senior meals and extension-service staffing

Public Works committee approves multiple stormwater, road and facility contracts including $542,031 change order at Sugar Creek site

Columbia County approves one-year Gold Cross ambulance contract with larger county subsidy, service changes