The Liberty County Board of Commissioners voted Thursday to reject the competitive bids for the Susie King Taylor Park walking trail and approved a $202,595 change order to RL Construction to complete the work.

County staff told commissioners that rejecting the low competitive bid and issuing a change order to the county's current contractor would reduce cost and shorten the project schedule. According to the recommendation presented to the board, the rejected contract price was $266,731; the proposed change order to RL Construction was $202,595, a difference the staff and commissioners described in the meeting as a savings of roughly $66,000.

County staff said the change order would allow the contractor already working on curb and gutter on the site to add the trail work and finish more quickly. Staff also said negotiating the change order avoids the additional calendar time required for executing a new contract: the change order would carry a 60-day completion term versus about 120 days plus 30 days to execute a new contract.

Commissioners voted on two related motions at the meeting: first to reject the bids received for the walking trail, and then to approve the change order to RL Construction. Both motions passed on a voice/hand vote. Commissioners discussed contract timing and whether lighting would be part of the work; staff said lighting is being coordinated with Georgia Power and was not part of the change order submitted for the trail construction.

The county attorney and staff said the recommendation had been discussed with the current contractor and with other bidders before the item was brought for the board's vote.

The project is part of broader park work at Susie King Taylor Park (previously identified in meeting materials as Jones Creek Park). Staff earlier in the meeting said the county submitted a Georgia Outdoor Stewardship preapplication for park work and that the walking trail bid prices were evaluated in that funding context.

Votes at a glance

- Reject bids for King Taylor Park walking trail: motion passed (mover: Jim; second: Commissioner Stevens). Vote counts not specified in the transcript.
- Approve change order to RL Construction for $202,595: motion passed (mover: Jim; second: Commissioner Stevens). Vote counts not specified in the transcript.

Next steps noted by staff included executing the change order paperwork and coordinating with Georgia Power on separate lighting installations for the park.