Macon‑Bibb commission advances consent agenda: CDBG grants, contracts and a landfill flare purchase; denies one alcohol license

Macon‑Bibb County commissioners on Tuesday moved a package of grants, contracts and procurement items to the consent agenda after brief discussion, approving Community Development Block Grant awards, a landfill flare system purchase and multiple professional services contracts while denying one alcohol license request.

The actions matter because they allocate federal and local funds, advance county construction and economic development projects and confirm contracts that affect probation services, airport work and recreation facilities across Macon‑Bibb.

Most items were approved without extended debate and will be placed on the consent agenda for final approval during the county’s regular meeting. Commissioners heard and approved six CDBG grants including a $100,000 award to First Choice Primary Care and smaller grants to nonprofit service providers; they approved contracts for airport construction oversight and counseling services for state court probation; and they authorized a $285,220 purchase of a landfill flare system from LFG Specialties to support landfill closure compliance. The board also moved forward on an intergovernmental contract and a PILOT (payments in lieu of taxes) arrangement connected to the Gateway 75/D.T. Walton development project near the meeting site.

Commissioners unanimously denied the application for a new alcohol license for Newstart Food Mart LLC doing business as Kitchen Pride after legal staff recommended denial and a commissioner cited recurring constituent complaints about that site.

Votes at a glance (items discussed at the April pre‑commission meeting):

- Approval of minutes from the April 2025 meeting — motion by Commissioner Winn, second Commissioner Stewart; outcome: approved and sent to consent agenda.

- Appointments to Region 5 Emergency Medical Services Council — motion by Commissioner Bronson, second Commissioner Bailey; outcome: approved and sent to consent agenda.

- New alcohol beverage licenses approved (sent to consent agenda): Bombay Curry (doing business as Dream CAJ) — motion Commissioner Bailey, second Commissioner Wynne; Macon Mercer 3737 LLC (3737 Mercer University Drive) — motion Commissioner Howell, second Commissioner Wilder; Doolin Piano Bar (570 Mulberry St., change of ownership) — recommended by legal, motion seconded by Commissioner Wynne; Sunny Bate Live (6024 Moseley Dixon Road) — motion Commissioner Wilder, second Commissioner Bailey. Outcome: each approved and sent to consent agenda.

- New alcohol license denied: Newstart Food Mart LLC (Kitchen Pride) — legal recommended denial; motion to deny made by the mayor (recorded in transcript as Mayor Projancar), second Commissioner Bailey; outcome: denial approved unanimously and sent to consent agenda.

- Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) approved and sent to consent agenda: First Choice Primary Care — $100,000; Crisis Line and Safe House of Central Georgia — $38,500 for shelter services (12‑month period); United Way of Central Georgia — $72,290 for Brookdale Resource Center supplies and meals; Big Brothers Big Sisters, Heart of Georgia — $16,494; Family Advancement Ministries — $15,790.95 for daycare assistance; amendment to River Edge Foundation contract — $180,000 (to be paid from federal CDBG funds). Motions and seconds recorded for each; outcomes: approved and sent to consent agenda.

- Purchase and procurement approvals: LFG Specialties (an Aptum company) — landfill flare system, $285,220 from the 2018 fund closure (motion by Commissioner Bronson; second recorded); outcome: approved and sent to consent agenda. Commissioners discussed methane handling and compliance: "It just burns up that gas," one commissioner said during discussion, and staff confirmed inspections have found no air quality issues.

- Economic development and financing items: authorization to enter an intergovernmental contract with the Macon‑Bibb County Urban Development Authority related to issuance of bonds and a PILOT agreement for the Gateway 75 / D.T. Walton development (parking garage, mixed use retail, multifamily). Motion by Commissioner Winn, second by a recorded second; outcome: approved and sent to consent agenda. Commissioner Stewart requested emphasis on inclusion of minority and female contractors for city projects; that request was recorded for the public record.

- Professional services and construction management: Master services agreement with Rum Creek (Rum Creek Enterprises LLC) for construction management of airport work, including FBO construction — motion Commissioner Bailey, second Commissioner Wynne; outcome: approved and sent to consent agenda. Professional services agreement with Blue Cedar Counseling LLC for clinical treatment assessor services for state court probation — $1,000 per week to be paid from the general fund/state court probation funds; motion recorded and approved.

- SPLOST expenditure: Poolside Inc. — resurfacing Dolores A. Brooks Recreation Center pool, $123,336 to be paid from SPLOST funds; motion Commissioner Bailey, second Commissioner Stewart; outcome: approved and sent to consent agenda. Commissioners asked about timing and whether resurfacing would be completed before the pool season; staff did not guarantee completion before opening.

After completing the business items, the board voted unanimously to go into executive session to discuss potential litigation, settlement claims and other matters allowed by law (motion by Commissioner Waddell, second by Mr. Hewitt).

Meeting context and next steps: The board conducted the pre‑commission meeting in roughly a single block of discussion with many items advanced to the consent agenda; commissioners recognized grant recipients in the room and emphasized logistics for upcoming projects. Final formal approval of the consent items will occur at the regular meeting later the same evening.

(Details on specific contracts, grant terms and the denials are recorded in the county’s published agenda and legal recommendations and will appear on the consent agenda for final adoption at the regular meeting.)