Commission approves tax office renovation contract; commissioners and tax commissioner debate vault, timeline and security staffing

The Upson County Board of Commissioners approved a contract for renovations at the Drake building to house the tax commissioner’s office after staff used an RFP/design-build solicitation and a review panel recommended a local contractor, but the vote followed extended discussion about missing design elements, timetable and security. Staff said two proposals were received for the project and scoring narrowly favored the county’s local contractor, Flint Contracting. Staff recommended awarding the work and adding a design contingency (25% of the proposal) to cover unknowns discovered during demolition and design. Staff estimated a base construction figure and recommended a total project budget that included contingencies and allowances. Tax Commissioner Brandon (referred to as the tax commissioner in the meeting) asked that the board ensure the new space accommodate a vault and that the square footage match the office’s needs. County staff and the tax commissioner disagreed about the square footage in the RFP: staff said the RFP referenced 2,300 square feet, while an architect’s on-site measurement showed about 1,956 square feet was actually available; staff noted that a bid response flagged that vault space was missing from its proposed layout and that any redesign would require re-calculation of price. Deputy staff and facilities said the RFP materials included a conceptual floor plan (Attachment G) that referenced a vault requirement but that one bidder explicitly noted the vault omission in its exclusions. Tax Commissioner Brandon also requested that the county add a security guard position for the new tax office and proposed a part-time start or off-duty law-enforcement coverage; he cited recent robberies and daily cash deposits as reasons to provide on-site security or other escorted deposit arrangements. Commissioners debated options including direct hiring, off-duty deputies, or contracting a security firm; the board did not adopt an immediate security-hire appropriation at the meeting but directed staff to consider options during budget season and to evaluate coordinated security coverage for the Drake building once departments move. During the procurement review, commissioners asked staff to confirm whether the lowest-scoring proposer had included the vault as required and whether the difference in the contractors’ timelines (one bidder said September; another estimated completion in January) affected the county’s decision. After discussion, the board moved to approve the recommended contractor (Flint Contracting) and contingency; commissioners noted that final design details and cost adjustments will be addressed in the follow-on design phase. Action: Motion to approve the county’s recommended contractor and project budget (including contingency) passed. The board did not approve a budget amendment to hire a security guard immediately, but several commissioners asked staff to include security options in the upcoming budget process. Why it matters: The renovation will move tax office operations to the Drake building; the discussion highlighted the county’s need to resolve secure storage (vault) standards and to plan for day-to-day security of funds and staff as the office’s footprint and operations move.