Dougherty County commissioners approve contracts, grants and project allocations; Putney Park center gets up-to-$1.8M allocation

Dougherty County commissioners on April 21 approved a slate of contracts, grant applications and funding transfers, including a contract for landfill parking improvements, mechanical-system replacements at county facilities, a drone purchase for county public safety use and an allocation of up to $1.8 million for the Putney Park Community Center.

The board voted unanimously to accept the lowest responsive bid for landfill parking improvements from Reeves Construction of Albany, Ga., for $268,353.30. County staff said funding is budgeted in the solid waste infrastructure improvement account.

Commissioners also approved quotes to replace air handler units No. 3 and No. 6 and upgrade controls at the Dougherty County Health Department for a combined $146,161.45. One commissioner stated on the record that they were abstaining from that vote; the clerk recorded the final tally as six votes in favor and one abstention.

A separate vote to replace an air-cooled chiller and upgrade controls at the Robert Cross Events Center passed with the same recorded tally: $82,893.08 in combined expenditures and one abstention noted on the record.

The board approved a $28,164.80 purchase of a drone package for Dougherty County Police (DCP) that includes aircraft, pilot training, cloud software and a one-year warranty. Commissioners asked the county attorney to brief the board later about privacy and deployment rules for drones; the attorney agreed to follow up. The drone purchase was passed by unanimous consent.

Other unanimous actions included: acceptance and execution of a judicial alternatives/probation services agreement effective January 2025 on behalf of the Superior Court; approval for juvenile court to apply for a $380,000 Criminal Justice Incentive Grant for Functional Family Therapy (a 100% grant with no local match); nomination and approval of Daniella Patterson to the Floodplain Management Review Board to fill an unexpired term through Dec. 31, 2027; and contracting work on the joint Albany–Dougherty County comprehensive plan (Goodwin Mills Cawood, $220,230 total; county share $110,115 budgeted for FY2026).

The board also approved the county’s participation in the joint city–county Safe Streets for All plan (SS4A), authorized a $70,000 transfer from general fund contingency to cover the remainder of the fiscal year for the county’s lobbyist contract, and approved the hotel/motel tax transfer (~$14,000) to the convention and visitors bureau (CVB) for tourism promotion.

On a recommendation from the county’s recreation committee, the commission voted to allocate up to $1,800,000 for the Putney Park Community Center project; commissioners debated language, and the motion carried by recorded count (six in favor, one opposed). The board also approved an amendment to chapter 2-3.5 (Animals and Fowl) of the Dougherty County Code of Ordinances by unanimous vote.

Several votes recorded a formal abstention but otherwise passed by majority or unanimous consent as noted on the record. Where the roll call was not read aloud, the clerk recorded tallies in the minutes.

Votes at a glance (motions, totals and outcomes recorded in the meeting): - Approve minutes of prior meetings — unanimous (motion passed by consent). - Landfill parking improvements: Reeves Construction, $268,353.30 — approved (unanimous). - Health Dept. air handlers and controls: $146,161.45 — approved (6 yes, 1 abstention). - Robert Cross Events Center chiller + controls: $82,893.08 — approved (6 yes, 1 abstention). - Drone purchase for DCP (Sky X10 package): $28,164.80 — approved (unanimous). - Judicial alternatives/probation services agreement (effective Jan 2025) — approved (unanimous). - Juvenile Court: apply for $380,000 Criminal Justice Incentive Grant (Functional Family Therapy) — approved (unanimous). - Floodplain Management Review Board appointment: Daniella Patterson (unexpired term to 12/31/2027) — approved (unanimous). - Comprehensive plan consulting contract (GMC Goodwin Mills Cawood): total $220,230, county share $110,115 — approved (unanimous). - Joint city–county Safe Streets for All plan (SS4A) — approved (unanimous). - Transfer $70,000 from general contingency for lobbyist contract — approved (unanimous). - Hotel/motel tax distribution (~$14,000 to CVB) — approved (unanimous). - Putney Park Community Center allocation: up to $1,800,000 — approved (6 yes, 1 no). - Amendment to Code ch. 2-3.5 (animals and fowl) — approved (unanimous).

Board members and staff asked for follow-up documents and legal briefings on a small number of items recorded in the meeting: specifically, (1) the county attorney will report back on legal/privacy issues for drone deployments; (2) staff will provide service and utilization spreadsheets (requested by a commissioner) showing how often new equipment such as drones would be used; and (3) the clerk will file and maintain detailed vote tallies and contract documents in the administrative record.

Commissioners did not adopt any fiscal policy changes beyond the recorded transfers and allocations; several votes carried conditions (budgeted funding, sole-source vendor statements) that were noted on the record.