Board approves multiple road, bridge and service contracts; insurance premium increase adopted

Bulloch County commissioners unanimously approved a package of construction contracts, change orders and procurement items covering bridge and road repairs, right‑of‑way services and facility upgrades, and they approved grant applications and other operational purchases. Separately, the board approved a proposed 10 percent increase in employee health‑insurance premiums by a 4–1 vote.

What the board approved (key items)

• Replacement vehicles: Approved purchase of six replacement work trucks from Allen J Fleet Sales totaling $491,602 for solid waste, fleet maintenance and transportation (unanimous).

• Nevels Denmark Road culvert: Approved contract with Reeves Construction Company for the Nevels Denmark Road box‑culvert replacement project ($924,900) with funding from TSPLOST and mitigation assistance pending from FEMA and GEMA (unanimous).

• 2 Chop Road change order: Approved a change order with Sykes Brothers Inc. ($292,755.25) to add paving of McPhatter’s Lane and additional driveway pipes and paving not in the original design; county staff said the original bid came in below budget and available funds covered the additions (unanimous).

• Cypress Lake Road bridge (state grant application): Approved application to Georgia DOT for local road assistance funding ($2,247,332.40) to design and construct the Cypress Lake Road at Dry Branch bridge replacement (unanimous).

• Engineering services for Cypress Lake bridge: Approved a contract with Heath and Lineback for engineering design services ($378,300) to be funded by local assistance funds administered by GDOT (unanimous).

• Right‑of‑way acquisition services: Approved a task order (FY25ROWE01) with JMT ($54,600) for right‑of‑way acquisition on Hightower Road and Josh Smith Road projects (unanimous).

• Concrete headwalls on Deacol Road: Approved contract with McClendon Enterprises ($119,944.55) for reinforced concrete headwalls, wing walls and aprons to protect recently installed pipe (unanimous).

• Splash in the Burrow Aquatic Center: Approved purchase of a dome liner and pool tarp from Horizon Building Systems ($112,479); funding was shifted from leftover playground funds (unanimous).

• Emergency generators/grant permission: Authorized EMA to apply for GEMA grants to purchase generators and weather‑monitoring equipment for critical facilities (unanimous).

• Employee health insurance: Approved a county recommendation to increase employee health‑insurance premiums by 10 percent for the next fiscal year (motion passed 4–1).

What the board did not do

• Formal septage committee: A motion to form a formal county committee on septage disposal was made and seconded but later withdrawn after discussion of open‑meetings requirements; the chair will contact stakeholders to form an informal working group instead.

Voting and procedural notes

• Many procurement and construction items were approved by unanimous voice vote or recorded as unanimous; the health‑insurance premium change was the lone recorded split (4 in favor, 1 opposed).

• Several projects (notably culvert and road repairs) are being advanced with TSPLOST funds while the county pursues FEMA/GEMA mitigation reimbursements; staff said some reimbursements remain pending and that the county has already received an expedited GEMA payment discussed elsewhere on the agenda.

Sources and next steps

County staff and project engineers said design work and permit reviews are expected to continue and that construction schedules will depend on permitting and contractor timelines. Commissioners directed staff to proceed with grant filings, right‑of‑way closings and contract administration as authorized at the meeting.