Columbia County committee approves consent docket including senior transit grant, library agreement and multiple infrastructure contracts

The Public Works and Engineering Services Committee in Columbia County approved a broad consent docket that included a state grant for senior transit, a library service agreement, donations and a series of infrastructure contracts and change orders.

Speaker 5 presented a Georgia Department of Human Services grant to support public transit rides to the senior center, noting the grant would be reimbursed in FY26 “at $18 per” (the transcript uses the term "bridal," which is unclear). The committee approved the grant and associated contract signature authority for the chairman on consent. Speaker 5 also reported donations listed for the same services: Richard Jeffries ($100), Stephanie Kranach ($250) and Attic Treasures ($3,000); staff recommended approval and the committee accepted those donations.

Also on consent, Speaker 5 presented a service agreement with the Columbia County Library System outlining services, budget appropriations and salary-reimbursement provisions; the Library Board previously approved the agreement and staff recommended board approval. The committee approved the agreement.

Multiple small procurement and construction items were approved on the consent docket, including a radius encroachment easement with the Georgia Department of Transportation to allow a private driveway radius to encroach in front of county right-of-way (Speaker 2), an independent contract with Dukes Root Control to perform inflow/infiltration studies in the Jones Creek area ($64,999.58), and an urgent valve purchase to keep a scheduled waterline cleaning project on track (six valves, $203,750). Staff recommended each item and motions to approve were made and seconded; the transcript records consent approvals but does not record roll-call tallies.

Other consent approvals included: a roofing retrofit contract with Thompson Roofing for the Columbia County CARES Building ($70,965); Change Order No. 3 for the Miramar Drive storm sewer project ($119,339.18); the 2026 Local Maintenance & Improvement Grant (LMIG) application (formula allocation of $2,143,819.46 and a total requested project budget of $3,121,522.14 including a 10% local match and prior savings); a contract award to TriScapes LLC for the I‑20 gateway signage and landscaping project ($345,831.77); an abatement/demolition contract with Anderson Environmental ($37,222); geotechnical services from UES Professional Solutions ($49,048.13); a Pond & Company change order for expanded engineering on the North Fairview realignment ($133,165); and acceptance of improvements at Greenpoint Phase 3 (roads, stormwater, water and sewer) contingent on staff approval.

The committee voted these items through on voice consent; specific vote tallies were not recorded in the transcript and no member registered a recorded dissent in the provided text.

The committee moved a single executive-session item to the full board and adjourned at 08:56.