Holly Springs council approves contracts, change orders and fee changes in routine session

Holly Springs City Council on Feb. 21 approved a run of routine items covering ordinances, fee schedule changes, contracts, and change orders, voting unanimously on each measure.

After the meeting’s awards and a public presentation, the council approved: an ordinance updating Chapter 66 (utility accommodations) to reflect state law changes; a resolution to amend the municipal fee schedule for right-of-way applications; and a memorandum of understanding with the Cherokee County Board of Tax Assessors to meet timing provisions in House Bill 581.

Councilmembers also approved several procurement items and contracts listed in the meeting packet:

- Change Order No. 16 with Vertical Earth, Inc. for the Town Center parking deck, $5,126, cited as needed because of parking-deck location and existing stormwater infrastructure adjustments. - Change Order No. 1 with Summit Construction and Development LLC for the Holly Springs Parkway widening phase 3 and City Hall parking expansion, not to exceed $1,117,009.83, to add retaining walls and related site work; staff said funding will come from SPLOST 6. - Contract award for the citywide sidewalk repair and street tree removal project (RFB 2024-11) to Smiles Tree and Waste Services LLC, not to exceed $60,000; staff said the list includes homeowner requests compiled by community development. - Multiple quotes and service agreements funded from the Urban Redevelopment Agency Series 2023 bond for Town Center parking deck roofing, fascia/soffit work, and ornamental stair rails totaling tens of thousands of dollars; staff recommended the low bidders and cited reference checks. - A phone-hardware purchase ($4,715) and an annual Cloud Voice service agreement with Encore Technology Group; staff said the new service would reduce monthly voice-line costs from roughly $2,500 to about $500. - A 36-month lease renewal with Great American Financial Services for two multifunction copiers in the Public Safety Building and a printing-services agreement with Duplicating Products for click-based printing charges; staff said retaining existing equipment will yield monthly savings.

During public comment, resident and local contractor Doug Hocker urged clearer bid specifications and asked the city to account for local bidders and post-award performance issues; he said one prior contractor, MD Residential, failed to complete work satisfactorily in multiple locations and that homeowners were left to pay to repair defects. Staff responded that the city checks references, held a preconstruction meeting, and compiles homeowner-requested lists via community development for projects such as the sidewalk/tree contract.

All motions were recorded in the meeting transcript as passing unanimously where votes were taken; the meeting adjourned after brief reports and congratulations to award recipients.

Votes at a glance

- Consent agenda: approved (motion recorded "Motion passes 4 0"). - Item A (Vision Zero resolution): approved 4-0 (see separate article). - Item B (Ordinance, Chapter 66 utility accommodations): approved 4-0. - Item C (Resolution, Municipal Services Master Fee Schedule — ROW fees): approved 4-0. - Item D (MOU with Cherokee County Board of Tax Assessors regarding HB 581): approved 4-0. - Item E (Change Order No. 16, Vertical Earth, Inc.): approved 4-0; amount $5,126. - Item F (Triad Building Solutions roofing quote): approved 4-0; amount not to exceed $19,007.88. - Item G (Akua/CUA Builders fascia/soffit quote): approved 4-0; amount not to exceed $24,007.62. - Item H (ST Metal Works ornamental rails): approved 4-0; amount not to exceed $67,500. - Item I (Change Order No. 1, Summit Construction — Parkway widening): approved 4-0; amount not to exceed $1,117,009.83; funded from SPLOST 6. - Item J (Citywide sidewalk repair & street tree removal — Smiles Tree and Waste Services LLC): approved 4-0; amount not to exceed $60,000. - Item K (Cook's Pest Control monthly service at 220 Stringer Road): approved 4-0; initial $120 then $85/month. - Item L (Cook's Pest Control Centricon termite system at 220 Stringer Road): approved 4-0; $599 initial year. - Item M (Encore telephone hardware): approved 4-0; $4,715. - Item N (Encore Cloud Voice service agreement): approved 4-0; staff projected monthly savings from ~$2,500 to ~$500. - Item O (Great American Financial Services copier lease renewal): approved 4-0; 36-month lease extension for two units. - Item P (Duplicating Products printing services): approved 4-0.

The council did not vote to withhold or postpone any of the listed items; staff noted various funding sources in the packet where applicable (Urban Redevelopment Agency Series 2023 bond, SPLOST 6).