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Whitfield County approves budget amendment, contracts and several capital purchases
Summary
The Board of Commissioners approved a 2022 budget amendment, contracted private probation services, authorized purchases including 600 weather radios and park bleachers, and ratified construction change orders at its April 10 meeting.
The Whitfield County Board of Commissioners on April 10 approved a set of budget, contract and capital items, including a 2022 budget amendment and multiple procurement awards.
The board approved 2022 budget amendments showing a net revenue increase of $4.4 million and a net expense increase of $1.26 million, which included an additional pension contribution of $1.9 million, Comptroller James Garvin presented the February financials showing year-to-date revenues of $6,591,326, $453,791 above projections.
The board voted 3-0 to enter into a contract with Alternative Probation Services, Inc. to provide general probation, fine-collection and related services for certain misdemeanors in Magistrate Court. Commissioner Greg Jones moved to approve the contract; Commissioner Barry W. Robbins seconded the motion.
On emergency preparedness, the commissioners approved purchasing 600 weather radios to be paid from the GEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant (4579-001) that Whitfield County received. Commissioner Barry W. Robbins moved approval; Commissioner Greg Jones seconded and the motion passed 3-0.
Parks and Recreation purchases were also approved. The board accepted Outdoor Aluminum’s bid of $266,784 for soccer bleachers at Westside Park and authorized $16,350 for panels at Riverbend Park; funding for both items is from the voter-approved 2020 SPLOST.
The board ratified two construction-related change orders with Bartow Paving Co.: a $21,610.80 increase for McGaughey-Chapel Road to install an additional under-road pipe (raising that contract from $298,095 to $319,705) and a $5,295 ratification for an extra handrail at the Tax Commissioner parking project (part of a $15,295 change order total, which exceeded the county administrator’s approval threshold). Both ratifications were approved 3-0.
Fleet spending approved included purchasing a 2021 Ford Explorer from Ford of Dalton for $39,000 (to replace a Ford Expedition) using 2020 SPLOST funds, and awarding a contract to West Chatham Warning Devices of Savannah, Ga., for $251,682.70 to upfit 25 previously approved Dodge Durango patrol vehicles. Both votes were unanimous.
The board also extended the county administration office lease with Triple E. Properties, LLC for the 3rd–5th floors of the Wells Fargo Bank building at 201 S. Hamilton Street through Dec. 31, 2023 at a monthly rent of $15,630.
The board approved each item by roll-call motions and recorded 3-0 votes for the motions noted above. The board did not debate the substance of the GEMA grant-funded radios or the fleet upfits during the meeting minutes; materials presented to the board specified source funding (GEMA grant and SPLOST) for those items.
What’s next: the contracts and purchases will proceed under the awarded vendors and the county will schedule any required follow-up reporting tied to grant or SPLOST funding.
