Tift County commissioners schedule Nov. 13 votes on equipment buys, grants, park change order and demolition

At a Nov. 7 workshop, County Manager Jim Carter told the Tift County Board of Commissioners that staff will place a slate of procurement, grant and project items on the Nov. 13 regular meeting agenda, including the recommended purchase of a leased D5K2 dozer, a purpose-built side-arm mower, several public-safety grant applications and a change order for EB Hamilton Park.

Carter said the county can exercise its option to purchase the leased D5K2 dozer, which has 2,240 hours, for $63,000. He said Public Works Director Jason Jordan will attend the Nov. 13 meeting to answer technical questions. Carter added that, should the board approve the purchase, staff recommends buying a 60-month/3,000-hour parts-and-labor warranty for $6,230.

The county received five bids for a side-arm mowing tractor. Carter said staff recommends the Reynolds-Warren Energreen Aspen machine with an additional Aspen saw blade head at a combined cost of $270,367.64 to be paid from T-SPLOST funds because it is a purpose-built machine tailored to the county's needs.

Public Safety Director Joey Fowler briefed the board on several grant opportunities and equipment needs. He said the fire department was awarded a $500 Georgia Arson Control equipment grant for photography gear and requested acceptance of that award. Fowler also asked to renew the annual City of Tifton Fire Training Center use agreement at a budgeted cost of $6,000, to apply for the Georgia Forestry Commission Volunteer Fire Assistance grant (project total $4,056; county match $2,028) and to apply for a Norfolk Southern Safety First grant to acquire three 4-gas monitors, two single-gas monitors and a thermal imaging camera (estimated total $7,057; no county match).

Fowler said Engine 55, which serves the Chula area, required more extensive work than initially estimated; Rush Truck Center estimated repairs at $24,000 but a new crate engine would cost $30,505.47. After weighing cost and warranty considerations, staff recommended purchasing the new crate engine and will present that recommendation at the regular meeting.

Fowler also said the Georgia Trauma Commission's FY24 allocation provides up to $745.31 per licensed ambulance. With eight licensed ambulances, Tift County's allotment is $5,962.51 for eligible trauma-related equipment.

Carter reported a $141,000 change order request for EB Hamilton Park Phase 1 site work after heavy summer rainfall prevented county crews from completing the pre-bid earthwork. The change order would have the contractor finish detention and grading work to keep the project on schedule.

Other items slated for Nov. 13 include a request to use ARPA interest to buy Animal Control supplies (estimated $8,600), demolition of a county-owned unsafe property at 983 Lower Brookfield Road (low bid $13,464 from Peachtree Construction & Design), a surplus-vehicle resolution (Resolution No. 2023-17) for Animal Control and the sheriff's office, an alcohol-license application for Eldorado Food Mart LLC (applicant Maksudur Rahman) and an appointment to the Library Board for an elected-officials seat (Commissioner Melissa Hughes indicated willingness to serve).

None of the items required formal action at the workshop; the board indicated its desire to place each item on the Nov. 13 regular meeting agenda for final consideration.

The regular meeting is scheduled for Nov. 13, when staff and relevant department heads, including Public Works Director Jason Jordan and Public Safety Director Joey Fowler, are expected to be available to answer commissioners' questions.