Tift County approves consent agenda including GDOT grant submittal, bridge work and major equipment purchases

The Tift County Board of Commissioners approved a multi-item consent agenda on April 8 that included grant submittals to the Georgia Department of Transportation, addenda to engineering contracts, and several equipment purchases and bridge project actions.

Key consent items approved without separate discussion included a submittal to GDOT for additional LMIG funds to widen and resurface Chula Brookfield Road (Hwy 41 to the Tift-Irwin County line) and Brighton Road (I-75 to Hwy 125) with an estimated cost of $1,800,000 and funding to come from GDOT and SPLOST VI; an addendum to Watkins & Associates for the Hunt Road project ($29,800, TSPLOST); a supplemental LMIG agreement addendum ($25,050, SPLOST VI); and an addendum for the Safety Action Plan project ($10,800, SPLOST VI).

The board also approved a GDOT grant application for the Safety Action Plan project to stripe and install raised pavement markers on specified road segments (estimated $235,193.92, funded by GDOT and SPLOST VI) and allocated $250,000 of SPLOST VI funds to stripe and install raised pavement markers on three local roads, with direction that residual funds may be used on additional roads if bids come in under budget. Other consent items included purchase approvals for maintenance of two UPS units from Eaton ($10,891, General Fund), a copier for the Sheriff's Office from Ashley's ($19,750, General Fund), purchase of a motorgrader with ditching arm from Yancey CAT ($381,004, TSPLOST/TIA), and an excavator from Yancey CAT ($284,252, TSPLOST/TIA). The board also authorized submittal of bridge replacement requests to GDOT and final acceptance certificates for two TSPLOST/TIA bridge projects.

Commissioner Melissa Hughes moved to approve the consent agenda; Commissioner Greg Wood seconded. The motion carried 6-0.