Macon Bibb Commission approves consent agenda: roofing, airport parking, sidewalks, grants, jail expansion funding and more
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Summary
In a packed consent agenda the commission approved contracts for airport roofing and parking, sidewalk analysis and multiple construction change orders, accepted state homeland security grants, authorized a GMP for a law enforcement center expansion, approved LRA and stewardship grants, and renamed Linear Park. Most items were moved to and approved on the consent agenda.
The Macon Bibb County Commission approved a broad consent agenda and several standalone motions at its April 7, 2026 meeting, moving a range of agreements, appropriations and grant acceptances to formal approval.
Key votes and approvals — all were moved, seconded and recorded in the meeting as carried and placed on the consent agenda:
- Airport roofing: a contract with Benton Roofing for replacement of roofs on two hangars at Middle Georgia Regional Airport for $1,639,982, to be paid from the airport fund.
- Automated parking: an agreement with ParkingBox Corp for an automated parking system at the Middle Georgia Regional Airport for $114,584 from the airport fund.
- Fire station alert systems: Bricks Inc. contract for $1,256,750 to upgrade alert systems paid from public‑safety funds.
- Progressive Communications: a change order of $23,551.96 for district attorney communications and data services.
- Root Analytics: a $45,000 contract extension for street outreach and a required point‑in‑time count (see separate coverage for the debate and questions about Brookdale Resource Center).
- Sidewalk analysis: agreement with StreetScan USA/City Logix for sidewalk analysis at $394,167 to prioritize repairs and new sidewalk construction.
- Walnut Street: a change order for Buxton Construction adding $218,249.11 for phase 1 roadway and parking improvements; total appropriation cited for phase 1 in the discussion was $429,978.74 from SPOTS funds.
- Bloomfield Gilead playground: purchase and installation of playground equipment with Compton for $149,982.
- Capital package from 2018 SPOTS funds: mayor and staff described a multi‑line package (transcript lists roughly $9,000,996.848; formatting in the transcript is unclear) including funds for fire alerts, sheriff equipment, sidewalks, courthouse IT upgrades, turnout gear and approximately $4,000,000 cited for a jail expansion.
- Law enforcement center GMP: authorized a guaranteed maximum price of $1,244,030 for phase 1 of a law enforcement center expansion (demolition of the Higgins Building and initial site work); phase 2 interior work to follow.
- Grants accepted: multiple FY25 state homeland security grants through the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency were accepted: $7,550 for hazmat suits and rescue equipment; $41,700 for specialized search and rescue equipment and training; and $489,850 for explosive ordnance disposal equipment and training for the sheriff’s office (no local match required).
- Local Road Assistance (LRA): authorized application for $2,901,181.85 in LRA funds to pave an estimated 29 miles of road (list of candidate roads appended to the exhibits).
- Georgia Outdoor Stewardship: accepted a $1,000,000 award for the Old Muggy Heritage Trail (Rose Hill Cemetery) with required local match from NewTown Macon Inc.; commissioners asked about security and long‑term maintenance.
- Budget transfer: an intra‑fund transfer of $168,000 within the airport fund from fuel/lubricants to building improvements to pay for roof repairs.
- Renaming: the commission approved renaming Linear Park to Willis B. Sheftall Senior Legacy Park after resident consultation and a neighborhood vote; Alex Morrison (director of planning and public spaces) explained the process.
- Executive session / settlement: after executive session the commission added and approved a supplemental appropriation of $135,000 from the general fund to the county attorney’s judgments and losses line to settle a 2024 vehicle‑accident claim (RG).
What the record shows: Most items were passed by voice vote and placed on the consent agenda; the meeting transcript contains the motions and carries but generally does not include roll‑call vote counts. Several items prompted brief technical questions (for example, Clay Murphy answered questions about Walnut Street and the SPOTS package), and the sheriff described the purpose of the EOD grant and equipment upgrades.
The commission approved minutes from March 24, 2026 and the consent agenda a–t as published. Items approved on the consent agenda will be reflected in the official minutes and procurement records.
Note on figures: a few monetary amounts in the transcript appear with unclear formatting (for example the SPOTS appropriation figure appears as "$9,000,996.848" in the transcript). Where transcript formatting made exact totals ambiguous, the text indicates the amounts as stated in the meeting and flags unclear items for staff records.
