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Valdosta council approves Scott Park improvements, airport grant and railway encroachment
Summary
Council approved ARPA-funded Scott Park improvement bids (recommended total $1,152,000), accepted a $1.2 million GDOT airport grant for runway and safety-area work with matching airport funds, and approved a railroad encroachment agreement for a water-line installation tied to a new water treatment plant.
At its May 7 meeting the Valdosta Mayor and Council approved several infrastructure and capital items: bids for Scott Park improvements tied to an ARPA grant, acceptance of a Georgia Department of Transportation grant for runway electrical and safety-area improvements at Valdosta Regional Airport, and a license/encroachment agreement with Georgia Southern and Florida Railway for a water-line installation.
City Engineer Ben O’Dowd reported four responsive bids for the Scott Park project. The low responsive general-contractor bid to Artesian Contracting Company was $456,319.16; GameTime, the preferred cooperative vendor for playground equipment, provided a competitive quote of $432,616.33. O’Dowd said staff recommended awarding the low bid plus equipment and contingencies to align with the approved grant total. His recommendation totaled $1,152,000 (Artesian contract for $652,000 including contingency and GameTime for $500,000 including contingency). Council moved and approved those awards.
Council members asked whether bathroom repairs were included; O’Dowd said bathroom repairs were not part of the ARPA grant scope and that bathroom damage earlier (fire/vandalism) would be addressed separately by park operations as appropriate. Council also discussed conversion of old tennis courts into combined basketball/pickleball facilities; O’Dowd said the planned combination area would include multiple basketball courts and three pickleball courts.
For the airport, the council approved a resolution accepting $1,200,000 from the Georgia Department of Transportation to pay for runway electrical improvements and runway safety-area work on runway 18/36; the Valdosta Lowndes County Airport Authority will provide up to $400,000 in matching or local share and no general-city funds were required.
Utilities Director Jason Barnes presented a license and encroachment agreement with Georgia Southern and Florida Railway enabling installation of a 20-inch ductile iron water main (and a 28-inch steel casing) to feed a new Water Treatment Plant No. 2; the railroad permit fee is $25,161.14. Council approved the agreement.
Next steps: staff will execute contracts and proceed with procurement and construction as allowed by grant conditions and the encroachment agreement; bathroom repairs at Scott Park remain a separate follow-up item.
