County awards $1.82M LMIG contract, approves LRA bridge list and Alvaton Road plan

Meriwether County commissioners awarded the 2026 Local Maintenance & Improvement Grant (LMIG) resurfacing contract to C.W. Matthews after EMC opened bids on May 21 and recommended the low bidder. C.W. Matthews submitted the low bid of $1,823,088; other bids ranged higher, with the next-lowest at about $2.08 million.

County Administrator John Gorton told the Board the LMIG award, combined with the 30 percent local match, left a funding gap of approximately $598,430 if the bid package included Coleman Creek Circle, King Road and two miles of Alvaton Road. Administrators and Public Works Director Brian Griffith outlined alternatives: (1) accept the bid and fund the shortfall from TSPLOST; (2) remove two miles of Alvaton Road from the LMIG package and rebid or pursue the extra mileage separately via LRA or a separate bid; or (3) rebid the full Alvaton scope.

After extensive discussion about in-house capacity, shuttle-buggy costs and bids, the Board voted to award the LMIG project to C.W. Matthews for $1,823,088 with the added local funding to come from TSPLOST as needed.

Separately, the Board reviewed the 2026 LRA candidate lists. Some bridges originally proposed were ineligible (CSX-owned, outside county, or already repaired). Public Works recommended Murray Road, Harman Road and Beaver Lake Road as prioritized bridge projects that fit the 2026 LRA allocation; the Board approved a motion to use LRA funds for those bridges and to bid the remaining Alvaton Road work (3.5 miles) with any residuals funded from remaining 2024 LRA funds or Fund Balance/TSPLOST as necessary.

What's next: C.W. Matthews will be issued the LMIG notice to proceed under the terms approved; staff will prepare procurement documents for the separately bid Alvaton remainder and confirm project funding sources before awarding additional contracts.