Committee approves fleet software, infrastructure contracts and utility projects by consent

The Columbia County Engineering Services Committee approved a series of procurement and infrastructure items on consent, including a fleet fuel-management upgrade, facility design work after a fire, water-system closeout work and several construction contracts.

Mr. Schlacter opened the agenda item asking county staff to present a proposal to replace obsolete fuel-dispensing equipment. Mr. Blanchard, speaking for Fleet Services, said the county selected FuelMaster’s FM Live because it provides real-time communications so “as soon as somebody uses a FuelMan card at the fuel island, they'll know about it and they'll be able to track everything as it happens.” Blanchard said initial implementation will cost $24,533.50; the transcript records a $100-per-month card-service agreement and an annual FM Live fee of $5,640 to be paid from Fleet Services operating funds. The committee approved implementation on consent.

On facilities, staff presented a contract with Booker Vick Architects for $62,000 to redesign the Roads and Bridges administration building after a fire damaged part of the facility. Mr. Prather said the contract aims to restore the building to its pre-fire condition and prepare permit-ready documents with a construction timeline of about four to five months.

Mr. Gordon briefed commissioners on several utility and construction items: a final change order that reduces the Blair construction water-system cleaning project by about $36,000 and closes the contract; a sole-source purchase of meters from Sensus totaling $953,143 to replenish inventory for new subdivisions and service needs; and an award of $551,856.05 to Blair Construction to replace the nearly 50-year-old Hunter’s Ridge lift station to standardize pump equipment across the system. The committee approved these items by consent.

On water quality, Gordon described a pilot with Hydrologics for zero-discharge flushing that markedly reduced brown-water calls in several subdivisions. Staff proposed a first four-week phase for $203,595.12, funded as part of a budgeted $600,000 program; the committee approved the phase.

Other consent items included: a lighting agreement with Georgia Power to convert 220 fixtures to LED at no immediate county cost; a gas-service extension with Atlanta Gas Light for a traffic-signal backup generator with a $6,076.15 capital cost and an estimated $720/year service charge through Walton Gas; a facility-use agreement allowing seven bee colonies at the Baker Place Road landfill as part of post-closure habitat work; a prior-rights research contract with SAM for the Herndon Farm Road Widening Project (staff said SAM estimates up to $2.4 million in potential savings); and the county’s annual Title VI Plan renewal required for federal transportation funding.

Where dollar amounts in the transcript were unclear (the change-order figure for Stevens Creek resurfacing appeared as “$287,000 $735” in the audio transcript), staff presented funding sources and LMIG/TIA options; that TIA change order was approved by the committee but the transcript’s precise dollar formatting is ambiguous. The committee also moved three items to the full Board for final action and adjourned after completing the agenda.

The committee did not record roll-call vote tallies in the transcript for items approved on consent; motions were moved and seconded and described in the minutes as "so moved."