Committee advances array of capital projects and contract awards, from council chambers to detention-center repairs

Beaufort County’s Public Facilities Committee advanced a slate of capital projects and contract awards covering drainage repairs, community center renovations, airport capital improvement planning and facility upgrades.

Key approvals included a contract award for renovation of the administration building and county council chambers ($1,043,059.61) that will gut and rebuild interior finishes, add nine office spaces and replace the dais and council furniture. Robert Getze, interim director for capital projects, summarized scope and timeline: the contract period is up to 180 days and the council chambers will relocate during construction.

The committee also approved multiple projects funded from various capital accounts: a sole-source contract to Pavement Technology Inc. for an asphalt rejuvenator ($400,057.07 contract plus $40,005.71 contingency, total $440,062.77) as part of the county resurfacing program; Hickory Hill drainage improvements ($303,831 task order to JH Hires); Tuxedo Park detention-pond rehabilitation ($474,590.88 task order); and a $2,656,585 exterior repair and stucco/EIFS remediation contract for the detention center. Parks and Recreation capital fund projects moving forward included gymnasium upfits and renovations at the Bluffton and Booker T. Washington community centers.

Bradley, presenting on drainage projects, described the Hickory Hill scope: increasing pipe sizes (from 36 inches to 48 inches in key runs) and piping a deep ditch area because it’s unsafe to maintain as an open ditch. For Tuxedo Park, staff said they will dewater and excavate roughly 6,000 cubic yards of silted material and repave the access after hauling spoils to county disposal property.

Staff also presented Capital Improvement Program (CIP) lists for Buford Executive and Hilton Head Island airports as informational updates; staff explained FAA entitlement and discretionary funding processes and timelines, and said some larger airport requests may require competitive discretionary FAA funding in future years.

Several items approved at committee will appear on county council’s consent agenda the same evening, staff noted. Most contract awards were approved without objection at committee; when projects require further design, staff said they will return with specifications, cost estimates and public outreach as applicable.

Funding sources cited in committee presentations included CTC infrastructure funds for pavement preservation, the stormwater utility account for drainage projects, Parks and Recreation capital funds for community center work, facility management capital funds for administration building work, and the detention center capital fund for the exterior repairs.