Fulton County approves $4.4M elevator modernization after debate over emergency procurement and timeline

The Fulton County Board of Commissioners voted to approve authorization for elevator modernization work at the county jail after extended questioning by commissioners about the procurement process and project timeline.

Joseph Davis, director of real estate and asset management, told commissioners that the department used an emergency authorization only to hire an outside elevator consultant and that the full modernization solicitation followed standard procurement steps. "We use the emergency route with Lurch Bates because we had no other mechanism to hire them at the dollar value of their proposal," Davis said. He and purchasing staff said consultant work produced construction documents needed for a formal solicitation.

Felicia Strong Whittaker, the county's chief purchasing agent, said the emergency authorization applied to the consulting services only and that the procurement for installation and installation contractors was not submitted as an emergency request. "At no point, was there any intent to issue the installation and the work as an emergency procurement," she said.

Several commissioners pressed for clarity about why the item had been labeled as "immediate" or "emergency" in earlier slides and briefings in 2024 and why the vendor schedule now shows a March 2027 start with completion not until 2029. Commissioner Barrett said the extended timeline and earlier emergency characterization raised transparency concerns and asked whether the project had been downgraded. Davis responded that logistical constraints — concurrent jail 'blitz' renovation work and a major fire alarm upgrade — made immediate full modernization impractical without disrupting other high‑priority work.

The county attorney and staff also noted that Fulton County entered a federal consent decree in January 2025 related to the jail, which required reprioritizing certain projects and resources. The county attorney said the monitor's reports have mentioned elevators as maintenance items but not as an immediate top‑priority emergency.

After discussion, the board approved the motion to proceed. The clerk recorded the vote as passing 6 yeas, 0 nays. Commissioners asked staff to provide clearer communications to the board and public about how and when the word "emergency" is used for procurement and to return with implementation details and timelines.