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Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Dougherty County approves garden bid

Ethan Fowler
Senior Reporter

Tuesday, May 12, 2009


ALBANY - Dougherty County Commissioners saved taxpayers more than $340,000 Monday during their regular meeting by awarding Exterior Concepts of Buford the contract to build a botanical gardens at the former Radium Springs Casino site.

The commission voted 5-1 in approval of Exterior Concepts. Commissioner Muarlean Edwards of District 3 was the lone vote against Exterior Concepts. John Hayes of District 2 did not vote after leaving the meeting early.

"We saved about ($340,000) on the low bid," said Commissioner Jack Stone of District 6. "These people are qualified and bonded."

At last week's meeting, commissioners tabled a measure that would have granted LRA Constructors of Albany the bid due to Exterior Concepts not being a licensed general contractor. Exterior Concepts had bid $830,271, said County Clerk Barbara Engram.

In the same meeting, Jim Chafin, the head of Exterior Concepts, said his company had completed projects throughout Georgia and the Southeast. He also told commissioners that his interpretation of the bidding documents were that only a business license was required to work on the project. He also reported that he was less than 30 days from receiving his general contractor's license.

Exterior Concepts was the only bidder that met the commission's recommendation for use of minority vendors. It beat out LRA by 32 percent, and a third contractor, which had no minority participation, according to Dougherty County Commission staff members.

After taking another week to go over the language in the bidding documents, County Attorney Spencer Lee recommended at Monday's meeting to award the bid to Exterior Concepts.

Work on the botanical gardens should begin within the next 20 days, said Engram.
 

5/12/2009 12:01:00 AM

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Dougherty County approves garden bid   Ethan Fowler Senior Reporter   ALBANY - Dougherty County Commissioners saved taxpayers more than $340,000 Monday during their regular meeting by awarding Exterior Concepts of Buford the contract to build a botanical gardens at the former Radium Springs Casino site. The commission voted 5-1 in approval of Exterior Concepts. Commissioner Muarlean Edwards of District 3 was the lone vote against Exterior Concepts. John Hayes of District 2 did not vote after leaving the meeting early. "We saved about ($340,000) on the low bid," said Commissioner Jack Stone of District 6. "These people are qualified and bonded." At last week's meeting, commissioners tabled a measure that would have granted LRA Constructors of Albany the bid due to Exterior Concepts not being a licensed general contractor. Exterior Concepts had bid $830,271, said County Clerk Barbara Engram. In the same meeting, Jim Chafin, the head of Exterior Concepts, said his company had completed projects throughout Georgia and the Southeast. He also told commissioners that his interpretation of the bidding documents were that only a business license was required to work on the project. He also reported that he was less than 30 days from receiving his general contractor's license. Exterior Concepts was the only bidder that met the commission's recommendation for use of minority vendors. It beat out LRA by 32 percent, and a third contractor, which had no minority participation, according to Dougherty County Commission staff members. After taking another week to go over the language in the bidding documents, County Attorney Spencer Lee recommended at Monday's meeting to award the bid to Exterior Concepts. Work on the botanical gardens should begin within the next 20 days, said Engram.

5/5/2009 1:01:00 AM 

Radium Springs improvements tabled

J.D. Sumner
Staff Writer

ALBANY - Dougherty County Commissioners voted unanimously Monday to table a measure that would have granted an Albany company's $1.7 million bid to construct botanical gardens on the site of the former Radium Springs Casino to ensure that language in the bidding documents was fair.

Going into Monday's regular voting meeting, commissioners were set to grant a construction bid of $1.7 million to LRA Constructors Inc., of Albany, despite the fact that another company, Exterior Concepts Inc., of Buford, had the lowest bid by more than $340,000.

Exterior Concepts' bid wasn't considered the lowest responsible bid. This was because officials with Mactec - the engineering and construction consultants the county was using throughout the bidding process - interpreted the language in the documents the county used in the bidding process to mean that the bidding was open only to those who were licensed general contractors. Exterior Concepts is not a licensed general contractor.

Reggie Dill, a Mactec representative, told the commission Monday that they're interpretation barred Exterior Concepts' bid because, although they did have a business license and had licensed plumbers and electricians, they weren't licensed general contractors.

Mactec's recommendation was to award the bid to LRA, Dill said.

Jim Chafin, the head of Exterior Concepts, told commissioners that he's done projects throughout Georgia, the Southeast and Southwest Georgia. Chafin said his interpretation of the bidding documents were that he needed only a business license to do the work. He also stated that he was less than 30 days from receiving his general contractor license.

"We're not just a fly-by-night operation here," Chafin told the commission. "We are legitimate."

In addition to being the lowest bidder by more than $340,000, Exterior Concepts was the only bidder who met the Commissions recommendation for use of minority vendors; beating out LRA by 32 percent and the third contractor who didn't have any minority participation, according to Dougherty County Commission staff members.

After hearing Chafin's argument, Commissioner Jack Stone offered a motion to offer Exterior Concepts the bid outright, rather than LRA. That motion died from a lack of a second.

But after further discussion about the proper interpretation of the language in documents, Commissioner Muarleane Edwards proposed tabling the measure long enough to allow County Attorney Spencer Lee to render a final opinion on the the matter.

After being seconded by Commissioner John Hayes, the commission voted unanimously to allow Lee to interpret the language and return back to the board for a vote.

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Commissioners to vote on Radium Springs updates

J.D. Sumner
Staff Writer

Thursday, April 30, 2009

The remnants of the Radium Springs Casino sit locked away from the public just off Radium Springs Road. County leaders got one step closer to improving the seven-acre site Wednesday.

Making over Radium Springs
Aug 9, 2007 04:22 PM EDT

      August 6, 2007

Albany - - It's considered one of the seven natural wonders of Georgia and Radium Springs is about to get a makeover.

After damage from the floods of 1994 and 1998, the park closed down. Only a portion of Radium Springs is now open to the public.

Monday, county commissioners approved a $72,500 contract for a design company to come up with the first phase of a revitalization project. 

"That includes mostly a botanical garden and that opens it back up to the public for the first time in many years. So were looking forward to that and hopefully this time next year, phase one will be open," says County Administrator Richard Crowdis.

The project has already received 2.5 million dollars in SPLOST revenue. County leaders are working with state leaders and the Department of Natural resources to come up with other ideas for Radium springs -including walking trails, fishing piers, and water bird displays.

(Click to enlarge)

Clipping of Albany Herald article submitted by Tommy Pattison (1954)

Article below from Albany Herald Online

Events key to Radium plan

August 15, 2006

• Architects unveil a proposed design for Phase 1 of the Radium Springs development project to the Dougherty County Commission.

Valerie Benton

ALBANY — After seeing an architect's plans for transforming Radium Springs into a public venue, Dougherty County Commissioner John Hayes said Monday that he was expecting "to see something with pop."

Phase 1 of a total estimated $2 million development plan for Radium Springs consists mostly of assorted gardens with amenities, such as a gazebo, footbridge and entrance gate created from remnants of the historic Radium Springs casino.

The first phase is expected to cost about $550,000, architects say.

"Aesthetically, it has the makings of something very, very nice," said Hayes, whose District 2 includes the resort. "I think the architect has done an excellent job."

But Hayes said he is disturbed about the end product. "There's a piece that's missing here," he said while gazing at the displayed architectural rendering at Monday's meeting. He said plans for Radium Springs should include more activities that encourage people to revisit the site.

"It's a very good beginning," Hayes said.

Ron Huffman, senior principal landscape architect with MACTEC in Kennesaw, says revisitation to the springs will be generated by special events held at the proposed botannical gardens, as well as swimming and scuba diving limited to four weekends a year.

One garden area, he suggested, could be rented for weddings, or formal or semi-formal events.

The plan by itself is not going to generate revenue for or traffic to Radium Springs, Huffman said. "It's a collective marketing effort," he said.

When presenting his plan for an assortment of garden spots, a bird-watching area and butterfly garden and amphitheater for an outdoor classroom, Huffman said the entire plan is designed "to be relatively low maintenance."

"It's a historical and very valuable resource that we've got to be very careful with," Huffman said. "Radium Springs is incredible."

Huffman said Phase 1 represents the initial phase of a five-year plan. The number of future phases of development must be determined by Dougherty County commissioners, he said. If Phase 1 is approved, development could begin next spring and be completed in about six months.

In preparation for future development of the Radium area, the Greenspace Citizens Advisory Committee has recommended that Dougherty commissioners purchase 55 acres of undeveloped property for $150,000 from Darrel Ealum, owner of Radium Country Club. The property is part of the country club, said Albany-Dougherty Planning Director Elizabeth Dean.

Dean said the citizens group is also negotiating with Ealum for portions of his developed properties south of Radium Springs resort. "There's lots of discussion," she said.

Dougherty County Administrator Richard Crowdis said the county has $535,000 in special-purpose, local-option sales tax 5 earmarked for five specific greenspace properties. Additionally, $2.5 million of sales tax 5 has been designated for the Radium Springs development project — $550,000 for Phase 1, he said. Crowdis said development of the entire site, including 80 acres belonging to the state, will require state funding in addition to county funds.

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