At the Tattnall County Commissioners' meeting of Monday, March 7, 2022, District 5 Commissioner Bill Kicklighter questioned the quality of spot leveling that the county has seen in the past year from the contractor of T&K Hicks.
Before voting on awarding the spot leveling bid for the next 12 months, he showed photos of several poor quality spot leveling and striping areas in District 5 that were not acceptable, which T&K Hicks had done.
County Engineer Dennis Odom pointed out that only six of the 39 projects showed issues in paving and striping in the last year. Kicklighter stressed that this was not acceptable.
It was agreed that Road Superintendent Lynn Cribbs and the Tattnall County District Commissioner (in whose district spot leveling/striping is being done) would from now on check the spot leveling on county roads before signing off on them.
However, once again, T&K Hicks was the low bidder both on the asphalt per ton price of $139.60 and the striping per foot cost of $.75 per foot. Based on last year's asphalt tons of 850, this is projected at $118,660 for asphalt and $17,895 for striping (23,860 ft. @ $.75 per foot), for a total of $136,555. The next lowest bid of Sikes Brothers was $234,720, $98,165 higher, and the other bid was $301,230 from McLendon.
Sikes' bid on asphalt per ton was $220, and its bid on striping was $2.00 per foot. For McLendon, its bid was $200 per ton for asphalt and $5.50 per foot for striping.
The wide disparity in bids was noted, and the past issues with quality were pointed out, but the commissioners voted to accept T&K Hicks' low bid, with the assurance that Road Superintendent Cribbs and a district commissioner would check the quality of the spot leveling/striping after each job.
Another bid was approved of $1,254,860 from Reeves for 2022 Local Maintenance Improvement Grants (LMIG) resurfacing projects, the low bidder among four companies. Other bids were received from McLendon Enterprises for $1,267,656; Sikes Brothers for $1,284,211; and Scruggs Company for $1,437,140.
Another road project was explained by Ritchie Swindell, Senior Project Manager for EXP U.S. Services, Inc., relating to vital stormwater infrastructure replacement on J. Roland Hodges Road. He stated that through the award of CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act) grant funds, $619,050 for the project to repair the road and install culverts/bridge, has been allocated, with a survey next. The funds for the project are administered through the Governor's Office of Planning and Budget. This road has been unable to be used since August of 2021. After the right-of-ways are secured, the planning phase will begin, with the project expected to entail six to eight months.
Swindell also gave updates on Harris Kicklighter Road/Mile Field Road and Airport Road, with the securing of right-of-ways in progress. The advertising on bids for both of these is expected to be in May of 2022, again with these funded through the Governor's Office of Planning and Budget.
On the realignment of the Herman Lynn Road, County Attorney Tom Peterson will review the title and the approval on this project should be complete within 30 to 60 days.
Other agenda items
For the architect for the 2022 Community Block Development Grant for the new mental health building, which is to be built in Glennville on Hencart Road, J. Glenn Gregory Architects was approved as the design architect.
The commissioners also approved the 2022 Tattnall County Industrial Development Authority (TCIDA) Board appointments as follows: Mayor James "Buddy" Collins, City of Cobbtown; Mayor Bobby Schwallenberg, City of Collins; Mayor Tonya Edwards, City of Manassas; Brenda C. Smith, Greater Tattnall Chamber of Commerce; Derek Bland, Glennville Development Authority; Susan Thomas, Reidsville Development Authority; Ed Nelson, Reidsville Airport Authority; Ophelia Gaines, Tattnall County Commissioners; and Wayne Dasher, Tattnall County Commissioners.
An easement was also approved from R.T. Stanley Farms on the Charles Rufus Anderson Road, in reference to a realignment issue.
