Other action
Also Tuesday, the Cumming City Council:
• Authorized Mayor H. Ford Gravitt to offer a resolution and letter of support for Highland Manor senior residences. Gravitt said the community has been a great asset to the city, which is why he was happy to support the proposed expansion. The proposal will include renovation of 48 units and construction of an additional 48 units. The city's support will be included in the company's financing application proposal to the state Department of Community Affairs.
• Instructed legal staff to update the city's adult entertainment ordinance, last changed in 1997. The changes will add definitions and other updates.
• Approved Cumming-based Graphic Edge's $3,500 bid to print the city’s 2010 fall and winter programs brochure. The company will print 21,000 copies of the 16-page brochure.
• Accepted American Printing in Cumming's $8,079 bid to print three separate fliers promoting the city’s aquatic center. Each flyer will update the progress of construction on the center.
-- Jennifer Sami
The city of Cumming is moving ahead on two major projects -- construction of a new driver services center and the widening of Buford Dam Road.
At a bid-heavy meeting, the city awarded the contract for its driver services facility to Professional Construction Group.
The project, slated to be built off Pilgrim Mill Road, will cost about $839,000. It will be next to the city's long-awaited aquatic center.
The company’s bid was lower than a dozen others, which officials said ranged from $932,540 to nearly $1.42 million.
C.W. Matthews was selected to widen Buford Dam Road for about $3.95 million.
The company's offer was lower than 10 others by at least $50,000, and in some cases, nearly $1 million.
Cumming Mayor H. Ford Gravitt offered a word of caution.
While the company is a good contractor, Gravitt said, past experience has indicated “they like to put in change orders."
“We’ve got to hold their feet to the fire,” he said.
The project, which will widen the road to four lanes with sidewalks between Hwy. 9 and Sanders Road, is a joint effort of the city and state Department of Transportation.
Also at Tuesday night's meeting, mayor and council approved a payment of about $22,250 for a supplemental environmental project as part of a settlement with Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper.
The organization's lawsuit was over work in the early stages at the city’s aquatic center site.
The restoration project will remove a confluence pipe and wall from a stream that runs through City Park. The stream flow will be redirected and the project will satisfy obligations in the settlement.