By Malynda Fulton
VALDOSTA — The Lowndes County Board of Commissioners discussed new bids for a generator for the new judicial and administrative complex during the work session Monday.
The county has received three quotes on a 400-kilowatt generator from Yancey Power Systems, Cowart Electric and Ace Electric. The generator will provide backup power for a security system and all data and technical systems in the judicial and administrative buildings.
The county had previous accepted bids for a 300-kilowatt generator. However, after taking another look at what the generator would be used for, the commission and staff decided that they may need something bigger to accommodate future growth, Ashley Paulk, commission chairman, previously told The Times.
The delivery time on a new generator is approximately nine weeks, which is the amount of time it takes to manufacture one.
Commissioner G. Robert Carter asked if the staff had a specific opening date for the complex. County Manager Joe Pritchard replied that he would have an opening date for the commissioners at the regular session this evening.
Pritchard said that the long wait time for move-in was due mostly to obtaining the right generator for the facility.
“At first, we thought we had the right size, but we did not,” he said. “Then we tried re-engineering a generator twice and were unsuccessful.”
Richard Lee, commission vice chairman, added that the delayed opening is also due to the relocation of the information technology department into the complex. The department is moving into the area initially designated to the parks and recreation department.
The 120,000-square-foot judicial and administrative complex is a $22,380,000 project, with four jury courtrooms, four non-jury courtrooms and courtrooms for magistrate and probate courts.
The first floor will house the court clerk as well as two judges chambers. The second floor will be designated to magistrate and probate courts. The third floor will house the district attorney and the solicitor general. The fourth floor will hold state court and alternate dispute relief. The fifth floor will be designated solely to superior court.
The administrative wing to the judicial complex will contain offices for the Lowndes County Board of Commissioners, county manager, county clerk, finance, engineering, human resources, planning and zoning, utilities, risk management and information technology. The new commission meeting chambers will also be located within this wing.
The Lowndes County Board of Commissioners regular session will be held today at the Lowndes County Administration Building at 5:30 p.m.
