Malynda Fulton
VALDOSTA — The new judicial and administrative complex will likely open the last week of June, estimated County Manager Joe Pritchard during the Lowndes County Board of Commissioners regular session Tuesday.
“This timeline is based on the amount of time it will take to get the generator and UPS (uninterruptible power supply) system installed as well as secure all of the connections in the building,” Pritchard said.
“The timeline was also planned based on court calendars for all the courts that will move into the judicial complex...”
Pritchard acknowledged that the opening has been delayed a few times.
“We just want to make sure everything is in place,” he said. “The last thing we want to do is move in and then receive complaints because something is not working properly.”
Commission Chair Ashley Paulk added that the delays have saved the county at least $300,000 on the project.
The commission awarded a bid for a new 400-kilowatt generator for the complex to Cowart Electric, who quoted $71,883 for a 9-week delivery time.
In other business, the commission approved $199,840 in emergency repairs for the bridge on Beatty Mill Creek Road, which was recently closed due to the collapse of several supports.
Approximately two weeks ago during routine maintenance on the road, a motor grader operator discovered a hole in the road near the bridge.
Through further examination, Lowndes County’s engineering department found that the supports holding the bridge up had collapsed.
Lowndes County Engineer Mike Fletcher said it is believed that the collapse was caused, in part, by trucks that exceeded the weight of the bridge traveling along the bridge. This left the road unstable and the bridge not properly supported.
The repairs on the bridge are being completed by Southern Concrete. The bridge and connecting roadway will remain closed until the work is complete, which Fletcher estimates will be six to eight weeks. The bridge and road closure affects roughly 60 residents who live on Beatty Mill Creek Road, Williams Road North, Arrapaho Trail and Cheyenne Way.
Until the bridge is repaired, area residents must take a detour route along Upper New Bethel Road to Peters Road or Georgia Highway 122 East to get to and from their homes.
The commission also approved $55,904 in emergency repairs to Wetherington Lane, which experienced cross drain failure due to recent heavy rainfall; recognized Public Works retiree, James Perry, who has worked for the county for 21 years; and awarded a bid for a hot water heater for the human resources building to Radney Plumbing.
