Byron sets election qualifying fees, dates

Qualifying fees are set and an election official named for the November general election.

The City Council set qualifying fees at $90 for council seats. Council seats up for election are Post 3, Post 4 and Post 5, now held my Mike Chumbley, Michael Chidester and Allen Dorsey. Dates for qualifying are Aug 21-26.

Betty Sims was named election superintendent.

Also Monday during the council’s regular session, members unanimously awarded a city landscaping contract to Hedge Row Landscaping of Byron for $72,000.

In making a motion to award the contract to Hedge Row, councilman Rusty Adams noted it was the only Byron business among five bidders and that the city had been pleased with work done by the company in the last half of 2016.

Council members rejected a lower bid at $47,800. Hedge Row’s bid was second lowest with one other bid slightly higher and two others significantly higher, reaching to $252,000.

Services to the city will include work at the city’s cemetery, roadsides and at the Byron Municipal Complex.

In what is usually a smooth matter during council sessions, members engaged in a brief dispute over approval of minutes from its December meeting. Adams asked that they be revised to show he voted “no” regarding passage of a general fund budget.

Adams said he was regrettably talking to another council member about the budget when the vote was called for and did not speak up clearly with his no vote.

Councilman Michael Chidester disputed the change and questioned whether Adams had actually voted no. Chidester said he would not vote yes to approve changed minutes but would vote yes as they were originally presented.

As it ended, the minutes were voted on as presented and passed 4 to 1 with Adams voting no, declining to approve minutes that didn’t reflect what he said was his accurate vote.

In other matters Monday, the council:

▪ Authorized Byron City Administrator Derick Hayes to advertise for a proposal for audit service for the city for 2016

▪ Approved authorizing Mayor Larry Collins to execute a multi-jurisdiction agreement with Houston, Pulaski and Dooly counties and Warner Robins, Centerville, Perry and Hawkinsville regarding asphalt purchases for Georgia DOT Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant road improvement projects. Council members said the arrangement allowed the city to buy asphalt at lower prices and resurface more city roads.

This story was originally published January 10, 2017 at 5:32 PM with the headline "Byron sets election qualifying fees, dates."