Macon-Bibb ups cost of building renovation another $1.2 million
Macon-Bibb County officials approved Tuesday increasing the expenses from $2.7 million to $4 million for renovation of a downtown building.
The Macon-Bibb County Commission approved a resolution transferring $1.2 million from several other projects to the renovation of the former Sears Roebuck. The building will become a downtown annex for the Bibb County Sheriff's Office and will be used by the state probation office.
The building was purchased by the now-defunct Bibb County Commission for about $500,000 in the final months before city-county consolidation took place in January 2014. The former commission budgeted $2.7 million for the renovation project, but two years later another $1.2 million is now needed to complete the construction, officials said.
Former Bibb County Commission Chairman Sam Hart said he thinks the county allotted $2.7 million for the project under the assumption that future funds would likely be needed to finish the renovations. The full-scope of the project had yet to be determined at the time beyond housing some sheriff's office employees and possible records storage, he said Tuesday afternoon.
"I think when we got it, there was some still discussion taking place in terms of what the (sheriff's office) would use it for," Hart said.
Commissioner Gary Bechtel, who also served on the old county commission in 2013, said the $2.7 million should have covered the project, but "surprise after surprise" sprung up later due to unanticipated needs like a new elevator and roof.
"I'm sure there was an inspection, but as they got further into it (the county) found more things needed to be taken care of," Bechtel said.
So far, the $2.7 million has been spent on acquiring the building and resolving various repairs such as installing the new roof and elevator as well as air conditioning system and electrical system. It was also used to relocate court records into the basement, said Clay Murphey, who has been involved with the project for Macon-Bibb since renovations began in June 2014.
Overall, the project's $4 million cost is what it would typically cost to renovate a 58,000-square-foot building. It's also less than half the cost it would be to build a new one, Murphey said.
The renovated Sears building will resolve overcrowding issues that plagued the courthouse, Bechtel said.
"It was going to be space we use a lot of years down the road to house detectives and state probation, because they had to get out of the courthouse because it's so tight in there," he said.
In other business Tuesday:
- The commission approved a maintenance contract with Williams Communication for public safety equipment, which includes the 800 megahertz radio system. The first year of the contract is for $290,250 with subsequent years not to exceed an annual 5-percent increase.
- A new consultant for the Macon Fire and Police Employees Retirement System pension plan will take over, following a 6-1 vote. Bogdahn Group will manage the $220 million portfolio.
Commissioner Mallory Jones opposed switching consulting firms, while Commissioner Scotty Shepherd abstained from voting.
Jones said current consultant, Independent Portfolio Consultants, has done a good job of handling the portfolio.
Other county leaders such as Larry Schlesinger, who also serves on the plan's pension board, had asked officials to respect the board's decision last month to move to Bogdahn.
- "Dr. Walter L. Glover Jr. Way" signs will be placed on Courtland Avenue at its intersections with Napier Avenue and Montpelier Avenue. Glover is the longtime pastor of Greater Zion Hill Missionary Baptist Church.
- The county will use about $280,839 to build a tee ball field and pay for sidewalk additions at East Macon Park.
To contact writer Stanley Dunlap, call 744-4623 or find him on Twitter@stan_telegraph.
This story was originally published October 20, 2015 at 8:19 PM with the headline "Macon-Bibb ups cost of building renovation another $1.2 million ."