Commissioners Approve Greenspace Bids

At the Toccoa City Commission meeting on Monday, commissioners approved quotes for two different aspects of work on the Toccoa Greenspace. 

First Commissioners approved a bid from TriScapes Inc., the project contractor, for installation of the brick pavers at the Tugalo Street Greenspace. 

Three bids were received for the paver project; Triscapes entered a bid of $13,503.12; Foothills Stone entered a bid of $25,900, and Horizon Landscape, LLC entered a bid of $29,357.  

As reported previously, at the last Toccoa City Commission meeting, city Planning Director Jeremy Ward and Main Street Manager Kristen Deal advised commissioners that the Main Street greenspace brick fundraiser had succeeded well beyond the goals of the fundraiser, selling 506 bricks and raising $76,700, topping the original goal of 350 bricks. The paving project will be paid for out of these proceeds.

During the last Commission Meeting, bids were also announced for Greenspace lights; with Georgia Power entering a bid for $88,000, Hayes Electric entering a bid of $38,450, and Foothills Contracting entering a bid of $34,619. In addition, Foothills Contracting owner Dillon Long pledged to donate $13,000 of the contract amount back to the city, bringing the Foothills Contracting total down to $21,619. 

It was noted, both in agenda documentation, and during the meeting Monday, that, subsequent to the bidding, the pole and base specified in the bid for Foothills Contracting ran out of stock and do not have a date that the items will be available again. A second option that closely matches the original request was found that would eliminate the shipping cost of $8,000. After some discussion regarding the replacement poles, with Commissioner Terry Carter questioning whether the two-piece pole and base would match with the one piece light poles in the area. Following the discussion, commissioners unanimously approved the Foothills Electrical Contracting bid and approved the purchase and installation of 3 light heads, poles and bases for $13,619. Purchase of the lights was made possible by the additional sales of bricks in the fundraiser, which also will allow for the purchase of benches for the greenspace.

Also at Monday’s meeting, commissioners announced the finalization of the contract with Georgia Power regarding the water withdrawal permit from Lake Yonah that has been under negotiation since last winter, when Georgia Power increased the annual permit cost from less than $8,000 per year, to more than $167,000 per year.  According to commissioners and city Attorney John Dickerson, the contract agreement had been reached just hours prior to Monday’s meeting. WNEG News will review the details of the approved contract in tomorrow’s news broadcasts and on wnegradio.com.