[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6218794,"mediaKeyId","3625314-2510793cc09debb3ea57e8ad9e9ce93f","parentId",3625314,"title","Commissioners approve road and equipment purchases, authorize Safe Streets grant application","audioSeconds",3640,"startMs",640000,"endMs",4280000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3625314-2510793cc09debb3ea57e8ad9e9ce93f&start=640&end=4280","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3625314-2510793cc09debb3ea57e8ad9e9ce93f/thumbnail_640000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6218794/Dougherty-County/Georgia/Commissioners-approve-road-and-equipment-purchases-authorize-Safe-Streets-grant-application","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6218794-5024f2c880c8756a3e1f12541304c150/orig.mp4?Expires=1770612390&Signature=A9ZGcY5Znk1ObuKRtxdKz2uFU1Eax6OCaHq0PO1ywQuBTKNoIhBQJKRXWcEpiKgQa9I0rHHj-OnyX8fMB4LCTv2iI8A~js6qtfv0phTbc8NO9Kx74j9g96asaM7rYUL2UPvvbiI~8I3OJEwzBq-HsmGH7uIdX9Z2AL5omrcPfQFwZvpJtPz7YEVpLMaVmJSbBybNYHZkxfgU9ltZ9fCSHYv3VIjrPB~jWtIJS3TRaELpD083XhoUIWvFvObnTDc1e7p9cJSZPiJu9~lSHA-edhykcCQCTyfj9dR-UGpUhVor9k5Sb5EJI3mQH9TwE-DoFaDb~m1iWURObzuaqDJJKg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Dougherty County GA","date","2025-06-02T00:00:00Z","article","Dougherty County commissioners approved multiple public-works purchases and accepted a $563,640.59 LRA supplemental grant from the Georgia Department of Transportation to fund improvements to Wilson Road.

The board voted to accept CE Construction of Georgia LLC's low bid of $599,299.90 for the Wilson Road project and to use the LRA supplemental grant for $563,640.59; commissioners said the remaining difference would be covered by T-SPLOST funds. Public Works Director Chuck Mathis, Assistant County Administrator Barry Brooks and procurement staff answered questions about scope and drainage improvements.

Other procurement approvals at the session included:

- A state-contract purchase of a 2026 Kenworth T480 roll-off truck for solid waste from MHC Kenworth of Atlanta for $216,200 (funded from the solid waste capital outlay).

- Acceptance of an $82,937 quote from HTS Construction to pave a portion of the alley behind the 300 block of Raintree Drive (funded from T-SPLOST 2).

- A single-source purchase of a mobile license-plate reader system from Dana Safety of Preston, Ga., for $20,890; commissioners asked staff to confirm and cite the specific line item within the special services district fund for accounting transparency before final administrative processing.

Separately, the board approved a joint city-county application for the U.S. Department of Transportation's Safe Streets for All implementation grant. The proposed application totals $24,902,000 and requires a 20% local match ($4,980,400); Dougherty County's share of that local match would be $796,080, funded by SPLOST 5 if the grant is awarded. The county's portion would focus on shoulder improvements along Tarver Road and 8 Mile Road.

Eric Stevens, who presented the Safe Streets plan, said shoulder improvements can markedly reduce run-off-road incidents: \"It eliminates about 80% of those types of incidents,\" he told the commission, describing the crash-modification benefits of a safety edge.

Several commissioners asked for fiscal clarity and for procurement and budget line-item citations before final administrative processing. Commissioner Gray and others emphasized the need to capture recurring equipment needs in department budgets rather than drawing on a pooled special-services fund without a clear line-item citation.

What happens next: Administration will proceed with procurement and contracting consistent with the approvals, confirm budget line-item citations for the license-plate reader purchase, and, if the Safe Streets grant application is selected, return with project-level agreements and funding commitments.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Dougherty County Commission Meeting - 6/2/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Dougherty County commissioners approved a series of public-works purchases and accepted a state LRA supplemental grant for Wilson Road; they also approved a county share for a joint federal Safe Streets for All grant application.","taxTitle","Dougherty County, Georgia","taxId",5822,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6218797,"Commissioners delay approval of new jail food and medical contracts amid sharp price increases",1999,743000,2742000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3625314-2510793cc09debb3ea57e8ad9e9ce93f&start=743&end=2742","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3625314-2510793cc09debb3ea57e8ad9e9ce93f/thumbnail_743000.jpg","/articles/6218797/Dougherty-County/Georgia/Commissioners-delay-approval-of-new-jail-food-and-medical-contracts-amid-sharp-price-increases","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6218797-1d46631c573d7e2aaf82c5f8b2faa4a3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770612390&Signature=hT2pBt7~PmnIhPM5K8Q5CDtegUHV1iypJyxW-Kr~Z14cYlf4kfXQZBCXgltWvRY7dewaUacIIa9dtPEvXM73Lq4z3MpR6sGPapmwGoN5pe7pBMIUSTTcLLDmkeTRxo5H~eFw-9t6C3io1Y8SQgor~P23BY0uH63LoX6Ez3WgbSge9LVSDnMlsmYmUkx3EyX6OUvUduWnItypdH8WRug4lNszOHeu3M7vMc5TZZoAqCu0qy7MzCzp4sk45~~wUMHywPrbWa6AUVdR6fjkW2dXbu~ISecjSi7CEEtDUKSfAzFbz0VrjH6fGQebLzX-Sp1gbxvMFA9AtGQNS2GUlSHtZQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dougherty County commissioners did not approve new contracts for jail food and medical services at the June work session, instead directing county staff to pursue further negotiations and return with options that could keep services local.

The commission heard that the low bid to provide food service at the jail was roughly $11.0 million over the contract term — about $600,000 higher than the prior contract — and that the low bid for correctional medical services was about $7.6 million, compared with the county's most recent cost of roughly $3.0 million. Assistant County Administrator Barry Brooks and Chief Jailer Pamela Conley answered commissioners' questions about scope, timeline and budgetary impact.

Commissioners and staff stressed the fiscal impact. \"So we can't stay at 56,\" said Commissioner Gaines during a discussion of current per-diem housing fees for inmates, referring to the county's current $56 daily housing reimbursement rate. County leaders repeatedly asked staff for a line-by-line breakdown of the proposed food contract, including the contractor's unit-cost assumptions and the number of contractor personnel who would work inside the jail.

County Manager Caitlin King told commissioners that administration was already discussing the medical contract with Phoebe putney (the county's longtime local medical partner) to see whether services could remain local. \"This service has to be going forward. We're not gonna hold it down,\" King said, adding that county staff would return with budget options within days.

Commissioners and jail leaders described the drivers behind the increases as higher commodity and labor costs and a desire to improve food quality. One staff member estimated the food-price increase was roughly $600,000 above the prior contract. Officials noted the jail's average daily population and the county's practice of housing inmates for other jurisdictions when explaining per-inmate budget pressures.

On pharmacologic continuity, county staff explained that Georgia law limits the jail's ability to dispense prescription drugs at release because the jail is not a licensed pharmacy; staff said they attempt to connect released inmates to community resources for prescription continuity and provide small bridging supplies when permitted.

Rather than vote to accept the bids, commissioners instructed administration to pursue follow-up: seek additional negotiations with Phoebe, supply detailed contract line-item breakdowns to the commission (including per-meal cost assumptions and contractor staffing), and return to the board with options before any final contract award.

The commission's action was procedural: no contract award was made at the session. County staff said they would report back in the next few days with recommended next steps and possible budget amendments or alternate proposals.

What happens next: Administration will continue negotiations with local medical partners and circulate the procurement proposals and cost breakdowns to commissioners before returning the item for possible approval at a future meeting. The board did not set a new decision date during the session.","Dougherty County commissioners declined to approve new food and medical contracts for the county jail at the work session, asking staff to negotiate with the longtime local medical partner and return with budgetary options after hearing concerns about large cost increases.","actionData","errors"]

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Commissioners approve road and equipment purchases, authorize Safe Streets grant application

Commissioners delay approval of new jail food and medical contracts amid sharp price increases