Library Board votes to re-bid main library renovations

ALBANY, Ga. — Citing ‘inconsistencies and ambiguities’ in the bidding process, the Dougherty County Library Board of Trustees on Tuesday voted unanimously to reject all five bids on the $5 million main library renovation.

The Board directed architect Jeff Harper to rework the bid and put it out once again.

Harper said the inconsistencies and ambiguities were the result of the original advertisement for bids description in bid bond requirements.

The architect said it would take a week for his firm, Hecht Burdeshaw, to rework the bid. He expects that the re-bid process will be complete by late February.

Trustee James Hill said the original bid process “was sufficiently inconsistent and the Board premature” to warrant action by the Board. He then made a motion to reject all bids and re-bid the project.

The original bids were received in November of last year and Talbot Construction had submitted the low bid of $3,500,000.

The newest member of the Board, County Commissioner John Hayes, once again expressed his concern that the Board was dealing with a lot of different issues and that he was willing to take the project before the county commission.

“This board has a lot to deal with right now, there’s a lot on the plate,” Hayes said. “We need to find a new library director, Board chair and two more Board members. I’d suggest we move this project to the county commission.

“This suggestion has nothing to do with the ability of the good people around this table, but we could relieve ourselves of the burden of this decision and move it to people who deal with these kind of decisions every day.”

Hayes’ suggestion, however, was not discussed by the board and there was no motion made in regard to his offer.

The main library’s interior renovations, which are being paid for by SLOST VI funds, are now expected to begin sometime in March.