Some Chatham County commissioners were a little leery of transferring $1 million from the budget funding the final phase of the Truman Parkway on Friday, but staff convinced most of them the move was necessary and would have no impact on the parkway’s completion.
The funds were needed to help pay for the removal and replacement of the Hunt Drive and Faye Drive bridges on Burnside Island after the Georgia Department of Transportation found them to be structurally deficient in 2010. As a result, the weights of vehicles allowed to travel across the bridges has been reduced.
A $2.5 million construction contract was awarded to Rogers Bridge Company on Friday for the project, which is expected to begin within 45 days and take about 600 days to complete.
Before the vote, commissioners Lori Brady and Tony Center had voiced concerns about using the Truman funds before that project was completed.
Commissioner Helen Stone and staff said the bridge projects were a matter of public safety.
“We do not have a choice,” Stone said. “The state has said we need to replace those bridges.”
County Manager Russ Abolt assured commissioners there was still sufficient funding to complete the parkway by the end of the year as planned.
The transfer was approved, with Brady casting the sole opposing vote.
In other actions, commissioners:
• Approved a professional services agreement with Annashae Custom Staffing Connections for a psychologist at the county jail for $63 an hour, with a minimum of 20 hours per week.
• Approved a $123,085 three-month lease agreement with Mobile Kitchens USA for temporary mobile kitchens for the jail to prepare for the current kitchen’s planned renovations.