BOC to Vote on Connector Project

are expected to vote today on an intergovernmental agreement with the regarding the Bright Star Connector project.

County Administrator Eric Linton said the city has alleviated the county’s concerns, much of which stemmed from the acquisition of one tract known as parcel 3 for right of way. City Manager Bill Osborne said earlier this month after a meeting between the two governmental agencies that the city will take the lead in acquiring. Rather than condemning the property, Osborne said the city will need to get drainage and construction easements on the lot.

The two governments are splitting the $200,000 cost of the project 50/50 and, according to the agreement, the city will add the county as an insured on the project.

“We’re ready to move forward and get these intersections done and make this a safe road,” BOC Chairman Tom Worthan said.

Linton said at the BOC’s last month that he wasn’t ready for the BOC to vote on the issue, and the to table its vote to shift Bright Star Road into the city limits until its next meeting.

The BOC also is expected to vote tomorrow on a bid of $105,600 from Glossen Enterprises out of Acworth for the installation of 11,000 feet of sidewalk in multiple subdivisions. There was a large range in the 17 bids that were submitted for the project, and county officials said that’s because most of the firms included grading in their bids, which they said wasn’t part of the specs sent out in bid packets.

“It’s like the firm that got it is the anomaly, and everyone else is the average,” Commissioner Kelly Robinson said.

However, Worthan said the two local firms that submitted bids were “way out of line.”

“I would think our local companies would be familiar with the project,” he said. “They can drive over there and look.”

The BOC’s legislative meeting is scheduled today at 10 a.m. in Citizen’s Hall at the Douglas County Courthouse.