Negotiations for contracts for pickleball and tennis courts at the Macon County Recreation Park and the Macon Middle School track got approval from the Macon County Board of Commissioners at its Tuesday, Jan. 9 meeting. The track approval came despite two commissioners lobbying against the recommended design firm for another they’ve independently consulted with.
Parks and Recreation Director Seth Adams presented a recommendation from the recreation committee that could lead to starting the first phase of the Recreation Master Plan for the Rec Park on Georgia Road.
Previously, the commissioners approved submitting a request for qualifications (RFQ) for Phase 1A of the Recreation Master Plan. Adams said they got three responses. Adams said the Recreation Committee met Jan. 9 to review the RFQs, and McGill and Associates was the high scorer. McGill also put together the Recreation Master Plan unveiled last September.
Phase 1A includes nine pickleball courts, eight tennis courts (up from six in the master plan), a pavilion with restrooms, a new pedestrian bridge across Cartoogechaye Creek near the parking lot behind the Carpenter Building and stormwater/erosion control. The courts would be where the softball field currently is along Georgia Road; the area is accessible from Allman Drive.
The commissioners’ approval allows Adams to begin negotiations with McGill and Associates.
“It’s very exciting for the new life that’s going to come to that rec park,” Commissioner John Shearl said. “It may take us many, many years to get there. That park, the idea behind it, is to build a family park and place where families can come to. The things that are included in that plan and in that design are incredible.”
Commissioner Paul Higdon asked about the Franklin High School tennis team and using those courts once completed. Adams said he has not talked with FHS about it but assumed they would since the new FHS plans do not include new tennis courts on school property. Adams said Phase 1A will include a locker room.
Adams said the current tennis courts will remain until that phase, which is the final phase per the master plan.
Commissioner Josh Young would like the school board’s input on the tennis courts and locker room as part of the project.
Adams said they might “move some things around” on the master plan, resulting in different projects for different phases.
MMS track
The second RFQ of the evening, regarding the Macon Middle School track, went through an hour of discussion and debate before eventually passing in a 3-2 vote, with Commissioners Gary Shields, Danny Antoine and Young in favor, and Higdon and Shearl against.
The Macon County Board of Education, acting on the commissioners’ request, had solicited a request for qualifications for a designer. There were three respondents. A selection committee used a rubric to judge the bids and recommended LS3P. The school board approved the recommendation in December.
School Board Member Diedre Breeden presented the recommendation to the commissioners.
Higdon noted how long they’ve been talking about the track and said he talked with Danny Williams, a longtime track and field coach who works with GeoServices, which was one of the bidders.
Shearl said the process that recommended LS3P is “bypassing the real company that does this for a living.” Shearl wanted to go with GeoServices, saying they do design and build, whereas LS3P would only do a design then bid out the build, and in his mind, cost the county more money. Shearl said he and Higdon looked at the track with Williams, then called a paving company “who had no idea about this” and got their recommendation to put in a high-quality patch on the cracked asphalt.
“It’s a company that shouldn’t be involved unless they build it,” Shearl said of LS3P.
Shearl questioned the need for two new tracks two miles apart, saying the MMS track doesn’t need the field events if the high school track has them. Breeden responded, saying the middle school and high school track teams will fully utilize both tracks.
Higdon then allowed Williams, who was present, to speak. Williams, who works with GeoServices, said LS3P would cost the county more money and take longer. No LS3P representative was present at this meeting.
County Manager Derek Roland said when the county last got bids, they weren’t “apples to apples” to compare, so they wanted to take a step back.
After back and forth regarding the design and build process with Breeden repeatedly asking the commissioners what the next steps are, Roland suggested the commissioners see the results of the contract negotiations at its Feb. 8 budget kickoff, and then decide whether to accept the contract or not. Roland noted it won’t cost the county any money.
Shearl pushed to restart the RFQ process but specifically requested design-builds. Young said while he leaned toward GeoServices, he ultimately didn’t care who built the track if it was quality, pointing out that the commissioners asked for this RFQ process.