Another 10 roads in Waycross will soon be improved after the Waycross City Commission approved a contract last week with a Douglas company.
Passage of a resolution to fund the $2,506,606 project came during the commission’s bi-monthly meeting Tuesday, October 15. The contract is with East Coast Asphalt, LLC to pave and improve infrastructure of the next streets on the city’s improvement list.
The measure was one of two commissioners passed during the meeting in City Hall. The other was for the city’s Fiscal 2024-25 budget.
In other business, commissioners agreed on a called meeting at 4 p.m. Wednesday, October 30 to vote on the proposed millage rate for tax year 2024.
Also, Mayor Michael-Angelo James honored retired teachers with a proclamation designating Sunday, November 3 “Retired Educators Day” in the city to follow a similar one presented statewide by Gov. Brian Kemp.
All four commissioners were present at the meeting presided over by Mayor James.
The street project covers Brunel, Gilmore, Nichols, Old Brunel, and Solomon streets, Kentucky and Washington avenues, Palmetto Road, Parkway Drive and surfaces in the Garlington Heights area. The work, which includes resurfacing as well as any water or sewer line upgrades needed, will be paid from 2018 SPLOST funds.
East Coast was the lowest and best bidder from a group that also included the Scruggs Co. from Hahira, Ga., and Thrift Brothers of Waycross, Finance Director Greg Smith said. City Manager Ulysses “Duke” Rayford said work on the roads should begin within 30 days of the contracts being completed.
The city contracted with Thrift Brothers earlier this month to pave six of the city’s remaining dirt roads. Those ticketed for upgrades are Boulevard, Georgia, Morehouse, Greenwood and East Hamilton streets as well as Browns Alley.
Commissioner Diane Hopkins asked Rayford at the time of the contract’s approval how many dirt streets would be left in the city limits after these six were paved. Rayford said Tuesday only three remained, and those would be paved by this time next year if not before.
The commission meeting was preceded by a public hearing for the request for annexation of a parcel in the county into the city limits. Vantage Development of Fyffe, Ala., plans a multi-family unit apartment complex for the 11.75-acre tract on Sawdust Trail off Brunswick Highway.
Commissioners already have approved extending city water and sewer services to the property at the developer’s expense. That request from Fyffe came with the aim of annexation, which was supported by commissioners.
The next step will be commission approval of a resolution for the annexation as a request to the State Legislature for approval, Acting City Attorney Huey Spearman said.
