The Rockdale County Board of Commissioners (BOC) could spend over $500,000 on the next phase of the Milstead community improvement project.
The BOC, minus Post 1 County Commissioner Oz Nesbitt who was absent, heard a request to pay $584,625 to Summit Construction & Development of Stone Mountain to complete the construction phase of the Milstead II Drainage Improvement Project, which will include improving Stormwater drain pipes, curbs and gutters, inlets and pavement additions and repairs.
To pay for this project, about $333,371 would come from a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) that was awarded to the county in 2013, and the rest would come from the Rockdale County Stormwater Utility Fund.
“We’re excited about this Milstead project,” said Rockdale Chairman and CEO Richard Oden. “This moves this community forward and improves their quality of life.”
Last month, the board approved applying for a CDBG that would pave the way for the county to begin a million dollar sewer project in the Milstead area which would allow h homes in the community to attach to the wastewater system of Rockdale Water Resources (RWR).
“When this community is finished, it will be totally restored unlike anything else,” said Oden.
In other county business:
- The Rockdale Department of Transportation (RDOT) presented a resolution that would officially say it supports the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) putting a roundabout at the intersection of Ga. Highway 20 and West Hightower Trail.
RDOT had previously wanted to put a traffic light at the intersection to handle traffic, but GDOT did not approve a traffic signal permit, says Director RDOT Miguel Valentin. GDOT hasn’t decided on a final configuration either, but this resolution tells GDOT that RDOT would support a roundabout.
“We’ve been arm wrestling with (GDOT) for almost three years with this project,” said Oden.
Currently, there wouldn’t be any cost associated with development of the roundabout to the county, other than maintenance cost after the construction is complete and the entire cost for any lights installed.
- An additional $60,260 is needed for the Old Covington Widening Project after an unknown water line was discovered east of Ga. Highway 138. The waterline is in conflict with other road developments and needs to be relocated, according to county documents.
“It just seems to me we ought to know where all the waterlines are,” said Post 2 County Commissioner Doreen Williams.
“I wish that were true,” said RWR Director Dwight Wicks. “Unfortunately we don’t have them all mapped (due to lack of records).”
Wicks said that this isn’t the first time this sort of event has occurred because most of the unknown waterlines are around 60 years old, but as RWR continues to upgrade its system, it will map any newly found unmarked waterlines.
Oden suggested RWR write a proposal to do an audit to find these unmarked waterlines.
The BOC will meet again during its voting session next Tuesday, April 14, at 10 a.m. at the Assembly Hall building, 901 Main Street, Conyers.
