Bibb Commissioners Disagree on SPLOST Project Management

The Bibb County Board of Commissioners held a meeting Wednesday to address concerns surrounding the process and procedures dealing with the management of SPLOST projects.

Commissioner Lonzy Edwards says the board wants to make sure the interests of taxpayers are being safeguarded. They have put a SPLOST Advisory Committee in place to act as extra eyes and ears to ensure the commission is doing what they say.

Board members voted to allow staff, in consultation with Commissioner Elmo Richardson, to come up with a timeline making sure that all contractors get a fair chance to bid on SPLOST projects. However, some commissioners still question whether a project manager is even needed at this time.

Commissioner Lonzy Edwards says, “I think at some point we’re going to need that kind of technical assistance, but I’m not sure that we’re at that point yet. I think maybe the cart got put ahead of the horse.”

However Chairman Sam Hart says, “I think if you were to contact the staff they would admit that they would have to find some help to make this happen, they can’t do it, they don’t have the expertise or the time to provide this kind of effort that would give us the overall accountability we need.”

Edwards added, “I think in time we’re going to need that kind of expertise, I think we’re going to need the help of someone who can make sure we’re doing things at the right sequence, that we have the right questions asked during the bid procedures, but at this point I think we need more basic help that we can provide through staff.”