ALBANY, GA (WALB) - When it rains, it pours... right into Albany’s Government Center.
But, there is a $1.9 million solution.
Interim Dougherty County Administrator Mike McCoy is requesting county commissioners approve funding necessary repairs to the building.
“There have been severe rain events that have caused flooding,” McCoy said.
It isn’t just heavy rain fall causing offices to flood, McCoy said.
“As well as rain events that aren’t so severe that have caused leakages and issues inside of the building,” McCoy said.
The Government Center, where all county and city leaders meet, was opened in 1993. One upgrade, to the roof, has been done since then.
“Some people forget, it’s like having a home. As your building ages, you have things you have to repair,” said Heidi Minnick, facilities management director.
Which in this case, are numerous.
“Everything on the outside. Your windows, your bricks, your doors,” Minnick said.
McCoy is asking commissioners to use the $1.9 million cost out of SPLOST, or special purpose local options sales tax, VII funds on the repairs.
“We allocated funding to address the maintenance we postponed over the years that have turned into more severe problems,” McCoy said.
Holes in the ceiling, peeling paint, damaged carpet, warped doors and windows are among the more severe problems.
The bigger issue: the fact that repairs have been put off for so long.
“This has gone on for many, many years and we’ve not had the funding to take care of these issues,” McCoy said.
McCoy said this is deferred maintenance., meaning the building hasn’t had any of the necessary upkeep.
“Now we are trying to chase our tails, which is costing a little bit more, but once it’s done we have a plan of action," Minnick said. "We have a maintenance idea of what to do.”
County Commissioners will vote whether or not to approve funding the repairs at the September 17 meeting.
If approved, local company LRA will handle the construction.
The project will take nine months to complete.
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