>> CITY OF MILLEDGEVILLE
Clean-up work on the vacant building in downtown Milledgeville could begin within a couple of months, nearly 5.5 years after it sustained significant damage.
An order signed by Municipal Court Judge David McRee on June 7 gave owners of the property at 107 and 115 S. Wayne St. 60 days to commence clean-up efforts, and failure to do so would authorize the city to perform the work or have it done, with a lien to be placed on the property. This past Sunday marked the 60th day, and no work has begun.
Milledgeville City Attorney Jimmy Jordan said Tuesday that he anticipates the bid process for securing a company to do the necessary work will begin this week.
“I expect that this week the city’s purchasing department will be issuing requests for bids to do the clean-up,” he said.
Jordan explained that it appears the work will require a bid notice to be published, with 30 days required between the publication and the bid award. He said bids could be opened on Sept. 13, if the bid notice is published this Saturday.
Jordan said there could be an alternative to the city’s involvement in the clean-up, but he is not optimistic that will happen.
“I’ve gotten a call from and met with two people that represent the owner, or claim to represent the owner, and they are trying to propose that they hire a contractor and go ahead and do the work and supposedly make some improvements. But,” he added, “in a meeting with the city manager, the city is not willing to delay the process any further. It’s been going on for five years.”
The problem dates back to May of 2018 when the roof collapsed. When attempts to resolve the problem failed and the owner refused to initiate clean-up efforts, the city ultimately filed a Petition to Abate Nuisance on April 13 of this year. No response was filed by or on behalf of the owner, and no one appeared at a hearing on that petition on June 7.
Now that the order provides the mechanism to move forward, Jordan said the city wants to do just that.
“The city’s objective is to clean it up and secure it, freeing up those parking spaces and opening up those sidewalks by the time Deep Roots comes around at the end of October,” he said. “With this bid process we’re having to go through, that may be a little ambitious. But that’s the goal.”
The property is owned by All-Star Properties and Investments Inc., with Larry Simmons as registered agent. City officials thought at one point after a mediation session they had a settlement agreement with Simmons, but he did not follow through on what was required of him.
City Manager Hank Griffeth basically echoed Jordan’s sentiments.
“We’re beginning the bid process now. I’m looking forward to those coming in,” he said. “I certainly hope we have some folks bid on it.”
Griffeth said two water and sewer system requests for proposals that were put out attracted no bidders, and he is looking for a different result with this project.
“I’m hoping that whoever does the work to stabilize and clean up this place, that’s kind of specialty work, and that we’ll have some bids on it.”
Griffeth is aware that Jordan had contact with someone representing the property owner but is doubtful it will lead to anything productive.
“I feel like the mayor and council has no interest in stretching it out any longer,” Griffeth said.