The new Aquatic Center in Baldwin County is now officially a go, as the board of commissioners approved a contract this week of almost $5 million for Phase I of the water park.
Bids were opened for the initial phase last week, and despite one proposal being significantly lower than two others, the best price submitted was still almost $800,000 above the engineer’s estimate.
Dyer Construction’s bid for the new water park on Highway 22 adjacent to the county recreation park was $4,979,000, about $1.6 million better than the second-lowest bidder, but still higher than anticipated.
“This is significantly over the engineer’s estimate,” County Manager Carlos Tobar acknowledged this past Monday. “The engineer’s estimate was $4.2 million. ‘Do we have enough money to make up the difference?’ is the question.”
Tobar gave county commission members the answer at their meeting this past Tuesday night, explaining financing for the recreational facility. He noted the $779,000 difference between the estimate and the initial bid before pinpointing the available funds.
“Our SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) collections have come in higher than anticipated,” Tobar said. “Now we have the funding to do the whole project, including the alternates in the bid.”
With a total estimated cost of $5,874,000 and two grants totaling $2,647,000 along with $6,650 in private donations, approximately $3.2 million is needed. Two million dollars of that will come from the 2017 SPLOST funds, Tobar said. The balance will come from the 2023 SPLOST, with the one-cent tax continuing in a new cycle beginning April 1.
“Originally we had budgeted $2 million from the new SPLOST, but we will only need $1.2 million of that,” Tobar said. “So, we’ve saved $800,000 for other needs.”
Tobar reminded board members that the cost of Phase 2 has been estimated at $895,000, and $447,000 of that will be paid through a Land & Water Conservation Fund grant.
“That is why it is broken up into Phase 1 and Phase 2,” he said, “so we could bring in additional state and federal revenues to the county, save our taxpayers their SPLOST dollars.”
The county manager added that with approval of the contract for Phase 1, authorization can be obtained from state funds for Phase 2 to begin.
“Phase 1 and Phase 2 should be done at the same time, and we could open by Memorial Day, 2025,” he said.
Tobar pointed out that Phase I includes the lazy river, buildings, restrooms, commercial kitchen, and pool, while Phase 2 features the splash pad, big slide, and landscaping.
District 3 Commissioner Sammy Hall wanted assurance of the source of the local funding. Tobar assured him the necessary money would come from grants, donations, and SPLOST proceeds.
There will be familiar faces on the job, as two Milledgeville firms will be doing the work together.
Dyer Construction President Mathew Bently indicated by letter in the bid package that his company would partner with another local business, Pamlico Pools Inc., to do the work.
“We will serve as the general contractor, and they will focus on all construction related to the pool, lazy river, and all the auxiliary-related components of their scope of work,” Bently wrote.
Pamlico attempted to submit a bid as the general contractor, but the sealed document arrived after the bid opening had begun. It was rejected as being untimely received and not opened.
Tobar said Wednesday morning that county personnel were in the process of preparing the contract award letter to Dyer.
“We will meet with Dyer as soon as we deliver the letter,” he said. (The engineer) is editing the contract and will get that to Dyer within a couple of days.”