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THURSDAY, MAY 24, 2012
EMS station project is awarded By LEANNE AKIN lakin@clickthepaper.com The Jackson County Board of Commissioners decided Monday in a 3-1 vote to approve the proposal for the construction of the new Jackson County EMS Station #3 submitted by Keith Hayes Construction of Jefferson. But the vote came after discussion on other possible motions including the recommendation to reject the questioned proposal from Blue Frog Construction or reject all eight of the proposals. Commission Chairman Hunter Bicknell recused himself from the proceedings and Chairman Pro tem Chas Hardy took over the meeting which was attended by Hayes and a group of subcontractors carrying signs of the Jackson County Area Chamber of Commerce’s “Buy Local” campaign.
At the May 7 work session when the Request for Proposal agenda item for the West Jackson station was presented to the board, Hayes was joined by a number of those Jackson County subcontractors whose combined project economic impact would have totaled $473,449. Also at the May 7 meeting, County Manager Kevin Poe had been directed to review the county’s RFP process after questions were raised about the EMS station project’s bid opening. Poe provided his findings, which are prompting his further review of procedures and documents for both bids and RFPs. Poe said he wants “to make sure that we make the appropriate changes to the process so we can avoid a similar situation from happening again.” Poe’s recommendation was formally made in a Friday memo to commissioners. “I am recommending to the Board of Com-
missioners that all the responses to the RFP be rejected and the project be put out for proposals again,” said Poe, who briefly commented during the Monday meeting the some irregularities existed. He did not elaborate at the meeting. “Obviously, there was an irregularity in the RFP process in that a contractor, Blue Frog Construction, failed to completely fill out the RFP response form. The total amount that was shown on their cost estimate that was included in the proposal they submitted was called out as their base cost proposal,” said Poe’s memo. “The Jackson County purchasing director [Len Bernat] allowed the Blue Frog proposal to stand since in his opinion this was an irregularity that could be waived based on the discretion the county had per the language in the RFP documents.” The RFP says, “Jackson County reserves the right to reject any and all submittals, to
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waive any technicalities or irregularities and to award contracts based on the highest and best interest of Jackson County.” Poe noted that the county’s purchasing director had the proposal reviewed by the construction manager Don Clerici and asked Blue Frog Construction to verify the amount on the estimate was the base cost proposal and acknowledge the proposal covered all work items. Blue Frog did verify and acknowledge the price on its estimate was the base cost proposal. “No other contractor who submitted a proposal attached their cost estimate to their official proposal nor were they asked to in the RFP documents,” noted Poe. Blue Frog’s price for building the EMS station was the lowest price with Keith Hayes
See COMMISSION, page 5A
Qualifying is under way for 2012 elections From staff reports
Jackson County Comprehensive High School seniors were awarded their diplomas by Superintendent Dr. Shannon Adams and the Jackson County Board of Education during May 17 commencement exercises which also featured Honors Chorus senior members leading the singing of the Alma Mater (above). East Jackson High seniors would graduate on May 18. Also on Friday night, Jefferson High School students (below) tossed their caps into the air after graduation ceremonies in Memorial Stadium. More on graduation and end-of-school happenings at ClickThePaper.com Mill Creek High School will hold graduation ceremonies at 8 p.m. on May 24 in the Mill Creek High School Stadium.
Individuals who have been campaigning for office will be able to make their announced candidacy official this week as qualifying continues until noon on Friday, May 25. While campaign signs have been going up around the community for months, the official campaign season has kicked off as those who want their names on the July 31 ballot will pay their fees to officially qualify to seek office. The time period for qualifying opened at 9 a.m. on Wednesday and closes at noon on Friday for county constitutional offices and other posts on the July 31 primary ballots. Qualifying fees are 3 percent of base salary. (See fee charts at ClickThePaper.com.) The Jackson County Republican Party is conducting qualifying for candidates at the GOP office at 27 City Square in Hoschton. Contact Kelley Gary, party chairman, at 678-8953234 to schedule an appointment. The Jackson County Board of Elections and Registration is conducting qualifying for Democratic and nonpartisan candidates. That office is located in the Jackson County Administrative Building at 67 Athens St., in Jefferson. While May 25 is a county furlough day, the Elections office will be open for qualifying. Nonpartisan offices include State Court Judge, Probate Judge and Chief Magistrate Judge. Seats on the Fire Boards are also nonpartisan. State office seekers will file qualifying papers at the State Capitol Building while nonpartisan state candidates will file at the State Elections Office. Also on the July 31 ballot will be the County Commission Chairmanship and District 1 and District 2 of the Jackson County Board of Commissioners, with the new map made official on April 25 determining the boundaries of the districts. The Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (T-SPLOST) referendum will also be on the July 31 ballot across the State of Georgia. On the ballot will be the following Fire Board seats: Arcade, Posts 1 and 2; Commerce, Posts 2 and 4; Harrisburg, Posts 6-9; West Jackson, Posts 3-5; Plainview, Posts 2 and 3; Maysville, Posts 1, 4 and 5; Jackson Trail, Posts 2, 3 and 5; Nicholson, Posts 4 and 5; South Jackson, Posts 3-5; and four at-large posts at North Jackson. In Jefferson, qualifying to fill the remainder of Councilman Bosie Griffith’s term will be from 9 a.m. Wednesday until noon on Friday. Griffith’s resignation came April 1. Qualifying will be conducted at Jefferson City Hall.
See QUALIFYING, page 2A
New superintendent welcomed
Dr. Green introduced to Jackson County Schools personnel By LEANNE AKIN lakin@clickthepaper.com Dr. John Green was presented Tuesday morning as the new leader of the Jackson County School System. Lynne Massey-Wheeler, chairwoman of the Jackson County Board of Education, said Dr. Green was preparing for the opening of a new school in Madison, Ala., when the school system was able to lure him away to replace the retiring Dr. Shannon Adams as superintendent. He was principal of James Clemens High School in Madison, Ala., where he got the job to be closer to his daughter who was in her first year at the Univer-
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sity of Alabama. He said Alabama was a great place to visit, “but thank you for letting me come home.” For the presentation, Wheeler was joined at the podium in the East Jackson County High School auditorium by board members Tim Brooks, Michael Cronic and Celinda Wilson. Board member Steve Bryant was on an out-oftown business trip but sent his regards, Wheeler said. Dr. Green urged the teachers and administrators to make eye contact with someone in the room they didn’t know and go and talk with them. After a few moments, he told them they were talking and listening – the key to building trust
Volume 6, Number 29 6A Forum Obituaries 4A Police report 7A Puzzles 7B Sports 1-2B
and forging relationships, something he will be doing in the community. The auditorium was packed with school teachers and administrators who watched a PowerPoint presentation of highlights of the 2011-12 school year that included photos of those retiring from the system including Dr. Adams, Dr. Jeff Sanchez and Kathy Miller from the central office and teachers from several schools. Green hinted that the teachers were anticipating the summer ahead and he realized he was “the last person standing between you and summer vacation.” Green said, “I look forward to getting to know you.”
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LeAnne Akin The Paper
Dr. John Green said, “Today is not about me” as he explained that a fifth grader’s letter about leadership addresses what is important. Today is about you, he told Jackson County School System personnel. The Paper P.O. Box 430 Hoschton, GA 30548
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