Fort Oglethorpe redesigns signal light at Food City
Fort Oglethorpe and Economic Development Authority officials had to make a quick call regarding the emergency redesign for a signal light at the new Food City development off U.S. 41.
Fort Oglethorpe City Manager Jennifer Payne-simpkins explained during the Sept. 24 City Council meeting that the emergency purchase was added to the project to combat a possible delay.
“It was an emergency purchase that was approved over email by the majority of the council because we were up against a deadline a couple of weeks ago,” PayneSimpkins said. “Technically it should be considered and hopefully approved by council because it’s already in play.”
Payne-simpkins explained that there was an issue with the design that had to be corrected.
“Essentially … we’ve had to go back and redesign the signal light intersection as part of our U.S. 41 agreement with Food City and the EDA,” She said. “Because we had to do a complete redesign, it increased the cost to the city and the EDA by $9,700.
“We will split that fee, but it is underway. It is essentially a change order.”
Aside from the business of the city, Mayor Earl Gray took a moment before the regular agenda was addressed to speak about the recent death of former long-time Police Chief David Eubanks, who died Sept. 20.
“On a sad note, we lost our former police chief David Eubanks who passed away this week,” Gray said. “David was a longtime employee here.
“I’m sure everybody in the city has crossed his path at one time or another. He was just a great individual. He’ll be missed.
“He was a character here. He was just one of those guys that when you met him, you just kind of liked him, and if you didn’t the first time, the second time he’d make you like him.”