Eatonton City Council members were pleased-unto-gushing last week with City Administrator Gary Sanders’ report to the council, stating the city had saved $162,000 off its 50-percent share of a Community Development Block Grant for five street maintenance projects.
In an inflationary environment during the bidding process, contractors included a best-guess estimate for the cost of materials, with the actual costs to be reviewed later. The winning contractor, Peach State Construction, was able to buy materials – mainly concrete items like drainpipes and curb-and-gutters – much cheaper than estimated just a few months ago.
“That’s a rarity,” Mayor John Reid observed, with council member James Gorley adding it’s “the first time I can remember that happening.”
Another announcement may have been less dramatic but still pointed to savings in the current year’s budget.
In switching from much older copper wiring to fiber optic cable in the police and fire department’s headquarters on West Marion Street, Sanders said those two departments would be able to cut their monthly telephone bills in half, a savings of about $1,000 per month, in addition to other benefits.