The Stockbridge City Council voted at its May 31 workshop meeting to spend more than a half-million dollars on security equipment and services for a variety of public buildings. The money for the $542,062 contract will be reimbursed through American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.
According to council documents, city staff is seeking to install systems for surveillance, access control, intrusion detection security integration network and closed-circuit television (CCTV) for the Municipal Court building, City Hall and its parking lot, the Ted Strickland Community Center, the Merle Manders Conference Center (administration and conference facilities), the Cochran Library, and the Henry County Tag & Title office on an as-needed basis.
In other business, the council approved an increase from $150,000 to $350,000 for its annual sidewalk repair and replacement contract with DAF Concrete so that repairs in the Monarch Village and Windsong at Eagle’s Landing subdivisions can be completed. That money comes from the city’s portion of the county SPLOST.
Several noteworthy items were noted by the council relating to the new police department, which officially begins operating throughout the city July 1. The council voted to apply for and receive COPS grant funding to hire 10 additional police officers, and Mayor Anthony Ford pointed out later in the meeting that 40 officers had been sworn in earlier that day during a ceremony at the Merle Manders Conference Center.
Also approved was a measure authorizing the police department to use automated speed detection devices within marked school zones inside the city limits through an agreement with RedSpeed USA. This is similar to what the Henry County Police Department already does in parts of the unincorporated county.
The purchase of a 2023 Isuzu Chassis Landscape Truck under a statewide contract was approved for the public works department in the amount of $61,893. It will be replacing a vehicle that was totaled last year, and the new truck will be paid for by the insurance settlement as well as budgeted public works funds.
Dates for a total of nine Tasty Tuesday events were approved along with an additional $14,000 in funding. The scheduled dates are every Tuesday from June 28 through August 30 with the exception of July 5.
The council also approved some changes in the city’s procurement code and had a discussion with no action regarding funding sources for the cultural arts center.
