During its caucus session Tuesday, the Floyd County Commission questioned Richard Garland, executive director of the Rome-Floyd Parks and Recreation Authority, regarding plans for a fitness room at the North Floyd Park recreation center under construction in Armuchee.

Garland said the proposed cardio equipment would not pose a safety issue for users and the limited offering would not compete with private health clubs. He also noted that the fitness room appears on blueprints for the facility and was approved at at town hall meeting held to get input from the community.

County Commissioner Chad Whitefield reluctantly withdrew his earlier objection, saying “I don’t want to make a huge deal about a small part of a $3 million budget, but I’m not a fan.”

Commissioners Garry Fricks and Irwin Bagwell, however, continued to express doubt and a decision was deferred to the commission’s Dec. 8 meeting.

“This board takes a different attitude on expenditures than it did two years ago,” Fricks said.

The 2006 special purpose local option sales tax package earmarked $3 million for the North Floyd recreation center. The original $300,000 equipment and furnishings budget was cut to $150,000 due to unexpected construction expenses and lower-than-expected SPLOST revenues.

Commissioners did accept low bids totaling $21,154.41 for commercial kitchen and concession equipment for the North Floyd Park and Shannon Park facilities.

County Manager Kevin Poe said a delay ordering the heating and air system has pushed back the North Floyd opening to February.

The Shannon Park community center, already over budget, will need an additional $40,000 worth of fire suppression equipment installed before it is cleared for use, he said.

Lack of sewer stalls apartment proposal

The commission, meanwhile, shot down plans for an apartment complex behind Midway Park that would have depended on a septic system to serve the 32 proposed units.

Lamar Ashley was seeking multi-family residential zoning on 12 acres off Midway Park Road, and said he would likely expand the development onto an adjacent 38 acres later. There is no sewer service in that part of the county.

“I don’t like to tell someone what they can do with their property, but that amount of septic concerns me,” Bagwell said.

Bagwell and Fricks initially tried to craft a conditional approval, but Whitefield and Commissioners Eddie Lumsden opposed the motion.

The tie vote led to some confusion but, after a close reading of the ordinance governing zoning hearings, County Attorney Tommy Manning said it equals a denial.

The fifth board member – Commission Chairman John Mayes – is expected to be out the rest of the year, recovering from a stroke and preparing for heart surgery. Lumsden, who is vice chair, will be handling his duties.

Lumsden said Mayes is otherwise in good health and “should be able to return to his normal routine” following the surgery.

In other actions, the board:

Signed off on a contract to host the 2010 NAIA football championship at Barron Stadium.

The terms – unchanged from the 2008 and 2009 contract – call for the county to cover up to $25,000 of the cost if the event fails to break even. The city of Rome and Shorter College have approved identical agreements. Poe said the three entities split an approximately $66,000 shortfall in 2008.

Approved an updated agreement to house the city of Cave Spring’s prisoners in the Floyd County Jail.

Accepted Cave Spring’s offer of $1,500 for a surplus single-axle Ford dump truck. The truck would likely bring about $7,500 if auctioned on the GovDeals.com Web site, Poe said, but the board had the option of selling it directly to another government instead of taking bids.

Approved the $7,500 replacement of a jet drive outboard motor in the main rescue boat of the Floyd County Emergency Management Agency.

The specialized motor is designed to operate in shallow water containing debris, Poe said.

Accepted the $94,040 low bid from ECS LLC Southeast to provide geotechnical services during the construction of the Armuchee Connector and bridge across the Oostanaula River.

The company is working on a similar bridge project at Georgia Power Co.’s Plant Bowen in Cartersville and could offer a competitive price because the two sites are relatively close to each other, according to a report from Williams, Sweitzer & Barnum, the engineers overseeing the Connector.

The 2006 SPLOST contains $12 million for the project.

Accepted a proposal from Southern Sheriffs Supply to provide the commissary and inmate trust fund accounting services at the Floyd County Prison.

Warden Jeff Chandler said the function will take on added importance when the work release center opens in January.

The company, which also handles accounts for the Floyd County Jail, offered a 42 percent commission on gross revenue and an on-site administrator.

Accepted the $123,000 low bid from John Anderson Service to renovate the heating and air system at the Floyd County Health Department.

Poe said the system was problematic from the start. Funding will come from money remaining from the 2003 SPLOST fund that paid for construction and from a settlement with the architect.