District 3 Commissioner Daniel Deal was steadfast in his efforts to get a playground approved for the park at the Copper Basin Community Center, telling fellow commissioners, “The last thing we’ve ever bought for this park was a porta potty...and that was 12 years ago.”
Deal made the statement when Polk County Commission met in regular session Thursday night, June 30.
In the end, the majority sided with Deal over the objections of two commissioners.
County Executive Robby Hatcher announced a bid totaling $32,206 had been received for the equipment. This included the equipment cost of $22,650 and $9,556 for installation. This lone bid that was submitted came from Beyond Your Ordinary (BYO) Recreation, who had also offered a $700 discount.
After the bid was announced, Commissioner James Woody asked about the time frame for installation, then said the “Chamber of Commerce has got a grant” for recreation.
He was referring to a Master Plan for Parks and Recreation being developed for the county in conjunction with the Tree Star program. That plan is expected to be ready in September, allowing Polk County and its cities to apply for grants beginning with the February 2023 grant cycle.
Lynne McClary, executive director of the Polk County Chamber of Commerce, backed Woody’s comments saying the grants would be 80/20 matching and, because of the Three Star program, the county’s match would be reduced from 20 percent to 17 percent. “You’re going to get a lot more (money), probably,” she said.
Woody, who is also president of the Polk County Chamber, echoed her thoughts during the exchange.
Commissioner Dewey Esquinance opposed the purchase saying, it should be made with grants or fundraisers by the “people who are going to use this (rather) than requiring every single landowner in the county to have to pay for it.”
He said the commission should “not give in to everybody who wants to put something in.”
The objections by Woody, McClary and Equinance fueled Deal’s statements who said, “You don’t know who’s going to be up here (on the commission) in September.” He said he wanted to see something done for the playground before he leaves office.
When a vote was taken, the equipment purchase was approved 5-2 with commissioners Deal, Samantha Trantham, Debbie Davis, John Pippenger, and Chairman Greg Brooks voting in favor and Esquinance and Woody opposing.
A bid from Buckskin Construction for $50,000 to put a new roof on the old Polk County Courthouse in Ducktown was tabled when Esquinance questioned whether or not the company had a business license.
District 3 Commissioner Jeremy Kimsey, who had recommended the company, was not at the meeting.
Commissioners agreed to check out the company before awarding the bid.
Commissioners agreed to a $188,673.91 purchase to replace the hot water boilers at the justice center. This money will come out of the reserve fund for the jail.
Commissioners tabled a wiring bid for the Ocoee Fire Hall and a request from Road Superintendent Roy Gene Thomason for $365,000 to pave one mile of road in each of the county’s four voting districts.
Commissioners also tabled budget amendment requests from the school system after Esquinance said, “these figures don’t add up,” pointing to examples of the increase or decrease shown between original and amended figures not equaling the actual difference.