Macon-Bibb County Commission Special Called Meeting: Jail Expansion, Arena Plans, and Road Paving - September 23, 2025
Macon-Bibb County Commission Special Called Meeting Summary - September 23, 2025
A special called meeting of the Macon-Bibb County Board of Commissioners was held on September 23, 2025, at 7:50 PM. The meeting focused on major capital projects including a jail expansion, a new downtown arena, and extensive road paving, along with several routine approvals. Key presentations were made by county staff and external consultants, with unanimous votes on most items.
Proclamations
- Mayor Lester M. Miller presented a proclamation declaring September 2025 as Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month in Macon-Bibb County. The proclamation highlighted that ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths among women in the U.S. and that a woman's lifetime risk of diagnosis is about 1 in 78.
- A second proclamation declared September 23, 2025, as Community Schools United Coordinators Appreciation Week, honoring coordinators at L.H. Williams and Burdell-Hunt Elementary Schools.
Consent Calendar & Unanimous Approvals
- Minutes Approval: The pre-commission meeting, public hearing, and commission meeting minutes from September 2, 2025, were approved unanimously.
- Hospital Authority Nomination: A resolution submitting a slate of nominees for a seat currently held by Dr. Monique Davis Smith on the Macon-Bibb County Hospital Authority Board was approved and will be forwarded to the appropriate bodies.
- Website & Content Management: A resolution authorizing an agreement with Granicus LLC for website and content management services in the amount of $107,124, paid from the IT department budget, passed unanimously.
- Copier/Printer Lease: A five-year master lease agreement with RICOH for copiers and printers at $245,888 per year (paid from IT budget) was approved.
- Fire Department Testing: A professional services agreement with the University of Georgia Research Foundation for fire department promotional testing services in the amount of $36,289 (from the general fund) passed.
- Juvenile Court Attorney: A contract with attorney John J. Carter for delinquency and truancy defense services in juvenile court at a cost of $37,800 (from the general fund) was approved.
- Frank Johnson Park Gliding: A contract with Middle Georgia Outdoor Gliding for purchase and installation at Frank Johnson Park was awarded in the amount of $226,763, paid from SPLOST funds.
- Juvenile Court Therapy Services: A professional services agreement with Evidence-Based Associates, LLC for functional family therapy services for juvenile court participants in the amount of $364,500, funded by a 2026 juvenile justice incentive grant, was approved.
- Sheriff's Office Network Recovery: An amendment to an agreement with Park Place Technologies LLC for network recovery services for the Bibb County Sheriff's Office in the amount of $20,560 (from IT budget) was approved.
- Airport Runway Extension Phase 2: A contract with Piedmont Mining LLC for construction of Phase 2 of the runway extension at Middle Georgia Regional Airport was approved in the amount of $7,685,659.51, funded by FAA, AIG, and local match funds. Commissioner Howell noted that the runway extension project began in 1973.
- Opioid Settlement Participation: The commission authorized participation in a national opioid settlement with third-wave manufacturers (totaling approximately $720 million nationally). The county will receive a portion of Georgia's 25% allocation to local governments, with at least 9.5% of that directed to the sheriff's office. The county may also apply for regional block grants.
- 2025 SPLOST Bond Budget: An ordinance adopting a budget for the 2025 SPLOST bonds was approved, noting favorable interest rates (just over 2%) and a $5 million premium from bond sales.
- FAA Airport Grants: The commission authorized acceptance of FAA Airport Improvement Program funding of $3.6 million and an additional $2.3 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, with a local match of up to $2 million from the general fund.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Terry McGee spoke in favor of building a new jail rather than renovating. He stated, "We've been doing CPR on this jail long enough... it's time to replace it." He criticized the county for delaying action despite citations, deaths, and safety issues, asking, "Are you blind or you're deaf, or you just don't care?"
Discussion Items
- Jail Expansion & Upgrade: Clay Murphy, SPLOST Program Coordinator, presented a proposal to hire Jericho Design Group as architects for a jail expansion. The project is intended as a temporary fix with long-term reuse potential. It includes three phases: (1) demolishing the Higgins Building for parking; (2) expanding the infirmary to add up to 24 mental health beds; and (3) constructing a new maximum-security housing unit with up to 150 beds in the west yard (currently a parking lot). Total cost for the new construction is estimated at $28–31 million, with Phase 2B (the new housing unit) at $24–25 million. The design includes prefabricated steel cells that can be moved to a future jail site. The timeline is approximately 14–16 months. Sheriff Davis expressed support, noting the plan addresses the growing mentally ill inmate population and provides maximum security options. Commissioner Stewart requested ongoing dialogue with the community and emphasized minority- and female-owned business participation.
- New Arena Design: Alex Morrison (Planning Director) introduced PBK Architects as the recommended firm for the new downtown arena, following a competitive process with six respondents. PBK has 42 years of experience and has completed over 80 indoor arenas. The proposed arena (up to 10,000 seats) will be located on the current Macon Centreplex site, with the Coliseum remaining open during construction. The project timeline includes a groundbreaking in July 2026 and completion around May/June 2028. Design concepts show both circular and rectangular configurations, with flexibility for hockey, basketball, concerts, and graduations. Commissioner Stewart supported the project but requested that district commissioners (District 3 and District 2) have a seat at the table for ongoing discussions and that minority- and female-owned businesses participate. Commissioner Wynn inquired about breakout rooms for conventions; the mayor confirmed that breakout rooms and parking decks are being considered. The architectural fee is capped at 7.25% of total project cost (plus 4% for parking deck if needed), paid from SPLOST 2025 cultural and recreational funds.
Key Outcomes
- Approval of Jericho Design Group as architects for the jail upgrade and expansion (motion carried unanimously).
- Approval of PBK Architects as architects for the new arena (motion carried unanimously).
- Amendment awarded to MacElroy Inc. for asphalt paving in the amount of $781,537.47 (from LMIG and SPLOST funds).
- Amendment awarded to Professional Paving Services for asphalt paving in the amount of $968,585.23 (from LMIG and SPLOST funds).
- Amendment awarded to Professional Services LLC for asphalt paving in the amount of $1,179,793 (from LRA and SPLOST funds).
- Amendment awarded to Atlanta Paving and Concrete Construction for asphalt paving in the amount of $717,715.12 (from LRA and SPLOST funds).
- Commissioner Bryant raised concerns about road paving distribution across districts; the mayor clarified that all roads are awarded by zone and that the county does not control the contractor's schedule. The county has paved or is paving over 112 miles of roads, with completion of most projects expected by December 15, 2025. If not completed, work resumes at the end of February.
Meeting Adjournment
The meeting concluded after the final vote, with a call meeting anticipated for October 1, 2025, to award additional paving bids.
Meeting Transcript
Well, good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the Make and Bibb County Board of Commissions meeting. This is a special call meeting. Therefore, every item on the agenda will be the only item we discussed tonight. Uh, and we'll not be able to add anything addition to the agenda. Uh, we'd like to welcome everyone here and officially call this meeting to order. We're going to begin our meetings tonight with a couple of presentations. Uh, we will have a couple items that we'll take out front, and we'll go into executive session for a moment and then come back. Our first presentation of the night is going to be a presentation of proclamation for ovarian cancer month. And we've asked Miss Valerie Commissioner Valerie when to uh step down to the podium to make that presentation. Thank you, Mr. Mayor, and thank you for everybody for being here. Um, this kind of is close to my heart because my mother had cancer, not ovarian cancer, but she had cancer, and so all of this matters to me as it should to you. Um, whereas, on behalf of the citizens of Makin Bibb County, I am pleased to join Atrium Health Navicent in celebrating the month of September Two thousand twenty-five as Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month in Makon Bibb County, and whereas the aim of Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month is to inform Americans about the risk factors and symptoms of ovarian cancer. And whereas ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths of women in the United States and causes more deaths than any other gynecologic cancer. And whereas in the United States, a woman's lifetime risk of being diagnosed with ovarian cancer is about one and in seventy-eight. Excuse me, proclaim September 2025 as ovarian cancer awareness month in Macon Bibb County. I urge all Central Georgians to familiarize themselves with the warning signs, symptoms, and risk factors associated with ovarian cancer so that we might begin to reduce the devastating effects imposed on our state. And witness thereof, I have hereinto set my hand and cause the seal of the consolidated government to be affixed this 23rd day of September 2025. And it is signed by Lester M. Miller, our mayor. Thank you, Commissioner Wynn. I don't think there's anyone to hand this okay now. Not sure if there's anyone here tonight. We were going to read that in the last meeting and could not do it, and they asked us to hold that for tonight. So we just ask everyone to continue to support that effort. Remember those that not only face ovarian cancer, but all uh types of illnesses and disease, uh, especially in today's time. So we have another proclamation that I'm gonna step down and read in just a moment. Uh, there's a presentation and proclamation for a community and school coordinators appreciation week, and I see several of those members there. So if you don't mind, if you'll go ahead and come up front there, and I'll step down from my seat and we'll come pre the proclamation and present it to you. Okay. Follow the leader. Proclamation, office of the mayor, make and Bibb County, Georgia. Whereas United Way of Central Georgia's community schools united coordinators are the key to successful community schools, creating strengthening and maintaining the bridge between the school and the community. And whereas community schools united coordinators facilitate and provide leadership for the collaborative process and development of continuing the services for children, families, and community members within a school neighborhood. And whereas community schools united has two community coordinators that work diligently to create and manage the partnerships that allow Bilb County School District students enrolled at LH Williams and Birdell Hunt Elementary Schools to learn and their communities to thrive. And whereas Community Schools United is joining a national coordinators appreciation week with the Institute for Educational Leadership Coalition for community schools to celebrate and lift up coordinators across this country. Now, therefore, I Lester and Miller do hereby proclaim September 23rd, 2025 as Community Schools United Coordinators Appreciation Week in Macon Bib County to honor the community school united coordinators diligently working to serve our students, families, and our communities. In witness whereof I have here to set my hand and cause the seal of the consolidated government to be affixed this 23rd day of September 2025, signed by myself, Lester Miller, Mayor of Macon Bibb County. This time we're gonna have the approval of the amendments. The approval of the amendment is for the pre-commission meeting, public hearing, and commission meeting on September the second, 2025. I get a motion to approve. Motion by Commissioner Stewart. We have a second. Second by Commissioner Wynne. All those in favor of the motion, please say aye. Opposed, nay. That motion carries unanimously. We're gonna move on to item four, which is the appropriations to authorities, boards, and commissions. A resolution of the Macin Bibb County Commission submitting a slate of a nominees for a seat currently held by Dr.
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