June 23, 2008
www.northfulton.com
CUMMING – Since its legal issues with Forsyth County over SPLOST have subsided, the Cumming City Council is moving forward with the proposed aquatic center.
The council went ahead and approved a motion to begin negotiations with the Howell Group to design and provide architectural services for the proposed Indoor Aquatic Center. The firm was originally selected by the Cumming Indoor Aquatic Center Project Evaluation Committee as its recommended pick during May, but the official recommendation was held until litigation with the county was complete.
The committee made its decision known to the council at the June 17 meeting following a process during which it garnered 10 bids from architectural firms all over the country. They narrowed the search down to three and solicited presentations, interviews and preliminary proposals from each including, The Howell Group, Richard, Wittschiebe, Hand and the Prad Group.
The city is due to receive $10 million from its SPLOST agreement with the county for its new aquatic center. That amount is in addition to the SPLOST V remaining balance of $4.8 million the city still retains, which is also slated to be used for the aquatic center. Stipulations require that 80 percent of those specific funds must be used for aquatic-related activities and features.
If the city desires, 20 percent of the funds could be used to build something along the lines of a work-out room within the aquatic center building, according to Paul McGruder, city attorney.
Mayor Ford Gravitt will negotiate exact terms of the contract with the Howell Group, although tentatively the firm will receive 6.6 percent of the total construction budget as its payment.
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