(rshsdepot) Cartersville, GA

["Jim Dent" <james.dent_@_itochu.com>]

-From the Cartersville, GA Daily Tribune News...

City OKs depot fix
Tim Allen
Staff Writer
Published July 19, 2001 10:10 PM CDT

The renovation of the old CSX Depot in Cartersville will require the city to
pay the contractor more money, but it will not increase the scope of the
project as the money will come out of landscaping funds.

The project's structural engineer identified serious safety problems with
the framing and roof of the building that increased the cost of the $580,000
project by $63,500. The Cartersville City Council approved a change order to
fix the problems at Thursday's meeting.

The city actually only needs to take about $40,000 out of the landscaping
funds for the city park because there was already a cushion to go over by
$23,000.

The change order concerned some city officials.

"We need to be careful to be sure we don't get into a sinking ship," said
City Manager Sam Grove. "We've already got a $63,000 bill and we've just
started the project."

Councilman Scott Painter asked a representative of the contractor,
Mechanical Electrical Associates, if he expected future expenses and was
told there might only be minor changes.

"I don't think we can continue to find money for future change orders,"
Panter said.

A transportation enhancement grant from the Georgia Dept. of Transportation
paid for all but about $150,000 of the project.

------------------------------