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Published Wednesday, July 28, 2010 in Local

Newnan Utilities says it's ready to supply services to new hospital

By Winston Skinner

The Newnan Times-Herald

Officials with Newnan Utilities and Piedmont Newnan Hospital are meeting frequently to make sure electric service is ready when the hospital opens.

Ed Strong, Newnan Utilities' engineering director, told the Newnan Water Sewerage and Light Commission on Tuesday morning that the city-owned utility is in weekly contact with officials from Piedmont Newnan. "We submitted a drawing to them several weeks ago," Strong said. Once that drawing is back at Newnan Utilities, work can begin.

Large projects, like the new hospital facility on Poplar Road, can seek prices from several electricity providers. Even though the hospital will be in unincorporated Coweta County, Newnan Utilities will be providing electricity for the facility.

A Georgia Power substation will be put in place near the hospital site on Poplar Road.

Strong said there will not be a problem with providing the electricity needed when the not-for-profit hospital opens at the new location. The anticipated opening date will be sometime in 2012.

"We'll have service there for them," Strong said. "We've got service there." As far as electrical service is concerned, "they could open up right now if they want to," Strong said.

Strong also talked about design work that is being done for a half million dollar upgrade of Newnan Utilities' water plant. The facility off Sewell Road will get a new roof, and there will be some heating/air work done. Interior and exterior painting are also part of the project.

Strong explained that "a little bit different bid process" was used for the water plant. "We've broken it into pieces," he said. If costs run higher than expected, some parts of the project can be delayed until later.

There also was discussion of an upcoming city streetscapes project in the Perry-East Broad-Washington streets area of downtown Newnan. Strong and Dennis McEntire, general manager for Newnan Utilities, talked with the commission about the advisability of replacing older infrastructure before the new sidewalks are put in place.

Some utility work is required for the project, but most of what was discussed is preventative -- avoiding the necessity of digging beneath the new sidewalks a few years from now and trying to find matching brick.

Strong said the cost of the upgrade in connection with streetscapes would be about $250,000 if done by a private contractor. Strong said he believes Newnan Utilities staff and subcontractors can do the work cheaper.

Board member Parnell Odom asked why the cost of such work is not included in the streetscapes funding. McEntire said that has not been the case with any of the streetscapes projects in Newnan.

McEntire also stressed that much of the work is wise but not an immediate necessity. "It's our call," he said.

Doing the work now "just makes sense to us," McEntire said.

McEntire said doing the work will probably not require a budget amendment. "We feel like our budget that is in place can handle this right now," he said. "We can absorb the cost."

There is a possibility that later in the year, McEntire might ask the board "for a budget increase." Estimated cost of the project for the city-owned utility will be $150,000-$200,000.

"That's a lot of money," commissioner Dianne Parker commented.

McEntire and Strong have met with city officials, who have agreed to let Newnan Utilities know in advance about future streetscapes projects. Streetscapes projects on Greenville Street and on Pinson Street have been proposed.

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