A budget for renovations at Senoia City Hall got approval from the Senoia City Council on Monday.
During their meeting at the Senoia Magistrate Court, the council unanimously approved a budget of $183,750 for the city hall work. The council also gave its blessing to negotiations City Administrator Richard Ferry did with Property Solutions Group, the contractor for the project.
In December, the council approved PSG as the contractor. The company's bid exceeded the amount proposed for the project, and Ferry was authorized to negotiate with company officials.
On Monday, Ferry said it took "about a week and a half" to reach the current agreement. "The project will not significantly change. You probably will not ever notice the changes," Ferry told the council.
He said many of the changes involve the use of different materials. The final bid from PSG is for $147,215.
The council approved $148,000 for construction. Other parts of the budget included $3,950 for design, $12,000 for furniture, $5,000 for landscaping and $14,800 -- 10 percent of the total -- as a contingency fund.
Ferry talked about the furniture needs for the project. "We have a lobby to do, a conference room and chairs in each of the offices," he said.
Landscaping will include two flagpoles.
"Hopefully, we don't touch the contingency, but it's good to have it there," Ferry said. He talked about the need for a contingency fund -- particularly when work is being done on an older building.
"With any renovation, you can run into things you're not 100 percent aware of," Ferry said. Mayor Robert Belisle agreed, speaking from the experience of "owning an old house."
