Toccoa Delays Schaefer Center Roof Contract Despite Lower Bid

Toccoa City Commissioners unanimously postponed a decision on a roof contract for the Schaefer Center on May 13, 2014, sending the city’s two competing proposals to staff for review and a recommendation at the next commission meeting. John’s Roofing proposed $23,850 for the work, while Cobb’s Roofing submitted the lower $22,500 bid.

The action left unresolved a basic public-contract choice: whether Toccoa would hire the lowest bidder or select a contractor after staff examined the proposals. Because the work involved maintaining a city facility, the delay also meant the meeting did not establish the price, scope or company responsible for the roof project.

Rather than treating the bid opening as the final step, commissioners considered the two prices at their May 13 meeting and voted to remand the matter to staff. That unanimous referral made a later staff recommendation the intended bridge between the competing bids and any eventual contract award.

John’s Roofing and Cobb’s Roofing were the two bidders identified in the City Commission meeting minutes, with Cobb’s proposal coming in $1,350 below John’s. The commission did not publicly select either firm in that action; instead, its unanimous motion placed the next recommendation with city staff.

The bid amounts and the commission’s referral to staff are completed, documented actions. A contract award is not documented in the minutes, which do not identify a later staff recommendation or contractor selection; they also do not establish a final project price, final scope, performance by either company or completion of the roofing work.

The next public step identified by commissioners was a staff recommendation at the meeting following May 13. A subsequent City Commission record would be needed to show whether officials selected John’s Roofing, Cobb’s Roofing or neither bidder, and to settle the contract’s terms and whether the Schaefer Center roof work moved forward.