Work on a new administration and training facility for the Liberty County EMS could start early next year.

County commissioners have awarded a bid of $2.78 million to Pope Construction, contingent on results of their minority and women-owned business enterprise report.

Though Pope was not the low bidder, they had the highest score from the committee. The committee also looks at similar projects from the bidders and the county’s history with the contractors, County Administrator Joey Brown said.

Pope Construction is nearing completion on the county’s public works facility and also is working on the new health department building.

“They’ve done a great job for us,” Brown said.

The lowest bidder, he added, did not have a project similar to the EMS administration and training facility among its work.

The new building, to be built adjacent to the current EMS headquarters on Hinesville’s South Main Street, will give the EMS room for training purposes and for its administration. Currently, there is not room to do mandated training in-house, Brown said. It also will provide adequate storage for drugs and other materials the EMS has to have on hand.

“Being able to store those and buy them in bulk will result in a significant savings,” Brown said.

The one-story building will take about a year to complete, and special purpose local option sales tax proceeds will cover the cost.

County commissioners also awarded a $3 million bid to Palm Coast Utilities to extend the county’s water lines west of the railroad, while awaiting final confirmation of the contractor’s MWBE report. Brown said a notice to proceed will not be issued and a contract will not be signed until that report is in hand.

There is a deadline for the county, however, since American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA, money is being used to finance the project. There is a deadline of December 31, 2024, for local governments to use their ARPA allotments.

County engineer Trent Long said the water line extension will serve 95 households and the system is designed to accommodate expansion and growth, meaning it could handle a potential 110home subdivision being planned for that area.

Residents are not required to hook up to the county’s water line once it is installed, and the hookup fee is $1,375.

“They should want to,” said Chairman Donald Lovette. “I could give a testimony on that. It is providing clean water.”