Sandy Springs City Council has awarded a $1.7 million contract for the sidewalk and roadway realignment project on Brandon Mill Road

Bids for the job ranged from BackBone Infrastructure’s low, winning bid of $1.7 million to $2.8 million.

Public Works Director Marty Martin said the city plans to construct a 6-foot sidewalk on the east side of Brandon Mill Road between Brandon Ridge Drive and Lost Forest Drive. Roadway realignment for that section will be part of the project, as will new stormwater drainage features, retaining walls, and other utility relocations required for the new pedestrian walkway.

Martin said they expect work to begin between four to six weeks.

Church can expand its meeting room, parking

The city council approved a conditional use permit that will allow the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to build a bigger meeting room and expand its parking.

The council voted to approve the church’s application for its property at 6450 Barfield Road and 6449 Glenridge Drive during its Sept. 17 meeting.

The church plans to increase the size of its meeting room from the existing building with 15,000 square feet by approximately 70 percent, up to 25,000 square feet. Parking spaces will increase by almost 25 percent, or 67.

Chris Cornell, the president of Glenridge Close Homeowners Association, said they support the church’s application.

“The church and the association have worked collaboratively on matters such as the security cameras, the landscaping, and the construction hours, which were very important to the community,” Cornell said.

Vertical Earth to fix flooding issue

Vertical Earth’s low bid of $686,400 to construct Phase II of the Riverside Drive Stormwater Mitigation Project at 6695 Riverside Drive won the contract for the project. The high bid was $813,969.

Public Works Director Marty Martin said the project aims to improve the drainage system and reduce roadway flooding.

The Cumming company will replace an existing concrete spillway and make associated repairs. Vertical Earth will also upgrade the drainage system.

Cumberland Academy, Sandy Springs share facilities

Sandy Springs renewed an agreement with Cumberland Academy of Georgia to collaborate on access to each other’s facilities for athletic and recreational programming.

Public Works Director Marty Martin said Cumberland Academy of Georgia specializes in the needs of children in fourth to 12th grade with high functioning autism, Asperger’s ADD and ADHD, and other learning differences. The academy’s mission is to provide a safe and supportive educational environment.

To meet these needs, they have requested the use of the activity building in the athletic field at Hammond Park to provide programs to their students. Martin said Cumberland has offered gym space to the Recreation and Parks Department for the city’s youth basketball program. Sandy Springs and Cumberland have had this arrangement for the past two years.

The agreement is for one initial year, with four optional renewal years. No costs are associated with the agreement.

MARTA, Sandy Springs PD to communicate via police radios

Approval of an intergovernmental agreement will enable Sandy Springs Police officers to communicate with their counterparts with the MARTA Police Department.

The interagency communication will be possible as the city upgrades its portable radios to use MARTA PD talk groups. In-car radios will be reprogrammed at a cost within the SSPD’s budget in the future.

Major Dan Nable said the MARTA PD contacted him two months ago about revamping its communication system to enable law enforcement agencies along its rails and bus routes to communicate with its officers.

Nable said it’s beneficial because the SSPD’s radios will not work inside their tunnels. If they switch their radios to the MARTA talk groups, the transit agency has repeaters inside the tunnels making it possible for officers to contact someone.

Being able to communicate during joint operations is the other benefit.

“We get on the trains, and we work together to identify any criminal element that might be using that train to come into Sandy Springs,” Nable said.