Council Approves Increase In City Springs Budget

SANDY SPRINGS, GA -- Sandy Springs leaders on Tuesday approved a 3.5-percent increase in the overall budget for its massive downtown redevelopment project. The supplementary funding for the City Springs project will be used to cover additional elements such as security upgrades, furniture costs associated with public and office spaces and enhancements to theatre and acoustical elements.

The unanimous approval boosts the budget from $222.7 million to roughly $229.2 million, City Manager John McDonough said. The budget amendment includes $2.9 million set aside for construction-related costs; $2 million for professional services, including architecture, landscaping and technology services; and $1.5 million for contingency, totaling $6.5 million, which is a 2.9 percent increase in the construction budget.

McDonough added Council members have approved various change orders related to the City Springs project, but the Dec. 19 vote was the first time city leaders actually approved an increase in the overall budget.

Mayor Rusty Paul said the city has done an "excellent job" in covering a majority of costs related to the project. Tuesday's vote to increase the overall cost, he added, is a necessary component to see the city through the complex, design-build project.

He also commended city staff with being able to hold the overall increase to just three percent since Sandy Springs broke ground on the project in July 2015.

“To be able to accomplish all of that with a 3 percent increase in the budget is astounding to me,” he said Tuesday, adding city staff has done an amazing job in keeping the project on time and on budget as close as possible.

Sandy Springs has several sources to draw from to meet its budget needs. To fund the construction budget, the city will use interest earned from the bond issued for City Springs, in addition to monies from the fiscal year 2017 fund balance and money allocated for property acquisition along Hammond Drive, which is now within the T-SPLOST program.

The City Council also approved a proposed adding $1.2 million to the Furnitures, Fixtures & Equipment capital budget to cover furniture throughout the facility including city offices, conference meeting rooms, City View Terrace and outdoor furniture and lighting. The FF&E program will utilize capital contingency and fiscal year 2017 fund balance dollars. The target to officially open City Springs to the public remains summer 2018.

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