After years of discussion,

the city of Senoia is set to get a new public works building.

The City Council Monday night

approved the low bid of $388,000 from to build the structure. But the

City Council had only appropriated $225,000 in SPLOST funds, so had to

figure out where to find the extra $163,000.

City administrator Murray McAfee

said the city had $160,000 in the sewer contingency fund, but probably

only $80,000 of that could be used.

Councilman Robert Belisle said

the city also had about $35,000 in SPLOST II that was available to use

for the building.

The City Council decided to

use $70,000 of the contingency fund, along with the $260,000 in SPLOST

funds for the project. Belisle also asked the city staff to see if any

of the funds in the SPLOST III account could be used for the building.

"A lot of that building

is going to be used for water administration, so I think it could be used,"

Belisle said.

If it can't be used, Belisle

said the remaining $58,000 would have to come from the general fund. The

low bid on the contract was Whitworth Construction in Griffin for the

building to be located off Howard Road.

In other news, Belisle asked

McAfee to get a complete accounting of the recent renovation of the library.

The councilman said it appeared the renovation had come in about $1,850

under budget, and he would like to see that money restored to the general

fund.

Mayor Robert Hannah also announced

that a new initiative to help some of the more distressed areas in the

city would start March 18. Senoia Offers Support is designed to help some

of the poorer neighborhoods in the city improve their living conditions.

Hannah said a town meeting is set for 7 p.m. at the Freeman Sasser Building

in the park for residents to offer suggestions.