The Kennesaw City Council is expected to approve a design contract for a new amphitheater next week.

Passage of the 2022 SPLOST in November enabled the city to move forward on the next stage of the 12.5-acre Depot Park improvement project, which is intended to be the central green space for the city.

The estimated cost of the amphitheater is $3-4 million, according to Parks Director Steve Roberts. The contract being considered is with Croy Engineering for engineering and architectural designs for a total cost of $82,220. Though the project is included in the 2016 and 2022 SPLOSTs, the funding for the contract will come from 2016 funds.

Designs are expected to be complete by October, and Roberts hopes to hold some preliminary concerts in the spring to test stage placement and acoustics before actual construction begins.

Road Improvements

Public Works Director Ricky Stewart recommended the council approve a contract with Blount Construction Company for a road resurfacing project. Blount had the lowest bid of seven companies at $361,228.

The contract is for an amount not to exceed $421,294, with $281,320 coming from the Georgia Department of Transportation via the Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant Program.

The LMIG program requires the city to match at least 30 percent of the funds.

The three streets to be resurfaced include Main Street, from Dallas Street to McCollum Parkway, J.O. Stephenson Avenue, from Dallas Street to Main Street, and Lewis Street, from Dallas Street to Main Street.

According to Stewart, since the bid came in well below the budget, the city might be able to add additional streets to the project.

Council member Pat Ferris asked how the streets were selected for repair when others in the city are in worse condition.

“We may have a street that is in worse condition, but if it only sees a handful of vehicles, versus several thousand like Main Street does, we put that at a little higher priority,” Stewart said. The proximity of the side streets to Main Street was also factored into the selection, due to the cost of having the construction company mobilize to different areas.

The next regular city council meeting will be held on Tuesday Jan. 19 at 6:30 p.m. due to the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. Meetings take place in City Hall Council Chambers and can be streamed live on the city’s Facebook page.

Rebecca Gaunt earned a degree in journalism from the University of Georgia and a master’s degree in education from Oglethorpe University. After teaching elementary school for several years, she returned to writing. She lives in Marietta with her husband, son, two cats, and a dog. In her spare time, she loves to read, binge Netflix and travel.