City hires architect to design new police headquarters

After soliciting proposals from architectural firms, the Cairo Mayor and Council made a final decision Monday night on an architect to design a new Cairo Police Department headquarters.
The council authorized Mayor Bobby Burns to execute a contract with James W. Buckley & Associates Inc., and architect Greg Smith. Smith has served as the architect on many projects for the Grady County Board of Education and most recently for the new Cairo High School College and Career Center.
Both Councilmen James H. (Jimmy) Douglas and Jerry Cox have had experience working with Smith on school system projects. Douglas is a former school board member and Cox continues to serve as a part-time facilities coordinator following his tenure as the school system’s operations director.
Cox suggested that proper planning in advance would reduce costs, because he said when changes to design require plans to be redrawn that is when additional expenses are incurred.
Douglas reminded Smith, as he did many times on the school board, that the city council wanted a facility that would serve the community for 50 years but was not a Taj Mahal.
Smith said that he anticipated changes in design for the facility in the initial design process and he also said he would produce options for cost savings for the council’s consideration.
The architect also said he planned to visit some of the other facilities in the state that councilmen had toured and liked. Smith said he was always eager to “steal” good ideas as well as learn from others’ mistakes.