It will be weeks before all Augusta Municipal Building marble tiles get inspected

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – A marble tile is still missing at the top of the Municipal Building after it broke loose from it’s metal fastener and was removed.

What is not known is why many others are in the same condition – and that is concerning.

“Oh yes, yeah, I mean somebody needs to definitely check everything,” said Buell Bolin.

In April, commissioners were told that an emergency X-ray inspection of the building was needed to see the condition of the other tiles. An engineering report said the potential exists that one of the tiles could fall off the building.

But city leaders did not approve an emergency procurement to get the work started, so now the project is going out for bids.

“We’re making sure we don’t have any loose tiles at this point where it’s hanging off the building if so we will immediately have those removed so right now we’re in good shape we’re getting a bid put together now hopefully in the next few weeks that bid will be out,” said Interim Central Services Director Ron Lampkin.

But some commissioners didn’t know the inspection was going out for bid and the work is still weeks away.

“It’s a health and safety we have people walking into the Municipal Building it just seems like I thought that’s what was discussed and now hearing that it was not discussed again we’ll have to ask the department head on Tuesday,” said Commissioner Sean Frantom.

“So you we’re not aware of that?”

“I was not aware of that,” said Frantom.

“Yes, it’s definitely safe like you said I go into the building I feel safe going in and everybody can as well,” said Lampkin.

But until the building is X-rayed no one will know for sure whether all those more than one thousand marble tiles are still securely fastened.

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