TIFTON — Tifton City Council came close to negotiating an affordable bid for the construction of a youth development center but decided it still had things to iron out with citywide fees.

The bidding on construction for the Youth Development Center was a topic discussed at the workshop session earlier in the month. City Manager Pete Pyrzenski said Douglas-based Harper & Company Builders was the lowest bidder on the project, despite the lowest bid still being out of the city’s budget.

He said he met with the company earlier in the week, when alterations to the building’s aesthetics were proposed to possibly lower the price, and added he planned another meeting to attempt to get the price within the range of the city’s budget.

Council authorized Pyrzenski to negotiate with Harper & Company in negotiating the project into the established budget.

Council also deliberated the update of the city’s fees, with special attention given to water and sewer fees. City Council learned Tifton’s rates are the lowest in 15 cities and they need to be raised, authorities said.

Litigation between the City of Tifton and Tift County over creating a joint sewer and water authority to run both levels of the system, as well as equalizing water rates throughout the county, are, according to the council members, impeding the process.

Council member Jack Polk attempted to negotiate with the county to resolve the litigation but said his attempts proved ineffective.

Council member Wes Ehlers expressed concern with the city’s water fees, believing further discussion is needed regarding the base and consumption rates.

Ehlers proposed all fees be approved save for the water and sewer fees, which would be tabled indefinitely until further discussion could be held. His motion carried 3-2.