The Florala City Council agreed Monday to send back nearly $80,000 in Department of Transportation funds after the city’s sidewalk project came in under budget.

Mayor Robert Williamson said the city recently was awarded $317,000 for the third phase of its four-phase sidewalk project. The lowest bid for the project came in at $240,000 – a $77,000 difference, he said.

“The cost came in well under what the initial grant award was for,” Williamson said. “That money can’t be used for any other project, and we can’t add anything like decorative items to this project,” he said. “So, the best thing we can do is send it back and hope that it creates favoritism with DOT.”

The local project is fully funded; however, Williamson said DOT officials said they would “shift that money back and redistribute it to other projects.”