See how the Commission does “the people’s business” one of the Christian minister Commissioners mentioned in his invocation before another Baptist minister Commissioner expressed concerns about a different religion’s choice of location. No explanation for why county citizens can’t choose their trash service or why the county is suing a local business on behalf of New York City investors, and half a million dollars for paving without any competitive bid named while one man says the county took his property for road right of way. One more potential board appointee showed up, for 2 out of 3.

Here’s the agenda with links to the videos and a few notes. See also the videos of the previous morning’s Work Session.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, MAY 13, 2013, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, MAY 14, 2013, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2^nd Floor

1. Call to Order

   Chairman Bill Slaughter thanked Commissioner Joyce Evans for presiding at the previous morning’s Work Session while he was ill.

2. Invocation

   Crawford Powell prayed:

   …let us be about the people’s business.

   Does that include letting half a million dollars of the people’s money without telling the people who bid or how much, or taking a citizen’s property, or letting a monopoly on trash pickup and suing a legitimate local business?

3. Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag
4. Minutes for Approval

   No changes.

   1. Work Session — April 22, 2013
   2. Regular Session — April 23, 2013
5. Appointments
   1. Valdosta/Lowndes County Airport Authority

      The other of two applicants showed up to speak, but they quickly appointed the other one. See separate post.

   2. South Georgia Community Service Board

      After County Manager Joe Pritchard repeated more or less what he said the previous morning (except this time his microphone was working and he had learned how to say the applicant’s name), the Commission unanimously reappointed current Chairman Shamb Purohit to the South Georgia Community Service Board to serve another three year term. The applicant did not show up to speak.

6. Public Hearing — REZ — 2013-05 Zipperer/E. McCallum, 4850 Peat Moss Rd. R-10 to R-1, Well and Septic, ~2.7 acres

   County Planner Jason Davenport again said (like the previous morning) he thought the primary motivation was so the applicant could remove an existing home and move another onto the property. He said the applicant was present. However, nobody spoke for or against, Commissioners had no questions, and the Commission unanimously approved the rezoning.

7. For Consideration
   1. Beer License — C & M Country Store, LLC — 2295 New Statenville Hwy

      No questions. Unanimously approved.

   2. Beer and Wine License — Honest Enterprises, LLC — 4592 N. Valdosta Road

      No questions. Unanimously approved.

   3. Merciful Community Center Trust Indenture

      Apparently a different religion is what it takes to get a Commissioner to speak up for the neighbors; see separate post.

   4. Building at Clyattville Park

      County Manager said Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority (VLPRA) wants written permission from the Commission dispose of a building at Clyattville Park that the Commission once moved there (more detail in the previous morning’s Work Session. No questions. Unanimous approval.

8. Bid – Soil cement, bituminous prime (with sand), and paving for Bayhill Drive, Pinewood Drive, Grand Pine Drive, Glenn Hill Drive, Bay Wood Drive, Bemiss Knights Academy Road North, a portion of Old Bemiss Road, Payton Place, and Dodd Road

   Purchasing Director Kari L. Sands said staff recommendation is to award the bid to Scruggs Company for $495,845. No other bids were mentioned. Commissioner Page asked whether all the funds were LMIG funds. County Engineer Mike Fletcher said the only matching from the county was labor. Unanimous approval. See more detail from the previous morning’s Work Session.

9. Reports-County Manager

   County Manager asked for an Executive Session. He did not say what for. Chairman agreed. Is that legal, an executive session with no stated reason?

10. Citizens Wishing to be Heard Please State Name And Address

    

    • Why can’t we choose our trash pickup service? –Tom Hallman

      See separate post.

    • Give back what I’ve had for 37 years –Lamar Clements

      See separate post.

    • Fiscal responsibility and legal actions –John S. Quarterman

      See separate post.

    • Executive Session for the purpose of attorney-client communication

      At least, unlike when the County Manager requested it, they said what the Executive Session was for. They went in at 5:59 PM, and ten or fifteen minutes later they still hadn’t come out, so all the citizens left, including, I think, the one the Chairman had promised an explanation of why the Commission doesn’t want to allow citizens to choose their trash pickup service, so apparently he never got an explanation.

    Here’s a video playlist:

    
    Videos: paving and suing
    Regular Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
    Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE),
    Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 14 May 2013.

    -jsq

    Short Link:
    

    Share this:

    • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
    • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

    Related