Catching up with the Regular Session of 8 October 2013, why is the county going to pay $150/month for a traffic signal and $2200/month for offramp lighting (both at Exit 22, North Valdosta Road) when they could install solar panels and batteries once and pay nothing ongoing?

They tabled Nottinghill like the Planning Commission did. They voted to let Barrington subdivision sprawl into the county with no conditions, taking staff’s recommendation instead of one about a fence by the Planning Commission.. They voted to rotate the mostly ceremonial Vice Chairman position every eight months. They decided on a price for tentants in the Leila Ellis Building and will get around to drawing up a lease agreement. Commissioners finally did get that list of roads for striping. Fiddling changes to percentages evidence for juvenile justice and hardware and software for fining people coming off of I-75.

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

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2013, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2013, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2^nd Floor

1. Call to Order
2. Invocation

   Reverend Minister Commissioner Crawford “Ivory Billed Woodpecker” Powell really doesn’t seem to know the difference between a church service and a government meeting. He said not one word about government and did pray that “our churches be filled”.

3. Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag

• Leadership Lowndes

  Chairman Slaughter interjected a few words about members of Leadership Lowndes being present, or at least one, Steve Johnson.

4. Minutes for Approval
   1. Work Session — September 9, 2013
   2. Regular Session — September 10, 2013
5. Public Hearings
   1. REZ-2013-11 Nottinghill, Orr Rd RA-R21, Community Well & Septic, 14.71 acres

      Tabled for 30 days at the request of developer and county staff same as recommended by the Planning Commission. County Planner Jason Davenport said they were still trying to collect signatures, presumably of neighbors who think this is rezoning is a good idea.

   2. REZ-2013-12 Barrington, Barrington Drive PD Development Plan Amendment, Water & Sewer, ~ 12 acres

      There’s a problem with the fence related to the requirement the Planning Commission recommended for it. County Planner said County Engineer Mike Fletcher rode out to look at it and

      …we need to modify the language and the location of that fence because it’s not going to work in relation to the detention pond that’s out there.

      Nobody from the public spoke for or against. Commissioner Richard Raines asked if the developer was willing to do what the Planning Commission recommended about the fence. County Planner Jason Davenport said mostly, and went into some details, including regarding the detention pond. Raines wanted to know why the Planning Commission made the request. Davenport noted Planning Commissioner Jody Hall made the motion and was in the audience. Nobody asked him why he did it.

      Commissioner Crawford Powell asked if there was a need for verbiage in the motion to let staff negotiate about the fence. Planner Davenport said staff were flexible since the Planning Commission, not staff, added that fence condition.

      Commissioner John Page made a motion to approve with no conditions. Seconded by Commissioner Demarcus Marshall. Unanimous. So it seems county staff overruled the Planning Commission.

      See also in the 23 July 2013 meeting. This time they’re making water and sewer changes to its plan, presumably so in a later meeting they can then accept it into the county’s road, water, and sewer infrastructure so the county can start paying the price of sprawl.

   3. REZ-2013-13 LCBOC on Behalf of the Lester Family Trust -Doug Lester Whitewater Road, I-75, Williams Road, and Belotville Road various to E-A (existing C-H to remain C-H), ~868 acres

      Nobody spoke for or against. Unanimous approval for a family to rezone back to agricultural. And former Commissioner Richard Lee wasn’t there to utter his famous cry of “you want to go backwards?”

   4. REZ-2013-14 Claude G and Kelly H Fletcher, New Statenville Hwy. E-A & C-C to R-A, Well & Septic, 3.26 acres

      Nobody spoke for or against. Unanimous approval.

6. For Consideration
   1. Vice Chairmanship

      Commissioner John Page moved to rotate every 8 months until the next election, starting with Richard Raines. For much more discussion and some legal handwaving from the alleged county attorney, see the previous morning’s Work Session.

   2. Leila Ellis Building-Available Space

      After the length discussion at the previous morning’s Work Session, this time Chad McCleod had a map of who occupies what part of the main building and who is in the other buildings, as well as who wants what space for what price. The county’s going price is 29 cents per square foot per month. Only DCA-approved renters can rent. County Manager Joe Pritchard said an eviction clause would be included in the leases, which implies that there will be leases this time.

      Commissioner Demarcus Marshall noted there were actually two more outfits in there (soup kitchen, shelter) than Chad McLeod listed, since the other two were in there under the umbrella of some other organizations. McLeod said they were cleaning that up. Pritchard said the desire was to have them all consistent as to cost.

      Commissioner John Page moved “to approve the lease as presented by Mr. McCleod at 29 cents per square foot”. Commissioner Crawford Powell then asked the alleged county attorney if that was the appropriate motion. The alleged said they didn’t actually have a lease yet. Page clarified his motion to say that’s why he’d only mentioned the price; by which apparently he meant he only wanted to mention the price. They agreed to that change and passed it unanimously, although they never read out what the revised motion actually was. Maybe this is how they start getting into confused accounting: Commissioners don’t even know what they’re voting on.

   3. Contract with Georgia Department of Transportation for Traffic Signal at Exit 22

      It’s for a traffic “stop and go” light to control access to I-75 off off Shiloh Road. Cost to the county estimated by County Engineer Mike Fletcher at $150/month, out of traffic signals budget line item.

   4. Contract with Georgia Department of Transportation for Interchange Lighting at Exit 22

      Lighting for offramp. The county will pay $2200/month, said County Engineer Mike Fletcher.

   5. Addendum to Evidence Based Associates Service Agreement

      Emergency Services Director Ashley Tye said this was an addendum to the service agreement with Evidence Based Associates for a criminal justice grant recently awarded for juvenile courts. The state requires a 60% (down from 75%) completion rate “on all the youth that go through the program” and 15% (down from 20%) reduction in felony commitments. See also the previous morning’s Work Session. This long-running juvenile justice project was last seen at the County Commission 13 August 2013. This time the Commissioners unanimously approved the addendum.

   6. Clerk of Court Citation Payment Solution

      IT Director Aaron Kostyu said this was for software and hardware for the Clerk of Court to handle the citations moved from the Sheriff’s office for fines coming off of I-75. County Manager Joe Pritchard said they had purchase orders for $60,330 for items so far, and a kiosk would come back later. Commissioner John Page wanted clarification that this was coming out of the county’s contingency fund. All agreed it was not a budgeted item. Unanimous approval.

7. Bid-Striping, Signage & RPM’s on 30.79 miles of roadway

   County Engineer Mike Fletcher said this was for a grant for $142,491.75. The Commission approved a contract for that 23 July 2013. Fletcher said the winner of the bid was [?] Pavement Marking for the low bid of $136,179.50. He didn’t say who the other bidders were or what their bid amounts were.

   That list of roads County Engineer Mike Fletcher promised in the Work Session 22 July 2013? He actually named them in open session for a change: Shiloh Road, Skipper Bridge Road, Miller Bridge Road, Lake Park-Belleville Road, Val Del Road, Old Quitman Road, Johnson Road, and Whitewater Road.

   Commissioner John Page wanted confirmation that the cost was covered by the grant. Fletcher said all his department had to do was oversee the work.

   Unanimous approval.

8. Reports-County Manager

   No reports. But see Emergency Director Ashley Tye on the storm that wasn’t in the previous morning’s Work Session.

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

   Nobody wanted to be heard.

Here’s a video playlist:

Rotating vice chairmanship
Work Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 7 October 2013.

-jsq

Short Link: