Some actual discussion! 20 minutes of it, on 6.b. REZ-2014-16 Bailey, Madison Hwy/Williams School Ln, at the 14 October 2014 Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission. With no discussion, they approved a single-sourced pump replacement and the DA’s VOCA grant application. They abandoned Water Oak Trail (not Water Oaks Drive), and they reappointed Jody Hall to the Planning Commission with no discussion and no presentation by him. The county now has a twitter account, but the new website still isn’t ready, after how many months?

See the agenda and videos of the previous morning’s Work Session, and see the board packet LAKE acquired through an open records request and scanned and posted.

• 1. Call to Order 2. Invocation 3. Pledge

  Video.

• Breast Cancer Awareness Month

  Video. Chairman Bill Slaughter said Commissioner Joyce Evans brought it to their attention.

• 4. Minutes for Approval

  Video.

• 5. Appointment Greater Lowndes Planning

  Video. They reappointed Jody Hall. Previously he was on for the unexpired term of John Page. This time they appointed him to a five-year term, with no discussion, unanimously. He did not speak.

• 6.a. Abandonment of Unopened Right of Way off Water Oak Trail

  Video. See the videos of the previous morning’s Work Session for it’s Water Oak Trail, not Water Oaks Drive, and for maps.

  Commissioner Demarcus Marshall wanted to know if the motion needed to include being divided among the neighboring property owners. County Attorney said that wasn’t necessary, since it was an easement, and abandonment would mean it would happen as a matter of law.

• 6.b. REZ-2014-16 Bailey, Madison Hwy/Williams School Ln

  Video. County Planner Jason Davenport said applicant was willing to consider M1, and Staff had recommended CC. Commissioner Demarcus Marshall wanted to know what hazardous waste meant. Commissioner Crawford Powell wanted to confirm that they’d be grandfathered in for the current business regardless of which rezoning; answer: yes.

  Nobody spoke in opposition.

  Applicant spoke in favor. She worried that if a tornado tore down the building, they couldn’t build a new one without rezoning. Chairman asked if that could be handled through conditional use. Answer from County Planner, no, due to the ordinance.

  Gretchen Quarterman also spoke in favor, noting that on her appointed board, the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBOA), often people wanted a variance to replace a building that was damaged by a storm, because they were in a non-conforming situation. She said she admired a person who wanted to get it right for their existing building. Also expanding a building often requires a variance.

  You have the opportunity right now to make their business whole.

  Commissioners continued to discuss the issue for another nine minutes. Griner and Powell were concerned about resale of the property: what else might go in there, also about population density nearby. County Planner Jason Davenport recommended looking at the aerial map, which you can see in the board packet LAKE requisitioned, scanned, and posted

  

  Davenport also said Commission could put a requirement for rezoning in case of change of ownership. Also, in response to a question by Demarcus Marshall, that the county had no outstanding code enforcement or other issues with the applicant; the rezoning was because the applicant wanted to clean up the grandfathered issue.

  Commissioner Powell suggested tabling to consider M-1. Commissioner Raines want to know the difference between C-C and M-1. Davenport recommended looking at “the table”, which you can see in the board packet LAKE requisitioned, scanned, and posted, and noted that C-C would be more restrictive in certain ways.

  Eventually the tabled so county could discuss M-1 and C-C with applicant.

• 7.a. Foxbourgh Lift Station Pump Replacement

  Video. Utilities Manager Mike Allen said cost for repair was 75% of cost of a new pump, so staff recommends purchasing a new pump. He didn’t mention the cost of $30,040.20 or that there was only one bidder, but you can see that in the board packet WWALS acquired, scanned, and posted. The Commission approved the purchase unanimously, never mentioning price or single-sourcing to the public.

• 7.b. DA’s Federal VOCA Grant Application Renewal

  Video. Referring to the previous morning’s presentation by D.A. J. David Miller, they approved it unanimously.

• 8. Reports – County Manager

  Video. County Manager Joe Pritchard said it was Fire Prevention Month, and he wanted to acknowledge Fire Dept. and 911 for efforts to educate school children.

  County Clerk Paige Dukes (hidden behind her monitor) said the county had a twitter account now, Lowndes411. But the website still isn’t ready, after how many months?

Here’s a video playlist:

Videos: Discussion, GLPC, abandonment, septic, pump, and VOCA
Regular Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 14 October 2014.

-jsq

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