24 minutes on REZ-2016-19 Turnberry at Thompson E-A to R-21 which changed to R-1 at the last minute, 14 minutes on Bill Branham’s REZ-2016-23 Copeland Road development, 4 on REZ-2016-24 Martin< 3 on REZ-2016-25 Cain’s Creekside RV Park, and 3 on the Peterson Road Lift Station Rehab, plus almost 5 minutes of Chairman and Commission Comments! Real discussion and revealing their opinions in public? What’s gotten into them? Did they see in advance the VDT’s Sunlight on the horizon?

Yet the Chairman said nobody could ask the audience to stand up on REZ-2016-19 Turnberry at Thompson and while they were waiting for the room to clear before the next item could start, Commissioner Clay Griner said he was taking notes on all the people who left. At the January Valdosta City Council meeting he got up and left after the item he was interested in.

The County Commissioners also reappointed Dr. Randy Smith for another six years on the Board of Health, although the public still hasn’t seen the “letter from Dr. Grove supporting Dr. Smith,” nor for that matter the quarterly financial report. If tiny Effingham County can publish its County Commission packets, mighty Lowndes County could to it, too.

They also adopted the Soil Erosion, Sedimentation and Pollution Control Ordinance and a resolution to re-apply for the grant for the rural transportation service run by MIDS.

Below are links to each of the LAKE videos, with a few notes, followed by a video playlist. Gretchen put further notes directly in the YouTube video comments. See also the agenda, and for the rezonings the LAKE videos of the preceding Planning Commission meeting. If I’m not mistaken, GLPC recommended for all of the rezonings, although the Branham one was a split 6:2 vote. And see the LAKE videos of the previous morning’s Work Session.

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

  Video.

• 4. Minutes for Approval

  Video.

• 5 a. Lowndes County Board of Health

  Video.

• 6 a. REZ-2016-19 Turnberry at Thompson E-A to R-21

  Video. Last-minute change to R-1 instead of R-21, revised site plan not yet even approved by staff, and they expected the Commission to vote on it? At least two Commissioners (Marshall and Griner) objected to the last-minute changes. Commissioner Clay Griner said he would have supported one-acre lots if he’d seen it “yesterday” (at the Work Session), and there’s the problem of nearby Barber Circle. Mark Wisenbaker said he didn’t like the last-minute change, although it was hard to deny it with one-acre Barber Circle directly across the street. Joyce Evans said she couldn’t support a last-minute entry. Griner made a motion to table, Wisenbaker seconded, all voted aye to table until January (today).

• 6b. REZ-2016-20 Weldon/Bailey, 5571 Ivey Ln E-A to R-1/E-A

  Video. They had to wait a minute for the room to clear from the previous item. Commissioner Clay Griner said he was taking notes on all the people who left. They approved the rezoning unanimously.

• 6 c. REZ-2016-21 Seago, 4678 US Hwy 41 S R-1 to R-A

  Video. Tabled at staff request.

• 6d. REZ-2016-22 Exit 13 Development, C-H to M-2

  Video. Approved unanimously with the one condition recommended by GLPC.

• 6 e. REZ-2016-23 Branham Project, R-1 to R-21

  Video. One acre to half acre rezoning request. Large update: neighbor petition in opposition. Staff had not had time to contact petitioners, but made a map showing the addresses the signatories gave, which showed most of them to the south of the land. There was also a map of petition signatories from last year, although County Planner Jason Davenport said many of last year’s signatures were forged. Also, Engineering recommended two conditions about traffic. And still no new site plan updated from the one a year ago. Site plan is actually not required, said County Planner Jason Davenport.

  Juana Heath of 2971 Lester Road said Copeland Road owuld need a turning lane, red light, and crosswalk. That and wildlife including eagles would be affected, and deer, foxes, and indigo snakes.

  But they are God’s creatures, and they have a right to this land just like we do. And it’s up to us to try to protect them, to give them that safe haven.

  Deanna Lindsey of Copeland Road said there was not enough room for expansion of houses, and too much traffic.

  William Branham spoke and said he didn’t remember any mention of animals from last year, he wanted to put solar on the property, and he would have an electric solar-powered bus system.

  Commissioner Demarcus Marshall recused himself because property of some of his immediate family members adjoin the subject property. Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker moved to table awaiting more information about “the electric business” and lot and house designs. The Commissioners tabled it 3:1 and with Marshall recusing himself.

• 6 f. REZ-2016-24 Martin, 3824 Newsome Rd E-A/R-1/M-2 to E-A/M-2

  Video. Applicant said he was just trying to get it rezoned to continue the family business. Commissioners approved it with the GLPC-recommended condition to keep it used as a junk and salvage yard and vehicle repair.

• 6 g. REZ-2016-25 Cain’s Creekside RV Park, PD-R Amendment

  Video. Business has been so successful applicant wants to expand. Minor changes in plan. Commissioners approved amendment to the PD 4:1.

• 6 h. Proposed 2016 Special Tax Lighting Districts

  Video. Staff batched a bunch of special lighting districts together, and Commissioners approved all of them unanimously, including Nelson Hill. Or did they? See do-over.

• 6 i. Abandonment of Unopened Right of Way – Avenue I

  Video. Nobody spoke against, and nobody for. Commissioners approved the abandonment unanimously.

• 6h (do-over) Proposed 2016 Special Tax Lighting Districts

  Video. They finally had the public hearing. Nobody spoke for or against. Commissioners once again voted unanimously to approve.

• 7 a. Quit Claim Deed Abandoned ROW and Utility Easement – Avenue I

  Video. They approved it unanimously.

• 7 b. Adopt Resolution accepting infrastructure for Coventry Subdivision

  Video. Off of Mulligan Road. Unanimously approved.

• 7c. Soil Erosion, Sedimentation and Pollution Control Ordinance

  Video. They had to adopt this, modeling the state’s similar law, to keep their “local issuing authority status”. The ULDC will be updated later to match, but they had to go ahead and do this much by the end of the year, said County Engineer Mike Fletcher. He also said there were no changes that affected Lowndes County; mostly about marshes and coastlines.

• 7 d. Grant Re-Application for Rural Transportation Program

  Video. The MIDS on-call bus service. They approved the grant application unanimously.

• 7 e. Beer and Wine License – Pilot Travel Center #073 – 3495 Madison Hwy.

  Video. Unanimously approved.

• 7f. Beer & Wine License – Pilot Travel Center 631 7001 Lake Park-Bellville

  Video. Unanimously approved.

• 7 g. Assistance to Firefighters Grant Application

  Video. Unanimously approved.

• 7 h. Request to Purchase Demo Extrication Tools

  Video. Unanimously approved.

• 7 i. Approval of DA’s Federal VOCA Grant Application Renewal

  Video. Unanimously approved.

• 7 j. Solicitor-General’s VOCA Continuation Grant

  Video. Unanimously approved.

• 7 k. 2017 Holiday Schedule

  Video. Unanimously approved.

• 7 l. Section 125 Plan Document Renewal for 2017

  Video. This is about employee health insurance deductions. Unanimously approved.

• 7 m. Commission Meeting Calendar 2017

  Video. Unanimously approved.

• 7 n. Court Software Purchase

  Video. Unanimously approved.

• 7 o. GEFA Loan Application

  Video. For several utility projects, including solar panels at the storage pond. Unanimously approved.

• 7 p. Authorize Housing Authority of Valdosta to Issue Bonds

  Video. Yet another bond-issuing authority. Unanimously approved.

• 8 a. Peterson Road Lift Station Rehab

  Video. Commissioner Demarcus Marshall wanted to know if the bidder, RPI, was local. Commissioner Scott Orenstein said he didn’t consider it a technicality that the bidder did not put his license number on the outside of the envelope as required, nor “pending” since the state was in the process of issuing it. Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker wanted to know if the bidder had a license now. Answer from Utilities Director Steve Stalvey: yes. Commissioner Scott Orenstein made a motion to dismiss the low bid and award the contract to the next-lowest. Passed 4:1.

• 8 b. Approval of State Contract Purchase of Tiger TrucKat Boom Mower

  Video. Unanimously approved.

• 9. Reports – County Manager – Quarterly Financial

  Video. The financial report wasn’t on the agenda. As usual, only the Commissioners could see it, not the public. Apparently tax revenues are slow to come in, kind of like the Development Authority has been saying.

• Chairman and Commission Comments

  Video. County Manager Joe Pritchard had to remind Chairman Bill Slaughter that they had agreed to do this. Apparently it was so they could say Happy New Year and Merry Christmas. Commissioners thanked the staff. Chairman also mentioned the public.

Here’s a LAKE video playlist:

Videos: Turnberry, Branham, Peterson Road Lift Station, and Commissioner Comments
Regular Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, December 13, 2016.

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