They tabled T-SPLOST until their next meeting because they got a complaint from the Chamber about process, and also from others. Remember, even if it gets on the ballot, it can still be voted down again, like in 2012.

Meanwhile, John Stephen, VDT, 7 April 2017, T-SPLOST headed for referendum,

Even though the Lowndes County Commission delayed a vote on the regional T-SPLOST at its last meeting due to local confusion on the one-penny sales tax, enough counties in the area now support the tax (10 out of 18 were needed) to move it forward to a public vote even without the commission’s approval.

In the coming weeks, a regional roundtable of government representatives will determine when the public vote will take place, the projected revenue from the tax and what projects the tax would fund if passed.

If approved, the one-penny sales tax would last for 10 years and cover projects such as road and bridge repairs, safety improvements, sidewalk construction, traffic signal upgrades and possibly even projects related to trains and air travel.

A 2015 state law is what allows counties to collectively initiate a regional T-SPLOST. Locally, such a tax would bump sales taxes up to eight cents on the dollar.

…

Even if voters shoot down the regional T-SPLOST, counties will have the option to call another vote for an individual T-SPLOST.

What do the county commissioners want from T-SPLOST? Funding for the truck bypass around Valdosta; not public transportation.

See also the LAKE videos of the previous morning’s Work Session and the agenda to which they did finally add online

5.h. Amend 2015 Solid Waste Ordinance
Approval of ordinance
Documents: Amend 2015 Solid Waste Ordinance.pdf

They took that added item first, reducing pollution and environmental insurance from $5 million to $1 million for solid waste collection franchisees. Then they approved the franchises for ADS and DSS.

They approved everything else on the agenda, too.

Plus a special report from John Sparks, Partnership for Health, who said the county and Valdosta ten years ago started a free medical clinic for the uninsured in Lowndes County, and have provided $10 million in medical assistance in partnership with South Georgia Medical Center (SGMC). SGMC has provided recent additional funding which also enables moving to new offices at 520 Griffin Ave.

They went into executive session to discussion pending or potential litigation. Could it be their feud with the local cities about SPLOST tax distribution?

Here is the County’s own video of their meeting, because Gretchen had somewhere else to be that Tuesday evening.

Videos: regional T-SPLOST tabled, Trash disposal renewals, another lift station pump, Dasher Streets
Regular Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Video by Lowndes County Staff for Lowndes County Commission,
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, March 28, 2017.

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