“You have an appointee information sheet in your packet,” said County Manager Joe Pritchard, and that’s all we learned about Michael Smith, who did not appear to speak, either, at yesterday morning’s Work Session. County Chairman Bill Slaughter did encourage the Commissioners to send in information sheets on any other nominees they might come up with for the Tourism Authority before tonight’s 5:30 PM voting Regular Session. He did not encourage the public to apply. But if you want to, here is the application form.

Also apparently the Internet really is made of pipes. It’s durious how the county can help a private company with television (that was the longest item at just under 2 minutes) but can’t use its plethora of towers to help with citizen Internet access.

And the county discussed in executive session buying real estate. The whole meeting before that took just under 8 minutes.

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item, with a few notes, followed by a LAKE video playlist. See also the agenda and the notes in that blog post.

• 1. Call to Order 4. Minutes for Approval

  Video.

• 5a. Valdosta-Lowndes County Conference Center And Tourism Authority

  Video.

• 6a. Abandonment Of A Portion Of Union Road (part 1)

  Video. County Manager Mike Fletcher said the I-75 Exit 29 work caused an orphaned part of Union Road, which is what they want to abandon by scheduling a public hearing.

• 6a. Abandonment Of A Portion Of Union Road (part 2)

  Video. Wait, there’s more. County Manager Bill Slaughter wanted to know about the realignment. A: it’s already realigned and reopened. He referred to a map we the public could not see.

• 6b. Adopt Resolution Accepting Infrastructure For Powersports Road

  Video. It’s off of Val-Tech Road, and the acceptance is for road drainage.

• 6c. Beer License J & M Food Mart- 2295 New Statenville Hwy

  Video. Finance Director Stephanie Black said it was as usual a new establishment. The old one has been closed since December.

• 6d. Termination Of Lease With The Langdale Company Hwy 84 West

  Video. County Manager Joe Pritchard said the county had requested this property for potential use as a fire station, with a lease drawn up with the Langdale Company, but that never happened, and now the Langdale Company wants the lease canceled. Commissioners had no questions.

• 6e. Hargray Telecommunication Services Agreement

  Video. Information Technology Services Director Aaron Kostyu said they were getting a third “large pipe” for telephone and Internet services for emergency services, including ability to scale up for an emergency. He said the new equipment would save $100,000. And he never said the word “redundant” for which he is famous. Commissioners had no questions.

• 6f. License Of Antenna Tower Space To Hargray Of Georgia

  Video. Information Technology Services Director Aaron Kostyu said the county has many towers that are used to carry services such as for public safety, fire, utilities dept. The one at Kinderlous has surplous antenna space. Hargray approached the county to use it to receive signals to “inject into the services they supply to the citizens of Lowndes County,” specifically television. Curious how the county can help with television but can’t use its plethora of towers to help with citizen Internet access. Commissioners had no questions.

• 7. Reports – County Manager

  Video. County Manager Joe Pritchard asked for an executive session to discuss purchasing real estate. Commissioners quickly voted that. Gretchen did not stick around to see when they came back.

Here’s a LAKE video playlist:

Videos: Appointment to Tourism Authority, Roads and Towers
Work Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, September 24, 2018.

-jsq

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