Maybe it was “custom fit” that caused Commissioner Clay Griner to ask for postponement of approval of purchase of firefighting equipment until after the county’s retreat. All five Commissioners voted for tabling. More detail below in the notes on that item.
Bob Dewar has discovered the county wants an 80-foot right of way to pave Clyattstone Road, “What we do not want is a highway. It’s a quaint county road.” Well, that’s not why the county paves roads. More in the item notes below.
Everything else was passed with little or no discussion.
Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item, followed by a LAKE video playlist. See also the LAKE videos of the previous morning’s Work Session, the agenda, and the board packet on the LAKE website, now with the Work Session minutes from December 9 and the Regular Session minutes from December 10.
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1. Call to Order 2. Invocation 3. Pledge
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Special Presentation – Complete Count – Census 2020
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4. Minutes for Approval
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5a. Appointment Conference Center and Tourism Authority
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5b. Appointment – Lowndes County Board of Health
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6 a. Special Assessment Rate for 2020
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6 b. Pine Straw Harvesting Agreement
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6 c. Request to Purchase New Firefighter Turnout Gear
Video. After Commissioner Clay Griner started the topic, the Chairman wanted to know if the gear was for paid staff at Station 10. Fire Chief Ashley Tye said no, it’s for volunteer firefighters, because of required replacement every ten years, which it will be this year. He had already explained that at the previous morning’s Work Session, and that overheating and exhaustion were big problems, so custom fit was important.
Commissioner Demarcus Marshall wanted to know how many volunteers, and to whom would these gear go. 77 and he didn’t have the names off the top of his head, and they weren’t all at the same station, of which they have 17 with volunteers and only the one with paid staff. The affected volunteers are at every station except Naylor.
Commissioner Scottie Orenstein “motioned” to table. Comissioner Mark Wisenbaker seconded.
All five Commissioners, including Joyce Evans, voted to table.
Gretchen remarks: I hope this means the commission is considering adding full time fire stations and firefighters in next year’s budget.
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6d. Agreement for Exit 2 Utility Relocation
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6e.Lease Agreement for the Division of Family & Children Services (DFACS)
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6f. 2020 Stop Loss Insurance Coverage
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6 g. Set Qualify Fees
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7 a. Bid for a 3,000 Gallon Tanker for the Fire Department
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7 b. Paving – Quail Hollow Acres Subdivision
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8. Reports (none)
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9. CWTBH – Bob Dewar – Clyattstone Road Paving
Video. Bob Dewar has discovered the county wants an 80-foot right of way to pave Clyattstone Road, “What we do not want is a highway. It’s a quaint county road.” Well, that’s not why the county paves roads.
He said it’s only a mile and a half long only goes between old US 41 and Val Del Road. He doesn’t seem to realize people will use paved Clyattstone Road to cut through to North Valdosta Road to get to Valdosta, and to McMillan road to get to Moody AFB.
“It serves the people who live there, and it will serve future residents.” Apparently he doesn’t know county paves road to promote development, not for people who live there now.
He talked about the thoroughfare plan. He’ll discover his road will get reclassified as at least a major collector.
The Chairman asked the other people who wanted to speak to stay behind and talk to him and the County Engineer.
They’ll all discover that once a road is on the county paving list, they’re not going to stop it unless they sue.
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10. Meeting Adjournment
Here’s a LAKE video playlist:
Videos: Clyattstone Road Paving, Bids, Lease, Appointments, nothing for Fire Dept.
Regular Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 2020-01-14.
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