Update 2020-05-10: Lowndes County, GA, Stream Monitoring and Stormwater Permit 2020-04-28.

Update 2020-05-09: Board packet.

Update 2020-05-02: Gretchen’s notes on each agenda item.

Was this even a public meeting? The Lowndes County Commission approved everything on its agenda yesterday, even though only really perceptive citizens could figure out how to listen to the teleconference. In which they approved everything, with only one split vote, for a $45,120.00 single-source item.

Agenda Versions

At 2:38 PM, less than three hours before the 5:30 PM voting Lowndes County Commission Regular Session, they made this one change to the online agenda:

Old:
“The call in number is 813-769-0500 and the access code is 373-829-614#”

New:
“The call in number is 813-769-0500 and the access code is 584-852-611#”

Can you spot the change? It’s the access code.

I didn’t notice the agenda had changed, so I used the old access code. Which only started a teleconference five minutes late, and then had 18+ minutes of silence.

Gretchen did notice the agenda had changed, but there was no indication of what had changed. She carefully looked to find that different access code. It’s a good bet Gretchen was the only citizen on the conference call, because likely few other people figured that out.

But that didn’t stop the Commissioners from approving everything on the agenda.

The only split vote was for:
5.c. Professional Services for Sampling, Monitoring and Reporting of Impaired Streams

BUDGET IMPACT: $45,120.00

Nevermind the Commissioners did not have before them the plan for that monitoring. Nevermind there had been no competitive bidding. Nevermind that as a private company the contractor is not required to respond to open records requests. Nevermind that the contractor is only required to report annually, making whatever monitoring they do useless for the work everyone else is doing finding, fixing, and verifying contamination sources, and also useless for warning people using the rivers.

Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker questioned the lack of bids. Commissioner Scotti Orenstein remarked that he thought local was good.

Commissioner Clay Griner moved to accept. Commissioner Demarcus Marshall seconded. Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker was the lone nay vote. All the others, including Commissioner Joyce Evans, voted aye. Motion passed, 4:1.

There were no Citizens Wishing to Be Heard, not that it would have mattered, because as usual that was after the Commissioners voted. This is the only County Commission of the many counties I’ve been to in two states that does not let citizens speak either at the beginning of the session or on each agenda item as it comes up.

These are the agenda items sorted by highest cost first:

All the items that could be bid were, except the one about stream monitoring.

I’d still like to compliment Lowndes County Utilities for pro-actively replacing that Coleman Road Force Main. They already did an emergency repair for about $100,000 in October 2018 after sewage spills in July 2018 and September 2017. Lowndes County has reported no recent spills, not even as recent as Valdosta’s notorious December 2018 record spill.

Update 2020-05-02: Gretchen’s notes on each agenda item.

The agenda sheets are on the LAKE website. We do not yet have the full agenda packet, although we did file an open records request. We also do not have the stream monitoring plan, even though we filed a separate open records request for that. And so far as we know, the Commissioners who voted for that $45,000 sole-source opaque project hadn’t seen that plan, either.

-jsq

Gretchen’s notes on each agenda item

1. Call to Order

   Chairman Slaughter called the meeting to order. County Clerk Page Dukes made a roll call of attendance of commissioners.

2. Invocation

   Commissioner Marshall lead the invocation and pledge.

3. Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag
4. Minutes for Approval
   1. Work Session, March 9, 2020, Regular Session, March 10, 2020, & Special Called Meeting, April 16, 2020

      Minutes were approved by voice vote.

5. For Consideration
   1. Advanced Disposal Services Residential Solid Waste Franchise

      Both solid waste franchises had been granted a one month temporary extension and the contracts were approved from May 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021. these items were presented by Human Resources Director Kevin Beals. Each passed unanimously.

   2. Deep South Sanitation Residential Solid Waste Franchise
   3. Professional Services for Sampling, Monitoring, and Reporting of Impaired Streams

      The contract for sampling had actual discussion. Presented by County Engineer Mike Fletcher.

      Q: Why was there no bidding? A: Lovell is only qualified local engineer. The local bit seemed important to Commissioner Orenstein What will annual cost be? About 68K. Why is 3 months 45K? Because firm needs to buy instream dissolved oxygen monitoring equipment. What if a different vendor is picked in for annual contract? Will we have to pay this again?

      It seemed to me as a listener that there would be no consideration of other vendors.

      Roll Call Vote: Commissioner Griner made motion to accept the bid. Comissioner Marshall Seconded. Joyce, Scott, Demarcus, Clay voted yes. Mark voted no.

   4. Quit Claim Deeds for Abandoned Right of Way off Ivandale Circle

      Items 5.d-g. were presented by County Engineer Mike Fletcher. For all the items there was a roll call vote. Everyone voted yes.

   5. Purchase of Wetland Credits for Clyattstone Road – Simpson Lane Paving Project
   6. Approval of Clyattstone Road-Simpson Lane ROW Purchases
   7. Abandonment of Unopened ROW – Gay Road
   8. Coleman Road Force Main Replacement

      Presented by Utilities Director Steve Stalvey. There was some negotiation with the vendor to have the county buy some of the equipment and parts and that got the price down into the correct budget range. Roll call vote. Unanimous Yes.

   9. Lowndes County Accountability Court Grant Approval and Cash Match

      Presented by County Manager Joe Pritchard. Roll call vote. Unanimous Yes.

6. Bid
   1. LMIG Resurfacing Contract

      Reames and Sons was awarded the bid.

      Commissioner Marshall asked about a road that goes from Madison to 41. I thought he said Coleman but it must have been Copeland. Engineer answered yes from Madison to 41. There was no list in the online packet.

7. Reports – County Manager
8. Citizens wishing to be heard should email County Clerk, Paige Dukes at pdukes@lowndescounty.com or call 229-292-6142 during normal business hours to register to speak. Please register prior to 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 28th. Thank you.

   There were no citizens to be heard.

9. Adjournment

   Meeting was adjourned at 6:06PM (attached)

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