Update 2023-09-26: Packet: Golf carts, mental health, wetland credits, regional transit, Lift Station and Fire Station Access Roads, 2 TIA Road Bids @ LCC 2023-09-25.

Lowndes County Commissioners were unusually chatty in yesterday morning’s Work Session, about 5.b. Mental Health Model Resolution for ACCG, in which they sounded like prison reform advocates.

Collage @ LCC 25 September 2023

Also about 6.a. Grove Point Lift Station Access Road, 5.c. Purchase of Wetland Credits for Shiloh Road Bridge Project, and 5.a. Quiet Pines Golf Course Ezgo Golf Cart Lease Agreement.

They had no questions about the almost $4 million dollar item, 6.b. TIA 2023-05 Briggston Road Grading, Drainage, Base, and Paving Bids, which leads to Wild Adventures.

See below for more notes on those items, with the LAKE videos of each agenda item, followed by a LAKE video playlist.

See also the agenda and bid documents.

We have not yet received a response to the LAKE open records request for the board packet.

Sure, I only sent that request Sunday. But it is stil mysterious why Lowndes County does not put its board packets on its own website, like many counties smaller and larger in Georgia and Florida have been doing for years.

• 1. Order 4. Minutes for Approval
  

  Video.

• 5.a. Quiet Pines Golf Course Ezgo Golf Cart Lease Agreement
  

  Video.

  Commissioners wondered who owns the old golf carts. A: the county.

  Is there any trade-in? Apparently not, because they are so old.

  Also, they have one big lithium battery.

  Why the Lowndes County Commissioners think it is important to own a Moody AFB golf course is still mysterious.

• 5.b. Mental Health Model Resolution for ACCG
  

  Video.

  According to Lowndes County Manager Paige Dukes, ACCG is asking every Georgia county to adopt this resolution to show collected and consolidated support to the Georgia General Assembly.

  County Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker wanted to know if we know the details of what ACCG wants the legislature to do. A: Not yet.

  He hoped for relief for our jails.

  The County Manager said that in jail, prisoners cannot be required to take medication, while in prison they can.

  Chairman Bill Slaughter said since the state made changes 10+ years ago, mental health issues come up short being addressed in local communities, because local agencies are very limited in services they can supply. He hopes the state will take a harder look at it. He noted that with addictions it’s a life-long process.

• 5.c. Purchase of Wetland Credits for Shiloh Road Bridge Project
  

  Video.

  Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker wanted to know how many acres.

  Engineering Services Director Chad McLeod asked County Engineer Mike Fletcher, who said it depends.

  Chairman Bill Slaughter wanted to know what triggered the need for wetland credits.

  McLeod said the county is elevating the bridge, and there is a run-around bridge.

  Wisenbaker asked again how many acres?

  McLeod said he would get that exact number “off the plans”.

• 5.d. FY25 5311 Regional Transit Resolution
  

  Video.

  County Planner JD Dillard said it is an annual housekeeping item.

  The Commissioners had no questions.

• 6.a. Grove Point Lift Station Access Road
  

  Video.

  Utilities Director Steve Stalvey said both bids had omissions.

  Commissioner Scottie Orenstein wanted to know what is special about this location.

  A: It’s just so wet, and several utilities go through there. He elaborated.

  Orenstein wanted to know if they were purchasing any additional property.

  A: No.

  Chairman Bill Slaughter clarified that normally why would throw out bids with omissions, but this time they thought the bids were good enough, given that none of the errors affected the prices.

• 6.b. TIA 2023-05 Briggston Road Grading, Drainage, Base, and Paving Bids
  

  Video.

  They did not mention that this road leads to Wild Adventures.

  No questions from Commissioners about this almost $4 million item.

• 6.c. NC-TIA 2023-01 Rocky Hill Ch. Rd Grading, Drainage, Base, – Paving Bids
  

  Video.

• 6.d. Fire Rescue Station 10 Pavement Resurfacing Bids
  

  Video.

  Replacing asphalt with concrete to hold up to heavy fire trucks.

• 7. Reports – County Manager into Executive Session
  

  Video.

  County Manager Paige Dukes requested an Executive Session to discuss acquisition of real estate.

Here’s a LAKE video playlist:

Videos: Golf carts, mental health, wetland credits, regional transit, Lift Station and Fire Station Access Roads, 2 TIA Road Bids @ LCC Work 2023-09-25
Work Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC), Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, Monday, September 25, 2023.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE).

-jsq

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