Videos: 12 applicants for 3 Tax Assessors, Francis Lake Warehouse $397,980, LMIG Match $133,769.41, VOCA Grant down but match up @ LCC Work 2024-01-08

Update 2024-01-20: Videos: 3 Tax Assessors appointed, Francis Lake Warehouse $397,980, LMIG Match $133,769.41, VOCA Grant down but match up @ LCC Regular 2024-01-08.

Even the County Commissioners did not get to see the applications of those who applied to be Tax Assessors; not unless they trouped upstairs and asked the County Clerk.

County Manager Paige Dukes read off the dozen names of applicants and added, “Ms. Lovern has their appointment sheets in her office.” Commissioner and Vice Chair Demarcus Marshall said he wanted to see their appplications; he noted Amy Carter is a former state legislator. Chairman Bill Slaughter said “Certainly if you would like to look at those applications, you’ve got those that you can go through.” He did offer to ask Ms. Lovern to call the applicants and ask them to show up at the Regular Session.

Why the secrecy is mysterious. So far as I know, they’re the same application forms everybody fills out to apply for any board or authority. They contain the same kind of information people put on LinkedIn or even facebook, and they are usually included in the board packet, but not this time.

The County Manager said two of the Tax Assessors posts will be 3-year terms, and the third will be a 4-year term, to keep terms staggered.

Collage @ LCC 8 January 2024

The new Vice Chair of the Lowndes County Commission is Demarcus Marshall. Chairman Bill Slaughter thanked Mark Wisenbaker for doing that for the past year, presiding at meetings when the Chair was absent.

Demarcus Marshall wanted to know when River Road would be handled as part of the LMIG grant. Director of Engineering Services Chad McLeod said, “we do not have a contract right now on River Road.” With a bit more prodding from the Commissioner, he added that this agenda item is just the application for the grant. Once they receive the money, they will put the project out for bid this summer. Chairman Bill Slaughter noted that it was a 10% match because of the TIA regional thing; otherwise it would be 30%.

Commissioner Marcus wanted to know if there had been any change to the compensation in the Public Defender Contracts. County Manager Paige Dukes said the legislature changed their part of the compensation, while the county added some compensation. They discussed that it was used as a “training ground” across the state. They didn’t say training who for what. I would guess training attorneys.

Due to decreased federal funding, the county needs to provide more match funding for the VOCA Grant. Commissioner DeMarcus Marshall wanted to know why they decrease in federal funding. Answer (not sure from whom; I think she was introduced as “Ms. Hayden”): apparently the funds come from cases and are less, so less funding. Previously all the training funds got cut, but a few years later they were restored. “It fluctuates.” There was more discussion, also including Commissioner Scottie Orenstein. This was by far the longest item at almost 8 and a half minutes.

Several Commissioners discussed the Francis Lake Warehouse Modifications Bids with Utilities Director Steve Stalvey.

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item, with a few comments by Gretchen Quarterman, followed by a LAKE video playlist.