Category Archives: Economy

Generators and communications for sewer system lift stations @ VCC 2018-12-06

Nothing is on the agenda about the recent major spill at the Withlacoochee Wastewater Treatment Plant for tonight’s Valdosta City Council meeting.

However, there are three other sewage-related Utility Department items: bids for ten emergency standby generators and for water treatment chemicals, and Consideration of a request to purchase a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system for Lift Stations and Water Treatment Plants.

Those are all good steps, so lift stations won’t fail due to lack of power, so Valdosta Utilities can know what’s going on in real time (SCADA), and so they can continue testing.

Maybe you’d like to come compliment Valdosta on that much and ask them what they’re doing to prevent WWTP spills, in Citizens to be Heard.

Also tonight, appointments to KLVB, VLCDA, and Valdosta Tree Commission.

AGENDA
REGULAR MEETING OF THE VALDOSTA CITY COUNCIL
5:30 PM Thursday, December 6, 2018
COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL

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Subdivisions, solar, and alcohol @ LCC 2018-11-12

Back on the agenda for Monday morning is the subdivision that does not match any of the criteria the Lowndes County Commission is supposed to consider, so will they approve REZ-2018-17 The Settlement North, 5999 Val Del Road?

The Planning Commission recommended denying that one, but has since recommended approving this one: REZ-2018-18 Knights Landing, Phase III, 3982 Bemiss Knights Academy Road.

County staff want ABM to help reduce energy costs. How about add some solar panels to the roof of the county palace and over its parking lot, while you’re at it?

On the roof, A Year of Firsts, ABM

As ABM says:

With the cost of solar installations rapidly declining, and the number of government and utility incentives increasing, solar has undergone a radical evolution from a feel good environmental story to a source for businesses to gain a financial advantage over their competitors.

See ABM Energy Vice President Ted O’Shea, Leveraging Solar to Gain a Competitive Financial Advantage: Why go Solar at Your Facility: White Paper.

The rest of the agenda is Continue reading →

Tax Assessors Special Called Meeting, Lowndes County, Georgia 2018-10-25

In the VDT Community Calendar:

Board of Assessors Special Called meeting, 9 a.m. Oct. 25, 1st floor, Lowndes County Governmental Building, 302 N. Patterson St.

302 N Patterson, Street View

There’s no agenda, and nothing about this on Continue reading →

Videos: farewell Jason Davenport, approval limits, CALEA, personal care home @ LCC 2018-09-11

The county held a ceremony for departing Lowndes County Planner Jason Davenport. I asked the person sitting in his former seat, Engineering/Planning Technician Molly Stevenson, if she was confirmed yet. She would only say it was confirmed that she was sitting there right then.

They also had a 911 CALEA Re-Accreditation Presentation and the Chairman recognized Leadership Lowndes.

Citizens Bob Harlan and Fred E. Blanton Jr complained about road conditions. I thanked Utilities Director Steve Stalvey for sending information about recent Lowndes County sewage spills (two in July), and I thanked him advance for sending the NPDES-permit-required followup testing (not yet received).

On the REZ-2018-16 Stovall rezoning, the applicant revealed the reason for the previous restriction when Continue reading →

Videos: Naylor Boat Ramp, approval limits, CALEA, personal care home @ LCC 2018-09-10

News about the Naylor Boat Ramp in an Engineering Projects Report! Chad McLeod also reported about the 911 center, the North Lowndes Soccer Complex, the fire warehouse classroom, the animal shelter, and the courthouse renovation project, all still to be completed from SPLOST VII funds, which run out next year. Even with that three-and-a-half-minute special engineering report, the whole meeting took ten minutes Monday morning.

Also not on the agenda, HR has a new employee. Also there will be a new traffic signal.

Should the County Manager and the Finance Director be able to approve Continue reading →

CALEA, personal care home, and county manager approval limit @ LCC 2018-09-10

Should the County Manager and the Finance Director be able to approve 2.5 times as much in dollar value on budgeted items as they currently can?

Also a rezoning to reconfigure for two parcels and another to permit personal care homes, plus a 911 CALEA Re-Accreditation Presentation are on the agenda for 8:30 AM this morning at the Work Session and tomorrow evening’s voting Regular Session.

2015-03-09 rezoning for Stovall property

The rezoning REZ-2018-16 Stovall, 6002 N. Oak St. Ext. to permit personal care homes is “as a result of a potential buyer’s interest in developing the property into an assisted living facility”. This same Tuesday, the same property is on ZBOA’s agenda for a variance on the buffer condition.

The 2015-03-10 agenda for the earlier rezoning from R-21 to C-G, Well & Other did not say anything specifically about private care facilities, nor did the Continue reading →

Church, manufacturing, subdivisions, Hahira annexation @ GLPC 2018-08-27

The Hahira annexation and rezoning from the Lowndes County Commission meeting two weeks ago (and see comment below) was on the agenda for the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC) last night, along with another subdivision, a church expansion, and some industry, in Valdosta and Lowndes County. I did not go, and Gretchen is out of the county, so there is no LAKE video.

You may ask yourself, as I do: why doesn’t the county video GLPC meetings? Or the city of Valdosta? Both have the facilities to do so.

Hahira annexation and rezoning HA-2018-03, HA-2018-02
On the LAKE website, Hahira annexation and rezoning HA-2018-03, HA-2018-02.

LAKE received this comment yesterday on the Hahira case:

Here is more info on this project which I am proud to bring to the community and which I believe will be a wonderful addition to it that all will feel proud to have. It ties into the community roots, it honors those that came before, and it meets a need today in north Lowndes County and does so in a wall all can feel proud of. I am a concerned citizen like anyone else and that is a big part of why I have gone out of my way with my engineer and planners to create something not only compliant, but that goes well above the line to bring something truly beautiful, that reflects both my family and my community in a way I can hold my up about when I walk around the community. Thank you for your interest. Sincerely, Chris Connell http://www.mcnealestates.com

LAKE does not have a position on this case. We will be happy to publish other comments for or against.

Greater Lowndes Planning Commission
Lowndes County City of Valdosta City of Dasher City of Hahira City of Lake Park
REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING
AGENDA
Monday, August 27, 2018 * 5:30 P.M. * Public Hearing
Lowndes County South Health District Administrative Office
325 West Savannah Avenue

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Lowndes County rolled back millage @ LCC 2018-08-17

As Lowndes County Finance Director Stephanie Black always reminds everybody, of the total 8.814 county millage, 1 mil goes to the Development Authority, and 1.25 mils to Valdosta-Lowndes Parks and Recreational Authority. Here is a table from the PDF of her presentation slides.

Property Tax Example
City of Valdosta ResidentUnincorporated Resident
Property Value$200,000$200,000
Assessed Value (40%)$80,000$80,000
Homestead Exemption$(6,000)$(6,000)
Net Taxable Base$74,000$74,000
Tax Calculation:
Lowndes County — 8.814 PY 8.974$652$652
Development Authority — 1.00$74$74
Parks
& Recreation Authority — 1.25$93$93
Lowndes County Schools — 16.541 PY 16.839$1,224
City of Valdosta — 8.001 PY 8.001$592
Valdosta City Schools — 16.980 PY 16.980$1,257
Total Estimated Taxes$2,668$2,043

Since she made that table, Valdosta actually lowered its millage to 7.916, which in the above example would mean $50.32 less per year, for an example of how little difference these minor millage rollbacks or increases actually mean to taxpayers. The Valdosta Board of Education wants to increase its tax rate (but not its millage).

Last year the Lowndes County Commission voted on the millage during a Regular Session, Tuesday, August 22, 2017.

This year Continue reading →

Solar and wind can power Georgia

Solar power is here right now. Georgia is #10 in the nation (up from #22 in 2017) by solar deployed (1,552.98 MW) and #7 in projected growth, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). That’s ahead of Florida, but still behind much farther north New Jersey and Massachusetts, which have less sun.

Graph: Top 10 Solar Power States, SEIA, Paul Horn, Inside Climate News
Graph: Top 10 Solar Power States, SEIA, Paul Horn, Inside Climate News

This Georgia solar improvement is despite Southern Company and Georgia Power cutting back on renewable energy investment last year and a hostile federal administration.

Graph: Georgia's Solar Boom, SEIA and Paul Horn, InsideClimateNews
Graph: Georgia’s Solar Boom, SEIA and Paul Horn, InsideClimateNews

Sheer economies of scale continue decreasing solar prices and driving more solar installations, with more jobs. Continue reading →

Videos: Grants, Budget, Tax, Bonds, Parks, Land, Water, Waste, 911 @ LCC 2018-06-26

The most interesting items were not on the agenda of the Regular Session two weeks ago of the Lowndes County Commission Work Session. The County Engineer had One more thing: Loch Laurel Bridge Work and Closure 7/16 – 7/23, Commissioner Demarcus Marshall reminded everyone the Georgia hands-free driving law was going into effect, and the Chairman announced swearing in of the newly un-privatized Probation Officers the following morning.

The longest scheduled item at almost 3 minutes was New Consoles For 911 Dispatchers, followed by Contract With Parks And Recreation Authority, because both had questions from Commissioners.

The two grant items added the previous morning, for Accountability Court and DUI Court, sailed through, as did the Francis Lake Lift Station Repair and the LAS Storage Pond Improvements.

Below are Continue reading →