Category Archives: Government

Calles back again for Alexandria Street + another County + 2 Valdosta @ GLPC 2017-01-27 2017-02-27

Back again, Wilmer Calles on behalf of Rosa Calle still wants to go “backwards” to agricultural zoning and the neighbors don’t like it, on the agenda for tonight’s Greater Lowndes Planning Commission, after a split recommendation for tabling by GLPC a month ago, indication of many objections at the County Commission Work Session two weeks ago, and being tabled the next day at the County Commission Regular Session. Plus another county rezoning and two in Valdosta tonight.

Greater Lowndes Planning Commission
Lowndes County City of Valdosta City of Dasher City of Hahira City of Lake Park
REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING
AGENDA

Lowndes County South Health District Administrative Office
325 West Savannah Avenue
Monday, February 27, 2017 * 5:30 P.M. * Public Hearing

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Videos: Three minute Work Session @ LCC 2017-02-27

Why do they bother having Work Sessions at all, if they’re not going to discuss anything? Chairman Bill Slaughter, who at the recent planning session said, “Lowndes County is as transparent as we could possibly be,” was absent. Commissioner Demarcus Marshall, who argued at the planning session for moving the Work Session to a time when citizens are not working, also was not at the Work Session as usual, I hear because he works during the day. I don’t know why Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker was not there. Other than Vice-Chair Joyce Evans, who didn’t read the agenda item numbers, only Commissioners Scottie Orenstein and Clay Griner were there this morning. They asked no questions, as Griner had said at the planning meeting there was no need to, because staff supplied them with everything they needed to know.

To her credit, Joyce Evans asked the only question, whether the Rural Transportation Drug and Alcohol Testing Program was new (It’s not new, answered County Engineer Mike Fletcher.)

The only two citizens there were Gretchen Quarterman and Jody Hall, each of whom had hour-long round-trips to attend this three-minute non-meeting.

The Valdosta Daily Times reporter arrived after the meeting was adjourned. He at least got the packet provided at each meeting to the “Legal Organ”. You, the citizens and taxpayers did not get that courtesy from the county.

You can see for yourself the lack of information in the links below to each of the LAKE videos, followed by a LAKE video playlist. I didn’t bother with notes on the items this time. See also the agenda, which I spent more time posting than they did holding the meeting. Continue reading

Videos: Annual Planning Meeting Day 2 @ LCC 2017-02-17

We learned why Lowndes County has gotten religion about Internet access and speed: Moody AFB wants it.

Commissioner Scottie Orenstein made the case for board packets and agendas in electronic form instead of the paper packets they currently use. Maybe they’ll even reveal them to the public before their meetings, like real MSAs do. Meanwhile, Community Engagement means marketing, as in telling people what the county did, not listening to the citizens.

They talked about interconnecting (almost) all of the county’s water systems, about routes to get trucks out of downtown Valdosta. The water-sewer ordinance is in ten or twelve pieces, and the county is all for expanding water and sewer throughout the county as long as it doesn’t cost developers money.

There’s a regional T-SPLOST meeting in Waycross by SGRC Feb 28 2017, but Lowndes commissioners and staff said nothing Continue reading

CSX road closure and bridge + dozen sheriff vehicles @ LCC 2017-02-27

Back on the agenda this morning, the Old Quitman Road Bridge replacement over the CSX RR has been discussed since at least 2011 when it was on the T-SPLOST list, and in September 2016 it came up for discussion again, and the Commission approved surveying and engineering. Last month they discussed the plans, drawings, etc., and approved those. See this playlist of LAKE videos of this item in previous meetings.

This morning’s item for voting tomorrow evening is Continue reading

Videos: Annual Planning Meeting Day 1 @ LCC 2017-02-16

Two newly-elected officials spoke at the Thursday session: new Tax Commissioner Rodney Cain who was full of praise for his staff, and new-old Sheriff Ashley Paulk, who said he had more important things to do than to go get undocumented workers out of the fields. “I tell ICE come show me a warrant.” Here are LAKE videos of that day, and stay tuned for Day 2!

Total 2016 revenue was Continue reading

Videos: 3 for 2 VLMPO appointments, 2 – 1 rezonings, 3 water + credit cards, alcohol @ LCC 2017-02-14

Tuesday Chairman Bill Slaughter did say there will be a retreat Thursday and Friday this week, but he didn’t say where or what time of day. Yesterday afternoon they finally put on their website that it starts 8AM this morning at Quail Branch Lodge. Here’s hoping Commissioner Joyce Evans is well enough to attend.

In a refreshing change of procedure, Continue reading

Agenda, 2017 Commission Annual Planning Meeting @ LCC 2017-02-16

This agenda finally showed up on the county’s website less than 24 hours before the meeting. 2017-02-16--lcc-planning-agenda-0001 No doubt their excuse would be they informed the newspaper 24 hours in advance. Nevermind the taxpaying public.

I wonder what “Citizen Engagement” means? It’s on the agenda for 2PM tomorrow.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
2017 Commission Annual Planning Meeting
Quail Branch Lodge
7601 Zeigler Road, Lake Park, Georgia

Thursday, February 16 Continue reading

Videos: 2 VLMPO appointments, 2 rezonings, 3 water + credit cards, alcohol @ LCC 2017-02-13

They vote 5:30 PM today. The longest item at yesterday morning’s Work Session was 6b. REZ-2017-02 Calles, Alexandria St, R-10 and CON to E-A, Well and Septic, 0213 acres, which also got the longest discussion of any county case at the recent Planning Commission meeting, where GLPC voted to recommend denial. All parties want the other rezoning, 6a. REZ-2017-01 Cone/Malone, tabled.

The second longest item yesterday morning was 7c. Request for Relief for Tuscany Palms Utility Tax District, which had a long list of staff involved in it.

They did name the three three candidates for two VLMPO vacancies, but none of them were present. At least one wasn’t even aware he was actually a candidate.

Below are links to each Continue reading

Videos: 1 Hahira, 4 Valdosta, 2 County @ GLPC 2017-01-30

The controversial case was Georgia Park LLC with VA-2017-03 and VA-2017-04 at an hour and a half, plus a five minute break for the room to empty afterwards. GLPC recommended denial with one abstention. Second longest at 17 minutes was the county case 10. REZ-2017-02 Wilmer Calles on behalf of Rosa Calles 13.6 acres.

Here are links to each LAKE video, followed by a video playlist. See also the Planning Commission agenda. The two county rezonings are on the Lowndes County Commission agenda this morning and tomorrow evening. Continue reading

2 VLMPO appointments, 2 rezonings, 3 water + credit cards, alcohol @ LCC 2017-02-13

On the agenda for 8:30 AM this morning, three candidates for two VLMPO vacancies, and none of the candidates are incumbents, according to Valdosta or Lowndes County. Rezonings on Madison Hwy and Alexandria St, both probably uncontroversial; see the LAKE videos of the preceding GLPC meeting for those two items. Yet again Approval of Elected Officials Using County Issued Purchasing Cards and Credit Cards and as usual a Beer License. Three water items: Bevel Creek Lift Station Automatic Transfer Switch, Professional Engineering Services and Environmental Permitting for Jumping Gully Road Bridge Replacement, Drainage Improvements – Valencia Street.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2017, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2017, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

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