Category Archives: Incarceration

Packet: Budget, Court Grants, Stream Credits, Debris, Insurance, Vac-Trailer @ LCC 2024-06-24

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A million dollars, mostly for property and liability insurance, is on the agenda for the Lowndes County Commission at its Work Session Monday morning at 8:30 AM and it’s voting Regular Session Tuesday at 5:30 PM.

[Collage @ LCC Packet 2024-06-24]
Collage @ LCC Packet 2024-06-24

That and approving the budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Since you didn’t go to the budget hearing week before last, you missed your only chance to comment to them in public before they approve the budget.

Cost What
$951,301.00Request for Proposals (RFP) for Property & Liability Insurance
$96,110.00Bid for a Vac-Trailer for the Utilities Department
$51,300.00Purchase of Stream Credits for Pl # 0016279, Coleman Road NW Paving and Drainage Improvements
$35,354.00Lowndes County Accountability Court Grant Approval and Cash Match
$26,343.00Lowndes County DUI Court Grant Award and Match Approval
$15,000.00Lowndes County Juvenile Accountability Court (LCJAC)
$1,175,408.00Total

Here is the agenda.

The board packet, received in response to a LAKE open records request, is on the LAKE website.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2024, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2024, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading →

Videos: Budget award, LMIG for Val Del Road widening, Jail addition max price, service and software agreements @ LCC Regular 2024-05-28

The Regular Session two weeks ago took 26 minutes, but 14 of that was the County Manager’s Report, 2 was the Budget award presentation, and 1 was the invocation and pledge, so 9 minutes were about business.

[Collage @ LCC 28 May 2024]
Collage @ LCC 28 May 2024

The Lowndes County Commissioners unanimously approved everything, including the application for state funds for the Val Del Road intersection expansion to support subdivisions and the almost $9 million jail expansion. There was some discussion about the process of moving from Code Red to RAVE Alert.

Again in the Regular Session after they did it in the Work Session: a presentation about Lowndes County having won a Distinguished Budget Award from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for the 18th year.

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

See also the Continue reading →

Videos: Budget award, LMIG for Val Del Road widening, Jail addition max price, service and software agreements @ LCC Work 2024-05-28

Update 2024-06-11: Videos: Budget award, LMIG for Val Del Road widening, Jail addition max price, service and software agreements @ LCC Regular 2024-05-28.

For the 18th year, Lowndes County won a Distinguished Budget Award from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA). That was the first item ihis morning at the Lowndes County Commission Work Session.

They vote this evening at 5:30 PM.

[Collage @ LCC Work 28 May 2024]
Collage @ LCC Work 28 May 2024

We heard some clarification about the almost $9 million dollars in jail additions. Gretchen says, “This is for the proposed new medical area at the jail. Some of the money is ARPA 2021 money.”

With the changeover from Code Red to RAVE Alert, everyone will have to sign up again, because Code Red had an option not to share personal information, which included with the county. However, Ashley Tye said the new system would provide more functionality for less price. That was the longest discussion in the meeting, at more than six minutes.

Hurricane Idalia provided incentive to look for a faster way to do damage assessment. The county is buying Crisis Track damage assessment software, which is a smartphone or table app for faster input to the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA). That was the second longest discussion, at more than five minutes.

They ended with an executive session to discuss client-attorney privilege for real estate acquisition.

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

See also the agenda and board packet, received in response to a LAKE open records request. Continue reading →

Packet: LMIG for Val Del Road widening, Jail addition max price, service and software agreements @ LCC 2024-05-28 2024-05-28

The jail additions should cost less than $9 million dollars.

The state will supply $1.5 million for Val Del Road (CR 57) widening and turn lanes north from North Valdosta Road (SR 7, aka US 41), and $175,000 for restriping 35 miles of various other roads.

[LMIG for Val Del Road widening, Jail addition max price, Service and software agreements @ LCC 2024-05-28]
LMIG for Val Del Road widening, Jail addition max price, Service and software agreements @ LCC 2024-05-28

The county is switching from Code Red (OnSolve) to RAVE Alert (Motorola).

And the county is buying Crisis Track damage assessment software, which is a smartphone or table app for faster input to the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA).

These items will be considered at the Work Session Tuesday morning, and voted on at the Regular Session Tuesday evening, both on the same day because today (Monday) is a holiday.

Cost What
$8,965,053.00A New Addition to the Lowndes County Jail Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP)
$1,656,734.49 2024 Local Road Assistance (LRA) Administration Funds Application
$29,900.00 RAVE Alert Service Agreement
$6,237.00 Crisis Track Damage Assessment Software
$10,657,924.49Total

Here is the agenda.

The board packet, received in response to a LAKE open records request, is on the LAKE website.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, TUESDAY, MAY 28, 2024, 8:30 A.M.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, MAY 28, 2024, 5:30 P.M.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading →

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

Update 2024-01-20: Packet: Appoint another Tax Assessor, Special Assessment Rate, VOCA, federal consultant @ LCC 2024-01-22.

Two weeks ago the Lowndes County Commission appointed three new Tax Assessors: Gene Felts and Thomas Reed to 3-year terms and Sandra D.S.Jones to the 4-year term. Gene Felts resigned two days later, after being sworn in but before his first Tax Assessors Meeting. They still have 12 – 3 = 9 applicants to choose from. Maybe somebody should tell them they have to take substantial hours of training after being appointed.

We the taxpayers and voters still haven’t seen the applications, which were not in that board packet. At least the appointees did show up at the meeting.

Gretchen took these LAKE videos with her iPhone. The LAKE camera is old and tired and refused to function. If anyone wants to donate so we can get a new video camera, that would be wonderful.

The added agenda item, 6.f. 412-416 North Lee Street Purchase, was apparently the result of the Executive Session in the same morning’s Work Session.

The Commissioners unanimously approved everything else with little discussion.

There was a weather report by EMA Director Ashley Tye.

[Collage @ LCC Regular 8 January 2024]
Collage @ LCC Regular 8 January 2024

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

See also Continue reading →

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]
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 Continue reading →

Videos: VLDA appointment, VAWA Grant, Cross Connection Control Plan, Jail Addition, Code Red, 911 addition @ LCC Regular 2023-11-14

Last month, they unanimously approved everything, with little discussion, in the Lowndes County Commission Regular Session, November 14, 2023. They were all present.

The entire meeting took twelve minutes, including the 3-minute County Manager’s Report.

[Collage @ LCC 14 November 2023]
Collage @ LCC 14 November 2023

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

See also:

And now the LAKE videos of the Regular Session: Continue reading →

Videos: VLDA appointment, VAWA Grant, Cross Connection Control Plan, Jail Addition, Code Red, 911 addition @ LCC Work 2023-11-13

Update 2023-12-11 Videos: VLDA appointment, VAWA Grant, Cross Connection Control Plan, Jail Addition, Code Red, 911 addition @ LCC Regular 2023-11-14.

Several of the Lowndes County Commissioners were absent at yesterday morning’s Work Session.

[Collage @ LCC 13 November 2023]
Collage @ LCC 13 November 2023

The Commissioners who were present breezed through the agenda in a few minutes. Joyce Evans, Scottie Orenstein, Clay Griner, and Chairman Bill Slaughter had no questions on any item. Commissioners Demarcus Marshall and Mark Wisenbaker were not present.

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item, with a few notes by Gretchen Quarterman, followed by a LAKE video playlist. Actually, she did not make any notes this time. And I did not hear anything new in the videos.

See also the agenda. Continue reading →

Videos: Project Viking, Reports, and CWTBH @ LCC Regular 2023-06-13

The Project Viking rezoning included an introduction to the new Public Hearing format: 10 minutes for each side, then 2 minutes of rebuttal. This method is in the draft ULDC changes. Nobody spoke against. The rezoning passed unanimously. So did all the other agenda items.

[Collage @ LCC 13 June 2023]
Collage @ LCC 13 June 2023

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

See also:

Continue reading →

Videos: Lowndes County Commission again approved Howell Road Halfway House rezoning 2023-06-12

In Monday night’s kabuki theater, after the usual stylized performances, the Lowndes County Commission once again approved the rezoning. The numerous opposition speakers supplied the broad dramatic gestures, all to no avail.

[Collage @ LCC 12 June 2023]
Collage @ LCC 12 June 2023

On the validity of the previous decision, Commissioner Demarcus Marshall moved to declare invalid the previous decision. Long silence. Eventually Commission Clay Griner asked for clarification from County Attorney G. Walter Elliott to clarify that he thought this was necessary. He said he thought it was. Motion passed 3 to 2. Two of the three were Marshall and Griner; I think the third was Joyce Evans, with Scottie Orenstein and Mark Wisenbaker against. Hard to be sure because they did not raise their hands.

On the actual rezoning case, they did raise their hands, and the vote was also 3 to 2 split the same way as the last time they voted on this rezoning decision: Clay Griner, Mark Wisenbaker, and Scottie Orenstein for, and Demarcus Marshall and Joyce Evans against.

Then they adjourned, after 55 minutes of kabuki theater.

At the beginning, Chairman Bill Slaughter did introduce something I haven’t seen before Continue reading →