County Manager Joe Pritchard said he had two new agenda items for tomorrow night, both to do with a proposed annexation by Hahira. County Chairman Bill Slaughter said he atteneded the recent Hahira City Council meeting where that annexation was discussed, which was last Thursday, so I don’t follow why this wasn’t on the Lowndes County Commission agenda Friday with all the other items.
A new voice was heard for Planning on Continue reading
It’s equipment day at the Lowndes County Commission. On the agenda for 8:30 this morning, firefighting Bullard thermal imaging cameras. Motorola public safety radios, Motorola mobile data terminals, and AT&T Intrado Phone System for E911 services, possibly the most expensive item at $244,324.00.
LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
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PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2018, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2018, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
Longest at 2.5 minutes:
appointment to Parks and Rec.
Commissioner Scottie Orenstein was not present at this Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission.
Not on the agenda and not on the county’s website, Chairman’s Announcement of Emergency Operations Center Open House.
The applicant spoke for 6.a. Beer, Wine & Liquor License – Jack’s Chophouse, 4479 N. Valdosta Rd. We have a winner for the RFP for Banking Services.
Maybe they all finally got to read the 7 d. Ordinance Adopting Current Board of Health Rules, since this time Continue reading
Eight minutes to do your business: yesterday morning’s Lowndes County Commission Work Session. Commissioner Demarcus Marshall took the day off from his work at the City of Valdosta to be there. Not clear the rest of them took it that seriously. He and at least one other Commissioner did get some questions in. And they did all show up, at least. We’ll see if they’re all there for voting this evening at 5:30 PM.
Some interesting questions on the Continue reading
In an interesting version of a revolving door,
county appointee Michael H. McDowell’s KLVB term is expiring,
so is Valdosta appointee Bubba Highsmith’s,
and the county proposes appointing Highsmith.
Highsmith is
a State Farm Insurance Agent.
Also on the Lowndes County Commission agenda for 8:30AM Monday morning are: banking services (looks like Ameris Bank costs way less than BB&T, and SunTrust even less, but Ameris has the best interest rate), a computer bulk purchase for $54,795.98, yet another pump purchase, allegedly for $0 dollars because this is actually for specifications rather than actual purchase.
Typical Application: Residential Pump System, Triple “D” Pump Company
Finally, the tabled-from-last-meeting Ordinance about Board of Health Rules: will the Commissioners have had time to read the one copy the County Manager allows them?
Plus an alcohol license, Continue reading
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
A busy morning’s agenda starts with approving a new annual budget and related hotel and motel taxes. Plus a Contract with Valdosta Continuing Land Bank Authority.
Parks and Rec is negotiating a $3 million loan from Ameris Bank for improvements to Freedom Park and wants the county to guarantee its 1.25 mil tax base.
Utilities wants about $20,000 for impellers and wear rings for the pumps in the Francis Lake Lift Station and about $275,000 to improve the Land Application Site (LAS), where they spray sewer waste onto a field which they then rent out for hay production (the county does not have a wastewater treatment plant). See also WWALS blog post.
The mysterious out-of-state apartment bonds actually get an explanation this time:
The Board of Commissioners is requested to adopt the attached revised Resolution approving the issuance of bonds by a Wisconsin Public Finance Authority. A portion of the proceeds of the bonds will be used for a project located on Old Statenville Road. The project is a 204-unit multi-family affordable housing development known as Brittany Woods & Park Chase Apartments.
1150 Old Statenville Road, Parcel 0159D 014,The reason for this revised Resolution is Continue reading
By far the longest item was
a special proclamation for EMT Services,
at 4.5 minutes,
followed by
cleaning bids,
which took almost three minutes for the Lowndes County Commission to reject.
In Citizens Wishing to Be Heard, Gretchen took 2 minutes to invite them to WWALS’ Wild & Scenic Film Festival, at Mathis Auditorium, Thursday, May 31, 2018.
Almost everything else was read out and unanimously approved, except the one most contentious the previous morning, 7 b. Additional Deputy Coroner Request, was tabled.
Below are Continue reading
Not on the agenda,
County Agent Jake Price introduced two new people in his office.
The Industrial Authority Executive Director
explained the bonds are not new, she just wants to refinance them to reduce
payments.
Among items they will vote on tonight at 5:30 PM, the longest item at almost four minutes was the request for an additional Deputy Coroner. Looks like they’re finally going to sign up an attorney for the opoioid litigation. They spent more time on the cleaning bids.
The whole Work Session Monday morning took 13 minutes, including the presentaitons. Below are Continue reading
Two weeks ago, they spent the most time (5.5 minutes) on the
two
sections of
5. Proclamation Presentations for National Drug Court Month.
They spent 2.5 minutes on bids and almost 2 minutes (almost 5.5 total) on the wetland credits for the North Lowndes Park Soccer Complex.
Third most time was 4.5 minutes on recognizing retiring volunteer firefighter Scott Caldwell(?). The speaker was Chief Ashley Tye, so I guess he’s now the regular county Fire Chief.
They tabled the Airport Authority appointment waiting for more information. Maybe they noticed George Page had also asked the City of Valdosta to appoint him.
The alleged County Attorney, with his microphone three feet from his face and pointing 90 degrees away, muttered something about the mysterious Wisconsin bond issue.
The Probation agreement and Electronic Monitoring Contract got more than three minutes total. They spent a bit more than a minute voting on a law form for the opioid litigation.
The Hay Lease Agreement Amendment is a water item, because it’s about the county’s spray field, also known as its Land Application Site (LAS). And the Bevel Creek Lift Station Pump that feeds it. Final water item: dates of completion for the GEFA Loan Agreement; they did provide a clue what that loan was for.
Here are links to Continue reading