Lowndes County Emergency Management Director Ashley Tye
reported to the Lowndes County Commission at their
Work Session yesterday morning
that
after the floods of 2009, Lowndes County negotiated with USGS to put a
stream level monitor on the Withlacoochee Little River at the GA 122 bridge,
and the county typically renews that funding once a year.
We shall see whether they approve that this evening.
Lowndes County continuing funding for USGS HWY 122 Stream Gauge —Ashley Tye
Work Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE), Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 10 September 2012.
In
yesterday morning's Work Session,
County Finance Director Stephanie Black
proposed a letter of understanding
for Morgan-Keegan to act as underwriter for
approximately $17 million
to refund the original bonds done for this building as well
as the water-sewer bonds only if the terms are favorable and
the net value savings are at least 3%.
Current projections show a savings of
$1.2 million or a little over 7% at this time.
Chairman Ashley Paulk remarked that:
The bond market has changed drastically.
At least the county palace that former Chairman Rod Casey got
a former commission to approve at his last Commission meeting
now won't cost we the taxpayers quite as much as we thought.
They vote on this tonight.
County to renegotiate bonds for the county palace
Work Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE), Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 10 September 2012.
He gave a brief verbal report, which he said
was a summary of a report he submitted last week
(which we the taxpayers haven’t seen).
He said at their Rivers Alive event last year
they had a record number of sites cleaned: seven.
Great American Cleanup, KLVB’s signature event
used to be 1 day, but this year was 3 days.
Valdosta asked for help with a creek project.
Helped emergency management after the
tornadoes,
through
Ashley Tye and a group called Vision 388(?).
Traditional cleanup day in Valdosta, Lowndes County, and Lake Park.
Commissioner Richard Raines wanted to know how much time commitment was involved.
Answer: an hour per board meeting and helping out with events and committees.
Apparently the Lowndes County Commission has noticed the
new provisions of the Georgia Open Records and Open Meetings laws
that
VLCIA’s lawyer explained to the Industrial Authority back in May,
seeing these two items on the agenda for Monday morning and Tuesday evening:
5.a. Adopt Resolution Appointing an Open Records Officer
5.b. Resolution Regarding Review & Approval of Minutes of Executive Sessions
LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2012, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2012, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
Water pollution degrades surface waters making them unsafe for
drinking, fishing, swimming, and other activities. As authorized by
the Clean Water Act, the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES) permit program controls water pollution by regulating
point sources that discharge pollutants into waters of the United
States. Point sources are discrete conveyances such as pipes or
man-made ditches. Individual homes that are connected to a municipal
system, use a septic system, or do not have a surface discharge do
not need an NPDES permit; however, industrial, municipal, and other
facilities must obtain permits if their discharges go directly to
surface waters. In most cases, the NPDES permit program is
administered by
authorized states.
Since its introduction in 1972, the NPDES permit program is
responsible for significant improvements to our Nation’s water
quality.
Yes, I know Valdosta also does this.
I like it that in a subdivision in an unincorporated part of Lowndes County
that the county does this.
The sinkholes are not just
in the garage
and
under the front steps,
there’s one
under Michael McCormick’s tool shed.
He already jacked up the shed and put blocks under it
after the ground sunk underneath it.
With all these sinkholes on his lot (and more in the yard),
how are they connected underground?
How will they expand?
In what the County Planner calls “central Lowndes County” there’s
a sinkhole in a garage,
deeper than a hoe handle.
Michael McCormick called me up yesterday and told me about this
sinkhole in his garage at 4326 Norman Hall Road.
Naturally he’s a bit concerned about this problem.
He thinks his insurance may cover it, but he’s looking for other
options in case.
So far, nobody seems to know what to do.
Which can’t be the case:
this isn’t the first sinkhole in Lowndes County.
We’re helping get the word out to help find whoever does know more about
sinkholes and what resources are available to deal with them.
It’s not only straight down and under the carport concrete.
Did you know
last night’s Planning Commission meeting included
a public hearing about changes to the county’s
Unified Land Development Code (ULDC)
related to land disturbances and water quality?
You wouldn’t have found out about that in the agenda,
because
it wasn’t posted anywhere you’d be likely to see it.
(Where does GLPC post the one physical copy of the agenda required by law,
anyway?)
Supposedly it was advertised in the Valdosta Daily Times,
but a search
of Public Notices in Statewide Database of Public Notices from Georgia’s Legal Organ Newspapers
for 1 June 2012 through 27 August 2012 finds nothing.
From a procedural standpoint the amendment has been advertised in
the Valdosta Daily Times to fulfill legal requirements. Beyond
legal requirements staff has plans to post this agenda
item and draft ULDC on the Lowndes County Website at
http://www.lowndescounty.com/content.asp?pid=23&id=224. Regarding
staff review of the amendments, the TRC recommended for their approval
at their 08/16 regular meeting.
If you’d happened to look several levels deep on the Lowndes County website
you would have found
that undated announcement:
LAKE videoing George videoing Gretchen canvassing on Summerlin Street in Valdosta,
Canvassing, Lowndes County Commission (GretchenForLowndes.com),
Videos by John S. Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE),
and by George Boston Rhynes for bostongbr on YouTube,
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 25 August 2012.
Gretchen mentioned she’d been going to County Commission meetings
for about four years now, and thought it was her turn to serve.
George asked why she was canvassing on the west side of Valdosta,
and she answered:
The thing that is important for people to know is that every
single citizen in the county gets to vote,
Whether you live in Valdosta, Hahira, Lake Park, Dasher, Remerton,
or the unincorporated areas.
Every single person who lives in Lowndes County
who is a registered voter gets to vote.
You have until October 8th to register
to vote for the November 6th election.
You can register at the Board of Elections at 2808 North Oak Street,
or there are people going around with forms you can fill in and mail
in or they will hand carry down there.
Participatory media!
Doing what traditional media could do, George Boston Rhynes
interviewed Gretchen Quarterman as she canvassed on
Summerlin Street in Valdosta Saturday.
Doing what traditional media can’t do, I videoed
George videoing Gretchen, and he later videoed me
helping Gretchen canvass.
Lowndes County Emergency Management Director Ashley Tye
reported to the Lowndes County Commission at their
Work Session yesterday morning
that
after the floods of 2009, Lowndes County negotiated with USGS to put a
stream level monitor on the 
