Category Archives: Lowndes County Commission

8. For Consideration – 2011-2012 Prison Detail Contract @ LCC 12 Sep 2011



Three prison work details, one will be assigned to
School board or runoff; the other two to road maintenance and public parks,
for $39,500 per detail.

Commissioner Powell wondered about the start date, total hours per year,
etc., and those questions were clarified by staff (about 200 days per year
depending on weather).

It seems like a great opportunity and a great deal for us.
Is three crews enough to do what we need to accomplish,
or is there an additional need for an additional crew.

Answer by Chairman and staff:
no more are available.

Nobody questioned whether using prisoners for cheap was a good idea
when there are many people out of work around town.

Here’s

the video:




8. For Consideration – 2011-2012 Prison Detail Contract @ LCC 12 Sep 2011

Work Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),

Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 12 September 2011.

Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

-jsq

7.c. TXT-2011-01 Combination Plats, Administrative, etc. @ LCC 12 Sep 2011



Another in a long series of periodic updates to the ULDC.

7.c. TXT-2011-01 Combination Plats, Administrative/Clerical Changes, Zoning Map, & Other Amendments

Commissioner Powell wanted to know if County Planner Jason Davenport
had sent these changes out to any engineers or developers to see
if they had any concerns.
County Planner said some of them had been on the mass email
that he had sent, in addition to the notice in the newspaper,
plus he had called surveyors’ offices.
Commissioner Powell seemed satisfied.

Here’s

the video:




TXT-2011-01 Combination Plats, Administrative/Clerical Changes, Zoning Map, & Other Amendments

Work Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),

Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 12 September 2011.

Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

-jsq

7.b. REZ-2011-12 Cardwell, 5415 Railroad Ave @ LCC 12 Sep 2011



Applicant and County Planner Jason Davenport recommend tabling
this rezoning case until one more test comes back from the health department.

7.b. REZ-2011-12 Cardwell, 5415 Railroad Ave, 0095 003, 1 lot, 1 acre,
R-10 to R-21, well/septic

Here’s

the video:




7.b. REZ-2011-12 Cardwell, 5415 Railroad Ave @ LCC 12 Sep 2011

Work Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),

Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 12 September 2011.

Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

-jsq

7.a. REZ-2011-11 West-Fuller, 5303 Tucker Road @ LCC 12 Sep 2011



Commissioners and staff concerned with ironing out issues about
rezoning before voting on it!

County Planner Jason Davenport
said he wanted to talk one more time to the two parties
before it comes to the Commission tomorrow.

7.a. REZ-2011-11 West-Fuller, 5303 Tucker Road, 137-25 & 25A, ~1.31 ac, E-A & R-1 to R-1 and R-21, well/septic

Commissioner Powell wondered whether it would be best to send it
back to the Planning Commission first.
Commissioner Evans said it was her understanding that the
Planning Commission wanted it to come back to them.
The County Planner said he thought they would enjoy seeing it again,
but they might understand not making the applicant waiting another
30 days, so he wanted to talk to the applicant one more time first.
Commissioner Powell wanted to be sure there would be documentation
in the file so if something came up ten years down the road
they’d know what went on.

Here’s

the video:




7.a. REZ-2011-11 West-Fuller, 5303 Tucker Road @ LCC 12 Sep 2011

Work Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),

Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 12 September 2011.

Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

-jsq

Photographers to the back of the room —Ashley Paulk @ LCC 12 September 2011





Another quick meeting, when at the end:

Chairman: Mr Quarterman, The County Commission wishes
from this day forward that any filming be done from the
media area in the back corner of the room.

jsq: Has the Commission taken a vote on that?

Chairman: Yes sir, we uh independently; I will submit the chairman without the
Commission … do not question my authority.

jsq: So the Commission has not taken a vote on that.

Chairman: Commission doesn’t have to.

jsq: And you believe that legally you can do that?

Chairman: Yes sir I believe that. I do my research.

jsq: Can I see that legal opinion please?

Chairman: You’re looking at it.

jsq: In writing if you would.

Chairman: Mr Quarterman, I will not argue with you.
Do not film except in the media area.
Do you understand me?
Don’t say you weren’t aware of it. It’s on the web site.

Here’s

Camera 1:

Continue reading →

Appointment – DBHDD Regional Planning Board @ LCC 12 September 2011



The previous member of the
Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Addictive Diseases Regional Planning Board retired from the board after a term that expired in July.
Previously they appointed Mrs. Henderson, I think at the meeting

a month ago,
but for some reason she could not serve.
Another person is applying.
She has not yet supplied a resume; they hope to see that by tomorrow.

Here’s

the video:




Appointment – DBHDD Regional Planning Board @ LCC 12 September 2011

Work Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),

Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 12 September 2011.

Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

Continue reading →

Lowndes County Commission, Monday morning and Tuesday evening



Monday morning the County Commission considers and Tuesday evening
it decides three rezonings and an appointment, plus a
Prison Detail Contract.

The appointment is to the Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Addictive Diseases Regional Planning Board,
and was previously considered

a month ago.
According to DBHDD:

The Region Four Planning Board represents 24 counties in the region. Members are appointed by their county commissioners; they are business and civic leaders with a strong interest in mental health, developmental disabilities and addictive diseases as well as consumers or family members of consumers.

The role of the Regional Planning Board is to give a voice to consumers and their families and other citizens in the region in assessing needs and recommending priorities for DBHDD services. The planning board makes recommendations about services and works with the regional office to develop an annual plan. Regional planning board members stay informed about local needs and issues and serve as advocates with public officials. The main objective of the board is to identify community needs and gaps in the current DBHDD service system and to make recommendations based on their findings.

The

Georgia Department of Corrections says about Valdosta State Prison work details:

The Annex protects the public by maintaining custody of medium and minimum
security offenders while providing outside work details to the community.

…

VSP and Annex Inside details: Orderlies, Grounds Maintenance, Laundry,
Trash, and Maintenance. The Annex provides the following outside details:
Correctional Industries, Department of Transportation, Georgia State
Patrol, City of Valdosta (3 details), Lowndes County (2 details), Cook
County, Valdosta State Prison (2 details), Department of Transportation
(Weigh Station), Valdosta Police Department, Mobile Construction and
Maintenance (Outside Institution).

I don’t quite understand how prisoners are being paid pennies for
doing jobs that a lot of local unemployed people might want.

Here’s

the agenda:

Continue reading →

Georgia and Florida Railway (GFRR) – Valdosta to Willacoochee Rehabilitation $6.25 million T-SPLOST

Now here’s a T-SPLOST project I like:
upgrading the railroad that runs


from Valdosta to Moody AFB
and on to Ray City and Nashville in Berrien County,
and Willacoochee in Atkinson County.
This proposal is to aid freight, but with this upgrade to the track,
the same track would be even more readily usable for passenger rail.
That same track was used for passenger travel up into the 1950s.
My mother used to catch the train at Barretts (just north of Moody) to go visit her relatives in Pearson (a bit east of Willacoochee).

It’s true the project sheet talks about “potential customers in the region”:

This project will provide for more efficient train operations along
the rail corridor to accommodate the increase rail traffic serving the
existing and potential customers in the region.

However, rail promotes development in existing population
centers and at stations, unlike all along automobile roadways.

This project is also another example of how
the economic area of Moody AFB includes

Continue reading →

$12M to widen US 41 N is more than $7.5M for a bus system

There is no public transit in Lowndes County, except for the
tiny MIDS bus system (I like it, but it’s small).
Meanwhile,
the county proposes to spend more in a new sales tax to widen one road,

$12 million dollars for Old US 41 North,
than

a bus system would cost, $7.5 million.

One short stretch of road vs. a three-line bus system to connect Wiregrass Tech, Five Points, Downtown,
Moody, East Side, South Side, West Side, and the Mall.

Road and bridge proponents usually mutter that a bus system won’t pay back
for years, if ever.
And that’s right: bus systems usually operate at a loss because local
governments subsidize them for the social and economic benefits they bring,

such as these:

This project will provide mobility options for all travelers; improve
access to employment; and help mitigate congestion and maximize the use
of existing infrastructure by promoting high-occupancy travel.

Employment, safety, and less sprawl, all from a bus system.

What road and bridge proponents don’t ever mention is:

Continue reading →