Category Archives: Lowndes County Commission

Lowndes County Budget Meetings 2019-05-07-09 @ LCC 2017-05-07

Lowndes County is holding its Budget Meetings this week. Typically Commissioners and staff hear from all departments, agencies, and Authorities that get tax funds collected by the county.

When: 8:30 AM – 4:15 PM Tuesday, May 7, 2019
8:30 AM – 2:15 PM Wednesday, May 8, 2019
8:30 AM – 2:45 PM Thursday, May 9, 2019

Where: Commission Chambers,
327 N. Ashley Street 2nd Floor,
Valdosta, GA 31601

All three Lowndes County calendar posts note:

Meetings could potentially run longer than the scheduled times.

I would guess one topic that will come up will be the remaining projects in SPLOST VII.

SPLOST VII pie chart

As usual, Continue reading →

3 Appointments, Alcohol and Public Transportation @ LCC 2019-04-22

With no prior notice to the public, and no invitation for people to apply, the Lowndes County Commission will appoint members to three boards:

VDT: Creacy Sermons, Soror of the Year, 2016
Valdosta Daily Times: Sermons named Soror of the Year for 2016.

As usual, the county did not publish the applications the applicants turned in, nor any information about them. You could file an open records request for those, but three days from when the agenda is posted on Friday is after they vote on Tuesday.

You do still have time to turn in your own application if you want to be on one of these boards.

There’s also a Beer, Wine, and Liquor License for a new restaurant and Updated Section 5311 Rural Transportation Program Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy.

So the Monday morning Work Session will probably last less than ten minutes.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2019, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2019, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading →

Videos: Special Called Meeting for a Mutual Easement @ LCC 2019-04-08

Six minutes, almost as long as the preceding Work Session, for this special hurry-up real estate item that couldn’t wait one day for tonight’s Regular Session.

Lowndes County Project Manager Chad McLeod explained the easement. Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker asked wasn’t there an existing implied easement. Real Estate Agent Tom McCall said there wasn’t, although what he described sounded awful like that. However, he pointed out they had no idea Continue reading →

Videos: DFSCS Board appts, Old Hwy 41 N rezoning, paving, and alcohol @ LCC 2019-04-08

About six minutes in yesterday morning’s Lowndes County Commission Work Session, including the office space rezoning recommended last month by the Planning Commission.

They vote tonight at 5:30 PM. Below are Continue reading →

Special Called Meeting for a Mutual Easement @ LCC 2019-04-08

This morning at 8:45 AM, according to their calendar, apparently related to their decision a month ago to buy the former office of Coleman-Talley law firm at 910 N. Patterson Street for use by the Public Defender. It seems there’s a shared driveway with the other half of the property. Why this item couldn’t wait one day for tomorrow evening’s Regular Session is mysterious. One might even say poor planning.

910 N Patterson Street, Valdosta, GA
910 N Patterson Street, Valdosta, GA 31601, previously listed for rent for $8,206/month by RealLiving Real Estate, as “Landmark Professional Office Space available on centrally located Patterson Street. This red brick office stands out in terms of craftsmanship, quality, and location. Built-ins throughout with (16) private offices, (10) work stations, multiple conference rooms, break room, mechanical rooms, storage closet, fireproof rooms and over 2,000 SF unfinished 3rd floor open space storage. From the well appointed receptionist area to the functional layout this property was designed with the professional in mind and is sure to impress your clients.”

Special Called Meeting

Monday, April 8, 2019

A special called meeting will be held for consideration of an agreement between Coleman Talley and Lowndes County for a mutual easement. *There could be a slight delay if the work session runs longer than expected.

Date: Continue reading →

DFSCS Board appts, Old Hwy 41 N rezoning, paving, and alcohol @ LCC 2019-04-08

On the agenda for this morning is reappointing Mrs. Elsie Napier to the Lowndes County Division of Family and Children Services Board. I don’t know if she will speak, but here’s video of her previously speaking at the Valdosta City Council about community grants.

Photo: Gretchen Quarterman, still of LAKE video of Elsie Napier at Valdosta City Council, 2016-10-05
Photo: Gretchen Quarterman, still of LAKE video of Elsie Napier at Valdosta City Council, 2016-10-05.

There’s also a rezoning for offices on Old US 41 North, two alcohol licenses, a Bid for Purchase of Structural Fire Fighting Gear, and two road paving items, for Boring Pond Lane and 2019 Resurfacing of Five County Roads, plus 2019 Re-striping of Four County Toads.

They expect this Work Session to take less than 15 minutes, since they have a Special Called Meeting at 8:45 AM: “There could be a slight delay if the work session runs longer than expecte.” Why they couldn’t wait one day to vote on that also in tomorrow’s Regular Session is mysterious.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, APRIL 8, 2019, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2019, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading →

Cancelled: Deep South Solid Waste Authority special called meeting today, 2019-03-27

According to DSSWA Chair Kevin Beals, today’s special called meeting is cancelled. Instead, they will handle business at their regular April meeting. There is no agenda for that meeting yet, but he will ask for one to be sent when it is ready.

The topics of the special called meeting were the July 1, 2019 increase in local government surcharges per ton, from $1.00 to $2.50, as passed last year in HB 792 and SB 385. Also ADS wants to increase its rates, due to that and apparently some federal rule changes.

Julia Shewchuk, Plaque

In other news, Julia Shewchuk is no longer with SGRC, since about a year now. According to the February 2018 SGRC newsletter, In the Region,

…Julia Shewchuk received Continue reading →

Videos: six minutes on Lighting, Paving, and Trash @ LCC 2019-03-26

Subtract out the invocation, pledge, and approval of minutes (which you couldn’t hear anyway because the county’s sound system wasn’t working) and the Chairman’s ending comments on Youth Leadership, and your elected Commissioners spent about six minutes on the business of the county, including spending some unknown amount of money on road services.

Below are Continue reading →

Videos: Lighting, Paving, Trash, retirement, and death @ LCC 2019-03-25

Chairman Bill Slaughter mentioned the recent death of his predecessor Fred DeLoach. County Manager Joe Pritchard said he tried to talk Carmella Braswell out of retiring, but she has done so.

County Engineer Mike Fletcher clarified that more than one engineering firm was working on professional surveying and engineering for road projects.

Kevin Beals presented the solid waste franchises for annual renewal, and we were reminded he is also Chairman of the Deep South Solid Waste Authority that dispenses funds from their tipping fees, and which the next day announced a special called meeting for Wednesday.

Chad McLeod said the county has successfully cleaned up from a nearby closed gasoline station.

Below are Continue reading →

Deep South Solid Waste Authority special called meeting today, 6PM 2019-03-27

Update 2019-03-27: Cancelled.

Not in the public notices, rather as an article, Valdosta Daily Times, 26 March 2019, Deep South holds called meeting,

VALDOSTA — The Deep South Solid Waste Authority will hold a special called meeting, 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 27, at the Southern Georgia Regional Commission office, 327 W. Savannah Ave.

Photo: John S. Quarterman, DSSWA meeting 2019-02-07
Photo: John S. Quarterman, DSSWA meeting 2019-02-07

I have asked for a copy of the agenda. Until it arrives, I can only guess Continue reading →