Category Archives: Transparency

Appointments to 3 boards @ LCC 2016-01-25

Did you know there were openings on three boards? Probably not, since the county didn’t post anything in public. Now the day before they’re appointed, we learn “Dr. Lynne Feldman resigned from the Hospital Authority, leaving a vacant seat on the board. Dr. Steven Brian Dawson, Dr. John W. Devine, and Dr. John D. Roan have all been recommended for the position.” County Manager Joe Pritchard did not say who recommended them, or how they knew to apply. Similarly, on the Lowndes County Division of Family and Children Services Board (DFCS), somebody unnamed didn’t want to be reappointed, and “Elsie C. Napier has been recommended for the position.” And on the Valdosta-Lowndes County Conference Center and Tourism Authority Board, David Motley wants to be reappointed. At least we know how he knew.

There’s more on the agenda.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 2016, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2016, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading →

Chancy R6M, Stallings Road Cemetery, 4 County cases, one to E-A @ GLPC 2016-01-25

The owner of a parcel on US 41 South wants to rezone from R-10 back to Estate Agriculture. That Lowndes County case is the opposite of the Hahira case that wants rezoning from single-family to multi-family, and there are many other cases in between, plus another cemetery case!

Here’s the agenda for Monday’s Regular Session, and also for last Monday’s Work Session, even though it doesn’t say that.

Greater Lowndes Planning Commission
Lowndes County City of Valdosta City of Dasher City of Hahira City of Lake Park
REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING
AGENDA
Lowndes County South Health District Administrative Office
325 West Savannah Avenue
Tuesday, January 25, 2016 * 5:30 P.M. * Public Hearing

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Public Hearing, 2016 Comprehensive Plan Update @ SGRC 2016-01-19

Received Friday 5 January 2016:

Subject: Lowndes Comprehensive Plan Kickoff Jan. 19th

The kick-off public hearing for the joint Lowndes County and Cities of Dasher, Hahira, Lake Park, Remerton, and Valdosta 2016 Comprehensive Plan Update will be held on:

Tuesday, January 19, 2016, 5:30 p.m.

Lowndes County South Health District Administrative Office
325 W. Savannah Avenue
Valdosta, Georgia

The purpose of this public hearing will be Continue reading →

Video: Project Max rezoning public hearing @ LCC 2016-01-12

The secretive Project Max container company better not be like when the Industrial Authority bragged about a prospect that would bring in 300 clean jobs and it turned out to be a private prison, which fortunately (after much public opposition) never happened. At last Tuesday’s Lowndes County Commissioner Regular Session, nearby landowner Mike Paine said he is afraid of many things, because it’s a rush job and nobody has told him anything concrete. The Industrial Authority, now called the Development Authority, says we should trust them. It would help if they wouldn’t say things like no emissions but steam, when burning natural gas produces CO2, and if they would admit that methane often leaks, and then it’s a far worse greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.

5.a. REZ-2016-01 Project Max, Rocky Ford Rd, E-A to M-2 123 acres

Video. About the public hearing for rezoning from Estate Agricultural (E-A) to heavy-duty manufacturing (M-2) for the hush-hush Project Max, the big-fish container manufacturing plant proposed for Rocky Ford Road, next to the protected watershed of Mud Swamp and near Valdosta Airport, see Continue reading →

5 cities & Lowndes County: Community Planning Meeting @ LCC Planning 2016-01-19

It’s a good idea. It would be an even better idea if there was time scheduled for citizen input and responses from the assembled elected officials.

On the Lowndes County Commission calendar:

On Tuesday, January 19, 2016, Lowndes County and the cities of Valdosta, Hahira, Lake Park, Remerton and Dasher, will meet at the James H. Rainwater Conference Center for the purpose of identifying and discussing solutions related to community wide issues. The meeting will begin at 9:00 a.m. and the public is encouraged to attend.

When: 9AM-10AM Tuesday 19 January 2016

Where: James H. Rainwater Conference Center, 1 Meeting Place, Valdosta, GA 31601

Contact: County Clerk, Paige Dukes, 229-671-2400

County Chairman Bill Slaughter announced this meeting at the Lowndes County Commission Regular Session 12 January 2016: Continue reading →

Videos: Why Emergency bridge fixes? Appoint Tax Assessors? Rush Project Max? @ LCC 2016-01-12

Citizen Billy Rowland complained about poor road grading, his dogs being shot, and misuse of Knights Ferry Landing on the Withlacoochee River. Maybe the Commission will listen to what he said this time, at last Tuesday’s Lowndes County Commissioner Regular Session. Apparently G. Norman Bennett wants Hall Web Road paved for the mile to his house at the Little River, but Julia Bass, Ralph Niehenke, and Diane Guess spoke up saying they don’t want it paved. Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker tried to ask them questions, but Chairman Bill Slaughter cut him off. Slaugher did have time earlier fo an extra announcement of a joint governmental meeting Tuesday morning. It’s not clear citizens will even get to speak there, much less get questions answered. See separate post.

They passed the resolution to ask the legislature to start the proecess to appoint rather than elect Lowndes County Tax Assessors.

They already did emergency repairs to Clyattville Nankin Road Bridge (problem discovered by a local citizen) and Jumping Gully Road Bridge (found by GDOT), and the Commissione approved payment after the fact. So two more no-bid contracts were let, this time without even a Commission vote before the work was done.

They agreed to the North Lowndes Park Quitclaim and Custodial Agreement by which Valdosta-Lowndes Parks & Rec. Authority (VLPRA) takes charge of some land west of I-75 north of Hahira for a soccer field.

A few citizens spoke about rezoning for the mysterious Project Max, but of course they passed the rezoning anyway, even though apparently none of the Commissioners know who the prospective tenant is.

The Lowndes County Commission agenda contained quite a few other items as the Commission caught up after the holidays. See also the LAKE videos of the previous morning’s Work Session. Below are links to each LAKE video of the Tuesday evening 12 January 2016 Regular Session, followed by a video playlist. Continue reading →

Videos: Why Emergency bridge fixes? Appoint Tax Assessors? Rush Project Max? @ LCC 2016-01-11

Why did bridge repairs turn up on the agenda for yesterday morning’s Work Session and tonight’s Regular Session only after problems were reported by citizens (Clyattville Nankin Road) or GDOT (Jumping Gully Road)? Also, “>neither GDOT restriping nor county road resurfacing take into account the complete streets initiative for bike lanes or sidewalks, even though two Commissioners asked about that. Hm, three Commissioners could vote to require it.

County Clerk didn’t have the minutes of December’s Work Session ready, so Lowndes County Commissioners will get very little time to review them before voting this evening.

This is the only county in Georgia that does not appoint its Tax Assessors, and the County Commission is considering a resolution to ask the General Assembly to start the process to change that. For hush-hush Project Max, the big-fish container manufacturing plant proposed for Rocky Ford Road, next to the protected watershed of Mud Swamp and near Valdosta Airport, see separate post for what little the public (or the Planning Commission) is allowed to know. Also on the Lowndes County Commission agenda for Monday morning and voting Tuesday evening, are quite a few other items as the Commission catches up after the holidays.

Below are links to each LAKE video of yesterday morning’s Work Session, followed by a video playlist. Continue reading →

Agenda Item for Project Max before County Commission @ LCC 2016-01-11

Here’s the item summary for the hush-hush REZ-2016-01 Project Max Summary on Monday morning’s the Lowndes County Commission agenda, after the rush-rush Special Called Planning Commission meeting. -jsq

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA ITEM

SUBJECT: Rezoning Case REZ-2016-01

DATE OF MEETING: January 12th 2016

Regular Meeting (x)
Work Session (x)
Recommendation (x)
Policy/Discussion ( )
Report ( )

BUDGET IMPACT:

FUNDING SOURCE:
( ) Annual ( ) SPLOST ( ) Capital (X) N/A

REZ-2016-01 Project Max, Rocky Ford Rd
E-A to M-2, County Water and Sewer, ~123 acres

ACTION REQUESTED ON:
 

HISTORY, FACTS AND ISSUES: Continue reading →

Appoint Tax Assessors? Rush Project Max? @ LCC 2016-01-11

Appointing Tax Assessors will take an act of the legislature and a local referendum to repeal the 1972 state law that made Lowndes County the only county in Georgia to elect them, but the Lowndes County Commission Monday morning will consider a resolution to ask the General Assembly to start that process. in Lowndes County, subject to approval by voters, so after 1 January 2021 they’d be appointed, not elected. This is the only county in Georgia that does not appoint its Tax Assessors, and after the extremely unusual rural land revaluation last year, it does seem something needs to be changed.

For hush-hush Project Max, the big-fish container manufacturing plant proposed for Rocky Ford Road, next to the protected watershed of Mud Swamp and near Valdosta Airport, see separate post for what little the public (or the Planning Commission) is allowed to know. Also on the Lowndes County Commission agenda for Monday morning and voting Tuesday evening, bridge repairs on Clyattville Nankin Road and Jumping Gully Road, and quite a few other items as the Commission catches up after the holidays.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, January 11, 2016,  8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, January 12, 2016, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading →

Videos: Heavy Manufacturing politics @ GLPC Special 2016-01-05

Even the Planning Commissioners weren’t told what company “Project Max” is, because the Development Authority is still bidding the location as one of two being considered by the company. See also the agenda the previous update. Planning Commissioners did have quite a few questions about expansion, appropriate zoning, any potential pollution or contamination, etc. Naturally, the Planning Commission recommended approval, so the actual decision will be before the County Commission next Tuesday evening. Meanwhile, here are links to the LAKE videos of the Planning Commission, with a few notes, followed by a video playlist. Continue reading →