Category Archives: Transportation

I-75 as the Governor Melvin Ernest Thompson Memorial Highway?

Did you know the legislature is likely to rename much of Interstate 75 through Lowndes County in honor of a former governor, and spend $4,500 for signs to do so?

The Valdosta Daily Times, Lowndes County

NOTICE OF ROAD FACILITY DEDICATION

Notice is given that there will be introduced at the regular 2013 session of the General Assembly of Georgia a resolution sponsored by Senator Tim Golden, 121 State Capitol, Atlanta, Georgia 30334, (404) 656-7580, to dedicate the portion of Interstate 75 in Lowndes County from the West Hill Avenue exit to the North Valdosta Road exit as the Governor Melvin Ernest Thompson Memorial Highway in honor of his achievements, accomplishments, and contributions to Lowndes County and to the State of Georgia; and for other purposes. The estimated cost of such dedication is $4,500.00.

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1/19/13

And such a bill has been introduced in the Georgia House (not the Senate) as HR 47, Governor Melvin Ernest Thompson Memorial Highway; Lowndes County; dedicate, sponsored by (1) Shaw, Jason 176th, (2) Carter, Amy 175th, (3) Black, Ellis 174th, (4) Sharper, Dexter 177th, (5) Houston, Penny 170th.

Here's the part that ties Gov. Thompson to here:

WHEREAS, Governor Thompson was instrumental in the success of the City of Valdosta and Lowndes County, where his leadership as a founding member of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority spearheaded much of the urban development and planning for Valdosta and the surrounding areas, including the Azalea City Industrial Park; and

And establishing Industrial Parks was a cutting-edge idea: in the 1950s.

The bill adds:

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Videos: Taxing alcohol on the road to the jail @ LCC 2013-01-22

One citizen actually got a response out of a Commissioner in Citizens Wishing to Be Heard! Unfortunately, only half a dozen citizens where there to hear that, or to see the Lowndes County Commission vote on matters that affect everyone, from abandoning a road leading to a river to an alcohol license.

Here's the agenda, with links to the videos and a few notes. See also the Work Session the morning of that same day.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2013, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2013, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
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Vote for a hearing to abandoning a road leading to the Alapaha River @ LCC 2013-01-22

Update 2013-01-25 9:48 AM: fixed an error and added some further detail. -jsq
Citing unspecified sources of information about water rights, the Lowndes County Commission voted to move to a hearing to abandon a road to a river they didn’t name, but which happens to be: the Alapaha River (it was named this time). This was at the Regular Session of 22 January 2013. See also the Work Session the morning of the same day.

7.b. Abandonment of a portion of Old State Road (CR 16)

County Engineer Mike Fletcher describe the case like this:

Georgia Statute says that for an initial determination that the section of county road has for any reason ceased to be used by the public to the extent that no substantial public purpose is served by it, or that its removal from the county road system is in the public’s best interest. And just to remind you, as we spoke yesterday, the bridge that goes across the Alapaha River has been washed out; it has not been replaced, so there is no access across the river to Lanier County.

Commissioner Demarcus Marshall remarked that this same item had been voted down 26 October 2010(?). Chairman Bill Slaughter asserted that the applicant had previously gotten permission to close the road and was merely asking to extend the length; he was corrected by staff (I think by County Manager Joe Pritchard) saying no, it wasn’t approved. Why doesn’t staff brief the Commission and the public on the history of a case like this when it comes up again?

Commissioner Joyce Evans said

It was not approved because of different circumstances. I think during that time, Mr. Fletcher, you researched it all and you got the information that we needed. And that was the reason it was not approved; we didn’t have the information that we needed about the water rights. Since then we have received that.

County Engineer Mike Fletcher added:

This is not considered a navigable waterway, so therefore Mr. Connell owns the bottom of the riverbed, so his property actually goes into the river, and not to the high water mark.

Marshall said he’d heard from a constituent Continue reading →

Where is the speed zone ordinance? @ LCC 2011-01-10

Lowndes County won’t install speed control devices: policy or ordinance or “decision”, by whom and when? And where is the speed zone ordinance they passed in January 2011, according to the Work Session Minutes of 10 January 2011:

Adoption of the Revised Speed Zone Ordinance,

County Engineer, Mike Fletcher, presented the Commission with a revised speed zone ordinance in accordance with Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) requirements. Mr. Fletcher added that 2 once approved, staff would send the document back to GDOT for execution. Commissioner Evans questioned the speed limit on Boring Pond Road. Mr. Fletcher explained that since the road has been paved, the new ordinance will allow for the new speed to be posted at 45 mph and 55 mph. Mr. Fletcher added that prior to the road being paved, the speed limit was 35 mph. Commissioner Raines asked if the document was a county ordinance. Mr. Fletcher replied yes, adding while the county can make certain recommendations, GDOT prepares the draft in accordance with their regulations.

Chairman Paulk asked Mr. Fletcher to provide those in attendance with a short explanation of speed control devices. Mr. Fletcher explained that in the 1990’s a previous Commission made the decision that speed control devices would not be allowed on county roads due to maintenance and safety issues. Mr. Fletcher added that over time that decision has become policy.

Commissioner Powell stated he had received a request from citizens to increase the speed limit on portions of Old Clyattville Road to 55 mph. Mr. Fletcher replied that due to the curb and gutter installed on the road, he would not recommend it. Mr. Fletcher added he would be glad to check with GDOT to see what the state’s recommendation might be. Commissioner Powell asked Mr. Fletcher to move forward with contacting GDOT.

When “in the 1990’s” was this Commission decision made? In which minutes can we see the vote and the text of this decision?

And how is policy made? By the Commission in an open meeting, or by the staff at some unspecified “over time”?

Plus, where is this speed zone ordinance?

-jsq

Work Session Minutes @ LCC 2011-01-10

Ordinance or policy? That question comes up for at least two items, Special assessment and Speed control devices, in the minutes of the 10 January 2011 Work Session of the Lowndes County Commission. -jsq

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
MINUTES
WORK SESSION
Monday, January 10, 2011
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Videos: Airport, alcohol, taxes, road, jail @ LCC 2013-01-22

Commissioners discussed several items much more than last year’s Commission at this morning’s Work Session; they vote 5:30 PM tonight at their Regular Session. However, you’d think with an ankle monitoring program Commissioners praised so highly, they’d want the public to know the details. Nope, still none of the documents related to that nor any of the other items they were discussing were revealed to the tax-paying public. They don’t have a press release about that, nor about the Parade of Champions the Chairman talked about (twice) even though it wasn’t on the agenda. He was silent, however, on who the candidates for the Airport Authority are, and none of them were present.

That’s four reports that were not on the agenda: Parade of Champions, ankle monitoring, the county’s wellness program and the upcoming Bird Supper.

Here’s the agenda, with links to the videos and a few notes, followed by the video playlist.

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Abandoning a road leading to the Alapaha River @ LCC 2013-01-22

A landowner asked Lowndes County to abandon a road leading to the Alapaha River, in this morning’s Lowndes County Commission Work Session.

Abandonment of a portion of Old State Road (CR 16)

Phillip Connell requests that Old State Road that goes through his property and dead ends at the river be closed.

They’re holding an initial hearing followed by a public hearing “I guess it will be in three weeks at the next regular meeting” because state law requires it, according to County Engineer Mike Fletcher. He also said the bridge had washed away, and there was no access into Lanier County. And the river (it’s the Alapaha River, although I don’t think anybody ever said the name)

…is not classified as a navigable waterway; therefore Mr. Connell owns to the center of the river. You can navigate down the river by boat, but if you step out, if you get out of the boat and step on the land, you’re considered to be trespassing.
Engineer did not cite any statutes for his assertions.

Chairman said he and Commissioners Marshall and Evans had been down Continue reading →

Airport, alcohol, taxes, road, jail @ LCC 2013-01-22

It's curious how the Lowndes County Commission can hold a public hearing for a single beer, wine, and liquor license, but not for doing away with the solid waste collection sites that affect 5,000 county residents. And what's this "Special Assessment Rate for 2013"? At today's early morning work session maybe they'll say, or perhaps at tonight's regular session, both on the same day because of yesterday's holiday.

Here's the agenda.

-jsq

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2013, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2013, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
  1. Call to Order
  2. Invocation
  3. Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag
  4. Minutes for Approval
    1. Work Session — January 7, 2013
    2. Regular Session — January 8, 2013
  5. Appointment — Valdosta/Lowndes County Airport Authority
  6. Public Hearing — Beer Wine & Liquor License — Rascal's — 4875 Hwy 41
  7. For Consideration
    1. Special Assessment Rate for 2013
    2. Abandonment of a portion of Old State Road (CR 16)
    3. Replacement of the Jail Fire Alarm System in Buildings 001 & 002
  8. Reports-County Manager
  9. Citizens Wishing to be Heard Please State Name And Address

Failed concrete: the bane of nuclear reactors

Let’s not forget the failed concrete on which Plant Vogtle’s unprotected stranded reactor vessel is supposed to sit.

A week before the reactor vessel train wreck, news stories said concrete pouring was delayed due to “noncompliant rebar”. Thomas Clements elaborated for the Aiken Leader 14 January 2013, Vogtle AP1000 Nuclear Reactor Vessel Discovered Unprotected, Stranded in Savannah Port since December 15 Shipment Failure,

Due to chronic delays in the pouring of “nuclear concrete” for the basemat of the AP1000 units at Vogtle and VC Summer, it remains unknown when or if any reactor vessels can actually be placed into the excavated holes at the sites. A January 10 meeting of the NRC confirmed that another basemat-related “license amendment request” (LAR) was soon to be filed by SCE&G for its AP1000 project and that the target date for granting of the LAR was March 18. It appears that the Vogtle project has fallen behind the V.C. Summer project and no strategy for the filing of a similar and necessary LAR by Southern Company is known.

Concrete, the long-time bane of Seabrook Station and also what’s keeping Crystal River shut down because nobody wants to pay the billions of dollars it would take to fix it.

 

What say we call the whole thing off, like Dominion Power did with its existing Kewaunee nuke, and TEPCO and NRG did with their plans for new South Texas nukes.

 

Maybe it’s a sign that meanwhile Google has invested a billion dollars in wind and solar and gotten 2 gigawatts of power, almost as much as the 2.2 GW the two new Vogtle nukes were supposed to produce, except Google’s solar and wind projects are online on time, and for less than just the cost overruns at Vogtle.

The Georgia legislature is in session. You can contact your legislator or the PSC today about toppling Southern Company’s three-legged nuclear regulatory-capture stool and fixing that 1973 Territoriality Law so we can get on with solar and wind in Georgia, for jobs and energy independence, and oh by the way clean air and plenty of clean water.

-jsq

Vogtle reactor vessel sitting unprotected at Savannah port

What happened to Plant Vogtle’s new reactor vessel after it was in a train wreck a week ago? It went back to Savannah port and sits there unprotected and unguarded.

Thomas Clements wrote for the Aiken Leader 14 January 2013, Vogtle AP1000 Nuclear Reactor Vessel Discovered Unprotected, Stranded in Savannah Port since December 15 Shipment Failure,


Tom Clements, Alliance for Nuclear Accountability

The reactor pressure vessel (RPV) for the chronically delayed Vogtle AP1000 reactor construction project near Waynesboro, Georgia sits stranded and seemingly unprotected in the port of Savannah. The special railroad car carrying the 300-ton vessel had unknown mechanical problems on December 15 on exiting the port. The NRC has said that the vessel only got one-quarter mile before a sound was heard and the car stopped. Plans by Westinghouse and Southern Company to move the vessel are unknown. It is also unknown if the railroad car can be repaired and used or if the railroad company which owns the line is concerned that the rail car might break down again on its line in an in accessible place. Meanwhile, the apparently unguarded reactor might be subject to sabotage and sits in apparent violation of NRC quality assurance and “administrative control” regulations.

The article includes links to several more pictures taken 13 January 2013 by Tom Clements of Alliance for Nuclear Accountability, such as this one with the bridge clearly visible:

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