Category Archives: Valdosta City Council

Videos: Passed resolution for dedicated state fees and bids for equipment @ VCC 2018-01-25

The big item was they passed the Resolution to support GA HR 158 for dedicated fee collections. That and the T-SPLOST projects and upcoming public meetings, by Mayor Gayle. There was only one Citizen to Be Heard, which was me, about the resolution and about public access to the Withlacoochee River at Gornto Road in Valdosta.

Below are links to the LAKE video of each item, with a few notes, followed by a LAKE video playlist. See also the agenda.

Continue reading

Resolution for dedicated state fees and bids for equipment @ VCC 2018-01-25

Valdosta has a very light agenda Thursday, with a couple of bids and the same resolution in support of Georgia HR 158 to stop diversion of state fees that has already been passed by Lanier County 2018-01-08, by the City of Adel 2018-01-16, by Atkinson County 2018-01-18, and is on the agenda for Lowndes County 5:30 PM tonight 2018-01-23 and on the agenda for Hahira 6PM next Thursday 2018-02-01.

Valdosta City Council
Photo: Valdosta City Council by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange, 2018-01-11.

If you can attend one of these meetings and thank these elected officials for doing the right thing, I’m sure they would appreciate it.

Valdosta City Council Tim Carroll talked about this resolution Continue reading

Videos: New Valdosta City Council members, resolution to stop state fee diversions @ VCC 2018-01-11

Sworn in: re-elected Sandra Tooley (District 2) and new members Eric Howard (District 4) and Andy Gibbs (District 6), plus Sandra Tooley again as new Mayor Pro Tem. The vote on Mayor Pro Tem split evenly with the Mayor voting, between Sandra Tooley and Tim Carroll, so they ended up having Judge Tunison draw one of the two names out of a box.

Employee of the month was Continue reading

New Valdosta City Council members @ VCC 2018-01-11

New members top the agenda for tonight: Eric Howard (District 4) and Andy Gibbs (District 6).

AGENDA
REGULAR MEETING OF THE VALDOSTA CITY COUNCIL
5:30 PM Thursday, January 11, 2018
COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL

Eric Howard

  1. Opening Ceremonies Continue reading

Larry Hanson retiring as Valdosta City Manager

Congratulations, Larry Hanson.

Valdosta, PR, 1 November 2017, City Manager Larry Hanson Retires From Valdosta with Exceptional 42-Year Career: Hanson has been named the Georgia Municipal Association Executive Director

Larry Hanson will retire from the City of Valdosta, effective Dec. 8 after 42 years of public service, 22 of which he served as the Valdosta City Manager. Hanson will assume his new role as the Georgia Municipal Association Executive Director, where he will oversee the advocacy, training and various programs for more than 500 Georgia cities.

Hanson is the 10th and longest-serving city manager for the City of Valdosta, where he oversees Continue reading

Videos: Curfew resolution second reading @ VCC 2016-10-05

Last Thursday the Valdosta City Council asked “every police officer, civilian and sworn” to come up front for 2a. Special Presentation of the CALEA Law Enforcement Accreditation Award, which took more than 15 minutes. That item alone was longer than yesterday’s entire Lowndes County Commission meeting.

Like the County Commission, the City Council apparently thinks silence is acclamation, at least for their minutes. They did at least actually vote on going into executive session to discuss real estate.

They did not vote on the Loitering Ordinance amendments because there will be a third reading. There will also be a third VPD Community Forum to discuss Proposed Curfew Ordinance, 8PM, Thursday, October 12, 2017, at Morningside Baptist Church. They have gotten some feedback already. They got more from a citizen who wished to be heard. Sorry I didn’t get her name: the city’s sound is very muddy. She seemed to recommend after-school programs and jobs intead of a curfew. She said we need to support the parents. Roy Taylor Sr. said something similar. John Robinson recommended building the community with jobs and activities. Elsie Napier talked about community grants.

Unlike the county, the city uses Continue reading

Curfew resolution second reading @ VCC 2016-10-05

The big item is the controversial teen curfew, first discussed in August, twice, and negotiated in September between the police chief and the city manager, according to WALB.

VPD Chief Brian K. Childress

According to WCTV, it was Valdosta Police Chief Brian Childress who originally proposed this curfew, but apparently the city manager had more draconian ideas.

Here’s the agenda. Continue reading

Videos: Candidate Forum, AAUW 2017-09-21

Valdosta State University gave the American Association of University Women Powell Hall for this candidate forum last Thursday, September 21, 2017. Why they held it in a dark room with bad acoustics, I don’t know, but at least you can see the candidates and other speakers.

Here are links to each LAKE video, followed by a LAKE video playlist. Yes, you may use one of these videos or clips in your political ad, provided you cite the source: Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE). See also the announcement in the VDT.

Video.

Continue reading

Videos: Return of Register + Laurel Run, Tucker Road @ GLPC 2017-09-25

There was shouting last night at the end of REZ-2017-09 Robert A. Register Estate, because some people didn’t like a recommendation for rezoning even with numerous conditions attached. That one took almost an hour, far longer than all the rest of the agenda. Tonight at 5:30 PM this rezoning in Lake Park goes to the Lowndes County Commision for the actual decision; they already discussed it yesterday morning.

Below are LAKE videos of last night’s Planning Commission meeting. See also Continue reading

Return of Register + Laurel Run, Tucker Road @ GLPC 2017-09-25

Tabled last month, REZ-2017-09 Robert A. Register Estate is back on the Planning Commission agenda for tonight. Meanwhile the Lowndes County Commission already discussed it this morning and is scheduled to vote on this rezoning Tuesday evening.

TRC table of recommendations, REZ-2017-19 Register Estate
TRC Table of recommendations for REZ-2017-09.

Plus REZ-2017-10 Laurel Run Homes, LLC and REZ-2017-08 West Ridge Business Park.

Greater Lowndes Planning Commission Continue reading