Category Archives: VLCHA

Videos: Appointments to Hospital Authority and Parks and Rec + well pump @ LCC 2017-07-11

Two Regular Sessions back, they started with a moment of silence for Mike Everett, recently deceased employee of the Public Works department. The obituary in the VDT, 14 July 2014,

Michael Thomas Everett, a senior heavy equipment operator with Lowndes county and long time resident of Berrien County, GA, died unexpectedly on July 9, 2017 at the age of 58 at his home. Mike was born in Miami, Florida on December 29, 1958 to Hermon J. Everett and Mary C. Everett both deceased and is survived by his loving Step-Mother Nora N. Everett. Mike also known as Mr. Mike to many of his close friends and co-workers was an avid race car fan, loved cooking, enjoyed tending to his many gardens. He also loved music and often played guitar with family and friends. He was a magnet for all dogs taking great care of any that showed up on his doorstep. Mike was a very kind and generous man who will be deeply missed by his family, close neighbors, friends, co-workers and all who knew him. There is no service scheduled at this time.

No surprise on the pump or for the Hospital Authority, but news about Ashley Paulk and VLPRA. They approved everything else unanimously, as they usually do.

Below are links to each LAKE video, with a few notes, followed by a LAKE video playlist. See also the agenda. There are no LAKE videos of the previous morning’s Work Session, because, they moved it half an hour early and didn’t send a notification. But there is a blog post about one Commissioner’s response to that. The county apparently does video its work sessions, but not that one, and not this Regular Session, either.

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Videos: Appointments to Hospital Authority and Parks and Rec + well pump @ LCC 2017-07-10

Nope, there are no LAKE videos of yesterday morning’s Work Session, because, remember, they moved the meeting half an hour earlier so when Gretchen showed up it was already over. The county does not video its Work Sessions, so there is no county video, either. Since the Valdosta Daily Times apparently did not run a story (I don’t even know if they had a reporter there), this means you won’t know what the Commissioners discussed nor who else was there Monday morning before they vote this evening at 5:30 PM.

Valdosta City Manager Larry Hanson welcomes new 23d Wing Commander Col. Jennifer Short at the July 10 Change of Command ceremony.
City of Valdosta PR 2017-07-10: Valdosta City Manager Larry Hanson welcomes new 23d Wing Commander Col. Jennifer Short at the July 10 Change of Command ceremony.

Commissioner Scottie Orenstein asked, on facebook, in response to yesterday’s LAKE blog post about the moved meeting: Continue reading →

You missed it: Appointments to Hospital Authority and Parks and Rec + well pump @ LCC 2017-07-10

They moved the meeting half an hour earlier, to 8AM. Gretchen, who is signed up to the county’s alert system yet never got any alert about this time change, got there at the usual time and it was over already. It’s listed in their calendar as “8:00 AM – 8:35 AM” but she got there with the LAKE camera before 8:30 and it was already over.

Look closely: 8:00 AM, not 8:30 AM

And on the agenda: two county appointments for the same Hospital Authority that hired a CEO for five years, fired him without cause after two years, and now: Continue reading →

Why people don’t speak up: they owe their soul to the company store

Some of our elected officials wonder few people ever speak up around here. It’s simple: they owe their soul to the company store. If you don’t go along, you don’t get business.

As Tennessee Ernie Ford sang in that old Merle Travis song:

You load sixteen tons, what do you get
Another day older and deeper in debt
Saint Peter don’t you call me ’cause I can’t go
I owe my soul to the company store

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Heavy Manufacturing rezoning on special called Planning Commission agenda @ GLPC Special 2016-01-05

Update 7:30 PM 5 Jan 2016: The land is owned by Langdale, and why not Bassford Business Park.

Henry Manufacturing (the one in Oregon? Decatur, GA?) on the agenda for a Special Called Meeting of the Planning Commission, just announced today, for 5:30 PM today. Apparently the Development Authority thinks it’s landed a big fish and wants a rezoning for it. Which 134 acres on Rocky Ford Road is not clear: there’s no such size tract according to the Tax Assessors’ map.

Map of properties on Rocky Ford Road

All the large tracts are owned either by Langdale Company or a Langdale investment corporation. Or it could be out of the 219.99 acre tract owned by the Paine Clarence M. Family Trust or the 187.76 acre tract owned by Griffin LLC. As usual, we the taxpayers are left guessing. Tonight at 5:30 PM maybe we’ll find out. -jsq Continue reading →

State of District 4 Address –Demarcus Marshall @ Town Hall Meeting 2014-12-15

Text published by Demarcus Marshall (PDF) and LAKE video of his address at the Town Hall Meeting 15 December 2014. -jsq

For those unaware, Super District 4 was a newly created district in Lowndes County two years ago. I assumed this office without a predecessor to this district seat. It was my understanding of this district to compliment the other districts by adding more responsiveness and accountability for the citizens of Lowndes County.

Upon being elected and occupying the seat, I inherited a wonderful staff; however, the county faced several challenges. The economy was Continue reading →

Water issues in rezoning near VSU, appointments to Hospital and Tree Authorities @ VCC 2014-09-11

WWALS adds some water issues about that Turner Brooks rezoning, and there are appointments to the Hospital and Authorities at tonight’s Valdosta City Council meeting.

Here’s the agenda.

AGENDA
REGULAR MEETING OF THE VALDOSTA CITY COUNCIL
5:30 PM Thursday, September 11, 2014
COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL
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Reappointments and no annexation in Regular Session @ LCC 2014-05-27 @ LCC 2014-05-27

The Hahira Annexation request was actually heard at the Planning Commission meeting that started at the same time. All the incumbents were reappointed to the Hospital Authority and the shadowy Lowndes County Public Facilities Authority. Both the road abandonments were approved, of Old Statenville Road and of Excess Right of Way on James Road and Riverside Road. All that plus a GEMA Sheltering Memorandum of Agreement and a beer license, plus Poll Manager Recognition.

The blank page Budget Session was at 9:30 AM after the Work Session, all the same day as this Regular Session. See also my question about Budget Public Hearings.

Here’s the agenda. See the videos from the Work Session of the same morning and the videos from the previous Regular Session of May 13th for context on the Public Hearings and on the James Road Subsidence.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, TUESDAY, MAY 27, 2014, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, MAY 27, 2014, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street — 2nd Floor
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Videos: Road work and apparently annexation @ LCC Work 2014-05-27

Nevermind the County Engineer said about the Cat Creek Road bridge, “All construction will take place during the months of June and July” (Work Session 2014-03-24), it was closed when Gretchen was headed for this morning’s Work Session, so she had to go by Moody AFB on Bemiss Road, and was a few minutes late. That’s why there’s no video for the first few agenda items, and the videos are handheld. They vote 5:30 PM this evening at the Regular Session, is the same time as the Planning Commission meeting.

The smaller acreage for the return of the Hahira Annexation request is because it no longer has frontage on Hagen Bridge Road, only on GA 122, thus removing the county’s previous grounds for objection (but it’s also on the Planning Commission agenda at 5:30PM today, same time as the Regular Session). There is an appointment to the Hospital Authority and two reappointments to the shadowy Lowndes County Public Facilities Authority that approves bonds. Two Public Hearings for road abandonments, of Old Statenville Road and of Excess Right of Way on James Road and Riverside Road. All that plus a GEMA Sheltering Memorandum of Agreement and a beer license, plus Poll Manager Recognition.

Here’s the agenda, with links to the videos and a few notes. See videos from the previous Regular Session for context on the Public Hearings and on the James Road Subsidence.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, TUESDAY, MAY 27, 2014, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, MAY 27, 2014, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street — 2nd Floor
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Work, Budget, and Regular Sessions all Tuesday @ LCC 2014-05-27

The Hahira Annexation request is back (while on the Planning Commission agenda the same day), and there is an appointment to the Hospital Authority and two to the shadowy Lowndes County Public Facilities Authority that approves bonds. Two Public Hearings for road abandonments, of Old Statenville Road and of Excess Right of Way on James Road and Riverside Road. All that plus a GEMA Sheltering Memorandum of Agreement and a beer license, plus Poll Manager Recognition.

The county’s front page and calendar link to a blank page for a Budget Session Tuesday. Guessing by previous behavior, that may mean at 5PM before the Regular Session at 5:30 PM, which in turn is the same time as the Planning Commission meeting. The Work Session is also Tuesday, at 8:30AM, due to Memorial Day Monday.

Here’s the agenda. See videos from the previous Regular Session for context on the Public Hearings and on the James Road Subsidence.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, TUESDAY, MAY 27, 2014, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, MAY 27, 2014, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street — 2nd Floor
Continue reading →