Budget Hearing, Lowndes County, GA @ LCC Budget 2018-06-19

According to the calendar on lowndescounty.com:

When: 8:30 AM, Tuesday, June 19, 2018

Where:

327 N. Ashley Street 2nd Floor, Valdosta, GA 31601 What: No agenda is posted.

On the Finance Department’s web page, The most recent budget document is the Fiscal Year 2018 Operating Budget, and the most recent financial report is the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, July 1 2016 — June 30, 2017. If they have posted a draft budget, I can’t find it.

-jsq

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Two rezonings, bids, contracts, and alcohol @ LCC 2018-06-11

Last week while we were out of town, the Lowndes County Commission considered two rezonings, one with a Union Road, Hahira address, by far the longest, with Judge Arthur McLane speaking against, the applicant Stacy Stubbs speaking for, and quite a bit of discussion among Commissioners and staff, after which they approved it 3:2 with the two conditions proposed by the Planning Commission. The other rezoning has a Valdosta address, which they approved unanimously; for both see also the preceding Planning Commission meeting. Plus a third transportation item, GDOT Option for Right of Way at Exit 11. A bid, a bunch of contracts, and an alcohol license; pretty routine. The previously-tabled and somewhat controversial Additional Deputy Coroner Request Continue reading →

Motel, Agricultural, Commercial @ GLPC 2018-05-29

A motel, somebody wanting to revert to agricultural, and a commercial rezoning halfway between exits 22 and 29. Pretty standard fare at the Planning Commission this evening.

Lowndes County Tax Assessors: Parcel ID 0052 126, 6125 Union Road.

Here is the agenda.

Greater Lowndes Planning Commission
Lowndes County City of Valdosta City of Dasher City of Hahira City of Lake Park
REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING
AGENDA
Tuesday, May 29, 2018 * 5:30 P.M. * Public Hearing
Lowndes County South Health District Administrative Office
325 West Savannah Avenue
Continue reading →

Valdosta Airfield 1941, Moody Field, Moody Army Airfield, Moody Air Force Base

I did not know that Moody AFB was a local project from the beginning. It’s still about the only thing everybody near Valdosta and Lowndes County, Georgia, can all unite around. Many local people learned to fly at Moody Airfield, some who went into the military, and others who did not. Let us remember them all on this Memorial Day. They also serve who only stand and wait.

Aerial View Moody During WWII, in Lowndes County Historical Society and Museum, Valdosta, Georgia

Moody Air Force Base, retrieved 28 May 2018, Moody Air Force Base History:

Moody Field began as an Army Air Corps pilot training base during World War II. The concept of an Army Air Field in Valdosta originated with Valdosta and Lowndes County citizens in 1940. Local leaders faced Continue reading →

Videos: EMT, Cleaning, Bids, VLCIA bonds, Airport Authority, Opioids @ LCC 2018-05-22

By far the longest item was a special proclamation for EMT Services, at 4.5 minutes, followed by cleaning bids, which took almost three minutes for the Lowndes County Commission to reject.

In Citizens Wishing to Be Heard, Gretchen took 2 minutes to invite them to WWALS’ Wild & Scenic Film Festival, at Mathis Auditorium, Thursday, May 31, 2018.

Almost everything else was read out and unanimously approved, except the one most contentious the previous morning, 7 b. Additional Deputy Coroner Request, was tabled.

Below are Continue reading →

Videos: New County Agents, VLCIA bonds, Airport Authority, Opioids @ LCC 2018-05-21

Not on the agenda, County Agent Jake Price introduced two new people in his office. The Industrial Authority Executive Director explained the bonds are not new, she just wants to refinance them to reduce payments.

Among items they will vote on tonight at 5:30 PM, the longest item at almost four minutes was the request for an additional Deputy Coroner. Looks like they’re finally going to sign up an attorney for the opoioid litigation. They spent more time on the cleaning bids.

The whole Work Session Monday morning took 13 minutes, including the presentaitons. Below are Continue reading →

Videos: Opioid Attorney, Soccer, Airport Authority, Probation, Ankle Monitoring, Wetlands, Hay, GEFA, Pump @ LCC 2018-05-08

Two weeks ago, they spent the most time (5.5 minutes) on the two sections of 5. Proclamation Presentations for National Drug Court Month.

They spent 2.5 minutes on bids and almost 2 minutes (almost 5.5 total) on the wetland credits for the North Lowndes Park Soccer Complex.

Third most time was 4.5 minutes on recognizing retiring volunteer firefighter Scott Caldwell(?). The speaker was Chief Ashley Tye, so I guess he’s now the regular county Fire Chief.

They tabled the Airport Authority appointment waiting for more information. Maybe they noticed George Page had also asked the City of Valdosta to appoint him.

The alleged County Attorney, with his microphone three feet from his face and pointing 90 degrees away, muttered something about the mysterious Wisconsin bond issue.

The Probation agreement and Electronic Monitoring Contract got more than three minutes total. They spent a bit more than a minute voting on a law form for the opioid litigation.

The Hay Lease Agreement Amendment is a water item, because it’s about the county’s spray field, also known as its Land Application Site (LAS). And the Bevel Creek Lift Station Pump that feeds it. Final water item: dates of completion for the GEFA Loan Agreement; they did provide a clue what that loan was for.

Here are links to Continue reading →

VLCIA bonds for what? Airport Authority, Opioids @ LCC 2018-05-21

What are the Industrial Authority (excuse me, Development Authority) bonds for? Maybe they’re finally going to finance solar power for people here, since VLCIA has a budget surplus?

VLCAA Chairman Steve Everett and Executive Director Jim Galloway asking for the county to fix its shortfall in funding the Airport Authority, July 14, 2015.

Since George Page got appointed to the Airport Authority by the City of Valdosta, I suppose they’re going to reappoint Steve Everett. They last reappointed him May 13, 2014. By the way, he’s the Chair of VLCAA.

Apparently they’ve picked an attorney for the Opioid Litigation in their previous meetings two weeks ago, and now they’re down to signing the agreement.

Here’s the agenda, which has the dates off by one. Continue reading →

Videos: Signs, frontage, parking, recreation, setbacks, shops, homes @ ZBOA 2018-05-05

This was a very long meeting and three of the cases were tabled to a future meeting: APP-2018-03 — Federal Heath & Advantage Permits, VAR-2018-09 — Indo American Cultural Society of South, and because the Candidates Forum was schedule in the same room, the very long AAD-2018-01 — Cothron (5310 Tucker Road, Valdosta).

Three items were approved unanimously: VAR-2018-08 — Graham (4544 Loch Laurel Road, Valdosta), VAR-2018-10 — Loch Laurel Club (Loch Laurel Road, Valdosta), and VAR-2018-12 — Ramos (2703 Highway 41 South, Valdosta), while VAR-2018-11 — Lucia Marrero (5594 Shiloh Road, Hahira) squeaked by on a split vote.

Below is Continue reading →

Candidates Forum, Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber 2018-05-01

The Chamber held its usual Candidates Forum for people running in the May election, which will be Tuesday, May 22, 2018, with early voting already ongoing down at the Lowndes County Board of Elections, 2904 N Oak St, Valdosta, GA 31602.

Here are LAKE videos of each candidate, who spoke at the Valdosta City Hall Annex on May 1, 2018, starting with Lowndes County Board of Education and statehouse district 175, for which we just already had a special election.

Statewide candidates speaking are running for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Insurance Commissioner, and State School Superintendent Georgia Labor Commissioner.

Opposing viewpoints were aired on T-SPLOST: Valdosta Mayor John Gayle for, and Nolen Cox against.

Here are LAKE videos of each candidate’s speech, followed by a LAKE video playlist. Continue reading →

On the LAKE front

Citizen dialog for transparent process by the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange