Tag Archives: 2016

Videos: Jerry Wallace reitrement, ZBOA, Verizon, abandonment, landfill @ LCC 2016-08-09

The engineering department utlity player, Jerry Wallace, is retiring.

They approved everything they discussed at the previous morning’s Work Session. See also the LAKE video of the Zika and mosquito control report from that Work Session.

Below are links to the LAKE videos plus a few notes for the Regular Session, August 9th 2016, of the Lowndes County Commission. They vote again tonight.

1. Call to Order 2. Invocation 3. Pledge
Video.
Special Retirement Recognition – Jerry Wallace
Video.
4. MInutes for Approval
Video.
5.a. Appointment – Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA)
Video.
5.a. Appointment – Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) – part 2
Video. They reappointed Mac McCall.
6.a. TWR-2016-01 Verizon Wireless, 4278 Lakeland Highway
Video. Even the Moody AFB engineer spoke for.
6. Abandonment of Strong Road (CR 250)
Video. County Engineer Mike Fletcher noted this would not landlock anybody. He also pointed out this was not the public hearing. This was the determination of why to abandon (serves no public purpose), which will lead to a public hearing in a later meeting.
7.a. Accept Infrastructure for Grammercy Subdivision Phase II
Video.
7.b. Execution of the Resolution for the Hazardous Waste Trust Fund
Video. Yes, the same closed landfill they gave an easement to Sabal Trail for its 36-inch fracked methane pipeline.
7.c. Speed Zone Ordinance
Video. County Engineer Mike Fletcher said the only change was at Kinderlou from 55 to 65 MPH.
7.d. Declaration of Surplus Items for Fire Department
Video. Ashley Tye said items that had no additional useful life and no salvage value. He clarified that they had exceeded safety deadlines, so they couldn’t even give it to some other fire department.
7.e. Firehouse Software Upgrade
Video.
7.f. Moody AFB Water/Wastewater Treatment Systems Contract
Video. See details in previous post about Work Session and details in the agenda LAKE blog post.
7.f. Moody AFB Water/Wastewater Treatment Systems Contract (part 2)
Video. Chairman Bill Slaughter said the process to reach this agreement had received national recognition.
7.g. Contract with Condrey and Associates, Inc
Video.
7.h. Bulk Computer Purchase
Video. Aaron Kostyu said bulk purchase would get additional discounts. They’re buying from Dell.
8.a. Bid for Equipment for Fire Apparatus
Video. Finance Director Stephanie Black said this equipment is for the new pumper that was recently purchased for the fire department.
8.b. Bid for Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus Equipment
Video. Commissioner Demarcus Marshall wanted to know if that was enough equipment. Answer from Ashley Tye: yes, because this is only for the new truck; fire dept. already has enough for others.
9. Reports (none) 10. CWTBH (none) 11. Adjournment
Video. See the LAKE video of the Zika and mosquito control report from the previous morning’s Work Session.

Here’s a video playlist:

Videos: Jerry Wallace reitrement, ZBOA, Verizon, abandonment, landfill
Regular Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, August 9, 2016.

-jsq

Investigative reporting costs money, for open records requests, copying, web hosting, gasoline, and cameras, and with sufficient funds we can pay students to do further research. You can donate to LAKE today!

Millage, grants, computers, and land bank @ LCC 2016-08-22

This morning the county will discuss raising the millage rate, and they will vote on it Tuesday evening, with a third millage hearing half an hour before the voting session.

Michael Praats, Valdosta Daily Times

As County Manager Joe Pritchard reminded them July 25th, it’s time for the annual millage rate setting. As usual, their agenda doesn’t say what they’re setting it to. There’s a number in Continue reading →

Videos: Mosquitoes! ZBOA Reappointment, Verizon tower, Strong abandonment, closed landfill @ LCC 2016-08-08

Most controversial and not on the agenda: Zika and mosquito control in the County Manager’s report. They vote tonight at 5:30 PM.

The county wants to operate and maintain water treatment, wastewater, and three swimming pools at Moody AFB. Are they changing the speed limit on your road? And the county is re-evaluating its job descriptions.

Also on the agenda: Continue reading →

Videos: funded flood map, Behavioral Health Board still vacant, Rezoning also on GLPC Monday, road abandonment, land exchange @ LCC 2016-07-26

On July 26th 2016, they approved up to $40,000 for the Withlacoochee River Flood Inundation Map Project, and I thanked them for that and for considering my modest suggestion. The County Manager, unlike the previous morning, did not mention it’s time for scheduling meetings to set millage rates. Still no applicant for the Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Board, but Commissioner Joyce Evans thought she had a prospect for later.

They approved the event center rezoning which also sailed by the previous night’s Planning Commission.

Below are links to each LAKE video with a few notes, followed by a video playlist. See also Continue reading →

ZBOA Reappointment, Verizon tower, Strong abandonment, closed landfill @ LCC 2016-08-08

Are they changing the speed limit on your road? The county wants to operate and maintain water treatment, wastewater, and three swimming pools at Moody AFB. And the county is re-evaluating its job descriptions.

Also on the agenda for this morning at 8:30 AM (they vote Tuesday evening at 5:30 PM): reappointing Mac McCall to ZBOA, the Verizon tower from the previous Planning Commission meeting, Abandonment of Strong Road (CR 250), and Execution of the Resolution for the Hazardous Waste Trust Fund for the closed landfill: yes the same one they signed an easement for the Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline to go through. Continue reading →

Videos: Vacant seat Behavioral Health Board, Rezoning also on GLPC Monday, road abandonment, land exchange, and flood map project @ LCC 2016-07-25

They didn’t have an applicant for the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities at Monday morning’s Work Session; Chairman Bill Slaughter invited anyone who wanted to apply to speak up. The Withlacoochee River Flood Inundation Map Project had the longest discussion, and the County Manager reminded everyone it’s time for scheduling meetings to set millage rates. They vote tonight at 5:30 PM; see Continue reading →

Vacant seat Behavioral Health Board, Rezoning also on GLPC Monday, road abandonment, land exchange, and flood map project @ LCC 2016-07-25

Public hearings for the event center rezoning and the Abandonment of a Portion of Worthington Triangle are on the agenda for the Monday morning Work Session and for voting in the Tuesday evening Regular Session. That rezoning is also (back) on Planning Commission agenda for Monday evening.

And back on the County Commission agenda is the Withlacoochee River Flood Inundation Map Project; see LAKE videos from the previous County Commission meetings, and a modest suggestion.

Also in water, another LAS Pump Motor Repair and a Foxborough Pressure Reducing Valve/Vault. It was actually an LAS pump control panel last month.

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

Videos: 3 appointments, 1 well public hearing, Withlacoochee River Flood Map @ LCC 2016-07-12

They tabled the Withlacoochee River Flood Inundation Map Project, which is better than rejecting the idea of spending $40,000 to match Valdosta for a composite 50% match for a USGS grant.

As expected from the previous morning, they appointed Chairman Bill Slaughter to the South Georgia Community Service Board, after he got that board to change the time of its meetings to be different from this Commission’s time.

They approved the REZ-2016-12 Salami, 3320 Bemiss Rd community well for a home school science facility.

Below are links to each LAKE video of the Monday June 12th 2016 Lowndes County Commission Regular Session, followed by a video playlist. See also the LAKE videos of the previous morning’s Work Session, and the agenda.

1. Call to Order 2. Invocation 3. Pledge
Video.
4. Minutes for Approval
Video.
5.a. Appointment – South Georgia Community Service Board
Video. A Commissioner after the vote appointing Chairman Slaughter asked what this board did. Chairman’s answer: mostly behavioral health, and they used to hold their meetings the same time as the Lowndes meetings, but they have moved them to Adel at 1PM presumably also on Tuesday.
5.b. Appointment – Construction Board of Adjustments and Appeals
Video. They reappointed Randall Crews.
5.c. Appointment – Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA)- County Appointment
Video. They reappointed Paul Alvarado.
6.a. REZ-2016-12 Salami, 3320 Bemiss Rd, R-21 to C-G,
Video. Nobody spoke against. The applicant spoke for, summarizing what had already been said in the LAKE video of the June 27th 2016 Planning Commission review of this rezoning request. The County Commission unanimously approved the rezoning.
7.a. Beer Wine & Liquor License Holiday Market Liquors 3954 Old US Hwy 41N
Video. “The old country store location which has been out of business for a few months.” They unanimously approved.
7.b. Grants Management Policy and Procedures
Video.
7.c. Evidence Based Associates Service Agreement
Video. See the LAKE videos from the previous morning’s Work Session for more background.
7.d. Withlacoochee River Flood Inundation Map Project
Video. For quite a bit more background, see the LAKE video from the previous morning’s Work Session. Chairman asked for timeline. Ashley Tye said federal year starts October 1st, so Valdosta would like to have and agreement ready to sign before then. Also they could come back at a later time, but could lose out on the federal funding match.
Chairman asked for timeline to get agreement ready by then. Tye said agreement with USGS would be with Valdosta, and he would check back with them for a more firm date, and would probably be best to decide at next Lowndes County Commission meeting.
Commissioner Demarcus Marshall asked confirmation that waiting until the next meeting would work. Answer: tabling until next meeting would work. And that’s what they did.
8.a. Bid for Pest Control Services
Video. Same summary as in Work Session. They unanimously approved the low bid from Astro Exterminating Services.
9. Reports – County Manager
Video. “No additional report.”
10. CWTBH (none) 11. Adjournment
Video. No citizens wished to be heard, so they adjourned.

Here’s a video playlist:

Videos: 3 appointments, 1 well public hearing, Withlacoochee River Flood Map
Regular Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, July 12, 2016.

-jsq

Videos: 3 appointments, 1 well public hearing, Withlacoochee River Flood Map @ LCC 2016-07-11

They vote Tuesday 5:30 PM. Monday morning at the Work Session, after some resistance from a Commissioner, surprisingly Chairman Bill Slaughter argued for paying the $40,000 to match Valdosta on the LiDAR flood maps to prevent loss of life and property damage. He even said “folks that live in our cities are Lowndes County Citizens as well.”

Emergency Management Director Ashley Tye answered questions the Commissioners didn’t think to ask about Continue reading →

3 appointments, 1 well public hearing, Withlacoochee River Flood Map @ LCC 2016-07-11

Monday morning, will Lowndes County match Valdosta with $40,000 for LiDAR for the Withlacoochee River Flood Inundation Map Project? They vote Tuesday 5:30 PM.

A bit more information about the REZ-2016-12 Salami, 3320 Bemiss Rd community well for a home school science facility; see also the LAKE video of the June 27th 2016 Planning Commission review of this rezoning request.

No explanation of why there’s a vacancy on the South Georgia Community Service Board nor why Chairman Bill Slaughter is who they’re going to appoint. Reappointing Randall Crews to the Valdosta- Lowndes County Construction Board of Adjustments and Appeals and Paul Alvarado to the Valdosta/Lowndes County Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBOA). Continue reading →

On the LAKE front

Citizen dialog for transparent process by the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange