Tag Archives: 2018

Budget, LMIG, tractor, truck, 3 sewer items @ VCC 2018-06-21

On the Valdosta City Council agenda this Thursday, a budget public hearing (no agenda nor draft budget linked for that), and a bunch of bids, including three about the sewer system, ioncluding sewer lines on Iola Drive, manhole rehabilitation, and the Cured-In-Place-Pipe (CIPP) Lining Project. Here’s the Invitation to Bid for CIPP.

Maybe this kind of Sewer System Imprrovements is why Valdosta has not had a major spill in a hear and a half, while Tifton continues to spill. Also, over on the Flint River, Albany recently spilled quite a bit. Don’t worry: if Valdosta spills again, you’ll hear about it.

AGENDA
REGULAR MEETING
OF THE VALDOSTA CITY COUNCIL
5:30 PM Thursday, June 21, 2018
COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL

Continue reading →

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

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!

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 →

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: Opioids, Soccer, Airport Authority, Probation, Ankle Monitoring, Wetlands, Hay, GEFA, Pump @ LCC 2018-05-07

Opioid litigation will be added to the agenda for this evening, although not for voting, as 8.i, Selection of Legal Firm for Opioid Litigation: Select legal firm,

The Studstill Law Firm and the Blasingame, Burch, Garrard & Ashley Law Firm have both submitted proposals to represent Lowndes County in the opioid litigation.

That was the longest agenda item at the Monday morning Work Session. The Probation Resolution and Services Agreement, which had been tabled two weeks before, got almost two minutes, including questions about cost. Add the minute and a half for the Electronic Monitoring Contract and those two items with the same presenter got the longest total.

The two North Lowndes Park Soccer Complex items, Wetland Credits and Bids, that will massively change Hahira, did not get a total of two minutes. The Hay Lease Agreement Amendment is another 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, whatever it’s for.

The mysterious Wisconsin Public Finance Authority Bond Issue is to finance a project on Old Statenville Road in the Valdosta City Limits.

They’re going to reappoint Steve Everett to the Valdosta-Lowndes County Airport Authority; he did not speak. And George Page would also like to be considered.

Here are links to Continue reading →

Soccer, Airport Authority, Probation, Ankle Monitoring, Wetlands, Hay, GEFA, Pump @ LCC 2018-05-07

What was on the agenda for yesterday morning at 8:30 AM and for voting this evening at 5:30 PM.

They’re going to reappoint Steve Everett to the Valdosta-Lowndes County Airport Authority. At the end, the thing that will massively change Hahira: 4.c. North Lowndes Park Soccer Complex – Bids: five of them, ranging from $6.5 to $8.3 million dollars. From the Invitation to Bid:

The bid package is for construction of North Lowndes Park Soccer Complex including all work shown on the Bid Set of Plans, issue date February 1, 2018, and Specifications, issue date February 1, 2018, to include but not be limited to the following items: Site clearing and other items as noted on the plans in order to construct and install a new 8 soccer field complex with concession and restroom pavilion, and maintenance building. Additional items to be constructed include, entrance road extension from the existing park, parking lot, signage, concrete pavement, fencing, site and field lighting, utilities, storm drainage structures and basins, irrigation, landscaping, and furnishings.

Map: Lowndes County Tax Assessors, of Parcel 0024-003, Lowndes County Parks & Recreation Authority.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2018, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
Continue reading →

Videos: No Opioid No Probation Military Utility @ LCC 2018-04-24

They would have managed less than four minutes, even with chatting with Leadership Lowndes in the audience, including 45 seconds on the only substantial agenda item, 6 a. Grant Of Easement for Utility Right of Way Moody-Azalea Commons (aka Moody Family Housing).

2013-07-29 GLPC Packet-007 REZ-2013-09 Moody Family Housing
Note the big sinkhole in Phase 2.

But citizen Jacinta Howell talked about traffic safety. Let’s remember the immortal words of former Chairman Ashley Paulk during a rezoning near Bemiss Road:

I’m not going to argue Bemiss Highway, it’s not a pertinent fact.