There was weeping, when Georgia Beer Company got approval to lease to own the former Valdosta waterworks.
![[Some crying from the applicants]](http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/vlcia/2018-02-07--vlcia-videos/gabeercoshot0009.jpg)
Some crying from the applicants
Here are LAKE videos of what happened at the Special Called Meeting of the Valdosta-Lowndes Development Authority, February 7, 2018, and a few stills, followed by a LAKE video playlist, and some pictures of the subject property then and after opening.
Scottie Orenstein and Mark Wisenbaker were absent,
so they barely had a quorum with three Commissioners: Joyce Evans, Mark Wisenbaker, and Clay Griner, plus Chairman Bill Slaughter, who does not vote
unless there is a tie.
Spoiler: they passed everything unanimously, except one item.
They took almost 2.5 minutes (less than the five minutes I predicted) on the KLVB appointments. Remember, Tracy Chapman asked for her name to be withdrawn. See previous post about the Work Session for that and what applicant Regina Kimbrough said. And see the agenda post for more about the applicants.
Slightly longer and longest at 2:49 was 6.b. REZ-2018-14 Coventry Villas, Mulligan Rd, followed by 1:32 for 7.d. Ordinance Adopting Current Board of Health Rules, which did not go as planned, and then 1:49 for the other rezoning, 6.a. REZ-2018-13 Sims, Beaver Lane.
Below are Continue reading
They vote this evening on what you can see they discussed yesterday morning,
in these LAKE videos of the Lowndes County Commission Work Session.
They barely had a quorum. Commissioner Demarcus Marshall is never at Work Sessions because he’s at work, and Commissioner Scottie Orenstein was on some beach.
Tracy Chapman asked for her name to be withdrawn from the KLVB appointment. Regina Kimbrough spoke. See previous post for more about the applicants.
Longest at more than 3 minutes was 6.b. REZ-2018-14 Coventry Villas, Mulligan Rd, a rezoning for a planned development, in which Commissioner Clay Griner actually asked a question.
Third longest (after the KLVB item) was the 7.d. Ordinance Adopting Current Board of Health Rules, because of Continue reading
This morning at 8:30 AM at the Work Session and tomorrow at 5:30PM for voting by the Lowndes County Commission, Vivian Miller-Cody wants to be reappointed to Keep Lowndes/Valdosta Beautiful, while Adam Floyd does not. Three people applied for that second slot: Tracy Chapman, Regina Kimbrough, and Travis Morgan). “Three applications… are included”, apparently in the board packet, but not in what is posted with the agenda, so we don’t know who these people are. I would guess Tracy Chapman is the Assistant District Attorney; that Regina Kimbrough is the second grade teacher at Sallas Mahone Elementary School,
City of Valdosta PR,
2017 Jr. Fire Marshal School of the Year,
“Trey Sherwood of Valdosta Insurance Service, sponsor of the Jr. Fire Marshal program, presented the 2017 Jr. Fire Marshal School of the Year awards to Regina Kimbrough (left) of Sallas Mahone Elementary School and to Danielle Gibbs of Pinevale Elementary School.”
and that Travis Morgan is a manager at Best Buy, but I’m only guessing, while the county could just post the applications, like counties in metropolitan areas eleswhere do.
Jason A. Smith, Valdosta Daily Times, 10 April 2018, Volunteers work recycling event, Continue reading
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
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
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
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
On their agenda for tomorrow are bonds for Martin’s Famous Pastry Shoppe.
Valdosta-Lowndes Development Authority
Continue reading
Tuesday, February 20, 2018, 5:30 PM
Development Authority Conference Room/103 Roosevelt Drive
Monthly Meeting Agenda
Update 2019-07-21: LAKE videos and still pictures.
Alcohol and the economy, on the agenda for this morning’s Special Called Meeting of the Development Authority. I think I’ll go to see Brad Folsom as the new Mary Gooding.
Valdosta-Lowndes County Development Authority
Agenda/Special Called Meeting
Wednesday, February 7, 2018, 11:30 am
Industrial Authority Conference Room
103 Roosevelt DriveCall to Order
- For the purpose of voting on amended Economic Development Agreement and Lease Agreement for GA Beer Company
Adjourn Special Called Meeting
Georgia Beer Company’s website says “We are not open for business yet”, but its contact page says “Say hello to the first Georgia brewery in Valdosta.” They also have a facebook page. Neither of which says where they will be located. So, VLCIA, in one of your numerous mostly-empty business parks, or elsewhere?
Looks like GA Beer Co. had a kickstarter fundraiser a couple of years ago, which says they all met at VSU.
Presumably this is the same Community and Economic Development Strategy recently approved by the Lowndes County Commission.
-jsq
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