Tag Archives: Bill Slaughter

Videos: Day 1, Planning, Lowndes County Commission @ LCC 2018-02-19

The 2018 Lowndes County Commission Retreat was just about the exact opposite of a commission meeting, except that same group of people are present (almost). There was discussion, disagreement, laughing, sighing, interrupting, listening, inside jokes, outside jokes, and general exchange of views. Those things don’t happen in a commission meeting. This year’s retreat was particularly different because there was no time frame attached to any agenda item and they didn’t discuss topics in exact order, and some topics got covered repeatedly. Commissioner Evans said to me during a break that the previous format of having departments just give a report can “get boring” and she had suggested that they have a different format with more discussion about communications.

The agenda was available on-line but was hard to find and the link I followed to find it is gone now. I did manage to download it before it went away. Find it here: 2018 LCC Annual Planning Meeting Agenda (plus searchable text). There were paper copies available at the meeting after the first break.

I sometimes think that the commissioners may be getting used to me but then, no, don’t be silly.

At the lunch hour, the Commissioners stepped outside to take a group picture and as County Clerk Page Dukes suggested that they get closer and not have so much “space” between them, Commissioners Orenstein and Griner (I live in their districts) huddled together.

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

No Agenda for Lowndes County Commission Retreat @ LCC 2018-02-19

Lowndes County’s annual two-day Planning Meeting, aka retreat, which begins today, a bank holiday, with no agenda posted. I hear it is at Chairman Bill Slaughter’s place south of Hahira. Gretchen is on her way with the LAKE video camera.

When: 8:30 AM, Monday 19 Feb 2018, Tuesday 20 Feb 2018

Where: 6926 Simpson Rd, Hahira GA 31632

Event: 2018 Annual Planning Meeting

Parcel ID 0031 042, Lowndes County Tax Assessors

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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!

Videos: Approved resolution against state fee diversion, economic strategy, road abandonment @ LCC 2018-01-23

They approved everything in 10 minutes flat, including the Special Asessment Rate for 2018, the Community and Economic Development Strategy, and yes, they added to the agenda and passed the Resolution Supporting HR 158 to Stop Diversion of State Fees.

Below are Continue reading →

Videos: Resolution against state fee diversion, economic strategy, road abandonment @ LCC 2018-01-22

The tire amnesty went well, and added to the agenda: a county resolution in support of HR 158 in the Georgia legislature, to stop state fee diversions.

The County Manager reminded them they had heard about the Community and Economic Development Strategy a few months before (apparently under another name), and there was some confusion about Georgia Power’s continued involvement.

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

Videos: Naylor Boat Ramp and Appointments to Public Facilities Authority @ LCC 2017-10-10

By far the most time, almost eight minutes, on 6b. Abandonment of Portions of Old Lake Park Road and Hickory Grove Road SE, the Lowndes County Commissioners spent two weeks ago, involving reference to minutes they approved in that meeting but that still aren’t on the county’s website two weeks later, and resulting in a split vote.

More interesting: the county is finally starting construction on the Naylor Boat Ramp.

By their customary silent “acclamation” they appointed people to the Lowndes County Public Facilities Authority.

Below are Continue reading →

Videos: Public Facilities Authority, Health Fair @ LCC 2017-10-09

The longest item was not on the agenda: a Health Fair Update in the County Manager’s Report.

They breezed through everything else including 5 a. Lowndes County Public Facilities Authority Appointment, although the Chairman did have another name to propose.

Below are links to the LAKE video of each item, plus a very few notes, followed by a LAKE video playlist. See also Continue reading →

Appointments to Public Facilities Authority @ LCC 2017-10-09

Appointments to the board that floated bonds for the county palace, REZ-2017-10 Laurel Run Homes, and two road abandonments, to be considered this morning at 8:30 AM and voted on Tuesday evening.

What is the Lowndes County Georgia Public Facilities Authority, which issued the bonds 548757BE2 and 548757BG7 “Refunding Judicial Administration Complex”?

According to the county’s website it’s a Continue reading →

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.

Continue reading →

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.

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 →

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.