Tag Archives: Economy

Videos: Transportation, Water, Safety, and Alcohol @ LCC 2014-09-23

300x255 2100 East Hill Avenue, in GDOT option at Clay, Hollywood, and US 84, by John S. Quarterman, 23 September 2014 Commissioner Demarcus Marshall recused himself in the Regular Session of 23 September 2014, for the Public Safety Radio System System Upgrade, in case anybody thought a Motorola VP with the same last name was related. (Update 11:10 AM: added transcription of the three-part motion.) Rental leases for the Leila Ellis Social Services Building got more discussion. They added VOCA-funded VWMAP and GDOT at Clay and Hollywood (from the previous morning’s Executive Session), that the Tax Assessor’s database says is owned by the School Board, to the amended agenda. Everything else, including the USGS water level gauge on the Little River, was breezed through with no discussion, so fast the Chairman almost forgot to ask for speakers in an alcohol license public hearing, and he didn’t bother to mention before they adjourned that nobody had signed up for Citizens Wishing to Be Heard.

Here’s the amended agenda with links to the videos and a few notes, followed by a playlist. See also the LAKE videos of the previous morning’s Work Session and Board Packet.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2014, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2014, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
Continue reading →

Valdosta converting to LED streetlights

Council Tim Carroll says that City Manager Larry Hanson announced at the City Council meeting Tuesday that Valdosta will be converting all its streetlights to LEDs. This conversion is at least partly funded through a pilot program with Georgia Power. Apparently Georgia Power keeps the savings until they recoup the expenses. Valdosta was one of only four or five cities in the state selected for this program.

More detail when the approved minutes are available in two weeks.

-jsq

Solar project underway at Robins Air Force Base

WCTV via AP 5 October 2014, Solar project underway at Robbins Air Force Base,

The Telegraph reports that land has been cleared on a 57-acre tract near Georgia Highway 247 to make room for solar panels.

Wayne Crenshaw wrote for the Telegraph 3 October 2014, and spelled Robins Air Force Base correctly, Solar array project changes landscape south of Robins,

Previously the 57-acre tract next to Ga. 247 just south of the Museum of Aviation was forestland, but those trees have been cut down over the past month to make way for the solar array….

But what would probably catch people’s eye the most is Continue reading →

NYC Schools to use more solar power; how about in sunny southeast?

Solar high schools: not just for Dublin, Georgia anymore. New York City, and Rochester, NY, too! How about solar Lowndes High School? Or the new Valdosta High School? Or since Valdosta has already put solar at its Mud Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant, how about on other city buildings? How about on the county palace? Or in Hahira, Dasher, Remerton, or Lake Park?

Erin Durkin wrote for New York Daily News 29 September 2014, 24 NYC schools getting solar panels in $28M project — and City Hall could be next, Continue reading →

Bailey Gung Scintilla Land @ GLPC 2014-09-29

A request in the county for heavy manufacturing. In Valdosta, Scintilla Charter Academy wants a school Conditional Use Permit; Julie Hiers spoke about that proposed school at the most recent county commission meeting. And the tabled Gung event center and flea market is back.

Here’s 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

Lowndes County South Health District Administrative Office
325 West Savannah Avenue

Monday, September 29, 2014* 5:30 P.M. * Public Hearing

Continue reading →

A Win: Credit Suisse on SolarCity Buffalo deal

A big bank rave review of the Buffalo deal.

Claudia Assis wrote for MarketWatch 26 September 2014, SolarCity’s N.Y. factory deal ‘better than expected’,

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — SolarCity Corp.’s solar-panel factory in upstate New York could allow the solar installer to reduce its costs and save about $400 million a year, analysts at Credit Suisse estimate.

SolarCity SCTY, -0.66% and New York struck a deal earlier this week, with the state announcing a $750 million package to build the solar-panel factory near Buffalo.

That deal “was significantly better than expected,” the Credit Suisse analysts said Continue reading →

SolarCity in Buffalo: 1,000 megawatts capacity, 3,000 jobs

Three times as many millios of dollars invested as expected, 3,000 jobs, and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo says “they could have gone anywhere on the planet”. They could have come here. They went to snowy Buffalo.

David Robinson wrote for Buffalo News 23 September 2014, ‘Historic day for Buffalo,’ Zemsky says of SolarCity RiverBend plans,

SolarCity’s planned factory in South Buffalo — and the 3,000 jobs that come with it — packs a powerful economic punch.

To be built on the former Republic Steel plant site in South Buffalo, the factory is expected to bring more new jobs to the region than the steel maker ever had in its heyday.

With the ability to make enough solar panels to generate more than 1,000 megawatts of electricity, the factory would be Continue reading →

Board Packet @ LCC 2014-09-22

Here is the board packet for yesterday morning’s Work Session. Notice it does not have anything about reporting on services provided or number of citizens serviced for the Leila Ellis leases, and no contracts at all for the Public Safety Radio System Upgrade. And nothing at all about the non-even-on-the-agenda Victim Witness Program renewal. Maybe those items will be added to the board packet Commissioners get before they vote tonight at 5:30 PM. Here are videos of their Work Session from yesterday morning, at which Commissioners Marshall and Powell made it clear they would like to see some additional items.

At least this packet cost a lot less ($7.80) than the last one.

-jsq

Videos: Alcohol, Transportation, Water, and Safety @ LCC 2014-09-22

Update: Board packet.

They took a little longer than ten minutes, because Commissioners had questions about the right of way abandonment and even more questions about rent, tenants, and services at the Leila Ellis Social Services Building, and about the Public Safety Radio System System Upgrade: Commissioners actually want to see what they’re voting in; fancy that! Plus a substantial presentation about the USGS water level gauge on the Little River and an unscheduled request for approval for a continuation of a Victims Assistance grant.

Here’s the agenda with links to the videos and a few notes, followed by a playlist.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2014, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2014, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
Continue reading →

Alcohol, Transportation, Water, and Safety @ LCC 2014-09-22

Will they take ten minutes to consider all these agenda items? They’re meeting right now.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2014, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2014, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
  1. Call to Order
  2. Invocation

    Only in the Regular Session.

  3. Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag

    Only in the Regular Session.

  4. Minutes for Approval
    1. Work Session — September 8, 2014
    2. Regular Session — September 9, 2014
  5. Public Hearing
    1. Beer, Wine and Liquor License — Cowboys Fire Pit Grill, LLC — 1088 Lakes Blvd
  6. For Consideration
    1. Abandonment of Unopened Right of Way off Water Oak Drive
    2. Section 5311 Rural Transportation Program Operating Contracts
    3. Leila Ellis Social Services Building-Approval of Lease Agreements
    4. GEMA Performance Partnership Agreement (FY 2014)
    5. USGS Funding Agreement for Hwy 122 Stream Gauge
    6. Public Safety Radio System Upgrade
  7. Reports-County Manager
  8. Citizens Wishing to be Heard Please State Name And Address

    Only in the Regular Session.

-jsq