Tag Archives: Elections

Videos: Hurricane Recovery, Fire Department, expand Board of Tax Assessors, new water tower, appointments, election qualifying fees, insurance, and bids @ LCC Regular 2023-12-12

Update 2024-01-07: Appointing Tax Assessors is on the agenda for Monday, January 8, 2024.

Not on the agenda at the last 2023 Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission were two items. Special Presentation – Hurricane Recovery was by two executives of the debris hauling company the county hired, plus Kristin Hannah of the Boys and Girls Club, which got a grant from the hauling company.

The second was Special Recognition – Fire Department – Toys for Tots. You can see these presentations and the agenda items in these LAKE videos.

They also added an agenda item, 7.n. Utility and Access Easement for Lochwinn Farms, for a James Road Extension parallel to the railroad.

[Collage @ LCC 12 December 2023]
Collage @ LCC 12 December 2023

They spent a bit more than a minute on 7.l. Expanding Board of Tax Assessors, about the same on 6.a. Valdosta-Lowndes County Conference Center and Tourism Authority, and two minutes on 6.b. Lowndes County Public Facilities Authority.

They will actually appoint three new Tax Assessors in their first 2024 meeting, on January 8th.

They unanimously approved everything, taking Continue reading →

Videos: expand Board of Tax Assessors, new water tower, appointments, election qualifying fees, insurance, and bids @ LCC Work 2023-12-11

Update 2024-01-07: Videos: Hurricane Recovery, Fire Department, expand Board of Tax Assessors, new water tower, appointments, election qualifying fees, insurance, and bids @ LCC Regular 2023-12-12.

Hear Elaine Grice, Executive Director of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for Lowndes and Echols Counties. CASA advocates for children who have been abused or neglected, and who are often in foster care. Lowndes County was one of the last to sign on to the program.

Her 10 minutes accounted for a third of the half-hour Lowndes County Commission Work Session of December 11, 2023.

They spent a bit more than a minute on 7.l. Expanding Board of Tax Assessors. One issue, said County Manager Paige Dukes, was that with only three Assessors, two constitutes a quorum, which limited their flexibility for meetings.

Earlier, Commissioner Clay Griner asked about appointments of Tax Assessors, pointing out that Assessor James Puckett’s term was up; this was in 6.b. Appointment – Lowndes County Public Facilities Authority. Chairman Bill Slaughter said those appointments would be on a January agenda. In the actual item about Tax Assessors, the County Manager said James Puckett would remain an Assessor until somebody was appointed to replace him, which would happen in January.

Second longest item at almost four minutes was 7.j. Lowndes County Juvenile Accountability Court FY24 Enhancement – Innovation, because Commission Demarcus Marshall asked about 17-year-olds, who would soon be entering the work force. Judge Council said some nonprofits helped, and he welcomed any other resources.

Third at more than two minutes was 8.b. Bid for Security Services at the Human Resources Building. Commissioner Demarcus Marshall asked if armed security guards cost more, and would being armed make a difference. Chairman Bill Slaughter said these guards man the metal detectors to keep people from bringing firearms in. There was more discussion.

Two water items got about a minute and a half each. In 8.c. Moody AFB Emergency Backup Water Connection Commissioner Demarcus Marshall wanted to know how long will the connection be. In 8.d. New Elevated Water Tower located at 2650 James Road Extension, the $3.5 million item, Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker wanted to know whether this tower was north of US 84. Utility Director Steve Stalvey said it would be south of US 84 but north of the railroad tracks. Nobody provided any detail for why it was being built. It’s probably not coincidence that this water tower comes after the March rezoning for a James Road apartment complex, which is apparently the same that was withdrawn back in August 2022. Let’s not forget all the previous subsidies to James Road (widening, water lines, etc.) after the infamous failed 2007 mega-mall boondoggle.

They ended with an Executive Session, of which we have no video.

[Collage @ LCC 11 December 2023]
Collage @ LCC 11 December 2023

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item, followed by a LAKE video playlist.

See also the the agenda and the board packet. Continue reading →

Packet: expand Board of Tax Assessors, new water tower, appointments, election qualifying fees, insurance, and bids @ LCC 2023-12-11

Update 2023-12-28: Videos: expand Board of Tax Assessors, new water tower, appointments, election qualifying fees, insurance, and bids @ LCC Work 2023-12-11.

Only tomorrow morning at 8:30 AM (or in the following LAKE video) will you hear from Elaine Grice, Executive Director of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for Lowndes and Echols Counties.

[Collage, LCC Packet, 2023-12-11]
Collage, LCC Packet, 2023-12-11

The rest of the agenda for the Lowndes County Commission is quite busy, with appointments to two boards, expansion of the Board of Tax Assessors from 3 to 5 members, among other items.

Cost What
$3,551,666.00New Elevated Water Tower located at 2650 James Road Extension
$886,352.50Moody AFB Emergency Backup Water Connection
$171,593.002024 ACCG Workers’ Compensation Insurance Renewal
$70,500.00UPS Replacement at the Naylor and Hahira Public Safety Radio System
$63,580.00Bid for Security Services at the Human Resources Building
$1,473.00Lowndes County Juvenile Accountability Court (LCJAC) FY24 Enhancement and Innovation Award
$0.00Loan to Valdosta Housing Authority
$4,745,164.50Total

Oh, and $3.5 million for a new water tower.

The board packet, received in response to a LAKE open records request is on the LAKE website. Here is the agenda.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2023, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2023, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading →

Survey, petition, letters, speak against conmmercial development on GA 122 at Skipper Bridge Road

Update 2023-01-21: Packet: Dollar General rezoning again, VLDA appointment, 2 subdivision infrastructure, special assessment rate, DA VOCA, server blades @ LCC 2023-01-23.

If you do not think “commercial and shopping options in Lowndes County” should include a development foothold in an agricultural and forestry area, here are ways you can oppose it: a survey, a petition, letters, call your Commissioner, and speak in the Public Hearing.

[Trash bags across GA 122 from the rezoning notice sign]
Trash bags across GA 122 from the rezoning notice sign

Somebody identified only as “Joe w/ WG Research” is sending text messages with a survey that includes this question:

4. Would you be in favor of a new and architecturally enhanced Dollar General in North Lowndes County located on GA Hwy 122?

No doubt they want to hear from everybody. So please answer the survey and get friends and relatives who oppose that rezoning to answer it.
https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7170646/Lowndes-County?x=2DCD7BDE9 Continue reading →

Public Notice: Rezoning REZ-2022-20, GA 122 @ Skipper Bridge Road for a Dollar General 2023-01-08

Update 2023-01-13: Survey, petition, letters, speak against conmmercial development on GA 122 at Skipper Bridge Road.

That’s sixteen days before the January 24th Public Hearing about the proposed rezoning for a Dollar General at GA 122 and Skipper Bridge Road by the Lowndes County Commission.

[Public Notice and Future Development Map, REZ-2022-20, GA 122 @ Skipper Bridge Road]
Public Notice and Future Development Map, REZ-2022-20, GA 122 @ Skipper Bridge Road

Which appears to be sufficient notice according to O.C.G.A. 36-66-4(a): “A local government taking action resulting in a zoning decision shall provide for a hearing on the proposed action. At least 15 but not more than 45 days prior to the date of the hearing, the local government shall cause to be published within a newspaper of general circulation within the territorial boundaries of the local government a notice of the hearing. The notice shall state the time, place, and purpose of the hearing.”

The notice says opponents of the rezoning have to file a disclosure report about campaign contributions. The same law, O.C.G.A. 36-67A-3 (2010) says the applicant must also file a disclosure report. I will include a request for that in the LAKE open records request before the January 24th Public Hearing.

Valdosta Daily Times, City and Public Notices, January 8, 2023,

PUBLIC NOTICE TO THE CITIZENS OF LOWNDES COUNTY, Continue reading →

RIP Sonny Vickers + two sewer lines fixed @ VCC 2022-06-23

Update 2022-06-27: Trash boom good; more needed –Suwannee Riverkeeper @ VCC 2022-06-23.

Flags are to fly half-mast Sunday across the entire state of Georgia at the state Capitol and in Lowndes County for the late Sonny Vickers, whose absence loomed large over the Valdosta City Council meeting. The funeral will be 3 PM Sunday. There will be a special election for his Council seat, as required by the city charter.

[Sonny Vickers and other matters]
Sonny Vickers and other matters

Mayor and Council also increased the number of vehicles for their on-call transit service, and approved two sewer line fixes.

One Citizen to Be Heard proposed renaming Cherry Street to Sonny Vickers Lane. Two others asked the city to do more about trash.

Also, that was the last Council meeting for Utilities Director David Frost, whose last day was today (Friday).

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item with a few notes, followed by a LAKE video playlist. See also the agenda. The board packet, received in response to a LAKE open records request, is on the LAKE website. Some of the materials are out of order (I don’t know why), so if you don’t find something at first, keep looking.

Here’s a LAKE video playlist:

RIP Sonny Vickers + two sewer lines fixed @ VCC 2022-06-23
Valdosta City Council Regular Session, June 23, 2022, Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE).

-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!

Videos: Everything unanimously approved in fifteen minutes @ LCC 2022-05-24

The Lowndes County Commission approved everything as fast as they could hear each item read and vote, at their fifteen-minute Regular Session of May 24, 2022.

[Some agenda items]
Some agenda items

Below are Continue reading →

Videos: Two Valdosta items, Walkers Crossing Roundabout, Reports @ LCC 2022-05-23

Update 2022-06-16: Videos: Everything unanimously approved in fifteen minutes @ LCC 2022-05-24.

Not even two minutes on any business item at the most recent Lowndes County Work Session.

[Attorney, Utilities, Engineering, Manager]
Attorney, Utilities, Engineering, Manager

The answer to which roads on the LMIG item is that Continue reading →

Videos: Stealth Commission district reapportionment and half million dollar developer giveaway @ LCC 2022-01-25

As expected, the Lowndes County Commission at its Regular Session passed the half million dollar bailout for a developer.

Not expected, they changed the agenda at the beginning of the meeting to approve new Commission district maps and a resolution supporting them, for immediate transmission to the state.

One citizen wishing to be heard spoke about the never ending noise from the 15 month old Arglass factory.

[Amendment, Commissioners, New Districts]
Amendment, Commissioners, New Districts

Developer Bailout

For 5.k. Property Purchase – Building Valdosta, LLC County Manager Paige Dukes said staff acted at the direction of the Commissioners, seeming to distance herself and staff from this action.

Reapportionment

I’m guessing the added agenda item was 5.l..

Vice Chair Joyce Evans, presiding over the meeting in the absence of Chair Bill Slaughter, introduced the agenda change for district reapportionment indicating the Commissioners all already knew this was going to happen. Continue reading →

Discussion of court grants and Loch Laurel Road project, little of property subsidy @ LCC 2022-01-24

Update 2024-10-21: The county is finally generating some income from that half a million dollar subdivision buyout. Agenda: DRC Emergency Services and VSU South Campus Purchase @ LCC 2024-10-21.

At yesterday morning’s Lowndes County Commission Work Session, there was no discussion by the Commissioners about 5.k. Property Purchase – Building Valdosta, LLC, but new wrinkles did come to some small light.

County Manager Paige Dukes said “This is a follow up on the Building Valdosta purchase of property we have discussed with you several times…” In what public meeting did those discussion take place? She also said the county attorney had worked out an agreement with Building Valdosta, yet that agreement was not in the board packet. And she remarked, “Any other claims related to this will continue through, um, any process with ACCG that they may have for lost profits.” She immediately called for an Executive Session for “Client-privileged communication regarding potential or pending litigation and for the purchase of property.”

Sounds like the county got sued by a developer, or was threatened with a lawsuit, and is resolving that by bailing out the developer with half a million of our tax dollars.

How can any developer who did the slightest due diligence not know that the subject property on GA 122 east of Bemiss Road is in the Moody Activity Zone (MAZ)? If that’s not their beef, what is?

[Joyce Evans presiding]
Joyce Evans presiding, VOCA/CESF grant, Loch Laurel Road project, Property Purchase — Building Valdosta, LLC

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