Tag Archives: Georgia

Videos: EOC, KLVB, Grinder Pump, Bank, Computers, Health Ordinance, and Alcohol @ LCC 2018-07-24

Longest at 2.5 minutes: appointment to Parks and Rec. Commissioner Scottie Orenstein was not present at this Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission.

Not on the agenda and not on the county’s website, Chairman’s Announcement of Emergency Operations Center Open House.

The applicant spoke for 6.a. Beer, Wine & Liquor License – Jack’s Chophouse, 4479 N. Valdosta Rd. We have a winner for the RFP for Banking Services.

Maybe they all finally got to read the 7 d. Ordinance Adopting Current Board of Health Rules, since this time Continue reading →

New Member and blood bank @ GLPC 2018-07-30

Since Celine Gladwin declined to be reappointed, GLPC has a new member, Calvin Graham, Sr., who ran for Valdosta City Council District 2 in 2013, when he said he was an Army veteran who subsequently worked for the Department of Defense. Sandra Tooley won, and is still on the Valdosta City Council.

Calvin Graham Sr. campainging in 2013

That leaves the Planning Commission with no female members and no architect.

There’s only one case on the agenda for this evening: Continue reading →

Videos: City to County KLVB, Grinder Pump, Bank, Computers, Health Ordinance, and Alcohol @ LCC 2018-07-23

Eight minutes to do your business: yesterday morning’s Lowndes County Commission Work Session. Commissioner Demarcus Marshall took the day off from his work at the City of Valdosta to be there. Not clear the rest of them took it that seriously. He and at least one other Commissioner did get some questions in. And they did all show up, at least. We’ll see if they’re all there for voting this evening at 5:30 PM.

Some interesting questions on the Continue reading →

River Hill Cemetery 2018-07-21

Here are pictures of a cemetery at the end of Baytree Road, just east of I-75 and slightly south of the Withlacoochee River.

Stones, Cemetery

The Lowndes County Tax Assessors identify it only as Continue reading →

City to County KLVB, Grinder Pump, Bank, Computers, Health Ordinance, and Alcohol @ LCC 2018-07-24 2018-07-23

In an interesting version of a revolving door, county appointee Michael H. McDowell’s KLVB term is expiring, so is Valdosta appointee Bubba Highsmith’s, and the county proposes appointing Highsmith. Highsmith is a State Farm Insurance Agent.

Also on the Lowndes County Commission agenda for 8:30AM Monday morning are: banking services (looks like Ameris Bank costs way less than BB&T, and SunTrust even less, but Ameris has the best interest rate), a computer bulk purchase for $54,795.98, yet another pump purchase, allegedly for $0 dollars because this is actually for specifications rather than actual purchase.


Typical Application: Residential Pump System, Triple “D” Pump Company

Finally, the tabled-from-last-meeting Ordinance about Board of Health Rules: will the Commissioners have had time to read the one copy the County Manager allows them?

Plus an alcohol license, Continue reading →

Videos: 2 KLVB appointments, lift station pump, 2 rezonings @ LCC 2018-07-10

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 →

Lowndes EMA Hurricane Season Open House 2018-07-26

WTXL, 19 July 2018, Lowndes County holds open house to inform community on severe weather,

LOWNDES COUNTY, Fla. [sic: s.b. Georgia] (WALB)—Lowndes County Emergency services personnel are preparing for an upcoming open house to inform community members of possible severe weather that could strike this season.

Ashley Tye, Lowndes County EMA Director, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Still of Lowndes County EMA Director Ashley Tye from Atlanta Journal-Constitution video 10 September 2017

When: 6-8PM, Thursday, July 26, 2018

Where: 250 Douglas St, Valdosta, GA 31601-5029

Event: facebook

Join local emergency responders and Meteorologist Kerri Copello, News Manager for WFXL/Fox 31, for a tour of the EOC and an informational session on the 2018 Hurricane Season to include preparedness information.

Continue reading →

Rainbarrel from Valdosta Stormwater 2018-07-20

Gretchen picked up a rainbarrel when she stopped by the Valdosta City Hall Annex to drop off okra (Okra Paradise Farms has customers everywhere).

Movie: Filling above 10 gallons (6.0M), Raining

Here’s a video of it filling up: Continue reading →

Solar and wind can power Georgia

Solar power is here right now. Georgia is #10 in the nation (up from #22 in 2017) by solar deployed (1,552.98 MW) and #7 in projected growth, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). That’s ahead of Florida, but still behind much farther north New Jersey and Massachusetts, which have less sun.

Graph: Top 10 Solar Power States, SEIA, Paul Horn, Inside Climate News
Graph: Top 10 Solar Power States, SEIA, Paul Horn, Inside Climate News

This Georgia solar improvement is despite Southern Company and Georgia Power cutting back on renewable energy investment last year and a hostile federal administration.

Graph: Georgia's Solar Boom, SEIA and Paul Horn, InsideClimateNews
Graph: Georgia’s Solar Boom, SEIA and Paul Horn, InsideClimateNews

Sheer economies of scale continue decreasing solar prices and driving more solar installations, with more jobs. Continue reading →

Videos: Developments on Mulligan Road and North Oak St. Ext. @ GLPC 2018-06-25

Tonight the Lowndes County Commission will be voting on two rezonings that were considered a few weeks ago in the June 2018 Planning Commission meeting.

GLPC took 3/4 of an hour (by far the longest) on 4. REZ-2018-14 Jerry Stoker – Mulligan Road R-A and R-1 to P-D and 8 minutes on 2. REZ-2018-13 Sims, Sims, Jackson Beaver Rd E-A to R-1, before recommending both unanimously.

Second longest at 16 and a half minutes was the Valdosta case, 6. VA-2018-10 ADCO Investments – 3320 North Oak Street Ext – R-15 to R-P.

Here are LAKE videos of each GLPC agenda item, followed by a LAKE video playlist. See also Continue reading →