Tag Archives: Government

Thanks for concern about drinking water from the Floridan Aquifer –Don Thieme about Valdosta draft resolution against Sabal Trail pipeline @ VCC 2014-12-09

Water matters, too, said a comment yesterday on We all live in Lowndes County: Valdosta Draft Resolution Against Sabal Trail Pipeline @ VCC 2014-12-09. The Valdosta City Council votes tonight at 5:30 PM on this resolution. And don’t forget to get your comments or motions to intervene to FERC before the deadline of 24 December 2014. -jsq

Many thanks to Tim Carroll for adding the part about this important environmental issue which affects everyone in the city of Valdosta and Lowndes County as well. This is not just about the property rights of a few concerned citizens although those are important as well and demand protection from elected politicians.

–Don Thieme

Ask Sabal Trail to invest in solar farms instead of pipelines –Alton Paul Burns @ TCC 2014-12-09

He concluded, “There’s nothing beneficial to the state of Georgia in this pipeline.” Some Commissioners had never heard of Sabal Trail: now they have, from local resident Alton Paul Burns, at their 9 December 2014 Thomas County Commission Regular Session, and they know it could come right through Thomasville.

Discussing among themselves, one Commissioner remarked that the pipeline wouldn’t go through her place, but it was still a concern, and they should ask Sabal Trail to come explain themselves.

Later, Continue reading →

Probation, Sabal Trail, budget, calendar, appointments, Thomas County Commission @ TCC 2014-12-09

The Sabal Trail pipeline and probation payments were major issues at the Thomas County Commission 9AM Tuesday 9 December 2014. Sheriff R. Carlton Powell noted that private probation company Sentinel, which he said serves Lowndes County, was involved in several lawsuits.

Here’s the agenda, and below are links to the videos, followed by a video playlist.

Continue reading →

Special Election, Budget, Meters, and Rezoning @ Lake Park 2014-12-02

They called a special election to fill the unexpired term of Sandy Sherrill, who had resigned unexpectedly, plus a referendum for Sunday off-premisses liquor sales, at the Lake Park City City Council Regular Session of 2 December 2014. They amended the 2014 budget and adopted a 2015 budget. More than half an hour on a presentation about water meters. Professional therapy, including massage therapy, at the location being rezoned for Keith Sandlin in rezoning LP-2014-10-20. The Planning Commission 24 November 2014, previously unanimously recommended approval. The Lake Park City Council voted 2 for 1 against, so it passed. And they had direct reports by Police, Fire/Rescure, and Maintenance, since they don’t have a city manager. They appointed an additional member to the cemetery committee. They discussed executive sessions being each time a choice and participants in executive sessions not being bound to secrecy, the real test being not violating the public trust.

Here’s the agenda, and below are the videos, followed by a video playlist. Continue reading →

We all live in Lowndes County: Valdosta Draft Resolution Against Sabal Trail Pipeline @ VCC 2014-12-09

Last night, while the Lowndes County Commission unanimously approved 300x169 Council discussing the resolution, in Valdosta Draft Resolution Against Sabal Trail Pipeline, by Valdosta City Council, 10 December 2014 their resolution against the Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline, the Valdosta City Council discussed a supporting resolution at its Work Session. Council Tim Carroll said Valdosta had added a clause about the Floridan Aquifer. Council Robert Yost said he didn’t think such a resolution was something the City of Valdosta should be doing, and he would not vote Thursday. No other Council members expressed any reservations. Council Sonny Vickers said he thought it was worth doing to show unity. Mayor John Gayle remarked, “We all live in Lowndes County.” Continue reading →

Board packet: Trash, Pipeline, Tourism + KLVB appointments @ LCC 2014-12-08

The text of the Resolution Opposing the Sabal Trail Pipeline, the Commission meeting schedule, the budget calendar, and the proposed sign for the G. Robert Carter Law Enforcement Complex, plus maps for all those special tax lighting districts and details of budget and requests, all in the board packet for the 8 December 2014 Work Session and the 9 December 2014 Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission.

The County Clerk once again provided this packet only on paper and only in black and white. The request to the County Clerk asked for electronic copy, but once again she chose not to honor that part of the request.

There’s no change in that after the Open Government Symposium of 21 November 2014. Also, this request was sent shortly after the previous Commission meeting, and with more than three weeks notice the county only made this latest packet available at 4:35 PM the Friday before the meeting, when they close at 5PM.

-jsq

Videos: Trash, Pipeline, Tourism + KLVB appointments @ LCC 2014-12-08

Who could have foreseen that ADS wants a rate hike? The Resolution against the Sabal Trail pipeline they already sent to FERC is on the agenda for voting along with everything else tomorrow, 5:30 PM, Tuesday 9 December 2014. Congratulations again in advance for doing that!

Update 2014-12-09: board packet.

Staff wants to rename the Sheriff’s complex for former Sheriff and former Comissioner G. Robert Carter. And a bunch of appointments, contracts, calendars, and special tax lighting districts. in a very full agenda. Other county commissions, such as Thomas County, list potential appointees in their agenda. If Lowndes County did that, we wouldn’t have to google to figure out how to spell names of appointees. And without this LAKE video, you wouldn’t know who was being considered, unless you skipped work to go to that 8:30 AM Work Session.

Here’s the agenda. The videos are below in the order events transpired, followed by a video playlist.

Continue reading →

Sabal Trail opposition at Thomas County Commission @ TCC 2014-12-09

Thomas County citizen Alton Burns, who already wrote to FERC, is on the agenda to speak against the Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline at the Thomas County Commission tomorrow morning, 9AM Monday 9 December 2014 in Thomasville.

Remember, Sabal Trail’s route Alternative 3 would run through Thomasville, and FERC could pick any route, no matter which one Sabal Trail prefers. Plus, with Lowndes County about to vote on the resolution wanting Sabal Trail out of Lowndes County it already sent to FERC and with Valdosta scheduled to vote Thursday night on a resolution of support for Lowndes County’s opposition, the only proposed Sabal Trail route through Georgia that doesn’t go through Lowndes County is that Alternative 3 through Thomasville. Thomas County could do what Dougherty County and Albany already did, and Lowndes County and Valdosta are about to do: pass an ordinance saying no pipeline in this county, and no pipeline in the state of Georgia.

Also note the agenda lists names of potential appointees to seven different boards. Other county commissions could list such names on their agendas.

300x300 Logo, in Thomas County, Georgia, by Board of Commissioners, 6 December 2014 Board of Commissioners
Agenda
3rd Floor Historic Courthouse
225 N. Broad Street
December 9, 2014, 9:00 a.m.

Continue reading →

ADS wants a trash collection rate hike: who could have forseen? @ LCC 2014-12-08

Who could have forseen the rate hike ADS requested Monday morning at the Lowndes County Commission Work Session? Maybe anybody who noticed that ADS’ bid was 40% more than its quickly-acquired subsidiary Veolia’s bid.

Update 2014-12-10: No report from ADS in the board packet. Joe Adgie reported on this topic in the VDT 10 December 2014, Advanced Disposal wants price increase.

1. Call to Order 4.Minutes for Approval 8a.Advanced Disposal 8.a. Advanced Disposal —Steve Edwards (work session)

Video. ADS wants to amend the exclusive franchise for solid waste collection due to “lost revenue and unanticipated costs”. And their number one reason: competition with “another hauler”, in other words Continue reading →

Board of Elections @ Elections 2014-12-09

They usually have Citizens Wishing To Be Heard first and they let citizens converse with them during the rest of the meeting. They meet 4:30 PM Tuesday, December 9, 2014 at the Lowndes County Elections office, 2808 N Oak St., Valdosta, GA 31602. There’s no posted agenda that I can find, and no posted list of board members. I’ve sent them an inquiry.

Agenda PDF and inline below. -jsq

300x300 4:30 PM 9 December 2014, in Notice of Public Meeting, by Lowndes County Board of Elections, 9 December 2014

Lowndes County Elections

Deb Cox
SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS

Madlyn Hightower
CHAIRMAN, BOARD OF
ELECTIONS

LOWNDES COUNTY ELECTIONS
LEGAL NOTICE Continue reading →