Tag Archives: Gretchen Quarterman

Videos: Moody MAZ, Agriculture, Church @ GLPC 2015-06-29

At a very well attended June 29th meeting, the notorious TXT-2015-01 Moody Activity Zoning Districts (MAZ) ULDC text amendments got tabled again by the Planning Commission, but the Lowndes County Commission could take them up anyway at their meeting a month later. The Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce did oppose these changes in person (both their President and Chairman) after voting a resolution of opposition. Meanwhile, LAKE has laid out the board packet item from last time so you can get an idea of what’s going on and why, including links to the LAKE videos of the previous GLPC and Lowndes County Commission meetings where these MAZ changes were discussed.

REZ-2015-12 Martha Russ wants to Continue reading →

Appointments, well and septic rezonings, road naming, and evidence @ LCC 2015-07-13

This morning at 8:30 AM, with voting Tuesday at 5:30 PM, on this agenda, for reappointing Dr. Martha Giddens to the Lowndes County Division of Family and Children Services Board, two well and septic rezonings, Lowndes County Road Naming Resolution and Procedure that they haven’t published even though it’s because a Commissioner said citizens requested it, and the latest in the long-running Juvenile Justice Court diversionary program grant contract.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, JULY 13, 2015 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading →

Videos: Four board appointments, plus Justice, Water, and Alcohol @ LCC 2015-06-23

$16,915 to upgrade a water main to subsidize a developer, but no approval of $15,957 to study public transportation and truck routing.

Speaking of subsidizing private developers, there’s yet more fallout from the failed 2007 mega-mall-and-subdivision Market Street project; see separate post.

And the Chairman gave an excellent demonstration of why elected officials would benefit by interacting and even debating with citizens, instead of jumping to conclusions and preaching at them.

Here’s the agenda, and the LAKE videos of the previous morning’s Work Session and the budget hearing immediately before the Regular Session. Below are the Regular Session LAKE videos with a few comments, followed by a video playlist. Continue reading →

Videos: Budget Public Hearing #2, Lowndes County @ LCC Budget 2015-06-23

Only one citizen spoke at the second Budget Hearing 5PM 23 June 2015: Gretchen Quarterman asking for approval of the VLMPO request for funding for a public transportation study. The Chairman said they weren’t going to, and shortly afterwards at their Regular Session they didn’t, although they did approve more than that for a water main subsidy for private developers.

The 5PM meeting was billed on the county’s website as Budget Adoption Meeting and the previous morning by the Chairman as a presentation by the Finance Director. Is it a public hearing if it’s never advertised as a public hearing?

At least the proposed budget is on the county’s website, just not where Continue reading →

Moody MAZ, Agriculture, Church @ GLPC 2015-06-29

This evening, the notorious TXT-2015-01 Moody Activity Zoning Districts (MAZ) ULDC text amendments are back on the agenda, for decision by the Lowndes County Commission a month later. Usually reliable sources say the Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce will be opposing some of these changes. Meanwhile, LAKE has laid out the board packet item from last time so you can get an idea of what’s going on and why, including links to the LAKE videos of the previous GLPC and Lowndes County Commission meetings where these MAZ changes were discussed.

REZ-2015-12 Martha Russ wants to zone to less density while REZ-2015-13 Clementine Miller wants more density. And in Valdosta CU-2015-02 Kelly Barcol wants a church in a Single-Family Residential (R-10) district.

Here’s the agenda. Continue reading →

Budget Adoption Meeting, Lowndes County @ LCC Budget 2015-06-23

A Budget Adoption Meeting 5PM before the 5:30 PM Regular Session, as alluded to at yesterday morning’s Work Session. Is this a second Budget Hearing? Does it count if it’s not advertised as a Hearing? And it turns out the proposed budget is on the county’s website, just not where they previously said it would be.

Budget Adoption Meeting,

[5:00-5:30PM] Tuesday, June 23 Continue reading →

Videos: Budget Public Hearing @ LCC Budget 2015-06-09

For the budget they will vote on Tuesday June 23rd, two weeks ago Finance Director Stephanie Black said:

“This is the public hearing”

What happened to the requirement for two budget public hearings?

The County Chairman said they had $7 million in requests above the expected revenue, so they had had a difficult time coming up with a budget. For (some of) how they did that, see the LAKE videos of the 18 May 2015 Budget Work Session.

Half of this budget hearing consisted of the same presentation from that previous meeting. Then County Manager Joe Pritchard added Continue reading →

Videos: Deep South Sanitation litigation resolution, Animals, MAZ, Water, School @ LCC 2015-06-09

Not on the agenda for the 9 June 2015 Regular Session: settlement agreement for the county’s unnecessary lawsuit against Deep South Sanitation. Commissioners had no questions, but I have two:

  1. how much did the county spend on the lawsuit?
  2. how much did the county end up paying DSS?

Also unscheduled: Recognition of Leadership Lowndes Attendees.

Citizen Billy Rowland had some comments about road grading and wondered how Animal Control could come take his dog from his posted property yet not do anything when he reported barking dogs.

They approved a Scruggs Co. contract for Paving on Coppage Road, which includes curb and gutter to save some of the tree canopy. They approved a Bid for Bemiss Road Mowing even though it’s a state highway, plus a Bid for a Zero-Turn Mower for the Public Works Department from Nashville Tractor. They approved the Bid for a Fire Pumper for Lowndes County Fire Rescue and the LCSO Patrol Car Laptops Lease Purchase and tabled the Lowndes Middle School Utility Service from Valdosta utilities.

Via LAKE open records request, see the board packet item for the complicated Moody Activity Zones Text Amendments to the Unified Land Development Code that were tabled for more time at the Tuesday June 9th 2015 Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission. See the LAKE videos of the Planning Commission meeting that considered the MAZ and the rezonings on this agenda. The Shiver and Kinsey rezonings were were approved unanimously with no speakers from the public and no Commissioner comments. The Orchard at Stone Creek rezoning discussion about a retirement home lasted for 14 minutes, including updated maps that were only provided to LAKE on paper, despite a request for electronic copy. See also the agenda and the LAKE videos of the previous morning’s Work Session.

Continue reading →

Videos: Regular Session GEFA, road abandonment, bids, and water @ LCC 2015-05-26

Attorney had to remind Commissioners that a road abandonment such as for Buck Cato Road requires a public hearing. They declared the solid waste equipment surplus to be leased to “prospective franchisees” such as DSS; County Manager said “we have the lease agreement here”, but did not put it on the county’s website for the public to see. County agent arrived just in time to hear the Langdale bid accepted for a truck for the Extension Service. They accepted the Lee Office Supply bid for Emergency Operations Center tables and chairs. And of course they approved the Interconnection of North Lowndes and Kinderlou Water Systems and the GEFA Loan Modification for the Alapaha Water Treatment Plant. They started a minute late. At the end, after the County Manager had no report and no citizens wished to be heard, as usual they adjourned without a vote.

This was all at the afternoon Lowndes County Regular Session. For background and more details, see Continue reading →

Videos: MAZ, Water, School @ LCC 2015-06-08

Through a LAKE open records request, now you can see the complicated Moody Activity Zones Text Amendments to the Unified Land Development Code, which affect everything from animals to retirement homes. In these LAKE videos you can see the Lowndes County Commission consider that and other matters at their Work Session of Monday 8 June 2015, including Lowndes Middle School Utility Service from the City of Valdosta, two water well and septic rezonings on Mt. Zion Rd and Touchton Rd, and water and sewer for 24 acres of The Orchard at Stone Creek, Tillman Crossing Rd. Plus Utility Relocation for the Replacement of Franks Creek Bridge on Morven Road and many bids, including for Paving on Coppage Road; staff recommends the Scruggs bid. County Manager Joe Pritchard noted many of the bids were related to SPLOST in an effort “to get those projects up and running as quickly as possible”.

Here’s the agenda. See also the LAKE videos of the Planning Commission meeting that considered these rezonings and the MAZ. Continue reading →