Tag Archives: Gretchen Quarterman

Video Arraignment for Juvenile and Magistrate Court @ LCC 2013-06-25

Hm, if video saves the county all this money, how about video of the County Commission’s own meetings to save the public money keeping track of what the Commission is up to?

7.h. Video Arraignment for Juvenile and Magistrate Court

IT Director Aaron Kostyu said at the 25 June Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission:

As discussed yesterday morning, this is the video arraignment solution for the magistrate juvenile court. This solution will save tens of thousands of dollars a year for staffing and transportation that will not be required. It will save us quite a bit of money, and time as well. This solution will allow for the video presentation, signature, and certification of warrants and the carrying out of video arraignments and first appearances as well for Magistrates and Juvenile. And this will benefit the Magistrate Court, Juvenile Court, and all the local law enforcement agencies. As noted yesterday, the city of Valdosta is awaiting your approval, and they will purchase a portion of this to go in their facilities as well that will allow them to speak in the video warrants portion.

Commissioners had no questions. County Manager Joe Pritchard recommended Continue reading →

County bus system reapproved @ LCC 2013-06-25

Didn’t know the county had a bus system? It does; you can call 316-2153 and they’ll pick you up for a flat fee. The county’s contract with the state Department of Transportation and with the contractor MIDS, Inc. was reapproved at the 25 June Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission.

7.b. Section 5311 Rural Transportation Operating Contracts

The contract is with GADOT, and the contractor is MIDS, Inc. Per Commissioner Joyce Evans’ request of the previous morning, County Engineer Joe Pritchard said there had been 12,322 trips with six buses over the past 5 months.

The County Engineer referred to some discussion of the previous morning, The Engineer said the federal government put in the first $220,000, and while the county had to pick up any shortfalls, there have been no shortfalls over the past twelve years. This is different from County Manager Joe Pritchard’s answer of the previous morning that it “has been budgeted”. At least staff managed to come up with budget detail after being asked in public by Commissioners. No questions. Unanimous approval.

Here’s Part 1 of 2:

Continue reading →

Corbett or George Road renamed to Caney Branch Road @ LCC 2013-06-25

The road previously known as Corbett or George, part of which may or may not have been closed at some previous data, was renamed to Caney Branch Road after a creek that flows into the Alapahoochee River, at the 25 June Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission.

6.1. Public Hearing Renaming George Road (CR #105)

George Road

This time County Engineer Mike Fletcher said the residents Part to be renamed wanted to rename George Road to be Caney Branch Road after Caney Branch, “a small creek that runs through this area, localized”. because

EMS, 911, and postal services have an issue with locating the correct houses because there are two George Roads in Lowndes County.

He referred to the previous morning, when Commissioner Crawford Powell wanted to know Continue reading →

A librarian on the library board! @ LCC 2013-06-25

The political appointee was replaced by a librarian, and the marketing guy by a marketing guy, at the 25 June Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission.

5.a. Lowndes County Library Board

Back on June 10th Library Director Kelly Lenz brought candidates Jack Hartley, Linda Most, and Matt Lawrence, who spoke, and at the June 24th Work Session County Manager Joe Pritchard not naming candidates for the library board Commissioner Joyce Evans submitted the name of Mr. Robert Jefferson, who did not speak.

This time County Manager Joe Pritchard mumbled behind his monitor and did not deign to name any of the candidates, referring to “a list” that Commissioners could see but the public could not. He did say that the openings were for the board slots previously occupied by Kay Harris and Ray Devery.

Kay Harris Previous political appointee Kay Harris failed to get the new library at Five Points approved in last year’s failed SPLOST VII vote and resigned as Library Board Chair and from that board 15 March 2013. Here are some related points she never seemed to discuss. And while she and the County Commission and the Valdosta City Council and Mayor pointed fingers about who lost SPLOST, Continue reading →

The stars all lined up for the homeless –Deidra White @ LCDP 2013-07-02

The homeless formerly living under the James Beck Overpass now have homes and most have jobs, said Valdosta City Council Deidra White at last night’s Lowndes County Democratic Party Annual 4th of July Barbecue.

White said the encampment under the overpass had been growing for some time, and people in her district, which contains the overpass, were increasingly concerned yet had had little success in dealing with the situation.

Deidra White speaking at Lowndes County Democratic Party July 4th BBQ So I contacted many people in the community, homeless advocates, churches, governmental, civil, nonprofits; anyone that I’ve ever come across who has ever worked in any capacity helping with the homeless situation. And in a very,almost seemingly the stars all lined up a couple of weeks ago. Many people came together to do something about the specific eleven homeless persons who were living under the James Beck Overpass.

A private citizen donated property and said that they could stay on this property for a temporary time until we find a permanent solution. Members of the homeless coalition immediately began identifying potential employers….

She referred listeners to the recent newspaper stories for some details, and then continued:

Continue reading →

Rezonings: Lake Park, Valdosta, Lowndes County @ GLPC 2013-06-24

Three rezonings considered yesterday at the Planning Commission, one each for Lake Park (a church), Valdosta (a business), and Lowndes County (an individual). Gretchen was there with the video camera; videos to come.

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
Tuesday, June 24, 2013* 5:30 P.M. * Public Hearing
Continue reading →

My input to the budget “hearing” tonight @ LCC 2013-06-25

I recommend people go to tonight’s budget “hearing” and see what’s said, and maybe even try to ask some questions. I’m staying home; here’s why.

Since Ashley Paulk is apparently still running the County Commission, I’m going by Ashley Paulk’s stated theory that citizens provide input to the budget process at every meeting. I already provided mine 14 May 2013: Continue reading →

Budget Telling Tonight @ LCC 2013-06-25

Tonight you can go be told what the county’s budget will be, 5PM at the county palace. If you want to see the proposed budget, you’ll have to go their beforehand and view the one paper copy they are required by law to show you. They say they’re short of money, so why are they wasting taxpayer funds suing a legitimate business?

On the county’s online calendar: Budget Public Hearing (6/18/2013)

PUBLIC NOTICE
The Lowndes County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing for the purpose of considering
the Fiscal Year 2014 proposed budget on the following dates:

June 18, 2013 at 5:30 p.m.

June 25, 2013 at 5:00 p.m.

Location:
Lowndes County Commission Chambers
327 N. Ashley St.
Valdosta, GA

A copy of the proposed budget is available for public review in the office of the County Clerk.
For questions please call 671-2400.

Kay Harris wrote for the VDT 19 June 2013, Lowndes County facing budget woes,

Continue reading →

Videos: 2 appointments, 3 public hearings, 9 considerations, and 2 bids @ LCC 2013-06-24

Audio feed was still not available so what you hear, is what I hear at the back of the room… -gretchen

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

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2013, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2013, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
Continue reading →

To rename George Road, first find it @ LCC 2013-06-24

Commissioners had trouble figuring out which road the County Engineer wanted to rename, and which roads had already been closed, at this morning’s Lowndes County Commission Regular Session.

Commissioner Crawford Powell questioning County Engineer Mike Fletcher


View Larger Map
6.a. Renaming George Road (CR #105)

There are two George Roads in the county and residents want to change the name of this one to Caney(?) Branch Road. There were some questions from Commissioners, mostly about where that road is. Commissioner Crawford Powell kept asking if it was a continuation of Corbett Road. County Engineer Mike Fletcher said no, and the part of Corbett Road Powell was thinking of was closed. Apparently the Commission has closed so many roads even the Commissioners can’t keep track of which they are.

If the Commissioners, with their packets in front of them, were confused, Continue reading →