Tag Archives: hotel/motel tax

Videos: Budget, Court Grants, Stream Credits, Debris, Insurance, Vac-Trailer @ LCC Regular 2024-06-25

Commmissioner Demarcus Marshall asked what were the criteria for selecting firms for the 5.e. Pre-Event Debris Removal Contracts, at the Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission, June 25, 2024.

He also wondered about the timeline for 6.a. Bid for a Vac-Trailer for the Utilities Department.

Those and all the other items passed unanimously.

In her report, County Manager Paige Dukes said the Board of Tax Assessors had received 130 appeals for agricultural assessments.

There was one Citizen Wishing to Be Heard, Marcelle Rosbury of Enoch Lake Circle in Lake Park. She seemed to be complaining about road maintenance.

[Collage @ LCC 25 June 2024]
Collage @ LCC 25 June 2024

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item, with a few notes by Gretchen Quarterman, followed by a LAKE video playlist.

See also the Continue reading

Videos: Budget, Court Grants, Stream Credits, Debris, Insurance, Vac-Trailer @ LCC Work 2024-06-24

Update 2024-07-07: Videos: Budget, Court Grants, Stream Credits, Debris, Insurance, Vac-Trailer @ LCC Regular 2024-06-25.

Lowndes County Commissioners had a few questions about 5.ef. Pre-Event Debris Removal/Monitoring Contracts, in their Work Session of June 24, 2024. The removal and monitoring items were presented together. FEMA requires a monitoring firm to make sure the debris removal firms do the right thing.

FYI, a Vac-Trailer is like a vac truck, but it’s smaller and can get into more places (for sucking up sewage spills).

At the end the Chairman requested an executive session to discuss personnel. That’s interesting, because as noted years ago in a Commission meeting, the Commissioners only have one personnel. Everybody else reports up to the County Manager.

[Collage @ LCC Work Session 24 June 2024]
Collage @ LCC Work Session 24 June 2024

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item, with a few notes by Gretchen Quarterman, followed by a LAKE video playlist.

See also the Continue reading

Packet: Budget, Court Grants, Stream Credits, Debris, Insurance, Vac-Trailer @ LCC 2024-06-24

A million dollars, mostly for property and liability insurance, is on the agenda for the Lowndes County Commission at its Work Session Monday morning at 8:30 AM and it’s voting Regular Session Tuesday at 5:30 PM.

[Collage @ LCC Packet 2024-06-24]
Collage @ LCC Packet 2024-06-24

That and approving the budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Since you didn’t go to the budget hearing week before last, you missed your only chance to comment to them in public before they approve the budget.

Cost What
$951,301.00Request for Proposals (RFP) for Property & Liability Insurance
$96,110.00Bid for a Vac-Trailer for the Utilities Department
$51,300.00Purchase of Stream Credits for Pl # 0016279, Coleman Road NW Paving and Drainage Improvements
$35,354.00Lowndes County Accountability Court Grant Approval and Cash Match
$26,343.00Lowndes County DUI Court Grant Award and Match Approval
$15,000.00Lowndes County Juvenile Accountability Court (LCJAC)
$1,175,408.00Total

Here is the agenda.

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

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2024, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2024, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading

Budget, Bevel Creek Lift Station, Val Tech Road widening, Appointments: ZBOA, Library, VLPRA, Construction @ LCC 2020-06-22

The big item on the Lowndes County Commission agenda for Monday to vote on Tuesday evening is the Adoption of Fiscal Year 2021 Budget totaling $59,443,920, with $22,774,781 or 38% to Public safety, i.e., the Sheriff’s department, including the jail.

[A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE FISCAL YEAR 2021 OPERATING BUDGET]
A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE FISCAL YEAR 2021 OPERATING BUDGET
PDF

The board packet is on the LAKE website after we obtained it through an open records request.

Although I hear the hotel/motel tax is down 80% due to virus pandemic, the Hotel/Motel Tax FY 2021 County Budget Budgeted Proceeds are $400,000.00. They are budget to go to:

$171,429.00 Transfer to Lowndes County’s Special Services Fund from which the County funds (i) services the County provides primarily for the benefit of the unincorporated area and
(ii) the County’s share of funding of services the County and one or more municipalities jointly fund

$171,429.00 Transfer to Valdosta-Lowndes County Conference Center and Tourism Authority
to promote tourism, convention, and trade shows in accordance with the FY 2021 Budget Plan of said Authority for same which is made a part of this Budget Plan

$57,142.00 Transfer to Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority
for capital costs and operating expenses of parks and recreational facilities owned and operated by said Authority

A rare no-match federal grant: Acceptance of FY20 Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding brings the total expected expenditures from this Tuesday’s Regular Session down to less than a quarter million dollars:

Cost What
$148,345.58 Val Tech Road Grading, Drainage, Base and Paving
$82,000.00 Bevel Creek Manhole Emergency Repair
$57,300.00 The Modernization/Upgrade of the Elevator in the Governmental Building
($58,008)
in Federal Funding.
There is no local match requirement.
Acceptance of FY20 Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding
$229,637.58Total

I commend Lowndes County Utilities for moving ahead to fix the recent manhole collapse at the Bevel Creek Lift Station on GA 376 near Loch Laurel Road. See also Sewer line repair between manholes, Bevel Creek Lift Station @ LCC 2020-06-22.

Photo: Terry Richards, The Valdosta Daily Times, Heavy rains cause problems in Lowndes 2020-06-08.
Photo: Terry Richards, The Valdosta Daily Times, Heavy rains cause problems in Lowndes 2020-06-08.

It’s a busy agenda for appointments, to Continue reading

Notes: Special Called Meeting @ LCC 2020-04-16

Twelve minutes for their first-ever dial-in Lowndes County Commission meeting.

That’s longer than many of their in-person meetings, maybe because the Chairman had the Clerk call roll for the Commissioners for each vote. Both votes were unanimous with no discussion. Nobody explained why these items were important enough for a Special Called Meeting.

[Only two items]
Only two items

Before the meeting, in the room they had already Continue reading

Dialin to Special Called Meeting, Lowndes County Commission 2020-04-16 @ LCC 2020-04-16

Update 2020-04-16: LAKE Notes taken during the conference call.

Something good out of a pandemic: the first-ever telephone listen-in for a Lowndes County Commission meeting.

[With dialin instructions]
With dialin instructions

I assume listen-in because there is no Citizens To Be Heard on the agenda. While Madison County, Florida, BOCC, weeks ago had a participatory conference call meeting, I can’t imagine Lowndes County Commission doing that.

The only agenda items are how to spend the Hotel/Motel Tax (assuming there is any) for Tourism, and paying for right of way (ROW) for one parcel so TSPLOST paving of Clyattstone Road and Simpson Lane can continue. I don’t know why that one paving project is so important.

Special Called Meeting
April 16, 2020, 9:30 AM
@ In an effort to respect social distancing, a conference call line has been set up for this meeting. The call in number 813-769-0500 and the access code is 373-829-614#

There are only two items being addressed due to them needing immediate attention.

More Details

That “More Details” link goes to a page that has exactly the same information.

Agenda

However, unlike most Special Called Meetings, for this one they did post an agenda. We don’t know whether they will video the meeting. That would be good, since LAKE can’t go into the building to do that. See also Continue reading