Tag Archives: juvenile justice

Videos: Academy Drive septic tank citizen request, Glenn Road, Valencia Street, Kinderlou Clyattville Road Paving @ LCC Regular 2024-06-11

Citizen Patricia Scoby doesn’t want to have to elevate her septic tank. However, the Board of Roads and Revenue, excuse me, the Lowndes County Commission doesn’t have much say over that: that’s the Health Department. But the Health Department should have taken into account the changed drainage such mounds cause.

[Collage @ LCC 11 June 2024]
Collage @ LCC 11 June 2024

The regular agenda breezed through unanimously at the 11-minute Regular Session. Commissioner Demarcus Marshall was absent.

Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker did want to know what are the ingress and egress points for 5.a. REZ-2024-13 Carter, 6128 Glenn Road, 4.72ac, E-A to R-1, Well – Septic. No citizens spoke for or against in its Public Hearing.

For the 6.a. Valencia Street Quitclaim Deeds, Gretchen wondered, “Personally, I’m curious why the commission abandoned that little bit (one lot’s worth) of Valencia Street.” The board packet for this latest Regular Session included the relevant excerpt from the Minutes of the September 27, 2005, Regular Session. Gretchen quoted it, but it also does not say why. In the latest Regular Session, County Engineering Services Director Chad McLeod said the adjoining landowners asked for the quitclaim deeds, but he did not say why the road was abandoned back in 2005.

FYI, the Agenda Center on lowndescounty.com only goes back to 2012. If you want to see earlier minutes, you either have to file an open records request or have already done so, as LAKE did years ago.

for 7.a. PI# 0016278 Kinderlou Clyattville Road Paving and Drainage Improvements, Chairman Bill Slaughter wanted to know if it was within the budget. Answer: no, but TIA says it’s within the inflationary amount, so TIA will cover the difference.

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: Career Academy, Glenn Road Rezoning, Valencia Street Abandonment, Kinderlou Clyattville Road paving @ LCC Work 2024-06-10

Update 2024-06-18: Regional College & Career Academy Update –Mary Beth Brownlee of OVL to LCC 2024-06-10.

Update 2024-06-13: Videos: Academy Drive septic tank citizen request, Glenn Road, Valencia Street, Kinderlou Clyattville Road Paving @ LCC Regular 2024-06-11.

Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker wondered why there was a $2 million difference between the two bids for 7.a. PI# 0016278 Kinderlou Clyattville Road Paving – Drainage Improvements. Engineering Services Director Chad McLeod says it’s because Reames owns property near the site, which greatly reduces their cost to move materials there.

[Collage @ LCC 10 June 2024]
Collage @ LCC 10 June 2024

About 24 minutes of the 34-minute Work Session yesterday morning was a presentation not on the agenda. Mary Beth Brownlee, Executive Director of One Valdosta-Lowndes (OVL), told the Lowndes County Commission about a proposed Regional College and Career Academy. Continue reading

Videos: Four Citizens, Permitting and Inspections Ordinances and fees, Water main extension, Service contracts, court grants, and a fire truck @ LCC Regular

The July 25, 2023, Lowndes County Commission Regular Session took half an hour, only because four citizens spoke: one about tax assessments, one about youth advisory council, and two about voting machines.

[Collage @ LCC 25 July 2023]
Collage @ LCC 25 July 2023

Commissioners approved every item unanimously, spending more than $10 million, mostly on 7.a. Exit 13 Touchton Road Water Main Extension.

The only discussion was when Commissioner Scottie Orenstein asked if it was the original Engine 10 and Commissioner Wisenbaker asked how the exhaust could fail.

Commissioner Demarcus Marshall was absent.

County Manager Paige Dukes 8. Reports – County Manager praised staff for the new Permitting and Inspections Ordinances, but did not say where they might be found on lowndescounty.com. She also extolled the rollout of the new county website at the same URL. Maybe permitting is on there under Services, which leads to Technical Standards under Engineering.

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 LAKE videos of the previous morning’s Work Session and the agenda and board packet. Continue reading

Videos: Probate, Permitting and Inspections Ordinances and fees, Water main extension, Service contracts, court grants, and a fire truck

Update 2023-08-07: Videos: Four Citizens, Permitting and Inspections Ordinances and fees, Water main extension, Service contracts, court grants, and a fire truck @ LCC Regular 2023-07-25.

By far the longest item at yesterday morning’s Work Session of the Lowndes County Commission was 4. Recognition of Pretrial, Probation, – Parole Supervision. That item accounted for about five minutes of the sixteen-minute meeting.

They vote tonight at 5:30 PM.

[Collage @ LCC 24 July 2023]
Collage @ LCC 24 July 2023

They didn’t say where the Permitting and Inspections Ordinances might be found on lowndescounty.com.

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 Permitting and Inspections Ordinances and fees, Water main extension, Service contracts, court grants, and a fire truck @ LCC Packet 2023-07-24. Continue reading

Permitting and Inspections Ordinances and fees, Water main extension, Service contracts, court grants, and a fire truck @ LCC Packet 2023-07-24

Update 2023-07-25: Videos: Probate, Permitting and Inspections Ordinances and fees, Water main extension, Service contracts, court grants, and a fire truck 2023-07-24.

No rezonings, but something much more pervasive at this week’s Lowndes County Commission meetings: Permitting and Inspections Ordinances and a Building Permit Fee Schedule.

[Collage, LCC Packet, 2023-07-24]
Collage, LCC Packet, 2023-07-24

And $10 million in expenditures, mostly on a water main extension.

Cost What
$9,754,718.88Exit 13 Touchton Road Water Main Extension
$489,310.00 Motorola SUAII (Evergreen)
$346,372.00Acceptance of FY24 Juvenile Justice Incentive Grant Funding
$64,205.17Fire Rescue Engine 10 Emergency Repair
$50,000.00Approval of FY24 Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Grant Application
$28,892.56 Vertiv Service Contract for the Liebert UPS at the 911 Center & the Four Tower Sites
$10,733,498.61Total

Here is the agenda.www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/loco/2023-07-24–lcc-packet”>on the LAKE website.

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, JULY 24, 2023, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, JULY 25, 2023, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading

Videos: Animals, Juveniles, Golf Course, Subdivision infrastructure, solid waste, and alcohol @ LCC Regular 2023-04-25

The Lowndes County Commission breezed through approving everything unanimously two weeks ago.

There was some further discussion in Reports about the county taking over management of the Moody AFB golf course and some other items.

[Collage @ LCC 25 April 2023]
Collage @ LCC 25 April 2023

Then in Citizens Willing to Be Heard, Veterinarian Dr. Amanda Hall spoke about changes in state law regarding animal control, including about what counts as a breeder. And it is now unlawful to tether animals during inclement weather or mental distress, but that is not being enforced. She recommended Lowndes County revise its local animal control ordinance to be in line with the noise ordinance.

She recently learned the county was budgeting $7 million for a new animal shelter. She said there was much lower hanging fruit than that, such as updating the ordinance to use ideas that work elsewhere.

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 Continue reading

Videos: Juveniles, Golf Course, Subdivision infrastructure, solid waste, and alcohol @ LCC Work 2023-04-24

Update 2023-05-08: Videos: Animals, Juveniles, Golf Course, Subdivision infrastructure, solid waste, and alcohol @ LCC Regular 2023-04-25 2023-04-25.

Surprise housing!

Two weeks ago, the longest regular business item at the Lowndes County Commission Work Session was 6.a. FY2024 Juvenile Justice Incentive Grant, mostly because Judge Council wanted to mention a first quarter success rate of 86%, and a second quarter success rate of 79%.

Also taking more than a minute were 6.b. Quiet Pines Golf Course Agreement for Lowndes County to operate that course for Moody AFB, and the alcohol license for Twin Lakes Club & Grill, for which they went through various scenarios requiring a new license.

[Collage @ LCC 24 April 2023]
Collage @ LCC 24 April 2023

Unscheduled under 7. Reports was a seven-minute surprise report on affordable housing. Mark Stalvey from the Housing Authority and Rhett Holmes from IDP Properties (the low income housing tax credit developer) gave a presentation on a new development at the corner of South Troupe Street and Griffin Ave. They are working on a phase two and asked for financial support in the form of $1,000,000 low interest loans. Similar to Freedom Heights on Bemiss Road which is both market rate and rent controlled units.

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 Continue reading

Packet: Alcohol, Juveniles, Golf Course, Subdivision infrastructure, and solid waste @ LCC 2023-04-24

Update 2023-05-08: Videos: Juveniles, Golf Course, Subdivision infrastructure, solid waste, and alcohol @ LCC Work 2023-04-24.

Just after I posted the agenda and mentioned that Lowndes County was past the three days limit state law requires for a response (and I also sent them an email reminder), the county sent the board packet.

The board packet is on the LAKE website.

[Packet Collage @ LCC 2023-04-24]
Packet Collage @ LCC 2023-04-24

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Investigative reporting costs money, for open records requests, copying, web hosting, gasoline, and cameras, and with sufficient funds we can pay students to do further research. You can donate to LAKE today!
http://www.l-a-k-e.org/blog/donate

Agenda: Alcohol, Juveniles, Golf Course, Subdivision infrastructure, and solid waste @ LCC 2023-04-24

Update 2023-04-23: Packet: Alcohol, Juveniles, Golf Course, Subdivision infrastructure, and solid waste @ LCC 2023-04-24.

Here’s a rare Lowndes County Commission session where the total amount of taxpayers dollars being considered to spend is zero.

Cost What
$368,179.20 FY2024 Juvenile Justice Incentive Grant
-$368,179.20 Reimbursed 100% by CJCC
$0.00Total

That of course ignores future road and utility maintenance costs for Quarterman Estates Subdivision Phase 4, Section 1 and Grove Pointe Subdivision Phase 5, Section 3, plus whatever it will cost for the county to run the Quiet Pines Golf Course for Moody AFB. Lowndes County already operates Moody AFB’s wastewater treatment plant.

[Agenda @ LCC 2023-04-24]
Agenda @ LCC 2023-04-24

Here is the agenda. We have no board packet to show you, because there has been no response to the LAKE open records request of 8:00 AM Tuesday, four working days ago, even though the Georgia Open Records Act (GORA) requires a response within three days.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, APRIL 24, 2023, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 2023, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading

Videos: One Valdosta-Lowndes funding, Hayden Park rezoning @ LCC 2022-04-26

At their Regular Session, Chairman Bill Slaughter pulled 7.a. One Valdosta Lowndes Community-Wide Initiative up front on the Lowndes County Commission agenda, because at least one of the OVL VIPs had another meeting: One Valdosta-Lowndes Co-Chairs VSU President Dr. Richard Carvajal and Georgia Power’s Scott Purvis, as well as Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber President Christie Moore. At least one of them left immediately after the Commissioners approved $200,000 total over five years to the Chamber to support OVL.

The County’s audio feed in the back of the room was again not working, so audio is whatever the LAKE video camera could pick up.

[OVL, Hayden Park rezoning]
OVL, Hayden Park rezoning

Commissioners discussed the one rezoning, Continue reading