Tag Archives: Military

Videos: Wild Adventures glamping, AB Motorsports withdrawn, a road abandonment and RoW purchase, Clyattville Community Center, plus alcohol @ LCC 2023-05-08

Big news: One Valdosta-Lowndes has hired an Executive Director, Mary Beth Brownlee, previously with ACCG. See 8. Reports.

Almost three minutes on 5.c. REZ-2023-06 Wild Adventures, 3766 Old Clyattville Road, P-D amendment was the longest at the Lowndes County Commission Work Session yesterday morning. They vote tonight at 5:30 PM.

[Collage @ LCC 8 May 2023]
Collage @ LCC 8 May 2023

In her 8. Reports, County Manager Paige Dukes said for the tire amnesty starting that day (yesterday), people could take tires to either the county or city locations. Ordinary vehicle tires, not for tractors or semi-trucks.

She said the tax assessment notices will go out mid-May. There will be some increases, since 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: Wild Adventures glamping, AB Motorsports withdrawn, a road abandonment and RoW purchase, Clyattville Community Center, plus alcohol @ LCC 2023-05-08

Update 2023-05-09: Videos: Wild Adventures glamping, AB Motorsports withdrawn, a road abandonment and RoW purchase, Clyattville Community Center, plus alcohol @ LCC 2023-05-08.

Update 2023-05-09: Videos: ULDC Updates, AB Motorsports withdrawn, Wild Adventures glamping @ GLPC 2023-04-24.

A Wild Adventures rezoning for glamping will be at the Lowndes County Commission Work Session Monday morning at 8:30 AM and at the voting Regular Session Tuesdahy 5:30 PM. Plus a $50,000 road project to Wild Adventures’ front door is on the agenda.

[Collage @ LCC Packet 2023-05-08]
Collage @ LCC Packet 2023-05-08

The AB Motorsports rezoning was “withdrawn by 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

-jsq

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: James Road rezoning and three water projects @ LCC 2023-03-14

The contentious James Road rezoning passed by 3:2, on March 14, 2023. After speakers for and against, and questions from Lowndes County Commissioners, Commissioner Clay Griner made the motion, and Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker seconded. They and Commissioner Scottie Orenstein voted in favor. Commissioners Joyce Evans and Demarcus Marshall voted against.

[Collage @ LCC 14 March 2023]
Collage @ LCC 14 March 2023

Everything else passed unanimously, including the $1.2 million for three water projects, two for subdivisions with golf clubs, and the most expensive one to run a watermain up Val Del Road, enticing more subdivisions up that way.

Cost What
$980,051.00Val-Del Water Main Extension
$225,910.30Francis Lake Sewer Rehab
$26,585.50Kinderlou Offsite Well Emergency Repair
$1,232,546.80Total

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: James Road rezoning and three water projects @ LCC 2023-03-13

Update 2023-04-04: Videos: James Road rezoning and three water projects @ LCC 2023-03-14.

The board packet for the March 13 and 14, 2023, sessions of the Lowndes County Commission is on the LAKE website, received in response to a LAKE open records request.

[Collage, Board Packet, LCC 2023-03-13]
Collage, Board Packet, LCC 2023-03-13

It is still mysterious why the county does not put its board packets on its own website. Under Agenda Center for each County Commission agenda there is even a pulldown slot for “Packet”. That currently has only the agenda and the one-page agenda sheets. There is no reason it could not instead have the PDF of the entire board packet.

See also the LAKE videos of the Regular Session, the LAKE videos of the Work Session, the agenda, the minutes, and the preceding Planning Commission meeting.

-jsq

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

Videos: Contentious James Road rezoning @ LCC Work 2023-03-13

This wasn’t even the Public Hearing, which is tomorrow evening. The Lowndes County Commissioners themselves were trying to make sense of the James Road rezoning. Commissioner Demarcus Marshall wanted to know how many floors the current zoning allows, and whether Smith Road would be improved. Two floors and the county has no plans to modify Smith Road at this time.

[Collage @ LCC 13 March 2023]
Collage @ LCC 13 March 2023

Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker wanted to know when James Road got widened. The County Planner said, “prior to 2008, for sure.” The County Manager said, “about fifteen years ago.” Actually, that widening started on February 16, 2009, which is 14 years ago. The County Manager later did produce the date of 2009; apparently the County Attorney looked that up.

The widening happened because of the proposed-in-2007 but-never-built Continue reading →

James Road rezoning, Kinderlou well emergency repair, Francis Lake sewer rehab, Val Del water main extension to McMillan Road @ LCC 2023-03-13

It will be a busy Work Session this morning at the Lowndes County Commission, with a rezoning, an emergency well repair, a sewer main rehab, and yet another water main extension northwards along Val Del Road, pushing sprawl with it.

As usual, they pretend the rezoning will cost the county nothing, yet the vast majority of the more than a million dollars for the water items is for the water main extension, which will result in more rezonings and more subdivisions. This has been the county’s practice on Val Del Road since they pushed water and sewer north for Nelson Hill subdivision. As goes Val Del, so goes the county, if the County Commission continues to have its way.

Cost What
$980,051.00Val-Del Water Main Extension
$225,910.30Francis Lake Sewer Rehab
$26,585.50Kinderlou Offsite Well Emergency Repair
$1,232,546.80Total

I do not have the board packet, because I forgot to send in a GORA request. Why the county does not put its board packets on its own website is mysterious. Under Agenda Center for each County Commission agenda there is even a pulldown slot for “Packet”. That currently has only the agenda and the one-page agenda sheets. There is no reason it could not instead have the PDF of the entire board packet.

[Agenda, James Road rezoning]
Agenda, James Road rezoning

However, the county got around to sending the GLPC materials for the rezoning the day after the GLPC meeting, well after the statutory three day limit for the Georgia Open Records Act (GORA). So those rezoning materials are on the LAKE website.

Here is the agenda. Continue reading →