Tag Archives: Regular Session

Introduction of Sheila Cook @ LCC 2012 02 28

Not on the agenda, Chairman Ashley Paulk invited Sheila Cook up to introduce herself as an applicant for appointment to the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Addictive Diseases Region Four Planning Board.

I currently work in Lowndes County at Pine Grove Middle School as a special education teacher. I’ve been teaching for nine years.

She gave a rather complete resume, including education, professional experience, about her son who is twelve who is autistic, and about a woman who lived with her who has cerebral palsy.

Commissioner Crawford Powell, wanted to know whether travel would be a problem, since the meetings are usually in Thomasville. She answered not as long as the times don’t conflict with school.

I believe I’ve heard Commissioner Joyce Evans say in Commission meetings previously that it would be good for potential appointees to appear in Commission meetings beforehand. Congratulations to Commissioner Evans and the Commission for transparency in appointments.

Here’s the video:


Introduction of Sheila Cook, Regular Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 28 February 2012.
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE).

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Light agenda at Valdosta City Council tonight 2012 03 08

A very light agenda tonight: an award, two rezonings, and
5.b. Consideration of a request to approve the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Fiscal Year 2012 Annual Action Plan.
Plus of course, Citizens to be Heard.

They heard some citizens Tuesday, as Drive Away CCA honked at City Hall.

Here’s the agenda.

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AGENDA REGULAR MEETING OF THE VALDOSTA CITY COUNCIL
5:30 PM Thursday, March 8, 2012
COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL
Continue reading →

County Commission votes tonight

Yesterday morning’s Lowndes County Commission work session lasted only eight (8) minutes, as you can see in the videos. Maybe they will say more tonight.

Here’s the agenda.

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Valdosta Mayor and Council are implicated in the private prison —John S. Quarterman @ VCC 2012 02 23

Valdosta City Council and Mayor, who may not have been following the private prison issue, now know about it and are aware that they are all implicated in the private prison decision, due to events at the Industrial Authority board meeting and the Valdosta City Council meeting, both Thursday 23 February 2012.

After remarking that I’d rather be talking about the additional solar panels recently installed on my farm workshop up here in the north end of the county, I recapped the case against a private prison and referred the Valdosta City Council to my LTE in the VDT of that morning (Thursday 23 February 2012). I remarked that I was disappointed the Industrial Authority hadn’t done anything to stop the prison at its meeting earlier that same day. Since they might be wondering what all this had to do with them, I pointed out that, if I could use the word, they were all implicated as mayor and council in the private prison decision because Jay Hollis, CCA’s Manager of Site Acquisition, in his Valdosta-Lowndes County, GA / CCA Partnership: Prepared Remarks of August 2010, lavishly praised the Lowndes County Commission and Chairman and the Valdosta City Council and mayor. Although the mayor was different now, and maybe some of the council, nonetheless it was the same offices of council and mayor, still implicated. I asked for their opinions on that subject. Per their custom, they did not offer any at that time. So, maybe we’ll hear from them later. Or maybe the Industrial Authority board will hear from them….

Here’s the video:


Valdosta Mayor and Council are implicated in the private prison —John S. Quarterman @ VCC 2012 02 23
VSEB, employment,
Regular Session, Valdosta City Council (VCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 23 February 2012.
Videos by George Boston Rhynes for K.V.C.I., the bostongbr on YouTube.

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VSEB application is too long — John Robinson @ VCC 2012 02 23

John Robinson told the Valdosta City Council that he thought the application for the Valdosta Small Emerging Business (VSEB) Program was too long and complicated compared to the one-page application to do major construction work.

Here’s the video:


VSEB application is too long — John Robinson @ VCC 2012 02 23
VSEB, employment,
Regular Session, Valdosta City Council (VCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 23 February 2012.
Videos by George Boston Rhynes for K.V.C.I., the bostongbr on YouTube.

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Videos of last night’s Lowndes County Commission Regular Session @ LCC 2012 01 24

Yesterday’s Lowndes County Commission Regular Session didn’t last long. Here’s the agenda.

Here’s a playlist:


Videos of last night’s Lowndes County Commission Regular Session @ LCC 2012 01 24
Regular Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 24 January 2012.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

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Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks & Recreation Authority (VLCPRA) 2012 Jan 19

Here are videos of the entire January monthly meeting of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks & Recreation Authority (VLCPRA).

Here’s a playlist:


Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks & Recreation Authority (VLCPRA) 2012 Jan 19
Regular Session, Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks & Recreation Authority (VLCPRA),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 19 January 2012.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

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Commission voted for $128,497.05 road cost overrun without discussion @ LCC 2012 Jan 10

Discrepancy? What discrepancy?

Staff presented the agenda item “7.b. Entrance Gate at Davidson and Roberts Roads”:

Lowndes County received a $2M grant from the Federal Highway Administration for construction of a new Moody AFB entrance gate, the gate to be located located at the intersection of Davidson and Roberts Roads. $477,991 of this money has already been taken for the railroad crossing improvements, leaving a balance of $1.52 million. The low bid is from Scruggs Company, $1,648,497.05.
Wait, what? The low bid is for more than the funds available? Surely somebody will explain that?

Nope, no discussion. Instead, Commissioner Crawford Powell said:

I’ll make a motion we approve the bid as presented by staff.
Commissioner Evans seconded, and they all voted for it. Hey, what $128,497.05 discrepancy?

Here’s Part 1 of 2:


Commission voted for $128,497.05 road cost overrun without discussion @ LCC 2012 Jan 10 Part 1 of 2:
Regular Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 10 January 2012.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

If we look at the previous morning’s work session (9 January 2012), we do find a bit more information. The grant was presented as involving both the Federal Highway Administration and Homeland Security, and:

Mr. Fletcher has additional information.
Continue reading →

3 Appointments to VLC Conference Center and Tourism Authority LCC 2012 Jan 9-10

Who is on the Tourism Authority Board, and why do they have such rapid changeover in executive directors?

The Commissioners considered Monday 9 January and made Tuesday 10 January three appointments to the Tourism Authority: Commissioner Joyce Evans (reappointment), Jerome “Andy” Anderson (reappointment), and Greg Charbeneau apparently to replace Linda Jenson (who had been appointed to fill a vacancy for ? Montgomery).

5.a. Valdosta/Lowndes County Conference Center and Tourism Authority
County Manager Joe Pritchard said at the Tuesday Regular Session that Greg Charbeneau is a Vice President at Wild Adventures. Here’s video of that session:


3 Appointments to VLC Conference Center and Tourism Authority LCC 2012 Jan 10
Regular Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 10 January 2012.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

According to Wild Adventures’ own press release of 29 July 2011 and the VDT 14 August 2011, Greg Charbeneau is also their general manager.

We learned a little more at the Monday Work Session, but not much. Here’s video:


3 Appointments to VLC Conference Center and Tourism Authority LCC 2012 Jan 9
Work Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 9 January 2012.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

VLCCCTA’s own webpage has no indication that such a board even exists, much less Continue reading →

Videos of 10 Jan 2012 LCC Regular Session

The Tuesday 10th January 2012 Lowndes County Commission meeting was pretty brief, except for all the speakers regarding
7. Public Hearings-Abandonment of a portion of Bethany Road (CR 1271)
More about that later.

Here’s the agenda.

Here’s the playlist:

Videos of 10 Jan 2012 LCC Regular Session
Regular Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 10 January 2012.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

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