I really support this idea. Initially, I was concerned about it, because
I know that things like the SCRAM bracelet and the ignition interlock
devices are very expensive to install and maintain, especially if you
consider the costs involved with probation fees. $213.00/month may not
sound like a lot of money to some people, but it is a king’s ransom
to others (saying $7.00/day makes it seem more manageable). Still,
allowing non-violent offenders the opportunity to work and rehabilitate
themselves outside of a prison is a big step forward in the philosophy
of crime and punishment in this county, in my opinion.
Tuesday the Lowndes County Commission approved ankle bracelet monitoring
for nonviolent jail inmates so they can serve the rest of their time
outside the jail, putting them in a better environment and
decreasing expenses at the Sheriff’s office.
This sounds like a good idea.
I have not expressed an opinion because,
as Barbara Stratton pointed out,
the public doesn’t really know what was in the proposal County Commissioners
got in their agenda packet.
However, I would like to compliment Commissioner Joyce Evans about trying to do
something about nonviolent prisoners.
Summarizing the
ankle monitoring discussion of Monday morning,
County Manager Joe Pritchard Tuesday evening asked the Lowndes County Commission
to approve continued work by county staff with the Sheriff’s office in implementing
an ankle monitoring system to move some inmates out of the county jail.
Commissioner Richard Raines gave the credit to Commissioner
Joyce Evans for both proposing a drug court and for
proposing ankle monitoring.
Commissioner Evans declined comment but did make the motion,
seconded by Commissioner Powell, and approved unanimously.
I’m a super fan of planning,
and I’m a fan of the
Comprehensive Plan.
I think that if we don’t know where we are going,
and we don’t have a plan on how we’re gonna get there,
we’re not gonna get there.
And the five year plan that tells us exactly what we’re going to
in the next five years to get to our 2030 plan is a groovy idea.
So that part I’m in favor of.
I’ve been over this document pretty thoroughly with Jason,
and I still have some questions outstanding which I’m sure
that they’ll get resolved.
He’s been super helpful.
The one thing I talked to Mr. Raines about and I would encourage
the other Commissioners to consider is that in section 4.5.1,
at least that’s what I have it on my document.
Investigate
Here are videos for the entire Lowndes County Commission
Regular Session of Tuesday 13 December 2011.
Gretchen took these using a new camera with fast stop-start,
high zoom, and taking audio input directly from the county’s own
microphones.
How do you like it?
Videos for Lowndes County Commission 13 December 2011
Regular Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 13 December 2011.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
The
Zoning Board of Appeals decided unanimously at its 6 December 2011 meeting
to publish its agendas and minutes on the City of Valdosta’s website.
This item was not on the agenda, but members of such a board can make motions
anyway.
Member Gretchen Quarterman suggested it.
Valdosta City Planner Matt Martin said they could do it no problem.
Discussion ensued.
They all agreed to post agends before their meetings,
and to post minutes after they are approved (usually at the next meeting,
a month later).
Maybe other local boards and authorities will follow this example.
Left to right:
Laverne Gaskins (V), Gretchen Quarterman (L),
Paul Alvarado (V), Allan Strickland, Chair (V),
Nancy Hobby (V), Dave Kirk (L),
Carmella Braswell (Lowndes County Zoning Administrator),
Matt Martin (Valdosta City Planning and Zoning Administrator).
Absent: Scott Orenstein, Vice-Chair (V), Dr. William Houseal (L).
L: Lowndes County appointee.
V: Valdosta appointee.
ZBOA decides to publish agendas and minutes on Valdosta website
Agendas and Minutes,
Regular Session, Valdosta-Lowndes County Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBOA),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 6 December 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
Here’s a video playlist for the entire Greater Lowndes Planning Commission
(GLPC) Regular Session of 28 November 2011.
We’ve already blogged a couple of them separately:
Video playlist, GLPC 28 November 2011
Comprehensive Plan,
Regular Session, Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 28 November 2011.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
We’re not done working on this.
But if you think it’s time to bring it before y’all.
Later, at about 11:40 in, Davenport clarified:
And the only that’s different right now is Lowndes County.
Because Lowndes County did not hold
a public hearing as required, so we’re on a different timeline.
And if Mrs. Quarterman would have given me about until December 13th
she would have seen that.
Because our initial resolution was not the same as the other communities.
We’re on a little bit of a different timeline
because we have to address that issue.
That’s one thing;
the county in this instance will be handled a little different
than some of the smaller cities and Valdosta.
Anyway, the County Planner has said there will be a public hearing.
However, remember it was the County Chairman who said that
the public hearing item on the agenda was not really a public hearing.
It’s the Chairman, not the Planner,
who sets the agendas for the County Commission.
We’ll see what’s on the 13th December County Commission Agenda,
and whether it really is handled as a public hearing in that meeting.
Then GLPC Board Member John Page expressed his concerns:
Continue reading →
After Valdosta and Hahira City Planner Matt Martin explained
how all the local city governments had or were going to have
hearings about their
Comprehensive Plan Short Term Work Program updates,
the GLPC Chairman asked if any citizens wanted to speak on that topic.
One citizen did, Gretchen Quarterman.
She apologized for missing the September GLPC meeting
because she would have raised some of these issues then.
I have an appointment with [Lowndes County Planner] Jason [Davenport]
tomorrow to address some of my questions.
But I want to let you know that at the County Commission
did not hold a public hearing after the changes.
I was at the [Valdosta] City Council meeting,
and the City Council did hold a public hearing,
but the County Commission did not.
And I believe that is
in violation of DCA’s guidelines.
They sent a transmission letter that said they followed
DCA’s guidelines.
DCA’s guidelines say hold a public hearing.
It was on the agenda, the public hearing, but no public hearing was held.
So I didn’t have an opportunity to see
the document, or to comment, before the county sent it.
She said she would provide written comments to Jason the next morning,
and asked if GLPC would like to hear some of them.
They said they would, so she read some of them.
For example:
In Section 1.3 it was struck from the document:
Ensure supporting senior services such as health care,
I repeatedly apologized to County Planner Jason Davenport
about an earlier misunderstanding about the
“public hearing” agenda item, which the Chairman stated was not really
a public hearing and for which no citizens were allowed to speak:
7.b. Greater Lowndes 2030 Comprehensive Plan Updates – Lowndes County Report of Accomplishments (ROA) and Short Term Work Program (STWP)
Then I said:
Transparent government is totally what my heart is about.
And I think that people trust the government more when we can see
the business done in public.
And I really appreciate when you do things in public and you ask questions
in the work sessions so everybody can hear.
The lone citizen to be heard, Gretchen Quarterman, thanked commissioners
for their observance of open government and apologized to County Planner
Jason Davenport for things she said to him prior to the meeting, due to
a “misunderstanding,” she said.
After the meeting adjourned, Chairman Ashley Paulk apologized to me in public
Continue reading →
Before any rezoning case gets to the Lowndes County Commission
or the Valdosta City Council for final approval,
it first goes to the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC),
an appointed advisory body that decides nothing, yet has
significant weight in the decisions of the elected bodies.
Here’s
a playlist for the GLPC 29 August 2011 meeting.
I would post an agenda, but
where those used to be
there is now this cryptic red comment:
As of July 1, 2011 there will be no more updates to this site. For question contact:
I would label these videos, but that’s difficult to do without an agenda.
There’s
a GLPC meeting tonight; maybe they’ll have an agenda for that
at the door.
GLPC: Greater Lowndes Planning Commission, 29 August 2011
Regular Session, Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 29 August 2011.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
I know that things like the SCRAM bracelet and the ignition interlock devices are very expensive to install and maintain, especially if you consider the costs involved with probation fees. $213.00/month may not sound like a lot of money to some people, but it is a king’s ransom to others (saying $7.00/day makes it seem more manageable). Still, allowing non-violent offenders the opportunity to work and rehabilitate themselves outside of a prison is a big step forward in the philosophy of crime and punishment in this county, in my opinion.
