Tag Archives: TSPLOST

Videos: Water treatment upgrade because GA-EPD Consent Order, Lift Station Pump Repair, Condemnation along Twin Lakes Road, VAWA, Extension Office, Red Cross @ LCC Work 2026-01-26

The longest items at the Work Session this morning were 11 minutes of 6.a. Extension Office Update By Joshua Dawson and 8 minutes of 6.b. American Red Cross Update By Jacqueline Shoemaker.

If you weren’t there, you can only see them here in these LAKE videos, since the Lowndes County Commission does not publish videos of its Work Sessions.

They vote tomorrow evening at 5:30 PM, on spending $214,412.00 on the Spring Creek plant and $24,400.00 on a sewage pump repair at the Peterson Road Lift Station.

If they don’t make a deal before then, they’ll vote on paying $12,400.00 as a condemnation price to get some road and drainage right of way along Twin Lakes Road.

Plus there’s $26,371.00 cash match for a VAWA grant.

Other items include a resolution to sell surplus water meters and a Special Assessment Rate for 2026.

Collage @ LCC Work 26 January 2026

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

Packet: Water treatment upgrade because GA-EPD Consent Order, Lift Station Pump Repair, Condemnation along Twin Lakes Road, VAWA, Extension Office, Red Cross @ LCC 2026-01-26

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Update 2026-01-26: Videos: Water treatment upgrade because GA-EPD Consent Order, Lift Station Pump Repair, Condemnation along Twin Lakes Road, VAWA, Extension Office, Red Cross @ LCC Work 2026-01-26.

No rezonings this week, but plenty of purchases, resolutions, and a grant, on the agenda for the Lowndes County Commission.

Their Work Session is Monday morning, and they vote Tuesday evening in their Regular Session.

The county is under a GA-EPD Consent Order about drinking water. This is revealed by the agenda packet page for 5.a. Spring Creek Water Treatment Plant Design Build Project. Neither the board packet materials nor the ad for bids mentions where this is. However, previous research indicates it’s the well with water tower at 4245 Hattie Pl, Valdosta, GA 31605, near a creek that runs west by Pine Grove Middle School to the Withlacoochee River.

They will vote on spending $214,412.00 on the Spring Creek plant and $24,400.00 on a sewage pump repair at the Peterson Road Lift Station.

The packet materials don’t say where the Peterson Road Lift Station is, either, but it appears to be in the southeast corner of 6201 Peterson Road, east of the I-75 Georgia Visitor Center. The sign on the fence says Roadway Lift Station.

And the county thinks $12,400.00 is a fair condemnation price to get some road and drainage right of way along Twin Lakes Road.

That’s about a quarter million dollars they may approve Tuesday, before even adding in the $26,371.00 cash match for a VAWA grant.

Packet: Water treatment upgrade because GA-EPD Consent Order, Lift Station Pump Repair, VAWA, Twin Lakes Road Condemnation @ LCC 2026-01-26

Cost	What
$214,412.00	Spring Creek Water Treatment Plant Design Build Project
$26,371.00	Approval of the Solicitor General's FY26 VAWA Continuation Grant Application
$24,400.00	Peterson Road Lift Station Pump Repair
$12,400.00	Condemning Right of Way and Drainage Easement for Twin Lakes Road TSPLOST Paving Project; Parcel 3
$277,583.00	Total

Here is the agenda.

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

You may wonder, as I do, why doesn’t the county put its board packets on its own website?

Maybe you’d like to ask your County Commissioners that question.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, JANUARY 26, 2026, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2026, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
Continue reading →

Videos: 2 of 4 Presentations, 4 Appointments, 2 Rezonings, 1 Dec. Lighting, 16 For Consideration, 1 Pump Station Upgrade @ LCC Regular 2025-12-09

Could be a record: an hour and 14 minutes for Tuesday’s Lowndes County Commission Regular Session.

After many months, they had Recognition of return of Commissioner Joyce Evans. She is clearly still recovering from her medical issues, but Commissioner Demarcus Marshall wheeled her in. She didn’t say anything then, but, then, she seldom does. She did thank them at the end of the meeting.

Collage @ LCC 9 December 2025

The did not reappoint incumbent Tommy Willis to the Planning Commission. Instead they appointed John “Mac” McCall by a vote of 3-2. As near as I can tell, Commissioners Mark Wisenbaker and Demarcus Marshall were the 2.

By acclamation they reappointed incumbent Felicia Williams to the Lowndes County Board Of Assessors. Nobody even nominated Gretchen Quarterman. Ms. Williams later spoke about the Tax Commissioners in Citizens Wishing to Be Heard (CWTBH).

Mr. Gary Wisenbaker was appointed to the Lowndes County Library Board after he recused himself from the vote.

The seat reserved for Wild Adventures on the Valdosta-Lowndes County Conference Center And Tourism Authority had a new WA General Manager appointed: Donald Spiller III.

The meeting length was because of many agenda items, some postponed from last month, some because there’s only one Regular Session in each of November and December, and some year-end items.

The only item that took more than ten minutes was Continue reading →

Videos: 4 Presentations, 4 Appointments, 2 Rezonings, 1 Dec. Lighting, 16 For Consideration, 1 Pump Station Upgrade @ LCC Work 2025-12-08

Monday morning’s Work Session took 55 minutes, despite many measures to power through it.

They vote tomorrow (Tuesday) evening at 5:30 PM.

Collage @ LCC 8 December 2025

Lowndes County Chairman Bill Slaughter said two of the presentations would be made Tuesday evening at the Regular Session. Ditto for the appointments to four boards.

They did spend almost nine minutes on 7.b. REZ-2025-16 2480 Copeland Rd, ~18ac, R-10/C To R-10, for example about ingress and egress.

And almost six minutes on 8.k. 2026 Public Defender Contracts, which they moved to the front of section 8 because the presenter had to get to another appointment.

Plus more than three minutes each on three other items.

If I heard correctly, 8.g. Transportation Investment Act (TIA) Val Del Road Widening, they’re going to four-lane at least part of Val Del Road.

They said the reason 8.h. Design-Build Contract For Lowndes County Animal Shelter. took this long because of requiring the contractor to stay within a tight budget.

Commissioners had some cost questions about 8.o. Motorola Migration Assurance Plan (MAP).

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

Videos: Rezonings, Dogs, Roads, and Subdivisions @ LCC Work Session 2025-10-14

At this morning’s Work Session, the Lowndes County Commissioners spent the most time on the Telecommunications Tower on Rocky Ford Road (5:38) and on 6.a. Lowndes County Responsible Dog Ownership Ordinance.

They vote this evening at 5:30 PM (same day due to Monday being a holiday). Anyone can speak in the two rezoning Public Hearings,

Collage @ LCC 14 October 2025

Commissioner Mike Smith was absent this morning. Commissioner Joyce Evans is still absent due to illness.

They ended with an Executive Session about a potential real estate purchase and attorney-client privilege about potential litigation.

County Manager Paige Dukes mentioned in her Reports that the James Road water main project came out $800,000 under budget. Those funds can be used for other projects in the vicinity. She recommended a change order to work on a water main on Old Clyattville Road. Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker said to proceed.

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

Packet: Rezonings, Dogs, Roads, and Subdivisions @ LCC 2025-10-13

Update 2025-10-14: Videos: Rezonings, Dogs, Roads, and Subdivisions @ LCC Work Session 2025-10-14.

The Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval for both rezonings, but the communications tower rezoning on Rocky Ford Road near Watkins Road has acquired a petition and a lengthy letter of opposition as it goes to the Lowndes County Commission.

The commercial rezoning on Stewart Circle does not seem to have any opposition.

Collage, Packet @ LCC 2025-10-13

The county finally has an agreement to sign with GDOT and CSX about the Old Quitman Highway bridge, which will be paid for and organized by GDOT.

The county thinks it’s ready to sign the Lowndes County Responsible Dog Ownership Ordinance, “Approval of the attached ordinance will eliminate the need for the current citizen review board and move the hearing of these cases to Probate Court.”

There’s a Purchase of Wetland Credits for the Twin Lakes Road Paving Project.

And one of the usual: Acceptance of Infrastructure for The Landings Phase IV, which is 52 lots off of Val Del Road on Landings Circle and Brinlee Way.

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

See also the LAKE videos of the preceding meeting of the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC).

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2025, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2025, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
Continue reading →

Videos: Tourism Authority appointments, rezonings, water repairs, hurricane damage @ LCC Regular 2024-12-10

At their December 10, 2024, Regular Session, the Lowndes County Commission reappointed Rick Williams to the 5.a. Valdosta Lowndes County Conference Center and Tourism Authority, and appointed Amanda Peacock to replace Michael Smith (who was recently elected to join the Lowndes County Commission in 2025)

Collage @ LCC 10 December 2024

There was quite a bit of opposition to 6.a. REZ-2024-18 LSO Invest, 3910 Old US 41 N, ~0.93ac, R-21 to C-C. Previously, GLPC recommended Denial 7:1. Lowndes County Commissioner Scottie Orenstein recused himself. The other County Commissioners unanimously approved this rezoning. Disgruntled citizens filed out, with grumbling and finger pointing at a certain Commissioner.

The applicant withdrew 6.c. REZ-2024-20 Wilson Estate, 5917 Thunder Bowl Rd., ~1.7ac, E-A to R-1.

The Lowndes County Commissioners unanimously approved everything else.

Not on the agenda: Continue reading →

Packet: Tourism Authority appointments, rezonings, water repairs, hurricane damage @ LCC 2024-12-09

Update 2025-01-14: Videos: Tourism Authority appointments, rezonings, water repairs, hurricane damage @ LCC Regular 2024-12-10.

The board packet for the Lowndes County Commission meetings of December 9 and 10, 2024, received in response to a LAKE open records request, is on the LAKE website.

Collage, Packet @ LCC 2024-12-09

See also the agenda and the LAKE videos of the December 9 Work Session.

Plus the packet and LAKE videos of 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

Continue reading →

Videos: Tourism Authority appointments, rezonings, water repairs, hurricane damage @ LCC Work 2024-12-09

Update 2024-12-23: Packet: Tourism Authority appointments, rezonings, water repairs, hurricane damage @ LCC 2024-12-09.

Almost an hour might be a record for the Lowndes County Commission Work Session yesterday morning.

Part of that was three Special Recognitions and a twelve-minute Special Report – Ashley Tye and FEMA Deputy Director, none of them on the agenda.

Collage @ LCC 9 December 2024

The longest actual agenda item was 6.a. REZ-2024-18 LSO Invest, 3910 Old US 41 N, ~0.93ac, R-21 to C-C at three and a half minutes. Remember the Planning Commission voted 7-1 to recommend denial, and I hear the underlying applicant is a County Commissioner.

Then the $3,068,176.54 TSPLOST project, 8.a. PI# 0016279 TIA-07 Coleman Road NW Paving and Drainage Improvements Bids, at three minutes.

All others took less than two minutes each.

They vote tonight at 5:30 PM.

Below are LAKE videos of each agenda item (or Special Recognition), with a few notes by Gretchen Quarterman, followed by a LAKE video playlist.

See also the agenda. Continue reading →

Agenda: Tourism Authority appointments, rezonings, water repairs, hurricane damage @ LCC 2024-12-09

The Lowndes County Commission be busy Monday morning at their Work Session and Tuesday evening at their voting Regular Session.

Collage @ LCC 2024-12-09

It will be interesting to see what they do with REZ-2024-18 LSO Invest, 3910 Old US 41 N, since the Planning Commission voted 7-1 to recommend denial, and I hear the underlying applicant is a County Commissioner.

They will vote on two members for the Valdosta Lowndes County Conference Center and Tourism Authority, one reappointment, and one to replace Michael Smith, who was elected to the Lowndes County Commission.

They will also be voting on close to $5 million, most of it in one paving project, of Coleman Road NW, that one using TSPLOST funds.

The other big ticket items are hurricane damage repair, new motor graders, and several kinds of insurance. Continue reading →

On the LAKE front

Citizen dialog for transparent process by the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange