Tag Archives: Valdosta

County revenue and property tax appeals –Craig Cardella @ LCC 2015-03-24

9. CWTBH - Craig Cardella A local citizen got cut off just as he said the county attorney’s opinion was he could interpret state law about property taxes however he wished, in the 24 March 2015 Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission.

9. Citizens Wishing to be Heard-Please State Your Name and Address

Video. Craig Cardella’s concern was that the County Commission does not have enough money to do things that are important to the community. He said he had given a similar talk to Valdosta Mayor and Council recently. He said he had been a city manager in the past, and had worked in and around local government nearly all his career.

In 2009 GA State Senate authorized Continue reading →

Videos: Fire aid, drinking, driving, and air conditioning @ LCC 2015-03-24

One citizen got cut off just as he said the county attorney thought he could interpret state law however he liked. In addition to the Lake Park Fire Department Automatic Aid Agreement the County Manager asked at the Work Session to add to agenda, they also added Southern Region Traffic Enforcement Network (SRTEN). Plus not on the agenda there was recognition of student guests. See also the previous morning’s Work Session Keep Lowndes-Valdosta Beautiful cleanup presentation. They meet again this morning.

Also voted on two weeks ago were changes to the speed zone ordinance, a GEMA grant application, a proposal for engineering services for Exits 22 and 29, HVAC for county buildings, and a liquor license. Here’s the agenda with links to the videos and a few notes.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015  8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 2015 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading →

Meter installation for Alton Burns’ solar installation, Coolidge, Thomas County, GA

300x225 Ron Jackson, Alton Burns, John S. Quarterman, in Alton Burns' solar panels, by Alton Burns, 13 February 2015 The same day I wondered if Grady EMC demanding extra insurance was even legal, solar pioneer Alton Burns posted this comment:

Thank You Mr. John Quaterman as I commented on face-book, I talked to Mr. Rex Robertson with Grady EMC today and he told me that the EMC will install my bi-directional meter next week. I ask him, ”how many customers does Grady EMC serve?” he told me 13,000 and then I ask, “how many have solar?” he replied 4. That makes me a solar pioneer and this installation sets the precedence for those who follow. Once again Thank You very Much! Alton Paul Burns

Continue reading →

Videos: KLVB, Drinking, driving, and air conditioning @ LCC 2015-03-23

Keep Lowndes-Valdosta Beautiful did cleanups in wetlands in both the Withlacoochee and the Alapaha River watersheds, plus at exit 22, and the general illegal trash dumping situation came up. Did the county change the speed limit on your road? The County Engineer said only in one area, but they didn’t publish the list. Also discussed were a GEMA grant application, a proposal for engineering services for Exits 22 and 29, HVAC for county buildings, and a liquor license. Here’s the agenda with links to the videos and a few notes.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015  8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 2015 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading →

Alton Burns’ solar installation, Coolidge, Thomas County, GA

300x225 Sign panels, in Alton Burns' solar panels, by Alton Burns, 13 February 2015 Ron Jackson of South GA Solar Power of Valdosta installed these solar panels for Alton Burns of Coolidge, in Thomas County, GA.

Last I heard, Grady Electric Membership Corporation had still not done the grid connect, 8 weeks later. Something about wanting insurance. Colquitt EMC never asked for that when they connected my panels. Continue reading →

Baseball and water; electric sign withdrawn @ ZBOA 2015-04-07

Today at 2:30 PM, the owner of the baseball diamond west of Hahira is not expected to appear, because he’s working. If you want to see him, try Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York, tomorrow evening. There’s a water connection variance on Jumping Gully Road, and the electric company parking variance on Norman Drive in Valdosta tabled last month has been withdrawn.

Here’s the agenda, which oddly is not yet on the City of Valdosta website. Continue reading →

Videos: Goodwyne and Subaru and Williams Signs @ ZBOA 2015-03-03

Videos of ZBOA decisions on one single-family residence and a car dealership sign in the county, and an electric company sign parking variance in the city. They meet again this afternoon.

Here’s the agenda, with decisions, followed by the videos. Continue reading →

Alapahoochee Historic Farm Heritage Days 2015-04-10

300x413 Flyer, in Alapahoochee Historic Farm Heritage Days, by John S. Quarterman, 10 April 2015 25th Semi-Annual Alapahoochee Historic Farm/Heritage Days will take place April 10-11 from 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Located at 202 Bethel Church Road in Echols County.

Here’s their flyer on their facebook page. Continue reading →

Stanford aluminum battery

Another entrant in the battery race to clean energy storage.

Mark Shwartz, Stanford PR, 6 April 2015, Aluminum battery from Stanford offers safe alternative to conventional batteries: The new aluminum-ion battery could replace many of the lithium-ion and alkaline batteries in wide use today.

Stanford University scientists have invented the first high-performance aluminum battery that’s fast-charging, long-lasting and inexpensive. Researchers say the new technology offers a safe alternative to many commercial batteries in wide use today.

“We have developed a rechargeable aluminum battery that may replace existing storage devices, such as alkaline batteries, which are bad for the environment, and lithium-ion batteries, which occasionally burst into flames,” said Hongjie Dai, a professor of chemistry at Stanford. “Our new battery won’t catch fire, even if you drill through it.”

Although drilling would produce aluminum dust, which isn’t exactly benign. However, point taken.

Personally, I still prefer Continue reading →

Sabal Trail front page Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Now that Atlanta has finally taken notice there’s even more reason to repel these pipeline invaders. 300x434 Page A1, in Sabal Trail front page Atlanta Journal-Constitution, by John S. Quarterman, 3 April 2015 There’s still time to submit an amicus brief for the court case in Leesburg, Georgia. And time to file an ecomment or an out-of-time motion to intervene against Sabal Trail. Or against Elba Island LNG or against Transco and Atlanta Gas Light’s Dalton Expansion Project. Or to oppose Kinder Morgan’s southeast Georgia Palmetto oil pipeline at the Georgia Department of Transportation or GA-EDP. Both those state agencies have to provide permits for Sabal Trail to get the Georgia emininent domain it demands in Leesburg, so they are relevant to Sabal Trail, as well, as is your opinion and those of all local elected governments in Georgia.

Dan Chapman, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 3 April 2015, Pipeline project fuels fight on state’s future,

Regardless of route, Sabal Trail opponents fear pipeline construction could create sinkholes Continue reading →