Tag Archives: Valdosta

Reappointment to GLPC, three rezonings w. Tiger Creek, whose communications tower? @ LCC 2020-09-07

Update 2020-09-09:
Update: rezonings w. Tiger Creek, whose communications tower? @ LCC 2020-09-08

Why is the owner of the planned 300-foot communications tower off US 84 a secret?
The Lowndes County Commission will deliberate on that rezoning and three more
Monday morning at 8:30 AM and vote on it Tuesday at 5:30 PM,
after these rezonings were heard Monday at the Planning Commission.

Why does the agenda sheet for
REZ-2020-11 Bella Mill Plantation, 8450 Ousley Rd.,
next to Tiger Creek and a short distance upstream from the Withlacoochee River,
make no mention of sewage or the size of the septic system relative to the
number of expected attendees at the planned event facility?
Why is there no mention of any speakers against this rezoning, even though
there was at least one at the Planning Commission?

[Conceptual Plan]

Conceptual Plan

PDF

In addition to two other rezonings, the County Commission will most likely

reappoint Tommy Willis to the Planning Commission.

Here is the
agenda.
The entire board packet for Monday and Tuesday
is
on the LAKE website,
along with the minutes for the previous meetings two weeks ago,
in response to a LAKE open records request.
Thanks to new County Clerk Belinda Lovern and Sabrina Denson for speedy responses to such requests.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

PROPOSED AGENDA

WORK SESSION, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2020, 8:30 a.m.

REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2020, 5:30 p.m.

327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

  1. Call to Order Continue reading →

Event facility on Tiger Creek, mystery communications tower @ GLPC 2020-08-31

Update 2020-09-05:
Added to the LAKE website the files on late arrival Southern Tractor.

Lowndes County and Valdosta will hear several rezoning cases this week
that were before the Planning Commission Monday.
The County has
a

a family children partition case,
an

event center for weddings and such next to Tiger Creek,
for which staff recommends four conditions,
a

43.8 acre rezoning for Southern Tractor & Outdoors Valdosta Facility,
and a

300′ communications tower for an unnamed company.

[Tiger Creek and Parcel 0017 096, Tax Assessors Map]

Tiger Creek and Parcel 0017 096, Tax Assessors Map

The GLPC board packet materials for the Lowndes County cases are
on the LAKE website,
thanks to new Lowndes County Clerk Belinda Lovern,
in response to an open records request from LAKE.

The Lake Park and Hahira cases were already heard this week by their Councils and Mayors.

Here is the

agenda.
I’ve interpolated the WRPDO Site Map where I’ve got it
(the county didn’t send anything for REZ-2020-12),
and a Tax Assessors’ map otherwise. Continue reading →

Education, Extension, Prisoners, Fire, Water, Sewer, Nelson Hill, Wages, Taxes, Clerk @ LCC 2020-08-24

A busy
agenda for 8:30 AM Monday morning, with voting 5:30 PM Tuesday,
includes
especially taxes, and

alcohol,

sewer,
twice,

education,

extension agents,

Prison Work Details,
and
Architectural Services for Lowndes County Fire Station #5 – Bemiss Road Fire Station Alterations and Additions.

[Aerial Map]

Aerial Map for Uncle Carlo’s Italian Ristorante, 1024 Lakes Blvd., Lake Park, GA.

Plus appointment of a new
County Clerk, Belinda Lovern,
and Deputy Clerk, Sabrina Denson.
No posting of the positions is mentioned.

Cost What
$147,954.00 Annual Contract Renewal, Georgia Department of Corrections – Prison Work Details
$141,841.00 Contract for Extension Agents and Staff
$110,000.00 Peterson Road Lift Station Emergency Repair
$44,400.00 Architectural Services for Lowndes County Fire Station #5 – Bemiss Road Fire Station Alterations and Additions
$41,840.00 Nelson Hill Discharge Manhole
$5,699.35 Tax Commissioners’ Back Wage Settlement with Department of Labor
$-32,000.00 USDA Building Lease Amendment No. 4
$459,734.35 Total

The Lowndes County Commission is

Repealing Approvals Authorizing the Tax Commissioner to Waive Penalties and Interest,
apparently because of a
Tax Commissioners' Back Wage Settlement with Department of Labor.

After last year’s vote of the people to ask the Georgia legislature to make
the Tax Assessors appointed, not elected, the legislature did that.
Now the County Commission is
setting
the number of Assessors at three, with initial staggered
terms of 3, 4, and 5 years, and after that 3 years for each.

This is after two weeks ago the Lowndes County Commission

rolled back the tax millage rate slightly.

Here is the agenda.
The entire board packet, together with the Minutes of the meetings of two weeks ago (Work Session, Millage Hearing, and Regular Session) is on LAKE website.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

PROPOSED AGENDA

WORK SESSION, MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 2020, 8:30 a.m.

REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2020, 5:30 p.m.

327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading →

Videos: Maybe revisit lowering millage rate @ LCC 2020-08-10

There was pushback on

lowering the millage rate at the Lowndes County Commission Work Session yesterday morning.
They will decide this evening at 5:30 PM at the Regular Session.

The Commissioners, like some of the public, also wanted to know when there will be a new County Clerk.
Answer, from the former County Clerk, Paige Dukes, who is now the County Manager:
not yet; maybe next meeting (two weeks from now).

The $0.9 million low bid from Reames for road paving and a box culvert got no discussion from Commissioners.

The

Scruggs Company was offered a special exception to the Comprehensive Plan;
one that actually makes sense.

Yes, the
Copeland property
backs up to PCA.

The

Verizon tower got no questions from Commissioners.

Below are links to each LAKE video with a few notes,
followed by a LAKE video playlist.
See also the

agenda and board packet,
and the
millage rate hearing at 5PM today (Tuesday).

Millage Rate Meeting @ LCC Millage 2020-08-11

The board packet for the Tuesday Lowndes County Commission Regular Session says,
on page 65, which is the

agenda sheet
for

agenda item 6.a. Adoption of Millage Rate:

HISTORY, FACTS AND ISSUES: The Board of Commissioners is required to set the county-wide millage rate for
2020. A public hearing was held prior to this adoption as required. The county-wide millage should be set at
10.851 mills with the County receiving 8.601 mills, the Industrial Authority receiving 1.00 mill and the Parks
and Recreation Authority receiving 1.25 mills. This represents a reduction of 0.087 mills.

I wondered: when was this public hearing?

[10.851 mills, 8.601 County, 1.00 VLDA, 1.25 VLPRA. reduction of 0.087 mills.]

10.851 mills, 8.601 County, 1.00 VLDA, 1.25 VLPRA. reduction of 0.087 mills.

According to the county’s online calendar, it hasn’t hapened yet, because it’s

5:00 PM that same Tuesday.

So if you’re going to the Regular Session, might as well show up half an hour earlier
for the Millage Rate Meeting.
Chances are, you’ll be the only member of the public there.

-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!

Packet: $0.9 million paving project, reduction of millage rate, 3 small rezonings @ LCC 2020-08-10

For the Monday morning Work session and Tuesday evening voting Regular Session,
the Lowndes County Commission has
only one item that has “BUDGET IMPACT” in its agenda sheet, but it’s a doozy:

Cost What
$899,744.40
Ridgecrest, Woodland and Glenview Paving & Drainage Project
$899,744.4 Total

The agenda sheet says:

Lowndes County solicited bids for Ridgecrest, Woodland and Glenview
Grading, Drainage, Base and Paving. The project will consist of
Grading, Drainage, Base and Paving of Ridgecrest and Woodland and
the installation of a box culvert under Glenview Drive. Vendors
present for the pre-bid meeting held on July 21, 2020, were James
Warren & Associates, Southland Contractors, Reames & Son
Construction, Rountree Construction, and The Scruggs Company. Three
bids were received on August 4, 2020.

Here are the bids:

[Bids, NC-TIA 2019-04: Ridgecrest Street and Woodland Drive]

Bids, NC-TIA 2019-04: Ridgecrest Street and Woodland Drive

Where is that?
South of the west end of W Savanna Ave, near I-75 Exit 16.

[Google map: Ridgecrest Street & Woodland Drive]


Google map:

Ridgecrest Street & Woodland Drive

Ah, yes, I got stuck in traffic there not so long ago,
trying to get around a stopped train.

We know this much because LAKE obtained a copy of the board packet
through an open records request; it’s
on the LAKE website.

I suppose if we rummage around enough we’ll find details of
NC-TIA 2019-04 somewhere on the county’s website.

Here is
the agenda.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

PROPOSED AGENDA

WORK SESSION, MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2020, 8:30 a.m.

REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2020, 5:30 p.m.

327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading →

Packet: Moody AFB, Library board, renaming and dedicating roads, two subdivisions, liability insurance @ LCC 2020-07-27

Will it take fifteen minutes, or twenty minutes, to approve almost a million dollars, in a packed agenda for Monday and Tuesday at the Lowndes County Commission?
It’s mostly Property & Liability insurance,
followed by a consulting contract for

a go-between with Moody AFB,
plus

UPSes for county radio sites.

Cost What
$818,021.00 ACCG IRMA Property & Liability Program Renewal
$96,000.00 Agreement with Cornerstone
$24,257.88 Vertiv Service Contract for the Liebert UPS at the 911 Center & the 4 Tower Sites
$0; past gate name it Harper’s Lane Renaming a Portion of Sara Road
$0 Acceptance of Infrastructure for Brayden Place Subdivision
$938,278.88 Total

They’ll also

appoint Thomas Lovett to the South Georgia Regional Library Board,
rename a road, and accept some subdivision roads.

[Aerial Map: Sara Road Renaming]

Aerial Map: Sara Road Renaming

Received Friday 5:14 PM in response to a LAKE open records request,
the board packet is
on the LAKE website.

Here is the agenda:

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

PROPOSED AGENDA

WORK SESSION, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2020, 8:30 a.m.

REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2020, 5:30 p.m.

327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading →

Packet: Budget, MIDS, Rezoning, Clyattstone Road, Mosquito, Law, Fiber Optic, Alcohol @ LCC 2020-07-13

$3,200,415.50 was on the agenda for this week,
presumably approved by now by the Lowndes County Commission,
in which they also appointed Paige Dukes to succeed Joe Pritchard as Lowndes County Manager.

[Table of Costs (by LAKE)]

Table of Costs (by LAKE)

Cost What
$2,500,000.00 GEFA Loan Application
$289,498.00 Acceptance of FY 2021 Juvenile Justice Incentive Grant
$198,775.00 Fiber Optic to Lowndes EOC
$102,762.00 Judicial System Software Purchase
$45,790.00 Annual Contract Renewal for Mosquito Identification and Testing
$40,000.00 Office of the Governor Criminal Justice Coordinating Council Accountability Court Lowndes County DUI Court- State Court
$23,590.50 Approval of Clyattstone Rd.-Simpson Ln. ROW and Easement Purchases (Parcels 26 and 34)
$0.00 Amendment to TPO Agreement FY2021 – Transit
$3,200,415.50 Total

That’s 2.6% of the $120 million county annual budget.

Curious that they’re willing to spend
$198,775.00 for fast, reliabile,

Internet connectivity to their own offices but nothing for the rest of the population of Lowndes County.

I’ve lost track of how much they’ve spent on

Clyattstone Road to connect Old US 41 N and Val Del Road
to promote development in that area.

I commend the county for the
GEFA Loan Application
for wastewater utilities projects:

HISTORY, FACTS AND ISSUES: The Georgia Environmental Finance
Authority offers funding through the State Revolving Fund. Local
governments are able to secure low interest loans to be used for
utility projects. Lowndes County has identified several lift station
and manhole rehabilitation improvement projects.

The loan can be structured to spread repayment over a period of up
to 30 years; however, there is no penalty for paying the loan off
early. The proposed interest rate will not exceed 1.94% While the
total loan amount is $2,500,000.00 it includes a grant component
which allows for forgiveness of up to $625,000.00 of the loan
amount. Staff recommends approval of the GEFA Loan Application.

The entire board packet is
on the LAKE website.
Documents received 12:26 PM, Friday, July 10, 2020, in response to a LAKE open records request.
LAKE looks forward to these documents being posted on the county’s own website
along with the agenda. Continue reading →

Pritchard hands over to Dukes as Lowndes County Manager @ LCC 2020-07-14

On August 1, 2020, Paige Dukes will be the new County Manager,
after the 20-year reign of Joe Pritchard.


Paige Dukes, County Clerk, 2011-10-13


Paige Dukes, County Clerk, Lunch and Learn, 2011-10-13

Chris Herbert, Valdosta Daily Times, 14 July 2020,

Dukes named Lowndes County Manager,

The vote was a split decision, 3-2, with commissioners Joyce Evans,
Clay Griner and Scottie Orenstein voting in favor. Demarcus Marshall
and Mark Wisenbaker opposed.

Marshall said his no vote was because he wanted to see the position
advertised to open the pool up to other candidates.

“I would expect no less than to have this position advertised,”
Marshall said. “To advertise it is saying, ‘we’re not just the good
ole boys system or good ole girls system.'”

Wisenbaker said he wanted to see a “fresh” perspective from county
leadership and hoped a broader search could provide some new
outlooks for the county’s future.

“I voted no because I think the citizens of Lowndes County need to
be better represented. We need to advertise this job…There’s
nothing personal against Ms. Dukes. She’s been here a while. She
does a good job. It’s just being able to look out there and see what
we may be missing,” he said. “We got a $120 million budget. That’s
not small and we need the right people and the right person to carry
this on. And we need fresh ideas. We need a fresh person, in my
opinion, that can bring new things to the table.”

Those two were in the minority, however, and the three in support
said they are certain Dukes is the right decision.

“I’ve been on this board for six years, and Continue reading →

Stick with old budget for now @ LCC 2020-06-26 @ LCC 2020-06-26

The Lowndes County Commission did not pass a new budget,
and nobody seems to know or at least be willing to say why,
even though that was
on the agenda for that Tuesday meeting.

Instead, they’ve scheduled a “Special Called Meeting on Friday, June 26, 200, at 9:00 a.m., to consider a resolution to temporarily continue the operation of the 2020 Fiscal Year budget.”

We don’t have the new draft budget, but here’s the general fund expenditure chart from

the old budget they’re extending:

[General Fund Expenditures]

General Fund Expenditures

37.12% + 12.17% = 49.29%

I wonder if this delay has anything to do with sales tax revenues
being way down due to the pandemic,
and nobody really knowing when they might recover?

There’s no video of the meeting, but fortunately the VDT was on the job.
Chris Herbert, Valdosta Daily Times,
24 June 2020,

Lowndes County Commission tables 2021 budget, Continue reading →