Tag Archives: VLCCCTA

Videos: Colquitt EMC, Conference Center, 2 rezonings, 2 water, HVAC, Solar, Controls @ LCC Work 2023-10-09

Update 2023-10-10: Colquitt EMC, Conference Center, 2 rezonings, 2 water, HVAC, Solar, Controls @ LCC Packet 2023-10-09.

The two special presentations only took about six minutes total, and most other items took half a minute each, so the entire Lowndes County Commission Work Session only took fourteen minutes yesterday.

Lowndes County Fire Chief Billy Young opened the check from Colquitt EMC after the meeting: it was for $35,000.

Only Commissioners Joyce Evans and Mark Wisenbaker and Chairman Bill Slaughter attended. Commissioners Scottie Orenstein, Demarcus Marshall, and Clay Griner were absent.

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

See also

[Collage @ LCC 9 October 2023]
Collage @ LCC 9 October 2023

Continue reading →

Colquitt EMC, Conference Center, 2 rezonings, 2 water, HVAC, Solar, Controls @ LCC Agenda 2023-10-09

Update 2023-10-10: Videos: Colquitt EMC, Conference Center, 2 rezonings, 2 water, HVAC, Solar, Controls @ LCC Work 2023-10-09.

Despite four working days to do it, more than the three days allowed by the Georgia Open Records Act (GORA), Lowndes County has not returned the board packet for this week’s Lowndes County Commission meetings.

However, most of the materials for the two rezonings will probably be similar to what the county put in the preceding Planning Commission packet.

They also plan to spend a third of a million dollars, most of it on heating and air conditioning maintenance. The agenda sheet says, “Attached in your packet is an equipment list for each building to be maintained.”

But we the taxpayers don’t get to see that list, because the county does not publish its own board packets and, despite the state open records law, has not returned it so LAKE can publish it.

Cost What
$255,029.00HVAC Maintenance Agreement
$24,825.00Joint Funding Agreement with USGS for Stream Gauge Maintenance
$23,370.00Water Treatment Agreement
$0.00Solar Panel Maintenance Agreement
$0.00Quarterly Controls Inspection Agreement
$303,224.00Total

[Collage @ LCC Agenda 2023-10-09]
Collage @ LCC Agenda 2023-10-09

Here is the agenda.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2023, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2023, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading →

Lowndes County Boards and Commissions Term Expirations – Current Opportunities 2022-2023

You may want to apply to get appointed to one of these boards, authorities, or commissions.

Some of these opportunities have already passed, but most are in 2023.

For how to apply, see the bottom of the web page for each body.

Lowndes County, News Flash, April 26, 2022,

2022-2023 Boards and Commissions Term Expirations – Current Opportunities

[Lowndes County Boards and Commissions]
Lowndes County Boards and Commissions

Lowndes County Development Authority

  • Gary Moser – 1/09/22

Board of Health

  • Mary Margaret Richardson – 12/31/22
  • Randy Smith – 12/31/22

Valdosta-Lowndes County Zoning Board of Appeals

  • Victoria Copeland – 5/7/23
  • Marion Ramsey – 5/7/23

Valdosta-Lowndes County Airport Authority

  • Anthony Payton – 5/21/23

Lowndes County Public Facilities Authority

  • Crawford Powell – 5/31/23
  • Scott Purvis – 5/31/23

Lowndes County Division of Family and Children Services Board

  • Elsie Napier – 6/30/23

South Georgia Regional Library Board

  • Dr. Beverley Richardson-Blake – 6/30/23
  • Dr. George Gaumond – 6/30/23
  • Gary Wisenbaker – 6/30/23
  • Thomas Lovett – 6/30/23
  • DeWayne Johnson – 6/30/23

Valdosta-Lowndes County Construction Board of Adjustments and Appeals

  • Tripp Howell – 6/30/23
  • Charles “Chuck” Smith – 6/30/23 (Rotating appt.) now City’s turn to appt.

Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority

  • Suzan Garnett -6/30/23
  • Cisco Diaz – 6/30/23 (Rotating Appt.) – City’s turn to appoint

Valdosta Lowndes County Conference Center and Tourism Authority

  • Commissioner Joyce Evans – 12/31/23
  • Michael Smith – 12/31/23

[2022-2023 Boards and Commissions Term Expirations - Current Opportunities]
2022-2023 Boards and Commissions Term Expirations – Current Opportunities

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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

Videos: seventeen minutes for three appointments and other business @ LCC Regular 2023-01-09

All the votes took less than eight minutes, at the Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission, Monday, January 9, 2023.

Only one Commissioner had one question about a voting item, 6.e. Stop Loss Insurance Coverage through HM Insurance Group. Maybe they all knew how they were going to vote before they got to this public meeting.

There was discussion about inspections being efficient for “the development community” in the non-voting 7. Reports – County Manager.

They appointed people to three boards, accepted infrastructure for a subdivision, agreed to a lease, accepting a grant, and an insurance plan.

None of the appointees were present.

See especially Gretchen’s comments on 6.b. Extension of Agreement for ULDC Updates.

[Collage @ LCC 9 January 2023]
Collage @ LCC 9 January 2023

The whole thing took seventeen minutes. For sure, the County Manager’s Reports are informative, but subtract those eight minutes and the more than a minute for the preliminaries, and only eight are left.

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item, with a few notes by Gretchen Quarterman, followed by a LAKE video playlist. See also the LAKE videos of the preceding Work Session and the agenda and board packet. Continue reading →

Videos: Three appointments, lease, ULDC, roads, grant, insurance @ LCC Work 2023-01-09

Update 2023-01-22: Videos: seventeen minutes for three appointments and other business @ LCC Regular 2023-01-09.

No item took even two minutes, although many departments spoke, at the Lowndes County Commission Regular Session, Monday, January 9, 2023. The whole thing took eight minutes.

[Collage @ LCC Work 9 January 2023]
Collage @ LCC Work 9 January 2023

I wonder what’s in these ULDC Updates, when will the public get to see them, and why was a contractor necessary to write them? Also, how much did that contract cost?

The Regular Session was later that same day; LAKE videos of that one will also follow.

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item of the Work Session, with some notes by Gretchen Quarterman, followed by a LAKE video playlist. See also the agenda and board packet. Continue reading →

Packet: Three appointments, lease, ULDC, roads, grant, insurance @ LCC 2023-01-09

Update 2023-01-22: Videos: Three appointments, lease, ULDC, roads, grant, insurance @ LCC Work 2023-01-09.

Both Work Session and Regular Session are Monday, January 9, 2023, for the Lowndes County Commission. Both will probably be brief, because it’s a short agenda of mostly routine items.

The rezoning at Skipper Bridge Road and GA 122 for a Dollar General is NOT on this agenda. However, those interested may want to show up and be seen by the Commissioners, to remind them that people care and will be there on January 24th at the Public Hearing.

[Agenda, Cattle Crossing Subdivision infrastructure @ LCC 2023-01-09]
Agenda, Cattle Crossing Subdivision infrastructure @ LCC 2023-01-09

They pretend as always that taking over more subdivision streets and water and sewer lines will not cost the county taxpayers anything.

The dollar items listed in the packet are small. Continue reading →

Budget, Bevel Creek Lift Station, Val Tech Road widening, Appointments: ZBOA, Library, VLPRA, Construction @ LCC 2020-06-22

The big item on the Lowndes County Commission agenda for Monday to vote on Tuesday evening is the Adoption of Fiscal Year 2021 Budget totaling $59,443,920, with $22,774,781 or 38% to Public safety, i.e., the Sheriff’s department, including the jail.

[A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE FISCAL YEAR 2021 OPERATING BUDGET]
A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE FISCAL YEAR 2021 OPERATING BUDGET
PDF

The board packet is on the LAKE website after we obtained it through an open records request.

Although I hear the hotel/motel tax is down 80% due to virus pandemic, the Hotel/Motel Tax FY 2021 County Budget Budgeted Proceeds are $400,000.00. They are budget to go to:

$171,429.00 Transfer to Lowndes County’s Special Services Fund from which the County funds (i) services the County provides primarily for the benefit of the unincorporated area and
(ii) the County’s share of funding of services the County and one or more municipalities jointly fund

$171,429.00 Transfer to Valdosta-Lowndes County Conference Center and Tourism Authority
to promote tourism, convention, and trade shows in accordance with the FY 2021 Budget Plan of said Authority for same which is made a part of this Budget Plan

$57,142.00 Transfer to Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority
for capital costs and operating expenses of parks and recreational facilities owned and operated by said Authority

A rare no-match federal grant: Acceptance of FY20 Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding brings the total expected expenditures from this Tuesday’s Regular Session down to less than a quarter million dollars:

Cost What
$148,345.58 Val Tech Road Grading, Drainage, Base and Paving
$82,000.00 Bevel Creek Manhole Emergency Repair
$57,300.00 The Modernization/Upgrade of the Elevator in the Governmental Building
($58,008)
in Federal Funding.
There is no local match requirement. 		Acceptance of FY20 Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding
$229,637.58Total

I commend Lowndes County Utilities for moving ahead to fix the recent manhole collapse at the Bevel Creek Lift Station on GA 376 near Loch Laurel Road. See also Sewer line repair between manholes, Bevel Creek Lift Station @ LCC 2020-06-22.

Photo: Terry Richards, The Valdosta Daily Times, Heavy rains cause problems in Lowndes 2020-06-08.
Photo: Terry Richards, The Valdosta Daily Times, Heavy rains cause problems in Lowndes 2020-06-08.

It’s a busy agenda for appointments, to Continue reading →

Videos: Clyattstone Road Paving, Bids, Lease, Appointments, nothing for Fire Dept. @ LCC 2020-01-14

Maybe it was “custom fit” that caused Commissioner Clay Griner to ask for postponement of approval of purchase of firefighting equipment until after the county’s retreat. All five Commissioners voted for tabling. More detail below in the notes on that item.

Bob Dewar has discovered the county wants an 80-foot right of way to pave Clyattstone Road, “What we do not want is a highway. It’s a quaint county road.” Well, that’s not why the county paves roads. More in the item notes below.

Everything else was passed with little or no discussion.

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item, followed by a LAKE video playlist. See also the Continue reading →

Videos: Water quality testing, Bids, Leaase, Appointments @ LCC 2020-01-13

Not on the agenda, Chairman Bill Slaughter at the end of the meeting said Utilities Director Steve Stalvey had been testing water quality on the Withlacoochee River. On December 31, bacterial counts were acceptable. But on January 6, 2020, counts were quite high, so the county made and posted some warning signs at Knights Ferry, Nankin, and State Line (GA 31) Boat Ramps.

Here is one of the county’s signs, at Knights Ferry Boat Ramp, with a sign by WWALS Watershed Coalition (Suwannee Riverkeeper) at the bottom of the other pole with Continue reading →

Bids $1.4 million, insurance $1 million, and $0.4 million lease plus two Appointments @ LCC 2020-01-13

A million dollars for Paving – Quail Hollow Acres Subdivision and $0.4 million for Bid for a 3,000 Gallon Tanker for the Fire Department. Another million for 2020 Stop Loss Insurance Coverage through Symetra Life Ins. Company. A quarter million to relocate utilities at I-75 Exit 2 will be paid by GDOT. And a million in income for a Lease Agreement with the State Properties Commission for the Division of Family & Children Services (DFACS).

[Page 60]
Page 60

Molly Deese wants to be reappointed to the Valdosta Lowndes County Conference Center and Tourism Authority. Incumbents almost always get reappointed if they say they want to, and the chances of them not reappointing the Vice President and General Manager of Wild Adventures is pretty slim. Ditto Dr. Frances Brown on the Lowndes County Board of Health.

They’re setting the Special Assessment interest rate “for all paving and utilityassessments that are not paid off within the initial 90-day phase. Unpaid assessments revert to installment agreements which are to be paid over a period of up to ten years.” New rate: 6.75% for 2020, down from 7.50% for 2019.

They’re setting qualifying fees to run for office, primary or general election: Continue reading →