Tag Archives: waste

Videos: Animals, Juveniles, Golf Course, Subdivision infrastructure, solid waste, and alcohol @ LCC Regular 2023-04-25

The Lowndes County Commission breezed through approving everything unanimously two weeks ago.

There was some further discussion in Reports about the county taking over management of the Moody AFB golf course and some other items.

[Collage @ LCC 25 April 2023]
Collage @ LCC 25 April 2023

Then in Citizens Willing to Be Heard, Veterinarian Dr. Amanda Hall spoke about changes in state law regarding animal control, including about what counts as a breeder. And it is now unlawful to tether animals during inclement weather or mental distress, but that is not being enforced. She recommended Lowndes County revise its local animal control ordinance to be in line with the noise ordinance.

She recently learned the county was budgeting $7 million for a new animal shelter. She said there was much lower hanging fruit than that, such as updating the ordinance to use ideas that work elsewhere.

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 Continue reading

Videos: Juveniles, Golf Course, Subdivision infrastructure, solid waste, and alcohol @ LCC Work 2023-04-24

Update 2023-05-08: Videos: Animals, Juveniles, Golf Course, Subdivision infrastructure, solid waste, and alcohol @ LCC Regular 2023-04-25 2023-04-25.

Surprise housing!

Two weeks ago, the longest regular business item at the Lowndes County Commission Work Session was 6.a. FY2024 Juvenile Justice Incentive Grant, mostly because Judge Council wanted to mention a first quarter success rate of 86%, and a second quarter success rate of 79%.

Also taking more than a minute were 6.b. Quiet Pines Golf Course Agreement for Lowndes County to operate that course for Moody AFB, and the alcohol license for Twin Lakes Club & Grill, for which they went through various scenarios requiring a new license.

[Collage @ LCC 24 April 2023]
Collage @ LCC 24 April 2023

Unscheduled under 7. Reports was a seven-minute surprise report on affordable housing. Mark Stalvey from the Housing Authority and Rhett Holmes from IDP Properties (the low income housing tax credit developer) gave a presentation on a new development at the corner of South Troupe Street and Griffin Ave. They are working on a phase two and asked for financial support in the form of $1,000,000 low interest loans. Similar to Freedom Heights on Bemiss Road which is both market rate and rent controlled units.

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 Continue reading

Videos: Howell Road Halfway House approved in split vote @ LCC Regular 2023-04-11

Two weeks ago the Lowndes County Commission appointed Brenda Mims to the Board of Health, Victoria Copeland and Marion Ramsey to ZBOA, and Jane Peeples to the Library Board, all unanimously.

Everything else (except one item) also passed unanimously, including 8.b. Amend 2015 Solid Waste Ordinance raising waste collection fees and reducing collection center hours, as requested by the haulers.

[Collage @ LCC Regular 2023-04-11]
Collage @ LCC Regular 2023-04-11

It became even more obvious why they tabled it a month before: All the Lowndes County Commissioners apparently already knew how they were going to vote on the Howell Road halfway house rezoning before they held the Public Hearing.

The vote was the same as Continue reading

Packet: Alcohol, Juveniles, Golf Course, Subdivision infrastructure, and solid waste @ LCC 2023-04-24

Update 2023-05-08: Videos: Juveniles, Golf Course, Subdivision infrastructure, solid waste, and alcohol @ LCC Work 2023-04-24.

Just after I posted the agenda and mentioned that Lowndes County was past the three days limit state law requires for a response (and I also sent them an email reminder), the county sent the board packet.

The board packet is on the LAKE website.

[Packet Collage @ LCC 2023-04-24]
Packet Collage @ LCC 2023-04-24

-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

Agenda: Alcohol, Juveniles, Golf Course, Subdivision infrastructure, and solid waste @ LCC 2023-04-24

Update 2023-04-23: Packet: Alcohol, Juveniles, Golf Course, Subdivision infrastructure, and solid waste @ LCC 2023-04-24.

Here’s a rare Lowndes County Commission session where the total amount of taxpayers dollars being considered to spend is zero.

Cost What
$368,179.20 FY2024 Juvenile Justice Incentive Grant
-$368,179.20 Reimbursed 100% by CJCC
$0.00Total

That of course ignores future road and utility maintenance costs for Quarterman Estates Subdivision Phase 4, Section 1 and Grove Pointe Subdivision Phase 5, Section 3, plus whatever it will cost for the county to run the Quiet Pines Golf Course for Moody AFB. Lowndes County already operates Moody AFB’s wastewater treatment plant.

[Agenda @ LCC 2023-04-24]
Agenda @ LCC 2023-04-24

Here is the agenda. We have no board packet to show you, because there has been no response to the LAKE open records request of 8:00 AM Tuesday, four working days ago, even though the Georgia Open Records Act (GORA) requires a response within three days.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, APRIL 24, 2023, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 2023, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading

Videos: Recognitions, Extension Office, Raise waste collection rates, Howell Road halfway house rezoning, appointments to 3 boards @ LCC Work 2023-04-10

Update 2023-04-24: Videos: Howell Road Halfway House approved in split vote @ LCC Regular 2023-04-11.

Yesterday the Lowndes County Commissioners had no discussion about what Chairman Bill Slaughter referred to as “One public hearing item that just will not go away.” That’s 7.a. REZ-2022-10 Campus Transitional Care, 2193 Howell Road, E-A to P-D. The Commissioners vote at the Regular Session this evening at 5:30 PM. They can make it go away for at least a year by denying the rezoning.

[Collage @ LCC 10 April 2023]
Collage @ LCC 10 April 2023

On 8.b. Amend 2015 Solid Waste Ordinance, Gretchen remarked: “In my mind, it seems super inconvenient to shorten the hours of the collection sites on Monday and Friday. If someone works 8-5, then getting their recycling there by 6 is not possible.

“Oh, but this isn’t for the health, safety and well being of the citizens, Continue reading

Packet: Raise waste collection rates, appointments to 3 boards, crop sprayer for wastewater sprayfield @ LCC 2023-04-10

It’s back: the Howell Road halfway house rezoning, after being tabled last time, waiting for a full Commission. The Lowndes County Commission will vote on it tomorrow evening at 5:30 PM.

All the same opposition letters and petition signatures are included in the board packet. Staff still recommends approval, although the Planning Commission recommended denial by 7:3.

[Collage, LCC Packet 2023-04-10]
Collage, LCC Packet 2023-04-10

The Letter of Intent from Redeemed Living includes this: “Redeemed Residents are required to maintain full time employment, attend weekly recovery meetings, and become an active member at a Church of their choosing.” Is that establishment of religion? Continue reading

Packet: Raise waste collection rates, appointments to 3 boards, crop sprayer for wastewater hayfield @ LCC 2023-04-10

It’s back: the Howell Road halfway house rezoning, after being tabled last time, waiting for a full Commission. The Lowndes County Commission will vote on it tomorrow evening at 5:30 PM.

All the same opposition letters and petition signatures are included in the board packet. Staff still recommends approval, although the Planning Commission recommended denial by 7:3.

[Collage, LCC Packet 2023-04-10]
Collage, LCC Packet 2023-04-10

The Letter of Intent from Redeemed Living includes this: “Redeemed Residents are required to maintain full time employment, attend weekly recovery meetings, and become an active member at a Church of their choosing.” Is that establishment of religion? Continue reading

Videos: Howell Road Halfway House tabled @ LCC Regular 2023-03-28

Update 2023-04-10: Packet: Raise waste collection rates, appointments to 3 boards, crop sprayer for wastewater hayfield @ LCC 2023-04-10.

As suggested by Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker yesterday, the rezoning was tabled until the next Lowndes County Commission meeting: 6.a. REZ-2022-10 The Campus Transitional Care Facility, 2193 Howell Road. It was tabled before the Public Hearing, so I would guess that means they have to send out notice again for a Public Hearing. The motion to table was by Commissioner Wisenbaker, second by Commissioner Scottie Orenstein, and it passed unanimously by the four voting Commissioners present. Commissioner Clay Griner was not there, which was the purpose of tabling: wait until all five Commissioners are there.

Interestingly, most of the people who came for the Howell Road public hearing stayed to the end. They didn’t leave when the item was tabled. This was very unusual.

[Collage @ LCC 28 March 2023]
Collage @ LCC 28 March 2023

The Land Bank Authority appointment was also tabled until the first meeting in April, due to lack of nominations.

Everything else passed unanimously.

On the waste collection franchises by Continue reading

Packet: Howell Road rezoning, Trash colleciton centers, Windstream Broadband map @ LCC 2023-03-27

Update 2023-03-30: Videos: Howell Road Halfway House tabled @ LCC Regular 2023-03-28.

The Lowndes County Commission board packet for this week’s meetings contains no letters supporting the Howell Road halfway house rezoning. It does contain eleven opposition letters plus 31 pages of opposition petition signatures, which at about a dozen a page comes to somewhere around 372 signatures. Commissioners will decide tomorrow evening at 5:30 PM, after a Public Hearing.

[Howell Road rezoning, Trash colleciton centers, Windstream Broadband map @ LCC Packet 2023-03-27]
Howell Road rezoning, Trash colleciton centers, Windstream Broadband map @ LCC Packet 2023-03-27

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

See also the agenda and the LAKE videos of this morning’s Work Session.

-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