Tag Archives: Whitewater Road

Videos: Hospital Authority appointment, 6 rezonings, paving and resurfacing, subdision infrastructure, probationers @ LCC Regular 2024-05-14

An hour-long Regular Session is very unusual for the Lowndes County Commission. Much of it was taken up by two rezonings: REZ-2024-08 on River Road (10:43) and REZ-2024-09 Dasher Grove Subdivision (12:24). For River Road, the applicant discussed setbacks and fire trucks and answered Commissioner questions about house prices and lot sizes. For Dasher Grove, Commissioner questions were mostly about how many lots and when T-SPLOST road work on Val Del Road would take place. Remember, that road work is your tax dollars going to subsidize subdivisions.

Nobody spoke against those rezonings nor against any of the others. All the rezonings and everything else passed unanimously, including they reappointed Hospital Authority incumbent Shirley Garland as expected.

[Collage @ LCC Regular 14 May 2024]
Collage @ LCC Regular 14 May 2024

There was discussion about the apparent price rise by 8.b. Pronto Consulting for Software as a Service to manage probationers. It is actually just that Pronto started with a discount, and this time is not supplying a discount. The total undiscounted amount was always in the county budget.

In Citizens Wishing to Be Heard, Mark Perkins of Lake Park had some questions about the burn ordinance.

Also, Representative John LaHood (R-175) was recognized by the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) for his work on legislation regarding Service Delivery Strategies.

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 Continue reading →

Videos: Hospital Authority appointment, 6 rezonings, paving and resurfacing, subdision infrastructure, probationers @ LCC Work 2024-05-13

Update 2024-05-27: Videos: Hospital Authority appointment, 6 rezonings, paving and resurfacing, subdision infrastructure, probationers @ LCC Regular 2024-05-14.

This Work Session was long by Lowndes County Commission standards, more than half an hour.

[Collage @ LCC 13 May 2024]
Collage @ LCC 13 May 2024

Almost half of that, 13 and a half minutes, was on 7.c. REZ-2024-08 River Road, 4374 River Road, mostly about spacing between houses and fire risk.

Another five minutes was on 7.d. REZ-2024-09 Dasher Grove, about the timeline for Val Del Road improvements.

Notice the Val Del Road improvements are TIA projects, which means tax-paid road improvements to benefit a private developer. Yet this and other such rezonings appear in the agenda as “BUDGET IMPACT: NA”.

Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker asked if the packet materials could be projected on the screen for 6.a. Appointment – Hospital Authority of Valdosta and Lowndes County. ITS Director Aaron Kostyu said he did not have the ability to do that.

Well, the County Planner manages to project all the materials for the rezonings. Why can’t the ITS Director project materials for other board agenda items?

Or the County Commissioners can look at the LAKE website, I suppose.

Or county staff could put the board packet on the county’s own website.

Either way, the Commissioners could use the Internet to look at it on their tablets.

The Commissioners could just direct staff to put the packet on the county’s website.

Commissioners also had some questions about why the increases in Continue reading →

Packet: Hospital Authority appointment, 6 rezonings, paving and resurfacing, subdision infrastructure, probationers @ LCC 2024-05-13

Update 2024-05-17: Videos: Hospital Authority appointment, 6 rezonings, paving and resurfacing, subdision infrastructure, probationers @ LCC Work 2024-05-13.

This week the Lowndes County Commission takes on six rezonings and other business, including $1,194,081.20 in 2024 Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant (LMIG) Resurfacing Bids, paid for by your Transportation Improvement Act (TIA) sales tax.

[Hospital Authority, 6 rezonings, probationers, paving and resurfacing, subdivision infrastructure, road abandonment @ LCC 2024-04-13]
Hospital Authority, 6 rezonings, probationers, paving and resurfacing, subdivision infrastructure, road abandonment @ LCC 2024-04-13

Here is the agenda.

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

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, MAY 13, 2024, 8:30 A.M.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, MAY 14, 2024, 5:30 P.M.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading →

Videos: 6 Lowndes County cases, 1 Lake Park, 1 Valdosta @ GLPC 2024-04-29

Update 2024-04-10: Packet: Hospital Authority appointment, 6 rezonings, paving and resurfacing, subdivision infrastructure, probationers @ LCC 2024-05-13.

For an hour and 42 minutes the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission discussed and recommended for or against eight rezoning cases.

Two Lowndes County Commissioners attended: Scottie Orenstein and Joyce Evans. The Lowndes County Commission will hear these cases this week, or so we assume, since they have no agenda posted yet.

At the Planning Commission, nobody spoke against most of the cases on the agenda, and the Commissioners unanimously recommended approval of those, sometimes with conditions.

Only two cases were very slightly controversial.

[Collage @ LCC 29 April 2024]
Collage @ LCC 29 April 2024

Clint Joyner said, “I’m telling you, Continue reading →

Packet: 6 Lowndes County cases, 1 Lake Park, 1 Valdosta @ GLPC 2024-04-29

Update 2024-05-10: Videos: 6 Lowndes County cases, 1 Lake Park, 1 Valdosta @ GLPC 2024-04-29.

The Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC) will be busy this evening, maybe with a packed audience, to review eight rezoning cases.

[Packet: 6 Lowndes County cases, 1 Lake Park, 1 Valdosta @ GLPC 2024-04-29]
Packet: 6 Lowndes County cases, 1 Lake Park, 1 Valdosta @ GLPC 2024-04-29

Considering waterways, these cases seem unremarkable.

The Lake Park W. Marion Ave. rezoning is near Long Pond, but not on it.

The Valdosta Williams Street rezoning apparently drains into One Mile Branch, which goes into Sugar Creek and the Withlacoochee River, but is not very near that creek.

The Skipper Bridge Road rezoning near Franklinville Road is uphill from the Withlacoochee River, but not near to it. This is the one case with no utilities, but it is for a single house.

The River Road rezoning backs up onto Pebble Creek, which runs into Crawford Branch into the Withlacoochee River, but that area is recognized as wetlands on the plat, with a detention pond.

The Dasher Grove Road and Val Del Road rezoning includes two creeks that run into Sermons Branch, into the Withlacoochee River, but at least they are recognized as wetlands and avoided in the conceptual plan.

The Old US 41 rezoning is near Sermons Branch, which runs into the Withlacoochee River.

The Whitewater Road rezoning is near creeks that end up in the Withlacoochee River.

The Carter Lane rezoning is at the top of Caney Branch, which runs into Enoch Creek, the Alapahoochee River, and the Alapaha River.

Here is the agenda.

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

Greater Lowndes Planning Commission
~ Lowndes County ~ City of Valdosta ~ City of Dasher ~
~ City of Hahira ~ City of Lake Park ~ City of Remerton ~

Monday, April 22, 2024 5:30 P.M. Work Session
Monday, April 29, 2024 5:30 P.M. Regular Session
Lowndes County South Health District Administrative Office
325 West Savannah Avenue, Valdosta, Georgia

Continue reading →

Videos: Court * 4, Boards * 2, Sewer * 4, Beer, Computers, Pest, Fire, Grounds, Road truck @ LCC 2021-06-21

They spent the most time discussing the several court funding cash match requests, two weeks ago at the Lowndes County (GA) Commission Work Session. At the end, Project Manager Chad McLeod had updates on the Courthouse renovation and the Commission Chambers audio and video restoration.

Judge Golden, Accountability Court

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item, followed by a LAKE video playlist. See also the agenda. The board packet is on the LAKE website, received in response to a LAKE open records request.
http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/loco/2021-06-21–lcc-packet Continue reading →

Boards * 2, Sewer * 4, Court * 4, Beer, Computers, Pest, Fire, Grounds, Road truck @ LCC 2021-06-21

The biggest item on this week’s Lowndes County Commission agenda, for voting this eventing, is Grounds Maintenance. Planting some native shrubbery, flowers, and trees instead of all that lawn would reduce that cost.

Three sewage system items add up, for Whitewater Lift Station Control Panel Emergency Repair, Bemiss Low Pressure Sewer Main Replacement Change Order, and the $2,500,000.00 GEFA Loan for the Sewer System Rehabilitation Project. That last does not show up in the agenda sheet as BUDGET IMPACT, but county taxpayers will pay for it over time. However, proactive sewer system fixes are lot better than reactive sewage spill repairs.

Four courts in three agenda items require cash match. Plus a road work truck and pest control round out the dollar figures.

Cost What
$158,140.00Bid for Grounds Maintenance for County Buildings
$53,140.00Whitewater Lift Station Control Panel Emergency Repair
$48,307.21Compute and Storage for South Lowndes Data Center
$46,777.50Purchase of Fire Turnout Gear
$39,135.00Office of the Governor Criminal Justice Coordinating Council Accountability Court Lowndes County DUI Court Grant Award – State Court
$33,989.00Bemiss Low Pressure Sewer Main Replacement Change Order
$28,074.84Purchase of a Truck for Public Works
$23,557.16Lowndes County Accountability Court Adult Drug Court Program – Grant (Cash Match)
$10,000.00Lowndes County Juvenile Accountability Court – Drug Court Program – Grant (Cash Match)
$6,734.40Bid for Pest Control Service
$447,855.11Total

There’s a reappointment to Children’s Services and a new appointment to the Library Board.

And there’s a beer license, which brings in fees of $250 Off Premises + $150 Administration = $400.

[Beer, Lawns]
Beer, Lawns

Here is the agenda. The board packet is on the LAKE website, received in response to a LAKE open records request.
http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/loco/2021-06-21–lcc-packet

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, JUNE 21, 2021, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, JUNE 22, 2021, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading →

Packet: Subdivisions, Land taking, trash @ LCC 2021-03-22

As usual, the items with the most long-term expense are in the agenda for zero dollars, for the Lowndes County Commission meetings Monday and Tuesday: two subdivisions, one opposed by 200 neighbors (REZ-2021-03 Johnston Subdivision, School House Pond Road), another wanting the county to accept its roads, water, and other infrastructure (Adopt Resolution Accepting Infrastructure for Quarterman [no relation] Estates Subdivision Phase III on Whitewater Road), meaning the county is on the hook for maintenance, in addition to costs of sending school buses, sheriff, fire, etc.

[Subdivisions, Taking, Trash collection sites]
Subdivisions, Taking, Trash collection sites

Cost What
$2,149,692.26FY 2020 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant Application
$43,490.00Bid for Breathing Air Machine for the Fire Department
$339.00Approve Condemning Right of Way and Drainage Easement for Hightower Road – Cooper Road TSPLOST Paving Project
$0.00Advanced Disposal Services Residential Solid Waste Franchise Renewal
$0.00Deep South Sanitation, LLC. Residential Solid Waste Franchise Renewal
$2,193,521.26Total

Most of the $2 million acknowledged in the board packet is for fire and rescue, which seems good to me.

In a rare move, apparently negotiations fell through with a landowner for land for utilities, so the county has condemned it and is taking it for a nominal fee: Approve Condemning Right of Way and Drainage Easement for Hightower Road – Cooper Road TSPLOST Paving Project.

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

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2021, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 2021, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading →

Alcohol, Public Defender, ULDC, Whitewater Road Lift Station Pump @ LCC 2021-02-08

Why does the county need a consultant to help revise its Unified Land Development Code (ULDC), to the tune of $39,370.00? On the agenda for discussion Monday morning 8:30 AM and voting Tuesday 5:30 PM by the Lowndes County Commission, February 8 and 9, 2021.

The Utilities Department wants a pump for its Whitewater Road Lift Station before it fails, which is a good thing: preventive maintenance.

Public Works wants to buy a lift instead of renting one. Probably this will reduce overall expenditures for “building maintenance, maintaining banners in the parking lots and for Christmas decorating.”

Cost What
$39,370.00 ULDC Revision – Agreement with Goodwyn Mills Cawood (GMC)
$39,261.63 Bid for a Lift for the Public Works Department
$39,158.7.00 Whitewater Road Lift Station Pump
$117,790.33Total

The annual 2021 Public Defender Contracts are up for renewal. While this is a good thing, it’s curious that it’s listed as having no effect on the budget, despite costing money.

And there are two alcohol licenses to vote on. Curious that those show no effect on the budget. Is there no fee for an alcohol license?

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

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2021, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

  1. Call to Order
  2. Invocation
  3. Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag
  4. Minutes for Approval
    1. Work Session – January 25, 2021 & Regular Session – January 26, 2021
  5. Public Hearing
    1. Beer, Wine, and Liquor License – Lucila Parker of Restaurante Mexicano San Judas Tadeo, Inc., DBA Restaurante Mexicano San Judas Tadeo, Inc. – 4333 Bemiss Rd. Suite 12, Valdosta, GA

      Documents:Beer, Wine, and Liquor License – Lucila Parker of Restaurante Mexicano San Judas Tadeo, Inc., DBA Restaurante Mexicano San Judas Tadeo, Inc.pdf

  6. For Consideration
    1. Wine License – Manishaben Patel of Sai Krupa 2018 LLC, DBA JP Foods #2 – 3663 New Statenville Hwy., Valdosta, GA

      Documents:Wine License – Manishaben Patel of Sai Krupa 2018 LLC, DBA JP Foods 2.pdf

    2. 2021 Public Defender Contracts

      Documents:2021 Public Defender Contracts.pdf

    3. ULDC Revision – Agreement with Goodwyn Mills Cawood (GMC)

      Documents:ULDC Revision – Agreement with Goodwyn Mills Cawood (GMC).pdf

    4. Whitewater Road Lift Station Pump

      Documents:Whitewater Road Lift Station Pump.pdf

  7. Bid
    1. Bid for a Lift for the Public Works Department

      Documents:Bid for a Lift for the Public Works Department.pdf

  8. Reports – County Manager
  9. Citizens Wishing to be Heard-Please State Your Name and Address
  10. Adjournment

-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!

Five Public Hearings; Ten For Consideration, and Troupville River Camp @ LCC 2019-12-09

A very full agenda for the last Lowndes County Commission meetings of calendar year 2019, plus an unscheduled item to be raised Tuesday in Citizens Wishing to Be Heard: the WWALS Troupville River Camp project.

[Dignitaries at Confluence]
Dignitaries at Little River Confluence with Withlacochee River, 2019-06-15,
including Lowndes County Chairman Bill Slaughter

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2019, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2019, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading →