Tag Archives: Work Session

2 KLVB appointments, lift station pump, 2 rezonings @ LCC 2018-07-09

This morning at 8:30 AM at the Work Session and tomorrow at 5:30PM for voting by the Lowndes County Commission, Vivian Miller-Cody wants to be reappointed to Keep Lowndes/Valdosta Beautiful, while Adam Floyd does not. Three people applied for that second slot: Tracy Chapman, Regina Kimbrough, and Travis Morgan). “Three applications… are included”, apparently in the board packet, but not in what is posted with the agenda, so we don’t know who these people are. I would guess Tracy Chapman is the Assistant District Attorney; that Regina Kimbrough is the second grade teacher at Sallas Mahone Elementary School,

City of Valdosta PR, 2017 Jr. Fire Marshal School of the Year, “Trey Sherwood of Valdosta Insurance Service, sponsor of the Jr. Fire Marshal program, presented the 2017 Jr. Fire Marshal School of the Year awards to Regina Kimbrough (left) of Sallas Mahone Elementary School and to Danielle Gibbs of Pinevale Elementary School.”

and that Travis Morgan is a manager at Best Buy, but I’m only guessing, while the county could just post the applications, like counties in metropolitan areas eleswhere do.

Jason A. Smith, Valdosta Daily Times, 10 April 2018, Volunteers work recycling event, Continue reading →

Budget, Tax, Bonds, Parks, Land, Water, Waste, 911 @ LCC 2018-06-25

A busy morning’s agenda starts with approving a new annual budget and related hotel and motel taxes. Plus a Contract with Valdosta Continuing Land Bank Authority.

Parks and Rec is negotiating a $3 million loan from Ameris Bank for improvements to Freedom Park and wants the county to guarantee its 1.25 mil tax base.

Utilities wants about $20,000 for impellers and wear rings for the pumps in the Francis Lake Lift Station and about $275,000 to improve the Land Application Site (LAS), where they spray sewer waste onto a field which they then rent out for hay production (the county does not have a wastewater treatment plant). See also WWALS blog post.

The mysterious out-of-state apartment bonds actually get an explanation this time:

The Board of Commissioners is requested to adopt the attached revised Resolution approving the issuance of bonds by a Wisconsin Public Finance Authority. A portion of the proceeds of the bonds will be used for a project located on Old Statenville Road. The project is a 204-unit multi-family affordable housing development known as Brittany Woods & Park Chase Apartments.

1150 Old Statenville Road, Parcel 0159D 014,

The reason for this revised Resolution is Continue reading →

Two rezonings, bids, contracts, and alcohol @ LCC 2018-06-11

Last week while we were out of town, the Lowndes County Commission considered two rezonings, one with a Union Road, Hahira address, by far the longest, with Judge Arthur McLane speaking against, the applicant Stacy Stubbs speaking for, and quite a bit of discussion among Commissioners and staff, after which they approved it 3:2 with the two conditions proposed by the Planning Commission. The other rezoning has a Valdosta address, which they approved unanimously; for both see also the preceding Planning Commission meeting. Plus a third transportation item, GDOT Option for Right of Way at Exit 11. A bid, a bunch of contracts, and an alcohol license; pretty routine. The previously-tabled and somewhat controversial Additional Deputy Coroner Request Continue reading →

Videos: New County Agents, VLCIA bonds, Airport Authority, Opioids @ LCC 2018-05-21

Not on the agenda, County Agent Jake Price introduced two new people in his office. The Industrial Authority Executive Director explained the bonds are not new, she just wants to refinance them to reduce payments.

Among items they will vote on tonight at 5:30 PM, the longest item at almost four minutes was the request for an additional Deputy Coroner. Looks like they’re finally going to sign up an attorney for the opoioid litigation. They spent more time on the cleaning bids.

The whole Work Session Monday morning took 13 minutes, including the presentaitons. Below are Continue reading →

Videos: Opioid Attorney, Soccer, Airport Authority, Probation, Ankle Monitoring, Wetlands, Hay, GEFA, Pump @ LCC 2018-05-08

Two weeks ago, they spent the most time (5.5 minutes) on the two sections of 5. Proclamation Presentations for National Drug Court Month.

They spent 2.5 minutes on bids and almost 2 minutes (almost 5.5 total) on the wetland credits for the North Lowndes Park Soccer Complex.

Third most time was 4.5 minutes on recognizing retiring volunteer firefighter Scott Caldwell(?). The speaker was Chief Ashley Tye, so I guess he’s now the regular county Fire Chief.

They tabled the Airport Authority appointment waiting for more information. Maybe they noticed George Page had also asked the City of Valdosta to appoint him.

The alleged County Attorney, with his microphone three feet from his face and pointing 90 degrees away, muttered something about the mysterious Wisconsin bond issue.

The Probation agreement and Electronic Monitoring Contract got more than three minutes total. They spent a bit more than a minute voting on a law form for the opioid litigation.

The Hay Lease Agreement Amendment is a water item, because it’s about the county’s spray field, also known as its Land Application Site (LAS). And the Bevel Creek Lift Station Pump that feeds it. Final water item: dates of completion for the GEFA Loan Agreement; they did provide a clue what that loan was for.

Here are links to Continue reading →

VLCIA bonds for what? Airport Authority, Opioids @ LCC 2018-05-21

What are the Industrial Authority (excuse me, Development Authority) bonds for? Maybe they’re finally going to finance solar power for people here, since VLCIA has a budget surplus?

VLCAA Chairman Steve Everett and Executive Director Jim Galloway asking for the county to fix its shortfall in funding the Airport Authority, July 14, 2015.

Since George Page got appointed to the Airport Authority by the City of Valdosta, I suppose they’re going to reappoint Steve Everett. They last reappointed him May 13, 2014. By the way, he’s the Chair of VLCAA.

Apparently they’ve picked an attorney for the Opioid Litigation in their previous meetings two weeks ago, and now they’re down to signing the agreement.

Here’s the agenda, which has the dates off by one. Continue reading →

Videos: Opioids, Soccer, Airport Authority, Probation, Ankle Monitoring, Wetlands, Hay, GEFA, Pump @ LCC 2018-05-07

Opioid litigation will be added to the agenda for this evening, although not for voting, as 8.i, Selection of Legal Firm for Opioid Litigation: Select legal firm,

The Studstill Law Firm and the Blasingame, Burch, Garrard & Ashley Law Firm have both submitted proposals to represent Lowndes County in the opioid litigation.

That was the longest agenda item at the Monday morning Work Session. The Probation Resolution and Services Agreement, which had been tabled two weeks before, got almost two minutes, including questions about cost. Add the minute and a half for the Electronic Monitoring Contract and those two items with the same presenter got the longest total.

The two North Lowndes Park Soccer Complex items, Wetland Credits and Bids, that will massively change Hahira, did not get a total of two minutes. The Hay Lease Agreement Amendment is another water item, because it’s about the county’s spray field, also known as its Land Application Site (LAS). And the Bevel Creek Lift Station Pump that feeds it. Final water item: dates of completion for the GEFA Loan Agreement, whatever it’s for.

The mysterious Wisconsin Public Finance Authority Bond Issue is to finance a project on Old Statenville Road in the Valdosta City Limits.

They’re going to reappoint Steve Everett to the Valdosta-Lowndes County Airport Authority; he did not speak. And George Page would also like to be considered.

Here are links to Continue reading →

Soccer, Airport Authority, Probation, Ankle Monitoring, Wetlands, Hay, GEFA, Pump @ LCC 2018-05-07

What was on the agenda for yesterday morning at 8:30 AM and for voting this evening at 5:30 PM.

They’re going to reappoint Steve Everett to the Valdosta-Lowndes County Airport Authority. At the end, the thing that will massively change Hahira: 4.c. North Lowndes Park Soccer Complex – Bids: five of them, ranging from $6.5 to $8.3 million dollars. From the Invitation to Bid:

The bid package is for construction of North Lowndes Park Soccer Complex including all work shown on the Bid Set of Plans, issue date February 1, 2018, and Specifications, issue date February 1, 2018, to include but not be limited to the following items: Site clearing and other items as noted on the plans in order to construct and install a new 8 soccer field complex with concession and restroom pavilion, and maintenance building. Additional items to be constructed include, entrance road extension from the existing park, parking lot, signage, concrete pavement, fencing, site and field lighting, utilities, storm drainage structures and basins, irrigation, landscaping, and furnishings.

Map: Lowndes County Tax Assessors, of Parcel 0024-003, Lowndes County Parks & Recreation Authority.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2018, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
Continue reading →

Videos: No Opioid No Probation Military Utility @ LCC 2018-04-24

They would have managed less than four minutes, even with chatting with Leadership Lowndes in the audience, including 45 seconds on the only substantial agenda item, 6 a. Grant Of Easement for Utility Right of Way Moody-Azalea Commons (aka Moody Family Housing).

2013-07-29 GLPC Packet-007 REZ-2013-09 Moody Family Housing
Note the big sinkhole in Phase 2.

But citizen Jacinta Howell talked about traffic safety. Let’s remember the immortal words of former Chairman Ashley Paulk during a rezoning near Bemiss Road:

I’m not going to argue Bemiss Highway, it’s not a pertinent fact.

Below are Continue reading →

Videos: Opioid Vaginal Mesh, Military Utility, No Probation @ LCC 2018-04-23

Yesterday morning Chairman Bill Slaughter looked straight at the LAKE video camera and said: “We’ll have a record-setting short meeting tomorrow, with one agenda item.” Then he chuckled.

The Work Session was 17 minutes and 35 seconds, because of 12 minutes on the Special Presentation by Andrew Hill on Opioid Litigation (Work Session).

The longest other item was 3 minutes on 6 b. Lowndes County Government Probation Plan and Resolution, which wasn’t ready yet, and is what the Chairman removed from the agenda for tonight.

Indeed it didn’t take five minutes, not even half a minute, for them not to discuss 6 a. Grant Of Easement for Utility Right of Way Moody-Azalea Commons.