Tag Archives: Work Session

Report of the Historic Courthouse Committee @ LCC 2015-03-09

No education, all law enforcement: Sheriff’s Office or Public defender’s office. Either would save the county money in the long run and preserve the courthouse through use of its services (heat, light, air conditioning). Plus some points on renovating the courthouse building and grounds. Judge McLane referred to this report in his talk at the Commission Work Session 9 March 2105, in which he said it would not be possible for VSU to use the courthouse without “some pretty dramatic and we think negative” changes to the building.

In his cover letter, Judge McLane said he was not sending the actual report to the Commissioners, yet clearly they were reading it in the Work Session, because they asked questions from it. And now you, the public can see the report. LAKE did not get it from the Commission, which so far as we know has not published it. The cover letter and the report are below in full. Continue reading →

Videos: Historic Courthouse, 2 rezonings, 1 utilities, MIDS bus, CDBG @ LCC 2015-03-09

These videos are of yesterday morning’s Work Session, and they’re voting right now on the annual grant paperwork for the county’s on-call bus system, run by MIDS, Inc., on a commercial and a subdivision rezoning, both previously recommended unanimously by the Planning Commission. Plus they will accept Utilities for Creekside West Phase II, i.e., water and sewer. They will declare at least two Potential Conflict(s) of Interest for Commissioner Joyce Evans and County Clerk Paige Dukes on the board of the hildren’s Advocacy Center of Lowndes County, Inc. (CAC), before agreeing for the Chairman to sign a Resolution to submit to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs for a $500,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for the CAC. We don’t know what those conflicts are, because as usual the county only published the agenda sheets for each agenda item, without the rest of the details that are in the board packets.

Judge H. Arthur McLane spoke yesterday about the Courthouse Preservation Committee; see LAKE videos of its public meetings.

Tonight they have Citizens Wishing to Be Heard on the agenda.

It’s a welcome change that for rezonings they now consider traffic on nearby roads, unlike back in 2011 when then-Chairman Ashley Paulk said:

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

Who knows? Next maybe they’ll consider expanding to regular routes on the bus system.

Below are links to the LAKE videos from Monday morning, followed by a video playlist. Continue reading →

Historic Courthouse, 2 rezonings, 1 utilities, MIDS bus, CDBG @ LCC 2015-03-09

The county has an on-call bus system, run by MIDS, Inc., and they’re doing the annual grant paperwork. Judge H. Arthur McLane will speak this morning about the Courthouse Preservation Committee; see LAKE videos of its public meetings. Tuesday the County Commission will decide the rezonings, one commercial and one subdivision, previously recommended unanimously by the Planning Commission: will they discuss the poor people they’re displacing, unlike the Planning Commission? Plus they will accept Utilities for Creekside West Phase II, i.e., water and sewer. They will declare at least two Potential Conflict(s) of Interest for Commissioner Joyce Evans and County Clerk Paige Dukes on the board of the hildren’s Advocacy Center of Lowndes County, Inc. (CAC), before agreeing for the Chairman to sign a Resolution to submit to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs for a $500,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for the CAC. We don’t know what those conflicts are, because as usual the county only published the agenda sheets for each agenda item, without the rest of the details that are in the board packets.

It’s a welcome change that for rezonings they now consider traffic on nearby roads, unlike back in 2011 when then-Chairman Ashley Paulk said:

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

Who knows? Next maybe they’ll consider expanding to regular routes on the bus system. Continue reading →

Videos: Dr. Grow, Devine, VLPRA @ LCC 2015-02-23

Dr. William R. Grow, District Health Director, presented about the state of the Health Department, and County Manager Joe Pritchard reported revisions to both the county’s Solid Waste Ordinance and the franchise agreement for solid waste were in progress. They ended by going into an executive session to discuss real estate.

For Parks and Rec Board, former Lowndes County Commissioner Richard Raines read a prepared statement, while Scott Willis, hearing specialist with Hearing Care Resources, gave an extemporaneous presentation, including that he was formerly on the VLPRA Advisory Board, and he’s been coaching children and working with the elderly. Commissioners had no questions for either applicant.

Tonight they’ll vote on a list of goals that is in their packet but they haven’t shown you the taxpayers.

Perhaps coincidentally, Continue reading →

Devine Subdivision returns @ LCC 2015-02-23

Tabled last time, partly due to opposition from residents of nearby Stone Creek about safety due to increased traffic, REZ-2015-02 Devine Subdivision on Tillman Crossing Rd is back, as is REZ-2015-01 Gramercy 2 in the form of Adopt Resolution accepting infrastructure for its predecessor Gramercy 1.

Also on the agenda for tomorrow morning is Dr. Grow Presentation-Work Session and an open Parks and Rec position has two applicants: former Lowndes County Commissioner Richard Raines and Scott Willis, hearing specialist with Hearing Care Resources.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2015 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2015 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
Continue reading →

Videos: 3 rezonings, boat ramp, bridge, utilities, new public defender @ LCC 2015-02-09

The only rezoning to get much time was the Devine Subdivision at Tillman Crossing, at this morning’s Work Session of the Lowndes County Commission. Maps were displayed for that and REZ-2015-01 Gramercy 2 and REZ-2015-03 Scurry Property, but the board packet is still not on the county’s website. I filed an open records request, asking for them to be emailed, and got a telephone callback saying they were ready for pickup, which means I won’t get them until tomorrow, and you may not see them until after tomorrow evening’s voting Regular Session.

Tuesday evening there will be Continue reading →

Partial packet items! @ LCC 2015-02-09

This agenda includes links to the Commission Agenda Item form for each item! That’s not all yet, since it does not link to the numerous maps and other materials for each of the three rezoning items, for example. But it’s progress! And the meeting dates also now appear. Good show! Also the name of the engineering firm is in the document for Professional Surveying and Engineering Services for Naylor Boat Ramp.

Proposals are also in this agenda for Preliminary Engineering Services for Exit 22 and 29 Utility Relocations, Professional Surveying and Engineering Services for Naylor Boat Ramp, and Proposal for Bridge Foundation Investigation for Morven Road Bridge Replacement, plus a 2015 Public Defender Services Contract & 2015 Operating Contract.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
Continue reading →

Videos: Anti-Tethering, Budget, Surplus, Abandonment, Evidence, Workers Comp, Manhole @ LCC 2015-01-26

Mike Allen, former Utilities Director, no longer works for the county as of last Friday, according to County Manager Joe Pritchard. Dr. Amanda Hall proposed an anti-tethering ordinance. Both at yesterday morning’s Work Session of the Lowndes County Commission.

Lowndes County won an award for its budget as “a policy document, a financial plan, an operations guide and a communications device.” All good except: as a communications device? They’d probably have to publish drafts of it before they passed it for that to be true. Unless they mean as in a public telling, not a public hearing. They won last year, too, along with 45 other winners in Georgia, including Valdosta. Award, or passing grade? They’ll present it tonight at the Regular Session.

No rezonings, but surplus computing devices, abandonment of Deloach Road E (CR 95), more on the never-ending juvenile justice Evidence Based Associates topic, Workers Compensation Insurance Renewal, and sewer gasses corrode manhole covers. I wonder how much gases corrode pipelines?

See the agenda. Videos are linked below, followed by a video playlist.

Continue reading →

Break the Chains: anti-tether ordinance @ LCC 2015-01-26

Their ordinance is the agenda for Monday morning’s Work Session, and a local organization called Break the Chains is sponsoring a facebook event to get people to show up for Tuesday evening’s Regular Session at 5:30 PM 26 January 2015 to recommend the Commission should pass it.

Joe Adgie, VDT, 24 January 2015, Anti-chain ordinance in future? Continue reading →

Videos: Packets, paving, safety, trash, education, appointment, jail, taxes, water @ LCC 2015-01-13

Teri Lupo reappointed to VLDA and almost all the Commissioners asked questions at some point during the at the Tuesday 5:30 PM 13 January 2015 Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission, at which two new Commissioners got to vote. Several citizens spoke, on getting board packets on the web, on getting their road paved, on safety on Val Del Road and reopening some of the waste collection sites, and the National Council of Negro Women; the Chairman weighed in on a couple of topics.

They meet again Monday morning 26 January 2015 plus a Special Called Meeting on Waste Management that same morning.

The Alapaha River Water Trail resolution, according to the Chairman before the meeting, is waiting until they’re ready to dedicate the new boat ramp at US 84, which is waiting until the river water goes down enough to pour concrete. Maybe some time this spring.

See the agenda for details on what they were considering, and see the videos of the previous morning’s Work Session for background. Below are links to the LAKE videos of each agenda item, followed by a video playlist. See also the county’s own much more professional one big long video.