The Naylor Boat Ramp should be finished in about two weeks.
Before they vote tonight at 5:30 PM, the Lowndes County Commission met in Regular Session yesterday morning, when tied for most time was the paintball-like game venue that was surprisingly contentious at the Planning Commission and the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBOA).
That rezoning tied for amount of time with Continue reading
The Lowndes County Commission said there will be a public hearing on their proposed $108 million budget at 5PM, Tuesday, June 11, 2019 (today). That public hearing is on the county’s online calendar. They also said the budget included a new trash collection division, and they were considering using that to replace Keep Lowndes-Valdosta Beautiful (KLVB).
But the meeting at which that Tuesday Budget Public Hearing was announced, which was some time Wednesday afternoon, May 29, 2019, is nowhere on lowndescounty.com that I can find, not in the calendar, news, or agendas, and they said nothing about it the previous day in their Work Session and Regular Session, both on that Tuesday. Also, I received no notification of the Wednesday meeting, even though I’m signed up for such things. We only know of it because of Continue reading
Animal welfare was the topic of the one Citizen wished to be Heard: Ed Barr, a former VSU faculty member, who said he spoke for a group of people who want a better-designed animal shelter, with better accessibility, as in closer to a residential area, or maybe redesigned like Miss Kitty Feline Sanctuary in Thomasville; he never said quite what features that meant.
The Regular Session was double-booked at the same time as the Planning Commission, so Gretchen went to the Planning Commission. The county’s own video was not available yesterday, but it appeared after I inquired.
They appointed Continue reading
The Work Session was at 4PM on Tuesday. The longest item was 7d. Corrections Software Solutions Probation Tracking System.
On the 6 a. TWR-2019-01 US Hwy 84 E. E-A, New 300′ Telecommunications Tower, tabled last time, staff did hear from Moody AFB that the tower was no problem for helicopter pilots, and the FAA has said no hazard. But they didn’t say whether Moody had issued its TERPS report.
Berinda Nwakamma did introduce herself very briefly as an applicant for the 5a. Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD). County Manager Joe Pritchard said “her information is in your agenda,” but it was not among the board packet documents the county sent LAKE in response to an open records request. What we dug up about her is below.
The Chairman had to speak for the one applicant for the 5b. Appointment – Southern Georgia Area Agency on Aging, since Commissioner Joyce Evans declined to say anything.
They had an Executive Session to discuss pending litigation.
Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item, followed by a LAKE video playlist. See also Continue reading
Update 2019-06-10: ZBOA denied almost all of the variances the same applicant requested.
The paintball-like game venue that was surprisingly contentious at the Planning Commission, is on the agenda for Monday and Tuesday at the Lowndes County Commission. GLPC voted 5-1 to table until the June Planning Commission meeting, but the Planning Commission is merely a recommending body: it does not decide rezonings. The county’s agenda sheet says “The TRC considered this request and had no objectionable comments, and staff finds the request consistent with the Comprehensive Plan.” The County Commission could decide to ignore the Planning Commission and approve this rezoning anyway.
Still from LAKE video of REZ-2019-08 in the preceding Planning Commission meeting.
The Sheriff’s department wants to buy laptops and handheld citation thingies for $85,934.66.
IT wants some cyber-threat-detection service, at unknown cost.
All that and some bids for vehicles.
Here is the agenda. See also the Continue reading
Received in response to an open records request by LAKE. The county supplied it onto the same USB drive with the documents from the previous County Commission packet. The county charged LAKE $6.65 for that USB stick.
![[Page 1]](http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/loco/2019-05-28--lcc-packet/Lowndes--Lowndes-County_PE-Agreement-Cover-letter-undated-0001.jpg)
GDOT to Lowndes County, Actual Cost Preliminary Engineering Agreement, Cover Letter
These documents are on the LAKE website.
LAKE looks forward to the county putting all these packet documents on the county’s own website, along with the agenda and agenda sheets.
Missing from what the county sent: Continue reading
Update 2019-07-09: Missing items supplied by the county.
Here’s the mysterious Moody AFB “Helicopter Corridor and Class D Airspace” map from item 6.c. TWR-2019-01 Value Concepts, Inc., US Hwy 84 E. E-A, New 300′ Telecommunications Tower on the May 13 and 14, 2019, Lowndes County Commission agenda.
This in the agenda packet, now on the LAKE website, including files returned by the county in response to a LAKE open records request. The county supplied those files on a USB drive, for which it charged LAKE $6.65.
Missing from what the county sent: Continue reading
Both the Work Session and the Regular Session are Tuesday, due to Monday being a holiday. That puts the Regular Session at the same time as the Planning Commission.
The proposed 300′ tower is back on the agenda. Its agenda sheet says they’re still waiting for Moody AFB to do a Terminal Instrument Procedures (TERPS) analysis, and for a response from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). So the County Commission could make a decision and adjourn before the Planning Commission even gets that far on its agenda.
Utilities has a Standard Utility Agreement/Preliminary Engineering Agreement with GDOT that “that covers the engineering cost of Water and Sewer Distribution facilities relocations incurred by Lowndes County for improvements of the interchange on CR 274/Lake Park-Bellville Road. The amount of the contract is $49,270.00, of which the DOT will bear 100 percent of the cost.”
Two appointments: somebody unnamed resigned from the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) and Berinda Nwakamma wants to be appointed. Naturally, the agenda says nothing about who she is, but linkedin says “Program Director at Georgia Home Visiting Program”, ResearchGate says “Valdosta State University | VSU · department of social work”, and Great Start thanks providers, by Daniel DeMersseman, VDT, 10 June 2017, says “GSGL [Great Start Georgia Lowndes] supervisor.” I’m guessing she’s the one in the front left of the picture, not holding a certificate, because she’s the one organized giving them out.
Daniel DeMersseman | The Valdosta Daily Times
Great Start Georgia Lowndes thanks social services providers at its Thank-a-Provider event.
Commissioner Joyce Evans’ term Continue reading
All three rezonings breezed through, except slightly the longest was the tabling of the proposed 300′ communications tower off of US 84 East. The tower had the most people: those sitting in the back.
Surprisingly, one of the two Authority appointments was not the incumbent. None of the candidates were introduced, and none spoke.
One Citizen spoke, me, on behalf of WWALS, thanking them and inviting them.
Commissioner Clay Griner was not present. The other four voting Commissioners unanimously approved everything, including the one tabling. At least two staff speakers were not introduced, one not named except by last name, and one never named at all.
Below are Continue reading
As expected, the longest item was about the 300′ communications tower proposed south of US 84 E. Second was bids for rotary mowers (really). And a Commissioner wanted to know what’s a blade.
Afterwards, at 9AM, was a special appearance by Tax Commissioner Rodney Cain and his staff, which at 16 3/4 minutes, took almost as long as the entire Work Session.
In between, Commissioners answered my question: Continue reading
![[Page 24]](http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/loco/2019-05-14--lcc-packet/TWR-2019-01-0024.jpg)