Who will be appointed tomorrow to the Valdosta-Lowndes County Construction Board of Adjustments and Appeals (VLCCBAA), who’s on it, and what do they do? Let’s look back a few years.

• 26 June 2012: According to LAKE writeup and video they appointed Jim Scruggs to that board, and the other applicants were Rich Rowe and Tim Coons. Scruggs replaced Bill Slaughter on that board; his term had expired, and he had “indicated” he did not want to be reappointed.
• 24 May 2011: According to LAKE video they re-appointed Tommy Radney. At the previous morning’s Work Session Commissioners discussed having potential appointees come before the Commission before appointment.
• 25 May 2010: According to the county’s the minutes,

  …and Randall Crews to the Valdosta/Lowndes County Construction Board of Adjustments and Appeals. Commissioner Evans also agreed to accept the Commission’s vacant position on the Valdosta/Lowndes County Construction Board of Adjustments and Appeals. Vice Chairman Lee spoke as second to Commissioner Evan’s motion. Motion carried.

  The minutes say Commissioner Evans was appointed to “the Commission’s vacant position” which might indicate somebody resigned or died, but the minutes don’t say.
• 26 May 2009: According to the minutes they re-appointed Bill Slaughter.

What does that board do, and who’s on it? The county doesn’t say, but on the City of Valdosta website we learn:

Purpose:

The Valdosta-Lowndes County Construction Board of Adjustment and Appeals is responsible for reviewing and deciding specific appeals made by individuals concerning the interpretation or administration of the Construction Codes.

Members:

The board consists of seven members. Three members are appointed by the City of Valdosta and three by the Lowndes County Board of Commissioners. Members are appointed based on their experience in the construction industry. The seventh appointment rotates between the City and County.

Current Members of the Board are:

City Name Expires John Sineath June 2014 Steve Quinn June 2014 Jimmy Cone June 2016 Ronald Cowart June 2015

County Name Expires Tommy Radney June 2014 Randall Crews June 2013 Jim Scruggs June 2015

All the terms are for three (3) years. No Chair is indicated on the city’s web page. The seat that needs to be filled is currently held by Randall Crews. What happened to Joyce Evans’ appointment of 2010? Was that to fill an unexpired term? If so, it must have been for the seat currently held by Jim Scruggs, since they reappointed Tommy Radney in 2011 and Randall Crews was appointed in 2010 at the same time as Joyce Evans. 2015 minus 3 is 2012, and minus another 3 is 2009, which is when Bill Slaughter was appointed. But Slaughter was still on that board until 2012, so that’s not it.

Incidentally, Bill Slaughter simultaneously served on the Planning Commission. According to the Lowndes County Commission minutes of 23 October 2007,

Greater Lowndes Planning Commission, Chairman Casey opened the floor for nomination. Vice Chairman Lee nominated Bill Slaughter, term to begin January 2008, Commissioner Carter second. Appointed by acclamation.

And later under Reports:

Chairman Casey wanted to make a point of clarification stating that the request from the Greater Lowndes Planning Comm ission Appointment is to appoint Bill Slaughter for the Commission taking Tim Carroll’s position. All appointments will begin January 1, 2008.

So whose slot on the Construction Board that Joyce Evans was filling? Maybe it was the seat that rotates between the city and the county? Or maybe the 25 May 2010 minutes are confused in some way.

The Chamber of Commerce has a link to The Construction Board’s appeals form, which indicates they meet quarterly at a regular (unspecified) time, and apparently $50 can cause them to call a special meeting. (The city’s website says “The time, date and place of the meetings of the board are determined on an as needed basis.”) Appeals can involve an allegedly misinterpreted or misconstrued code or ordinance section, or a hardship on the appellant. I wonder how many construction adjustments or appeals a board composed of construction people turns down?

Anyway, once someone gets on the Construction Board, the county tends to reappoint them for a second term, so I’d guess Randall Crews is going to get reappointed.

Where are the agendas and minutes for the Construction Board? Who keeps them?

-jsq

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