Unanimous approval for a third no-bid contract this month for Lovell Engineering, this time for for a sports complex in Hahira, but surprisingly the opaque pest control bids were tabled indefinitely. Also unanimously approved were three new fine-processing positions for the Clerk of Court, the Little River stream gauge, The special presentation was for the retirement of Gene Roberts from Public Works. No mention of the previous morning’s presentations by Judge John Kent Edwards Jr. asking for a new State Court Judge or about fines moving from Sheriff to State Court. Dr. Michael Noll said Moody AFB once again couldn’t get access to the site for the Moody Family Housing the Commission already approved, despite the sinkhole on the adjoining land.

Here’s the agenda, with links to the videos and a few notes. See also videos of the previous morning’s Work Session.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2013, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2^nd Floor

1. Call to Order
2. Invocation

   Campephilus principalis Crawford Powell stuck mostly to religion (is the Commission Chamber a church?), but he did mention stewardship.

3. Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag
4. Special Presentation

   Gene Roberts retired from Public Works and the county provided more evidence of one of its apparent bills of attainder. See separate post. No mention of the previous morning’s special presentation by State Court John Edwards asking for an additional State Court Judge.

5. Minutes for Approval

   We don’t know if there were any changes sent to the Clerk after Chairman Bill Slaughter directed Commissioners to tell the Clerk of any changes the previous morning. No new changes were brought up, and the minutes were unanimously approved.

   1. Work Session — August 12, 2013
   2. Regular Session — August 13, 2013
6. For Consideration
   1. Environmental Engineering Services for GDOT Land Deed for Parks and Recreation

      Filling in, Chad McLeod made much the same presentation as absent Invisible Engineer Mike Fletcher made the previous morning.

      Commissioner John Page wanted to know if Parks and Rec has authority to build something else there other than a soccer field.
      Answer: yes.

      He also wanted to know if it was within the city limits of Hahira?
      Answer: yes.

      Is there water and sewer?
      Answer: yes, at the skate park, and can be extended.

      Are those from the city of Hahira?
      Answer: yes.

      “So we would have to pay them to run that, or how would that work?”
      Answer: “That’s correct; that would be part of the construction once we began.”

      I don’t understand how that last answered the question.

      The Commissioners then unanimously approved a third no-bid contract for the same firm this month, to Lovell Engineering.

   2. USGS Funding Agreement for Hwy 122 Stream Gauge

      Emergency Director Ashley Tye once again said it’s on the Little River; see the previous morning’s Work Session for why it’s there, how it’s maintained, etc.. Unanimously approved.

   3. Budget Adjustment — Personnel Costs

      Inaudible County Manager Joe Pritchard spoke up to overrule County Chairman Bill Slaughter and took over this presentation from Finance Director Stephanie Black, summarizing the much longer discussion of the previous morning that involved Judge John Kent Edwards Jr. Basically collection of fines coming off of I-75 is moving from the Sheriff’s office to the Clerk of Court. Three positions in the Clerk’s office were unanimously approved.

7. Bid-Pest Control Service

   After the previous morning’s questions about pest control for an unannounced amount with no bond from one of two unannounced bids, County Manager Joe Pritchard, strangely audible and looking very unhappy about it, said staff had found new information and asked to table it indefinitely. Commissioner John Page so moved, Commissioner Richard Raines seconded, and no discussion all approved.

8. Reports-County Manager

   County Manager Joe Pritchard said “we took care of that yesterday; there’s no report”. Presumably he was referring to the previous morning’s Executive Session for pending litigation.

9. Citizens Wishing to be Heard Please State Name And Address
   • Moody can’t get onto site for Moody Family Housing —Michael Noll

Here’s a video playlist:

Videos: New judge, river gauge, park deed, personnel costs, pest control, and retirement
Regular Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 27 August 2013.

-jsq

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