Videos: No you cannot speak @ LCC 2014-04-22

Two citizens from Hahira couldn’t speak in Citizens Wishing to Be Heard, but the Chairman would go into the private board room out of camera range afterwards to speak to them. The Chairman did describe a statement about the Sabal Trail pipeline.

Veterinarian Amanda Hall didn’t appear but was appointed to the Dangerous Dog Board. They objected to the Hahira annexation request. They approved a bid for an mobile emergency bypass pump on a trailer, a computer lease purchase agreement, and two Juvenile Justice grant application items, for Continuation and for Enhancement (more about that). And all four remaining voting Commissioners showed up.

Here’s the agenda, with links to the videos and a few notes.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, APRIL 21, 2014, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, APRIL 22, 2014, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street — 2nd Floor
  1. Call to Order Call to Order 2. Invocation 3. Pledge of Allegiance

    Video.

  2. Invocation

    Reverend Commissioner Richard Raines prayed for unity and peace.

  3. Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag
  4. Minutes for Approval Minutes for Approval

    Video.

    1. Work Session — April 7, 2014
    2. Regular Session — April 8, 2014
  5. Appointments
    1. Dangerous Dog Board Appointments - Dangerous Dog Board

      Video. Dr. Amanda Hall of Baytree Animal Hospital could not attend due to an emergency. County Manager Joe Pritchard said,

      “You do have an information sheet on her in your packet.”

      No, not you, dear reader. You can file an open records request and get that sheet after they vote. They approved Dr. Hall unanimously.

      All I can find about this board is some related Georgia laws.

  6. For Consideration
    1. 2014 Juvenile Justice Incentive Grant Program Application for Continuation Funding a/b. 2014 Juvenile Justice Incentive Grant Program Application

      Video. County Manager Joe Pritchard gave a much briefer summation than yesterday’s presentation by Emergency Management Director Ashley Tye Commissioner Demarcus Marshall wanted to know whether a new governor would continue the program. Answer: probably, because it was funded.

    2. 2014 Juvenile Justice Incentive Grant Program Application for Enhancement Funding
    3. Computer Lease Purchase Computer Lease Purchase

      Video. ITS Director Aaron Kostyu gave a much briefer version of his description of the previous morning: Maximum $107,670.96 for eventual purchase after 4 year lease. He enumerated dollars for each year. County Manager asked the alleged County Attorney for an opinion, which was more or less sure, you can do that. So they did.

  7. Bid
    1. Bid for Emergency By-Pass Pump Bid for Emergency By - Pass Pump

      Video. Utilities Director Mike Allen said one bid for $37,728 for an 8-inch bypass pump. A bit more detail in the previous morning’s Work Session, in which we learned it’s a mobile pump that goes on a trailer. Commission approved the pump.

  8. Reports-County Manager
    1. Annexation and Rezoning Application received by the City of Hahira Reports- County Manager - Hahira Annexation

      Video. Applicants are Fred Wetherington and Laurence Nelson, for five parcels totaling 66.1 acres between Hagen Bridge Road and Highway 122, so they can get city of Hahira water and sewer services. 30 days from receipt of request leave no time until the next Regular Session, so action was required at this meeting. County Attorney noted Hagen Bridge Road is not paved, and “it’s the view of Mr. Fletcher and Mr. Davenport” that that road is not adequate for such a subdivision, so the county would have to acquire additional right of way, pave, and potentally relocate utilities, so that is a proposed basis for county objection to annexation. Letter already drafted; sending it would trigger arbitration.

      Commissioner Demarcus Marshall wanted to know from County Planner Jason Davenport whether Fred Wetherington and Laurence Nelson were aware of this. Answer: in general, yes; specifically, no, although he had spoken to the Hahira Planner (Matt Martin) and to Fred Wetherington’s surveyor.

      Commissioner Raines said it wasn’t about the subdivision it was about the expsnese for the road.

      Commissioner Marshall moved to approve; unanimous approval.

      More detail in the previous morning’s Work Session.

    2. Chairman Slaughter statement on proposed Sabal Trail Pipeline Chairman Slaughter statement on proposed Sabal Trail Pipeline

      Video. He described the letter he sent to FERC as an e-comment that says Sabal Trail will be expected to adhere and honor all Lowndes County ordinances, and enumerates fourteen points. There is more he and the Commission can do, such as pass a resolution or an ordinance, but that letter is a good step forward.

  9. Citizens Wishing to be Heard Please State Name And Address CWTBH (rules explained) and meeting adjournment

    Video. After prompting by the County Manager, the Chairman chose to stick to the Commission’s citizen-suppression ordinance and refused to let two people speak because they hadn’t filled out a form first. The two potential speakers were Hahira City Council Mason Barfield and John Adams. The Chairman took them into the side room where the public is not permitted, but others indicated they wanted to say Hahira water and sewer can’t support as many houses as a 60+ acre subdivision would add.

Here’s a video playlist:


Videos: No you cannot speak
Regular Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 22 April 2014.

-jsq