Videos: Transportation, Water, Safety, and Alcohol @ LCC 2014-09-23

300x255 2100 East Hill Avenue, in GDOT option at Clay, Hollywood, and US 84, by John S. Quarterman, 23 September 2014 Commissioner Demarcus Marshall recused himself in the Regular Session of 23 September 2014, for the Public Safety Radio System System Upgrade, in case anybody thought a Motorola VP with the same last name was related. (Update 11:10 AM: added transcription of the three-part motion.) Rental leases for the Leila Ellis Social Services Building got more discussion. They added VOCA-funded VWMAP and GDOT at Clay and Hollywood (from the previous morning’s Executive Session), that the Tax Assessor’s database says is owned by the School Board, to the amended agenda. Everything else, including the USGS water level gauge on the Little River, was breezed through with no discussion, so fast the Chairman almost forgot to ask for speakers in an alcohol license public hearing, and he didn’t bother to mention before they adjourned that nobody had signed up for Citizens Wishing to Be Heard.

Here’s the amended agenda with links to the videos and a few notes, followed by a playlist. See also the LAKE videos of the previous morning’s Work Session and Board Packet.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2014, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2014, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
  1. Call to Order 1. Call to Order 2. Invocation 3. Pledge

    Video.

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

    Video.

    1. Work Session — September 8, 2014
    2. Regular Session — September 9, 2014
  5. Public Hearing
    1. Beer, Wine and Liquor License — Cowboys Fire Pit Grill, LLC — 1088 Lakes Blvd 5.a. Beer, Wine and Liquor License – Cowboys Fire Pit Grill

      Video. Still no questions. And the Chairman almost forgot to ask for citizens to speak in the public hearing. Nobody spoke. Commissioner Demarcus Marshall moved; somebody seconded; unanimously approved.

  6. For Consideration
    1. Abandonment of Unopened Right of Way off Water Oak Drive 6.a. Abandonment of Unopened Right of Way off Water Oak Drive

      Video. County Engineer Mike Fletcher said that section of road had never been maintained by the county. Unanimous approval.

      See the LAKE video of the previous morning’s Work Session for some discussion.

    2. Section 5311 Rural Transportation Program Operating Contracts 6.b. Section 5311 Rural Transportation Program Operating Contracts

      Video. County Engineer Mike Fletcher said the same thing he said in the Work Session: for the first seven months of the year MIDS has produced 20,984 trips, and in 2013 33,548 trips. He didn’t say, but if the 2014 trips keep on at that rate for a full 12 months, that will be about 7% above 2013. Commissioners had no questions. Commissioner Joyce Evans moved, somebody seconded, unanimously approved.

    3. Leila Ellis Social Services Building-Approval of Lease Agreements 6.c. Leila Ellis Social Services Building-Lease Agreements

      Video. Commissioner Demarcus Marshall wanted to know what deterred the other entities that previously wanted to rent: price, or something else? Chad McCleod didn’t really seem to know. County Manager Joe Pritchard added that Public Health is “a cornerstone” of the building. County Chairman Bill Slaughter said that these were just three of more leases. Commissioner Joyce Evans moved to approve, Demarcus Marshall seconded, all approved.

      See the Work Session video for more discussion and relevant information.

    4. GEMA Performance Partnership Agreement (FY 2014) 6.d. GEMA Performance Partnership Agreement (FY 2014)

      Video. Emergency Management Director Ashley Tye gave a brief presentation and they approved unanimously with no discussion.

    5. USGS Funding Agreement for Hwy 122 Stream Gauge 6.e. USGS Funding Agreement for Hwy 122 Stream Gauge

      Video. Emergency Management Director Ashley Tye gave a briefer version of what he said in the Work Session, which was that this was the annual renewal, still at the same price, of the Little River gauge installed after the April 2009 floods per an agreement with USGS September 2009. USGS installed it, and its information is available to local citizens and to the National Weather Services (NWS). NWS uses it in forecasting for “proactive knowing what the river’s doing.” He noted what the Withlacoochee River is doing doesn’t necessarily correlate with what the Little River is doing.

      Here are current graphs from that gauge and others on the Little River and the Withlacoochee River, upstream and down, in Flooding charts by WWALS. There are also links to the Lowndes County guages on the Emergency Management department page.

    6. Public Safety Radio System Upgrade 6.f. Public Safety Radio System Upgrade

      Video. Commissioner Crawford Powell wanted to know if the cost savings could be used productively. Emergency Management Director Ashley Tye said most of it was by slowly phasing out the old equipment, so there was no sudden savings. County Manager Joe Pritchard said the funding was from SPLOST, so it depended on how fast tax revenues come in.

      Commissioner Demarcus Marshall said he had read the proposed agreement with Motorola and noticed (page 12) that one of the required signatories was Motorola VP Robert Marshall. Commissioner Marshall said that VP was not kin as far as he knew, but recused himself in case there was any perception of conflict.

      There was some jocularity about reading the ability of the other Commissioners. Commissioner Richard Raines made a three-part motion, including approval subject to the City of Valdosta also approving:

      I move the board approve and authorize the Chairman to execute

      1. the communications system agreement with Motorola
      2. the equipment lease purchase agreement with Motorola and the attached Schedule A and B, the statement of essential use and source of funds, and leasee resolution,
      3. the amendment with the addendum subject to the City of Valdosta’s approval and execution of the amendment and the addendum.

      Of course, that doesn’t tell you much without seeing Schedule A and B, the statement of essential use and source of funds, the leasee resolution, or the amendment with the addendum. Commissioner Joyce Evans seconded. All (except) Marshall voted to approve.

      See the video of the Work Session for more discussion.

    7. VOCA-Funded VWAP Position Application 6.g. VOCA-Funded VWAP Position Application

      Video. Promoted to an agenda item from a mere report last time, State Solicitor Justin Cabral again asked for a 12-month renewal. With no discussion, Commissioner Demarcus Marshall moved to approve, Commissioner Joyce Evans seconded, and all approved.

    8. Option to Georgia DOT—U.S. Highway 84 at Clay Road and Hollywood Street 6.h. Option to Georgia DOT—U.S. 84 at Clay Road and Hollywood Street

      Video. County Engineer Mike Fletcher said:

      The Board of Commissioners voted yesterday in Executive Session to approve and authorize the Chairman to sign an option of right of way between Lowndes County and the DOT. The board’s vote authorized the Chairman to sign the related receipt of plans and an explanation acknowledgement, and for Mr. Pritchard to sign a related receipt and brochure.

      The board’s vote is subject to approval in a subsequent public vote. Before the public vote, the property shall be identified and the terms of the disposal disclosed.

      The option gives the DOT an option to acquire the property of the county for the right of way along US 84. The property is 6,405.7 square feet or 1.47 acres on US 84 East at Clay Road and Hollywood Street. The option gives the DOT an option to acquire the property for a value of $5,400. The term of this option is for sixty days.

      The part about subsequent public vote and identifying the property is paraphrased from the Georgia Open Meetings Act of 2012, 50-14-3 (b)(1). That law doesn’t require them to say why they’re selling the property, so they didn’t say.

      They also didn’t give the address of the subject property. According to the Lowndes County Tax Assessors database, the only corner of Clay, Hollywood, and US 84 owned by the county is Parcel 0157B 072 at the northeast corner, 2100 East Hill Avenue, which is actually owned by the Lowndes County Board of Education, and is 1.54 acres.

      600x509 2100 East Hill Avenue, in GDOT option at Clay, Hollywood, and US 84, by John S. Quarterman, 23 September 2014
      2100 East Hill Avenue

      The county does own the 20.88 acre Parcel 0155D 017 just to the east at 250 Douglas Street, home of the County Extension office at 2102 E Hill Avenue, but that’s probably not what they’re talking about. How can the County Commission sell land the School Board owns?

      Commissioners had no questions. Motion to authorize by Commissioner Demarcus Marshall. At least one second. Unanimous approval.

  7. Reports-County Manager 7. Reports - County Manager

    Video. No report.

  8. Citizens Wishing to be Heard Please State Name And Address

    After they adjourned, Commissioner Demarcus Marshall managed to say “Citizens?” They muttered that nobody signed up.

Here’s a video playlist:


Videos: Transportation, Water, Safety, and Alcohol
Regular Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 23 September 2014.

-jsq