They vote 5:30 PM today. The longest item at yesterday morning’s Work Session was 6b. REZ-2017-02 Calles, Alexandria St, R-10 and CON to E-A, Well and Septic, 0213 acres, which also got the longest discussion of any county case at the recent Planning Commission meeting, where GLPC voted to recommend denial. All parties want the other rezoning, 6a. REZ-2017-01 Cone/Malone, tabled.

The second longest item yesterday morning was 7c. Request for Relief for Tuscany Palms Utility Tax District, which had a long list of staff involved in it.

They did name the three three candidates for two VLMPO vacancies, but none of them were present. At least one wasn’t even aware he was actually a candidate.

Below are links to each of the LAKE videos of yesterday morning’s Work Session, with a few notes, followed by a video playlist, all in the order of the meeting, which this time matched the agenda.

• 1. Call to Order 4. Minutes for Approval

  Video.

• 5 a. Valdosta Lowndes Metropolitan Planning Organization Board (VLMPO)

  Video. Not sure why the County Engineer was reading the names, although I note one of them works for an engineering firm which does a lot of business with the county.

• 5a. Appointment VLMPO (part 2)

  Video.

• 6a. REZ-2017-01 Cone/Malone, 3222 Madison Hwy, E-A & CON to R-A ~3 acres

  Video. Very close to Valdosta Airport, which wants further discussions. GLPC, Applicant, Airport Authority, and county staff, all want this one tabled.

• 6b. REZ-2017-02 Calles, Alexandria St, R-10 and CON to E-A, Well and Septic, 0213 acres

  Video. County Planner Jason Davenport says this rezoning was a response to code enforcement complaining about livestock on the property. He says it’s partly in floodplain and recharge area. Plus some neighbors will be objecting. GLPC recommended tabling, but now there’s an environmental survey that GLPC did not have. “I will tell you that what you’re really walkting into is probably a very contentious public hearing.” Both applicant and opposition have pictures and petitions or letters. Applicant has also had to answer questions sent by neighbors to DFAX, GA-EPD, Lowndes County Sheriff, code enforcement, etc. Planner said he considered the applicant “under assault” by the neighbors, whom he said would probably provide tonight “a healthy dose of venom”. Planner said he was fine with moving forward, and tabling might “allow things to fester”. He also noted the Planning Commission didn’t even hear this case until 8PM because of an even more contentious Valdosta case.

  Answering Commissioner Clay Griner’s question, he said the applicants currently own one horse, two ponies, three goats, chickens, and ducks. He added that Mrs. Calles, the mother of the applicant, also owns two adjacent properties, and she is the owner of the subject property.

• 7 a. Approval of Elected Officials Using County Purchasing and Credit Cards

  Video.

• 7b. Beer License – BP Food Mart – 1405 N. St. Augustine Rd.

  Video.

• 7c. Request for Relief for Tuscany Palms Utility Tax District

  Video. Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker wanted to know what the annual payment was, and Finance Director Stephanie Black said she’d have to look it up. County Manager Joe Davenport asked the County Attorney to clarify; he said the debt does not end after ten years. Chairman Bill Slaughter wanted to know when the county would have to exercise its lien rights on the property. The Attorney said there was no specific time, but yes, the county could foreclose to recover the money.

• 7 d. Bevel Creek Lift Station Automatic Transfer Switch

  Video. Utilities Director Steve Stalvey said much work has been done on this station over the years, and the problem is due to deterioration from the hydrogen sulfide gas. Since this is the last lift station before the Land Application Site (LAS), he considers it an emergency; he asked for a single quote; and he got it, from Cowart Electric for $18,850. Asked to clarify by Chairman Slaughter, Stalvey clarified that this is not an off-the-shelf item, it has to be custom built.

• 7e. Architectural Services for Addition and Alterations to the 911 Facility

  Video. Project Manager Chad McLeod said voters approved this as part of SPLOST VII, $792,000 Studio 8 Design LLC of Valdosta at 8%, which is $63,360.

• 7f. Professional Services for Jumping Gully Rd Bridge Replacement

  Video. County Engineer Mike Fletcher said EMC Engineering Services had completed the hydraulic analysis for $19,750 which determined the bridge needs to be raised 9 feet to get it out of the 100-year flood plain and to meet current GDOT requirements. A Commissioner wanted to know when this bridge was built. Fletcher said he didn’t know, but he would have this information Tuesday evening.

• 7 g. Drainage Improvements – Valencia Street

  Video.

• 7 h. Data Center Battery Replacement

  Video.

• 7 i. Server Blades, Virtual and Operating System Software

  Video.

• 7 j. 2017 Public Defender Contracts

  Video. Nobody was there from the County Defender’s office, so County Manager Joe Pritchard described the continuation of the agreement, which is also with Tift, Echols, and probably some other counties.

• 8. Reports – County Manager (none) 10. Adjournment

  Video. No additional report and no other business, so they adjourned.

Investigative reporting costs money, for open records requests, copying, web hosting, gasoline, and cameras, and with sufficient funds we can pay students to do further research. You can donate to LAKE today!

Here’s a LAKE video playlist:

Videos: 2 VLMPO appointments, 2 rezonings, 3 water + credit cards, alcohol
Work Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, February 13, 2017.

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Investigative reporting costs money, for open records requests, copying, web hosting, gasoline, and cameras, and with sufficient funds we can pay students to do further research. You can donate to LAKE today!

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