Sworn in: re-elected Sandra Tooley (District 2) and new members Eric Howard (District 4) and Andy Gibbs (District 6), plus Sandra Tooley again as new Mayor Pro Tem. The vote on Mayor Pro Tem split evenly with the Mayor voting, between Sandra Tooley and Tim Carroll, so they ended up having Judge Tunison draw one of the two names out of a box.

Employee of the month was Ronnie Lancaster, Utilities Department.

They didn’t really appoint anybody to the Airport Authority; they just reminded everybody that Alvin Payton had previously agreed to take the Mayor’s ex officio non-voting slot on that Authority, and now the Mayor wants to take it back; Council said that was fine.

Two citizens were heard: Rev. Floyd Rose (invitation to MLK Jr. services at his church) and George Boston Rhynes (about first black mayor of Cairo, GA and compliments to Valdosta City Council on exceptional camaraderie).

In Council Comments, Tim Carroll recommended a resolution in support of a resolution in the state legislature to stop state fee diversions.

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item, with a very few notes, followed by a LAKE video playlist. See also the agenda.

• 1. Call to Order, Invocation, Pledge

  Video.

• 2. Reading of Election Results

  Video.

• 3. Oaths of Office – Sandra Tooley – District 2

  Video.

• 3. Oaths of Office – Eric Howard – District 4

  Video.

• 3. Oaths of Office – Andy Gibbs – District 6

  Video.

• 4. Election of Mayor Pro Tem and Oath of Office

  Video. Don’t know why the Mayor gets to vote even with the full Council present, but he said he did. “As I suspected,” he said, when the vote was tied. Then Judge Tennison drew from the box the Mayor earlier waved around.

• 4. Oath of Office of Mayor ProTem

  Video.

• 5a Presentation of the Municipal Audit for Fiscal Year 2017

  Video.

• 5b January, 2018 Employee of the Month Award

  Video.

• 6. Minutes Approval

  Video.

• 7. Bids, Contracts, Agreements and Expenditures

  Video.

• 8. Local Funding and Requests

  Video.

• 9 Valdosta-Lowndes County Airport Authority Appointment

  Video.

• 10. CTBH – Floyd Rose

  Video.

• 10. CTBH – George Boston Rhynes

  Video.

• 10. CTBH – no one else came forward

  Video.

• 11. City Manager’s Report

  Video.

• 12. Council Comments – Tim Carroll

  Video. Tim Carroll recommended a resolution in support of a resolution in the state legislature to stop state fee diversions. Mayor Pro Tem Sandra Tooley wanted to know whether Valdosta should go in with some other local governments on this. Carroll said Lanier County had already passed the resolution, and expanded on why Valdosta should go ahead and do so.

  Of particular concern is that when you think about our stormwater drainage ditches and branches, and creeks, our rivers, there are fees that are charged that are supposed to be used to protect those, and as best as we can tell they are not all being used for that purpose.

  It seems likely the resolution will be on Valdosta’s agenda for voting 5:30 PM January 25, 2018.

• 13. Adjournment

  Video.

Here’s a LAKE video playlist:

Videos: New Valdosta City Council members, resolution to stop state fee diversions
Regular Session, Valdosta City Council (VCC),
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 11 January 2018.

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