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Author Archives: John S. Quarterman
Precinct budget finger-pointing @ LCC Millage 2014-07-16
It’s still not clear why the Board of Elections couldn’t afford to keep precincts open,
instead of
closing more of them every year.
But after several days of finger pointing
this week, it looks like there will be funding to keep all the current
precincts open.
That’s good news, but if the fix was so easy, why was there ever a problem?
Oldest first, here’s a timeline of highlights.
Back on 10 March 2014,
Deb Cox spoke to the Lowndes County Commission
about the
Board of Elections budget.
I just listened to that video again.
She did ask for more money for poll workers,
and there were comments about how early voting wasn’t revenue-neutral.
But I don’t see that she asked for money to keep precincts open,
or ever mentioned precincts closing.
27 June 2014 I happened to see Continue reading
Sparsely attended millage hearing @ LCC Millage 2014-07-16
To raise or not to raise, that is the millage question,
and what to spend it on,
but not many people showed up to ask.
This 6PM Wednesday 16 July 2014 millage hearing was one of the most lively, juding by his report, from which you can see that VDT political reporter Matthew Woody’s report on both hearings of last Wednesday, and that’s not saying much. In this evening hearing, Dennis Marks spoke for res publica, the rule of the public, for the public good. The other three commenters seemed to be against the millage increase.
One more milllage hearing (8:30AM) and an adoption meeting (9AM), both Wednesday 23 July 2014. Continue reading
Appointments to KLVB & Health, County Extension, Alapaha water treatment, Riverside Road, Bemiss Landing Subdivision @ LCC 2014-07-21
And an
EMPG grant award application.
As usual, no clue who the board applicants are.
However, Nick Hinson’s term on KLVB is up this year, so I predict he’ll be reappointed.
Here’s who was on the Health Board at the end of 2012. One of their members, Mary Margaret Richardson, is also on the hospital board. Here are videos of the Board of Health 30 May 2013 meeting. The Board of Health meets again 7:30 AM Tuesday 22 July 2014.
Here’s the agenda.
LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERSContinue reading
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, JULY 21, 2014, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, JULY 22, 2014, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street — 2nd Floor
Videos: Half Nelson Hill and rezoning to Agricultural @ GLPC 2014-06-30
Only two cases, both Lowndes County.
Johnny White withdrew
his request to rezone to agricultural.
GLPC tabled
REZ-2014-13 Nelson Hill.
And
Vice Chair Diondra Nichols is moving to Las Vegas.
She’s
a county appointee, so expect to see an appointment
on an upcoming Lowndes County Commission agenda.
Here’s the agenda. The date on the GLPC agenda for the following Lowndes County Commission Regular Session was wrong; should be 8 July 2014 (see the videos of that LCC meeting). That incorrect date confused GLPC Chair Johnny Ball, as well.
Here are links to the videos of the 30 June 2013 meeting of the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC), followed by a playlist. Continue reading
Annexation postponed @ Hahira 2014-06-05
They tabled until July 10th the Wetherington-Nelson annexation request,
and approved the city budget; also a beer and wine license.
And voted to accept a bid from EZsite to fix their website.
Council Mason Barfield said in Council Comments he loves being
on video, and sees the Internet as the future of local government.
County Manager Jonathan Sumner noted Hahira’s budget is in the black,
and, unlike other local governments, does not need to raise its millage.
Hm, maybe they could afford to do their own videos, then.
Since their website is still broken, I don’t have an agenda. Here are links to the videos, followed by a playlist. Continue reading
Videos: Courthouse Preservation Committee Hearing #1 @ Courthouse 2014-06-09
SCAD or VSU?
Historical Society or Public Defender?
Business incubator or state offices?
Outside and inside.
These and other ideas were brought up in the first of
three Courthouse Preservation Committee meetings, 9 June 2014.
Baha Zeidan and Varian Brown wanted a business incubator. Judge Ellerbee said the way the courthouse got into a mess in the first place was people wanting to use it for many things in addition to courtrooms, and he suggested not going the same route again. Pat Sullivan suggested bringing in SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) and having them design the building before renting it as a local campus. Stanley Cox seconded that. Sullivan even volunteered his oldest downtown Valdosta building, home of ClientTell, for planning meetings. Gretchen Quarterman said to be sure Valdosta Farm Days, Juneteenth, and all the other courthouse lawn events still can happen in conjunction with whatever happens inside, G. Norman Bennett said it would be a natural location for the Historical Society. Glenn Gregory told stories of historic preservation and suggested VSU, state offices, or the Public Defender, plus he noted there’s another courthouse by the same architect, in Abbeville, GA. They even let somebody speak who hadn’t signed up: Valdosta Mayor John Gayle, who cautioned that the longer it sits, the more it deteriorates.
Here are links to each video, followed by a playlist. Continue reading
Videos: Hahira rezoning and annexation, two Valdosta CUP @ GLPC 2014-04-28
Tabled at applicant’s request:
the Hahira
rezoning
and
annexation;
see also the
Lowndes County Commission letter of objection of 22 April 2014.
The proponents
to establish a recycling center
didn’t show up to answer questions, and due to lack of information
(noise, hours, odors, vermin, expansion, etc.), GLPC unanimously voted to recommend tabling.
GLPC voted to recommend approval with selected conditions for
Langdale Ford’s
minor automotive repair facility.
Remember, Lowndes County answered an open records request for the agenda 47 hours after this Planning Commission meeting started. Here’s the actual agenda by other means.
Greater Lowndes Planning CommissionLowndes County City of Valdosta City of Dasher City of Hahira City of Lake Park
REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING
AGENDA
Lowndes County South Health District Administrative Office
325 West Savannah AvenueMonday, April 28, 2014* 5:30 P.M. * Public Hearing
Here are videos of what GLPC did. Continue reading
About 90% of U.S. wiretaps are for drug deals
Yet another reason to end the failed War on Drugs: by far most U.S. wiretaps are for that one reason. Sure, a wiretap helped catch a Mexican drug lord. But without the War on Drugs, there would be no drug lords, just like alcohol bootleggers vanished after Prohibition ended.
Brian Anderson wrote for Motherboard 15 July 2014, Almost 90 Percent of All US Wiretaps Listen for Suspected Drug Deals,
Earlier this year, Continue reading
Videos: fire chief, teachers, web site, and chairs @ Hahira 2014-05-15
They talked about a new website; is it up yet?
Nope, according to
http://www.hahira.ga.us/cityofficials.html
Wayne Bullard is still Mayor, Rose Adams is still on the Council, and new
Council members Kenneth Davis and Mason Barfield are nowhere to be seen.
However, former Council member Bruce Cain has vanished,
even though he’s
the actual Mayor per last November’s election.
Here are some videos from the May 15th special called meeting
of the Hahira City Council where they talk about that proposed new website.
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Fire Chief report on need for additional staffing
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Teachers Luncheon
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Web Site Recommendation
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Council Chamber Chair Purchase
-
Council Comments
Here’s a video playlist:
Videos: fire chief, teachers, web site, and chairs
Special Called Meeting, Hahira City Council (Hahira),
Video by John S. Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE),
Hahira, Lowndes County, Georgia, 15 May 2014.
-jsq