Author Archives: John S. Quarterman

Agenda: DBHDD appointment, computers * 4, utilities trucks @ LCC 2018-02-26

The missing agenda finally showed up sometime around when the Work Session started yesterday.

Chris Yarborough resigned from the Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Disabilities Board (DBHDD) and Kelley Saxon has applied. There are four computer purchase items and one bid for two 1 Ton Dual Wheel Truck with Service Body for the Utilities Department.

LAKE videos of the Work Session will follow shortly, and Gretchen is on her way with the LAKE video camera to the 5:30 PM voting Regular Session.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, February 26, 2018, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, February 27, 2018, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
Continue reading →

No agenda and no Lowndes County Commission website @ LCC 2018-02-26

They published no agenda for their recent planning session, and today their website is down before their 8:30 AM Work Session, so if there’s an agenda on it, nobody can see it. Gretchen is going there anyway, to see if they are doing anything.

Five years ago, Industrial Authority Executive Director Andrea Schruijer said:

It’s not that we’re saying we don’t have broadband. We have connectivity; that’s not the issue. We have great partners that help us with that.

The next week, February 25, 2013, lowndescounty.com was down. Just like today.

In October 2013, County Chairman Bill Slaughter said,

We have broadband!

One year ago, he said:

We can’t wait on someone else to do something, we are going to have to move forward.

So far this forward motion is hard to see.

-jsq

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!

Pastry, Hunting, Market Strategy @ VLCIA 2018-02-20

On their agenda for tomorrow are bonds for Martin’s Famous Pastry Shoppe.

Valdosta-Lowndes Development Authority
Tuesday, February 20, 2018, 5:30 PM
Development Authority Conference Room/103 Roosevelt Drive
Monthly Meeting Agenda
Continue reading →

Agenda, 2018 Commission Annual Planning Meeting @ LCC 2018-02-19

Update 2018-02-19: And a picture of the participants.

Still no agenda posted on lowndescounty.com. Below is the paper agenda Gretchen got at the meeting this morning. It has no times of day and no speakers listed. I wonder if the Commissioners got something more detailed than this?

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
2018 Commission Annual Planning Meeting
6926 Simpson Road. Hahira. Georgia
Monday. February 19—Tuesday. February 20
8:30 am.

FINANCE
Audit Report Continue reading →

No Agenda for Lowndes County Commission Retreat @ LCC 2018-02-19

Lowndes County’s annual two-day Planning Meeting, aka retreat, which begins today, a bank holiday, with no agenda posted. I hear it is at Chairman Bill Slaughter’s place south of Hahira. Gretchen is on her way with the LAKE video camera.

When: 8:30 AM, Monday 19 Feb 2018, Tuesday 20 Feb 2018

Where: 6926 Simpson Rd, Hahira GA 31632

Event: 2018 Annual Planning Meeting

Parcel ID 0031 042, Lowndes County Tax Assessors

-jsq

Videos: Rocky Ford Road, Sharp Family, C-G Bemiss Rd @ LCC 2018-02-13

Again like in the previous morning’s Work Session the lengthiest regular item was the rezoning on Rocky Ford Road for the church-proposed Camp Rock, mostly with attorney Jack Langdale speaking for, including that a “wilderness camp” for unfortunate children doesn’t need a buffer, and any future buyers of neighboring property beware.

The Sharp family said for seven years they have been trying to get somebody to do something about stray dogs, only to discover Animal Control doesn’t work weekends anymore, and the Sheriff’s office won’t do anything, even though one of their family had been killed by the dogs and another bitten, and the dogs are now into their second and third generations running loose.

Third longest was Continue reading →

Videos: Building too close and trash disposal staging @ ZBOA 2018-02-06

They approved both contentious cases, but not unanimously.

Joshua Stevens of Wendover Road, according to pictures submitted by neighbor Franklin J. Richards II, built a building eight inches from another building. “Staff Recommendation: Find inconsistent with the Variance Fteview Criteria and deny the requests.”

ZBOA Chairman Allan Strickland was not present, so Mac McCall chaired. However, for this first case he recused himself, and Gretchen Quarterman chaired. Staff Tracy Tolley suggested tabling to get more information. Nathaniel Brantley moved to approve citing Continue reading →

Model Solar Ordinance Public Workshop, Tifton, GA 2018-03-12

A few years ago, a doctor in Valdosta applied for a variance for solar panels over his parking lot. The Zoning Board of Approvals (ZBOA) tabled it, because Valdosta’s Land Development Regulations (LDR) did not permit that. I think he then made the panels connected to his building, which put them a different and already-permitted category.

What if Valdosta and other local governments updated their codes to enable parking lot and other solar power?

When:

4-6PM Monday, March 12, 2018

Where: National Environmentally Sound Production Agriculture Library (NESPAL)
2356 Rainwater Road, Tifton, GA 31793

Event: eventbrite

What: “The Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, and University of Georgia have come together to develop a model solar zoning ordinance to provide county and city officials and other decision-makers in Georgia access to best practices and a common baseline from which to work. We will produce a comprehensive document that addresses multiple scales and types of solar energy systems that counties and cities can adopt and adapt to their needs.”

More about the event: Continue reading →

Solar Valdosta Schools 2018-02-13

Yesterday the Valdosta Board of Education voted for the sun.

No byline, WCTV, 14 Feb 2018, Valdosta City Schools votes to lease land to solar company,

The school system will begin leasing some of its extra property to the solar energy company Radiance Solar.

Radiance Solar will reportedly pay Continue reading →

Videos: Resolutions and Railroad crossing @ Hahira 2018-01-30

The Hahira City Council passed two resolutions at its February 1, 2018 Regular Session, one supporting GA HR 158 to stop state fee diversions, and another supporting the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail. Two days before I spoke about both and there was discussion at the Hahira Work Session of January 30, 2018.

Another item from that Work Session has unfortunately become big news: possibly closing the Lawson Street railroad crossing, where a man was killed February 5 when a Norfolk Southern train struck a dump truck, according to WTXL. WALB says, “The Georgia State Patrol identified the driver as Dexter Brown, 48, of Barnwell, S.C.”. Mayor Bruce Cain gave a statement to Hahira Today, which also included some discussion of that agenda item: Continue reading →

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Citizen dialog for transparent process by the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange