How can we “Know the Laws” as the county’s
front page says,
if a county ordinance being revised isn’t there and isn’t
distributed when the county is about to vote on it Tuesday evening
after the Work Session this morning at 8:30 AM?
For the
Nuisance Abatement Ordinance the
packet agenda sheet says only: Continue reading
The proposed MAZ changes were
tabled for 90 days,
they approved everything else, and
welcomed new Utilities Director Steve Stalvey again,
at the 5:30 PM Tuesday 28 July 2015 Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission.
Valdosta City Council
Sandra Tooley
didn’t fill out a form and so didn’t get to speak,
but
another citizen asked about the
Naylor Boat Ramp (answer after the meeting: on schedule for this fall)
and about Sabal Trail (answer: none).
See also Continue reading
The proposed MAZ changes have “absolutely nothing to do with”
the 23 acres on Davidson Road that were proposed to be rezoned R-21 back in 2010,
after the county paved Davidson Road, said County Chairman Bill Slaughter at yesterday morning’s Lowndes County Commission Work Session.
County Planner Jason Davenport said he had hoped to get “on the same page with Moody”
before that same evening’s Planning Commission meeting
for the
MAZ ULDC Text Amendments,
but as yet he had nothing to report, and tabling was an option.
I don’t think that word “ultimately” means what he thinks it does.
See more
below about Davidson Road.
Not on the agenda were three, no four, reports:
Like the MAZ changes, also requiring a public hearing Tuesday evening is Continue reading
While
Dougherty County, Albany, and their state and federal reps
plan a joint opposition meeting to the Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline invader, there’s nothing about that pipeline
on
Monday’s
8:30 AM
agenda of the Lowndes County Commission.
Three items on
emergency response,
emergency planning,
and
911 operations,
plus one on
liability,
but nothing about the
invading pipeline soft target.
The highly controversial
Moody Activity Zoning Districts (MAZ)
are back, despite massive opposition.
The Planning Commission will hear MAZ again Monday evening,
and because there’s only one day from then until the County Commission
can vote on MAZ Tuesday, the County Planner says: Continue reading
$16,915
to upgrade a water main to subsidize a developer,
but no approval of
$15,957 to study public transportation and truck routing.
Speaking of subsidizing private developers,
there’s yet more fallout from the failed 2007 mega-mall-and-subdivision Market Street project; see separate post.
And the Chairman
gave an excellent demonstration of why elected officials would benefit
by interacting and even debating with citizens, instead of
jumping to conclusions and preaching at them.
Here’s the agenda,
and the
LAKE videos of
the previous morning’s Work Session
and
the budget hearing immediately before the Regular Session.
Below are the Regular Session LAKE videos with a few comments,
followed by a video playlist. Continue reading
The Chairman said the Finance Director would make a presentation
about the
Adoption of the Fiscal Year 2016 Budget
Tuesday before they voted; he said nothing about that presentation
being the second Public Budget Hearing.
See LAKE videos of the first Budget Hearing
and of
the second budget hearing.
The
Commercial Driveway for Raceway on James Road.
is yet more fallout from the failed 2007 mega-mall-and-subdivision Market Street project; see separate post.
Also five pre-bidders but only one bid, this one from Scruggs Co., for
Widening of a Portion of Old US 41 N.
Why is the county paying the cost to
Upgrade Water Main at Lake Alapaha Subdivision
from 2 inches to 6 inches?
At least we found out where and why for the
Engineering and Surveying Services for Water and Sewer.
Here’s the agenda.
Below are the LAKE videos of the Work Session with a few comments,
followed by a video playlist. Continue reading
Adoption of the Fiscal Year 2016 Budget to be considered Monday
morning and voted on Tuesday evening (see LAKE videos of Budget Hearing of two weeks ago), plus
a
GEFA Loan Modification
(thought they approved that 26 May 2015 for the Alapaha Water Treatment Plant),
a
Justice Assistance Grant,
a
SCADA lease-purchase agreement,
and the annual controversial
Mosquito Contract.
Two appointees each to
KLVB
and the
Library Board.
We don’t know who, because the county
posted the agenda only in PDF, with no item sheets.
Public Hearing
approved last month for the
Abandonment of Buck Cato Road: what’s causing all of these in the last couple years?
And they’ve found an excuse for their long-desired Continue reading
They vote tonight at 5:30 PM on what you can see them discussing yesterday morning in these videos.
They got a
Deep South Sanitation, LLC Application for Franchise
for trash collection, including use of the county’s collection facility at
345 Gil Harbin Industrial Blvd.
Commissioner Demarcus Marshall asked what about recycling;
Chairman Bill Slaughter said there would be recycling at the collection centers.
Which means yes ADS’ price went up and service reduced since no curbside
recycling collection anymore.
County Manager Joe Pritchard asked County Engineer Mike Fletcher
to report and to be added to the Regular Session emergency
Nankin Road Repair due to a water-eroded box culvert.
And it’s a single-source no-bid, this time for Rountree Construction.
Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker had a few remarks about
the letter to support plans to
“renovate Arbor Trace II Apartments in Lake Park” by Investment Management Company of Valdosta, Inc.
The
body armor request from two weeks before got Continue reading
Finally on the agenda for the meeting right now this morning:
Deep South Sanitation, LLC Application for Franchise.
That’s some improvement in the ongoing county trash situation previous
versions of the County Commission caused.
If the Commission can
sign a letter to support plans to
“renovate Arbor Trace II Apartments in Lake Park” by Investment Management Company of Valdosta, Inc.,
maybe it can sign a letter of support for expanded
public transportation in Lowndes County.
Arbor Trace is low income housing.
Bus systems typically include many low-income riders.
Even the agenda item PDF doesn’t say, but
FY 2016 HEAT Grant
for the Sheriff’s Department
is about
Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic “to combat impaired and aggressive drivers,” with the purpose of reducing traffic fatalities.
And the Juvenile Court wants to continue with its
2015 Request for Proposal (RFP) Juvenile Justice Incentive Grant Program.
Also on the agenda is
saving money with an
AT&T telephone discount
and
a
Wine and Liquor License – VHS Corporation – 2418 Rocky Ford Road
liquor license.
LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, APRIL 27,2015, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2015, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
One citizen got cut off
just as he said the county attorney
thought he could interpret state law however he liked.
In addition to the
Lake Park Fire Department Automatic Aid Agreement
the County Manager asked at the Work Session to add to
agenda,
they also added
Southern Region Traffic Enforcement Network (SRTEN).
Plus not on the agenda there was
recognition of student guests.
See also the previous morning’s Work Session
Keep Lowndes-Valdosta Beautiful cleanup presentation.
They meet again this morning.
Also voted on two weeks ago were
changes to the
speed zone ordinance,
a
GEMA grant application, a
proposal for engineering services for Exits 22 and 29,
HVAC for county buildings, and a
liquor license.
Here’s
the agenda
with links to the videos and a few notes.
LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 2015 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor