The regular public meeting is still on for Tuesday 22 June at 5:30 PM at 325 W. Savannah Ave. (under the water tower). The agenda does seem a mite slim: no rezoning cases, no ULDC changes. Still, there’s Citizens Wishing to be Heard. I’ll be there.
-jsq
The Glen Laurel Subdivision rezoning case that the Lowndes County
Board of Commissioners decided on Tuesday June 8 (REZ-2010-06)
raises all sorts of issues.
Let’s start by hearing Coy Brightwell (he lives just across Old Pine Road from
the proposed subdivision) summarize some points against
the rezoning, saying going all the way from RA to PD is too far,
and that the neighbors are asking for a compromise:
There’s a theme here: “we’re not against development”. We’ll come back to that.
-jsq
This is about exclusion zones around wells, and maybe about
restrictions on putting new wells next to pollution sources such
as cotton fields.
At their 8 June 2010 regular meeting, the Lowndes County Board of Commissioners, at the recommendation of County Planner Jason Davenport, tabled revisions to the Uniform Land Development Code (ULDC) about wellhead protection. Such protections are a new requirment by the Georgia EPD, and it’s taking a while to figure out what is appropriate for the ten wells operated by the county and the 140 private community wells, many of which have trust indentures with the county that require the county to take them over if their current operators do not supply enough water, or of good enough quality.
Picture by John S.Quarterman, video by Gretchen K. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange, 8 June 2010.
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Previously, the Valdosta City Council appointed City Council member
Robert Yost to the
Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks & Recreation Authority (VLPRA).
The Lowndes County Board of Commissioners debated appointing a Commissioner
to the VLPRA at their June 8 meeting:
They decided to appoint their chairman, Ashley Paulk, to the VLPRA. Chairman Paulk said he would serve, but as a private citizen. I wonder then what the point was of appointing him, rather than someone else.
When Valdosta appointed Yost, Ashley Paulk provided this statement to the VDT: Continue reading
In the regular meeting, Hahira City Council, June 3,
Mr. Benjamin speaks up in Citizens Wishing to be Heard:
As you can see by the pan around the room, the meeting was pretty well attended. The average local government session around here gets maybe a couple of people who aren’t elected or staff. This one had probably half a dozen.
Each Council member, Ralph Clendenin (District 3), Allen Cain (District 2), Terry Benjamin (District 1), and Rose Adams (District 4), made a statment, followed by Jonathan Sumner (City Manager) and Wayne Bullard (Mayor).
Here’s a playlist. Videos by John S. Quarterman and Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE.
Hahira Elected Officials and Staff. Minutes of previous meetings and future schedule.
Most of the county budget goes to law enforcement.
This does not include the larger budget of the Lowndes County School Board. I also don’t think it includes dedicated millage such as the one mil that goes to the Industrial Authority.
-jsq
John S. Quarterman
Carrie Teegardin and Bill Rankin
write in the AJC about
A billion-dollar burden or justice?
AJC investigation: Georgia leads nation in criminal punishment:
Georgia taxpayers spend $1 billion a year locking up so many criminal offenders that the state has the fourth-highest incarceration rate in the nation. When it comes to overall criminal punishment, no state outdoes Georgia.They note that scare tactics made that happen.
But today, many public figures with strong anti-crime credentials are asking if that expenditure is smart, or even if it’s making Georgians safer. The debate about crime and punishment, once clearly divided along party lines, is now a debate in which conservatives often lead the charge for change.Continue reading
Deb Cox, Election Supervisor for Lowndes County, came to the Lowndes County Democratic Party Meeting last Monday.
She talked about new rules for voter registration, important dates, and redrawing county district lines.
Voter registration training materials are available at the Lowndes County Board of Elections at 2808 North Oak Street.
The meeting about re-drawing district lines in the county is scheduled for May 20th at 9:00 am at 2808 North Oak Street.
The Georgia Secretary of State web site has information about important election and voter registration dates and the rules for Voter Registration .
Members were in agreement that while there are many students graduating from area colleges, they are moving to other cities to find higher paying jobs. Some board members agreed the local workforce needs improvement to enhance the work of current employees, improve the skills of unemployed individuals, and create more job openings.Can’t argue with that.
The controversial aspects of the Wiregrass Power, LLC biomass project are not discussed in the article. Instead, the tiny accompanying solar plant gets some press: Continue reading
For entertainment, I read daily the Rant and Rave in the local newspaper. Now, I know some people here think that what’s written there is so horrible that they can’t stand it. Others think it is just for those too afraid to say something in public. Nonetheless, I read it nearly daily as I find it an interesting window into our area.
Lately, there have been several people writing in about the advertising signs posted around both Valdosta and the county. They note that the messaging on these signs is in direct conflict with Valdosta’s new litter campaign slogan. I can only assume they mean the yellow “Got Junk?” signs.
For example Continue reading