Category Archives: Incarceration

Videos: 3 Tax Assessors appointed, Francis Lake Warehouse $397,980, LMIG Match $133,769.41, VOCA Grant down but match up @ LCC Regular 2024-01-08

Update 2024-01-20: Packet: Appoint another Tax Assessor, Special Assessment Rate, VOCA, federal consultant @ LCC 2024-01-22.

Two weeks ago the Lowndes County Commission appointed three new Tax Assessors: Gene Felts and Thomas Reed to 3-year terms and Sandra D.S.Jones to the 4-year term. Gene Felts resigned two days later, after being sworn in but before his first Tax Assessors Meeting. They still have 12 – 3 = 9 applicants to choose from. Maybe somebody should tell them they have to take substantial hours of training after being appointed.

We the taxpayers and voters still haven’t seen the applications, which were not in that board packet. At least the appointees did show up at the meeting.

Gretchen took these LAKE videos with her iPhone. The LAKE camera is old and tired and refused to function. If anyone wants to donate so we can get a new video camera, that would be wonderful.

The added agenda item, 6.f. 412-416 North Lee Street Purchase, was apparently the result of the Executive Session in the same morning’s Work Session.

The Commissioners unanimously approved everything else with little discussion.

There was a weather report by EMA Director Ashley Tye.

[Collage @ LCC Regular 8 January 2024]
Collage @ LCC Regular 8 January 2024

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item, with a few comments by Gretchen Quarterman, followed by a LAKE video playlist.

See also Continue reading

Videos: 12 applicants for 3 Tax Assessors, Francis Lake Warehouse $397,980, LMIG Match $133,769.41, VOCA Grant down but match up @ LCC Work 2024-01-08

Update 2024-01-20: Videos: 3 Tax Assessors appointed, Francis Lake Warehouse $397,980, LMIG Match $133,769.41, VOCA Grant down but match up @ LCC Regular 2024-01-08.

Even the County Commissioners did not get to see the applications of those who applied to be Tax Assessors; not unless they trouped upstairs and asked the County Clerk.

County Manager Paige Dukes read off the dozen names of applicants and added, “Ms. Lovern has their appointment sheets in her office.” Commissioner and Vice Chair Demarcus Marshall said he wanted to see their appplications; he noted Amy Carter is a former state legislator. Chairman Bill Slaughter said “Certainly if you would like to look at those applications, you’ve got those that you can go through.” He did offer to ask Ms. Lovern to call the applicants and ask them to show up at the Regular Session.

Why the secrecy is mysterious. So far as I know, they’re the same application forms everybody fills out to apply for any board or authority. They contain the same kind of information people put on LinkedIn or even facebook, and they are usually included in the board packet, but not this time.

The County Manager said two of the Tax Assessors posts will be 3-year terms, and the third will be a 4-year term, to keep terms staggered.

[Collage @ LCC 8 January 2024]
Collage @ LCC 8 January 2024

The new Vice Chair of the Lowndes County Commission is Demarcus Marshall. Chairman Bill Slaughter thanked Mark Wisenbaker for doing that for the past year, presiding at meetings when the Chair was absent.

Demarcus Marshall wanted to know Continue reading

Videos: VLDA appointment, VAWA Grant, Cross Connection Control Plan, Jail Addition, Code Red, 911 addition @ LCC Regular 2023-11-14

Last month, they unanimously approved everything, with little discussion, in the Lowndes County Commission Regular Session, November 14, 2023. They were all present.

The entire meeting took twelve minutes, including the 3-minute County Manager’s Report.

[Collage @ LCC 14 November 2023]
Collage @ LCC 14 November 2023

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item, with a few notes by Gretchen Quarterman, followed by a LAKE video playlist.

See also:

And now the LAKE videos of the Regular Session: Continue reading

Videos: VLDA appointment, VAWA Grant, Cross Connection Control Plan, Jail Addition, Code Red, 911 addition @ LCC Work 2023-11-13

Update 2023-12-11 Videos: VLDA appointment, VAWA Grant, Cross Connection Control Plan, Jail Addition, Code Red, 911 addition @ LCC Regular 2023-11-14.

Several of the Lowndes County Commissioners were absent at yesterday morning’s Work Session.

[Collage @ LCC 13 November 2023]
Collage @ LCC 13 November 2023

The Commissioners who were present breezed through the agenda in a few minutes. Joyce Evans, Scottie Orenstein, Clay Griner, and Chairman Bill Slaughter had no questions on any item. Commissioners Demarcus Marshall and Mark Wisenbaker were not present.

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item, with a few notes by Gretchen Quarterman, followed by a LAKE video playlist. Actually, she did not make any notes this time. And I did not hear anything new in the videos.

See also the agenda. Continue reading

Videos: Project Viking, Reports, and CWTBH @ LCC Regular 2023-06-13

The Project Viking rezoning included an introduction to the new Public Hearing format: 10 minutes for each side, then 2 minutes of rebuttal. This method is in the draft ULDC changes. Nobody spoke against. The rezoning passed unanimously. So did all the other agenda items.

[Collage @ LCC 13 June 2023]
Collage @ LCC 13 June 2023

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item, with a few notes by Gretchen Quarterman, followed by a LAKE video playlist.

See also:

Continue reading

Videos: Lowndes County Commission again approved Howell Road Halfway House rezoning 2023-06-12

In Monday night’s kabuki theater, after the usual stylized performances, the Lowndes County Commission once again approved the rezoning. The numerous opposition speakers supplied the broad dramatic gestures, all to no avail.

[Collage @ LCC 12 June 2023]
Collage @ LCC 12 June 2023

On the validity of the previous decision, Commissioner Demarcus Marshall moved to declare invalid the previous decision. Long silence. Eventually Commission Clay Griner asked for clarification from County Attorney G. Walter Elliott to clarify that he thought this was necessary. He said he thought it was. Motion passed 3 to 2. Two of the three were Marshall and Griner; I think the third was Joyce Evans, with Scottie Orenstein and Mark Wisenbaker against. Hard to be sure because they did not raise their hands.

On the actual rezoning case, they did raise their hands, and the vote was also 3 to 2 split the same way as the last time they voted on this rezoning decision: Clay Griner, Mark Wisenbaker, and Scottie Orenstein for, and Demarcus Marshall and Joyce Evans against.

Then they adjourned, after 55 minutes of kabuki theater.

At the beginning, Chairman Bill Slaughter did introduce something I haven’t seen before Continue reading

Packet: Howell Road Halfway House massive opposition 2023-06-12

Update 2023-06-14: Videos: Lowndes County Commission again approved Howell Road Halfway House rezoning 2023-06-12.

In the packet for the redecision on the Howell Road Halfway House rezoning, there are thirteen letters of opposition and a petition of more than a hundred signatures.

[impacts to the surrounding area, Future Development Map, letter of opposition, Campus Map, REZ-2022-10 The Campus Transitional Facility, 2193 Howell Road]
impacts to the surrounding area, Future Development Map, letter of opposition, Campus Map, REZ-2022-10 The Campus Transitional Facility, 2193 Howell Road

Those would seem relevant to this bit in the agenda sheet: Continue reading

Packet: Airport Authority appointment, Project Viking rezoning, 2 court, 3 water including a tractor @ LCC 2023-06-13

Update 2023-06-26: Videos, Project Viking, Reports, and CWTBH @ LCC Regular 2023-06-13.

Update 2023-06-16: Draft Proposed Lowndes County Land Development Code changes 2023-06-13.

Lowndes County Utilities did actually get two bids for the Oak Hill Drive Water Main Extension.

But apparently only one quote for the Stone Creek Onsite Well Pump.

[Collage @ LCC Packet 2023-06-13]
Collage @ LCC Packet 2023-06-13

The packet materials are on the LAKE website.

LAKE looks forward to Lowndes County publishing the packet materials on its own website before the meetings, as many other counties larger and smaller already do in Georgia and Florida.

See also the agenda and the LAKE Videos: surprise ULDC update, DUI Court grant, Project Viking @ LCC Work 2023-06-12.

-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!
http://www.l-a-k-e.org/blog/donate

Videos: surprise ULDC update, DUI Court grant, Project Viking @ LCC Work 2023-06-12

Update 2023-06-13: Packet: Airport Authority appointment, Project Viking rezoning, 2 court, 3 water including a tractor @ LCC 2023-06-13.

Once again Lowndes County sprung ULDC changes not on the agenda. They took up more than half of the Work Session yesterday morning.

This time County Manager Paige Dukes asked former County Planner and current consultant Jason Davenport to explain to the Commissioners those changes to the Unified Land Development Code. LAKE has sent in an open records request for those changes.

[Collage @ LCC 12 June 2023]
Collage @ LCC 12 June 2023

Second longest was 7.d. Lowndes County DUI Court FY 24 Grant Award. We don’t know why a judge has to come justify a grant that is working, yet applicants for boards do not have to show up before they are appointed.

The mysterious Project Viking conservation rezoning got two minutes.

The water main and well raise interesting questions about who is paying. The county got a local deal on the LAS tractor.

They vote this evening at 5:30 PM.

Below are LAKE videos of each agenda item, with a few notes by Gretchen Quarterman, followed by a LAKE video playlist.

See also the agenda. LAKE will publish the board packet after the county sends it to us in response to the LAKE open records request. Continue reading

Packet: Airport Authority appointment, Project Viking rezoning, 2 court, 3 water including a tractor @ LCC 2023-06-12

Update 2023-06-13: Videos: surprise ULDC update, DUI Court grant, Project Viking @ LCC Work 2023-06-12.

Tuesday evening after the Monday morning Work Session, the Lowndes County Commission will decide whether to reappoint the incumbent Anthony Payton to the Airport Authority (as it usually does), or to apoing David Westberry.

Also on the agenda are two court grant cash matches, three water projects including a tractor for the county sewer system Land Application Site (LAS), and Project Viking.

[Airport, Courts, Water, and Project Viking by Knights Creek @ LCC]
Airport, Courts, Water, and Project Viking by Knights Creek @ LCC

The wetlands of the Project Viking rezoning are next to Knights Creek in the Alapaha River Basin. The agenda does not seem to mention who this rezoning is for, but according to the Tax Assessors maps it’s BASSFORD N L JR. Those maps show the acreage as 80.0, not 69. I don’t know why the discrepency.

It appears that none of the water projects went out for bids. Two of them are for private wells.

Cost What
$96,095.22Kubota M6-141 Tractor
$64,095.00Stone Creek Onsite Well Pump
$30,750.00 Oak Hill Drive Water Main Extension
$19,509.00Lowndes County DUI Court FY 24 Grant Award
$8,857.00 Lowndes County Juvenile Accountability Court (LCJAC) FY24 Budget & Grant Award
$219,306.22Total

Here is the agenda.

See also the LAKE Videos: Five Valdosta rezonings, one Lowndes County, Lake Park Case pulled @ GLPC 2023-05-22.

LAKE does not have the board packet for this County Commission meeting, because I forgot to file an open records request before today. However, the Project Viking board packet materials from the Planning Commission will probably mostly be re-used for the County Commission meeting.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, JUNE 12, 2023, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, JUNE 13, 2023, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

  1. Call to Order
  2. Invocation
  3. Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag
  4. Minutes for Approval
    1. Work Session – May 8, 2023, Regular Session – May 9, 2023, & Budget Work Session – May 31, 2023
  5. Appointment
    1. Valdosta-Lowndes County Airport Authority

      Documents:Valdosta Lowndes County Airport Authority Appointment.pdf

  6. Public Hearing
    1. REZ-2023-07 Project Viking, ~69 acres, Hunt Road, M-2 & CON to M-2 & CON, City Utilities

      Documents:REZ-2023-07 Project Viking.pdf

  7. For Consideration
    1. Oak Hill Drive Water Main Extension

      Documents:Oak Hill Drive Water Main Extension.pdf

    2. Stone Creek Onsite Well Pump

      Documents:Stone Creek Onsite Well Pump.pdf

    3. Kubota M6-141 Tractor

      Documents:Kubota M6-141 Tractor.pdf

    4. Lowndes County DUI Court FY 24 Grant Award

      Documents:Lowndes County DUI Court FY 24 Grant Award.pdf

    5. Lowndes County Juvenile Accountability Court (LCJAC) FY24 Budget & Grant Award

      Documents:Lowndes County Juvenile Accountability Court FY24 Budget Grant Award.pdf

  8. Reports – County Manager
  9. Citizens Wishing to be Heard-Please State Your Name and Address
  10. Adjournment

-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!
http://www.l-a-k-e.org/blog/donate