Category Archives: Lowndes County Commission

Videos: Attorney set different prices, Commissioners set millage date @ LCC 2013-07-09

The most interesting developments were not on the agenda. Commissioners approved dollar amounts for two purchase orders that were completely different from the ones they were quoted the morning before, with no discussion: the County Attorney quoted the new figures, asked for approval, and immediately got it. Commissioner Richard Raines still didn’t want to enforce a neighborhood covenant yet it was Commissioner Raines who made the motion last fall to let an Exclusive Franchise with Advanced Disposal Services; a covenant the county is now trying to enforce by having the County Attorney sue local business Deep South Sanitation. They said nothing about that 100 foot wide pipeline barrelling through the county. They could have the County Attorney investigate that, but they aren’t. They approved meeting for millage rate approval 8:30 AM Friday 26 July 2013: that’s for the property taxes they collect, which presumably partly go to pay the County Attorney. And the Chairman refused to let a citizen speak on a technicality.

Here’s the agenda with links to the videos and a few notes. See also videos of the previous morning’s Work Session.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, JULY 8, 2013, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, JULY 9, 2013, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
Continue reading →

Millage rate to be set 8:30 AM 26 July 2013 @ LCC 2013-07-09

They approved setting millage rates 8:30 AM Friday 26 July 2013 that’s for the property taxes they collect, at the 9 July 2013 Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission.

7. Reports-County Manager
County Manager Joe Pritchard on millage

County Manager Joe Pritchard reminded Commissioners they were required to set a date to set tax millage. Finance Director Stephanie Black said:

Finance Director Stephanie Black You can have it as early as the 26th of July, but it has to be done and ready for the tax commissioner by July 31st.

County Manager wanted to know if there would be a quorum present for 26 July 2013 at 8:30. Chairman asked for a show of hands, and got two, which is not a quorum. Commissioner Demarcus Marshall checked his calendar and said he could also attend, and three is a quorum. Commissioner John Page asked if this was the day they previously had been advised in an email. Answer: no, that was Thursday, and this date is a Friday. County Manager also clarified that they couldn’t set their millage until the School Board did. Commissioner Marshall noted he had previously been told the 25th, and once again staff admitted that was so. Three days later, there is still nothing on the county’s online calendar for 26 July 2013.

Video is here.

-jsq

Attorney declares prices @ LCC 2013-07-09

Commissioners approved dollar amounts for two purchase orders that were completely different from the ones they were quoted the morning before, with no discussion: the County Attorney quoted the new figures, asked for approval, and immediately got it at the 9 July 2013 Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission.

County Attorney Walter G. Elliott
  1. For Consideration
    1. Video Arraignment for Magistrate and Juvenile Court Contract
    2. Enterprise and Backup Storage Solution Scope of Work

Chairman Slaughter said they would “conjoin a and b together”.

What we have at this time are the work orders and what we would like to get at this time is a motion to approve and ratify the purchase orders.

County Attorney Walter G. Elliott asked to clarify: Continue reading →

The Covenant at James Road @ LCC 2013-07-09

“All right, we’ll take one more!” said County Chairman Bill Slaughter in a public hearing at the 9 July 2013 Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission. The Commission declined to enforce a covenant for the neighbors, but it is still playing enforcer for a garbage company owned by investors in New York City.

5. Public Hearing — REZ-2013-07 Leatherwood, 2402 or 2406 James Rd. R-1 and R-21 to R-10, LC Water and Sewer, ~0.71 acres

REZ-2013-07 map 1 County Planner presented the case the same way he did the previous morning at the Work Session. This time they had a copy of the agreement with the neighbors signed by the applicant. The neighbors still wanted the Commission to guarantee that covenant.

REZ-2013-07 map 2

Speaking Against

Curtis Hankins, 2109 Jeff’s Place, said Continue reading →

Videos: Water, Sewer, Video Arraignment, and Backups @ LCC 2013-07-08 @ LCC 2013-07-08

Not big enough, I guess:

I don’t have any interest at all in this board enforcing covenants like that.
Commissioner Richard Raines said that at yesterday morning’s Work Session about a covenant the neighbors want a rezoning applicant to sign, yet it was Commissioner Raines who made the motion last fall to let an Exclusive Franchise with Advanced Disposal Services; a covenant the county is now trying to enforce by suing local business Deep South Sanitation. They said nothing about that 100 foot wide pipeline barrelling through the county. They vote tonight, 5:30 PM.

County sound still wasn’t working, going on a month now, back in the videoing pen in the back of the room, so what you hear is what we hear back there, as recorded by the LAKE camera.

Here’s the agenda with links to the videos and a few notes.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, JULY 8, 2013, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, JULY 9, 2013, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
Continue reading →

Water, Sewer, Video Arraignment, and Backups @ LCC 2013-07-08

A very light agenda for the Lowndes County Commission, still avoiding topics of public interest, such as that 100 foot wide pipeline barrelling through the county and the county suing a local business to the benefit of a monopoly owned by investors in New York City.

Here’s the agenda.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, JULY 8, 2013, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, JULY 9, 2013, 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 — June 24, 2013
    2. Regular Session — June 25, 2013
  5. Public Hearing — REZ-2013-07 Leatherwood, 2402 or 2406 James Rd. R-1 and R-21 to R-10, LC Water and Sewer, ~0.71 acres
  6. For Consideration
    1. Video Arraignment for Magistrate and Juvenile Court Contract
    2. Enterprise and Backup Storage Solution Scope of Work
  7. Reports-County Manager
  8. Citizens Wishing to be Heard Please State Name And Address

-jsq

Stormwater advertisement in the VDT –Lowndes County 2013-07-07

Stormwater Pollution Prevention by Lowndes County NPDES Program, advertisement in today’s VDT:

Stormwater Pollution Prevention --Lowndes County NPDES Program
Scan by John S. Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE),
Lowndes County, Georgia, 7 July 2013.

This information is also on the county’s website. I’m guessing they’re required by NPDES to run an ad from time to time.

While this notice is good as far as it goes, it does nothing about the massive application of pesticides to most croplands hereabouts, some of which runs off into our watersheds.

-jsq

Videos: a pipeline! 2 appointments, 3 hearings, 9 considerations, and 2 bids @ LCC 2013-06-25

Got a pipeline aimed at your house? The county takes no responsibility. And videos are good for juvenile court, but still not for the Commission. Lots more; see below.

Here’s the agenda, with links to the videos and a few notes. See also the videos of the previous morning’s Work Session.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2013, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2013, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
Continue reading →

Lowndes County takes no responsibility for the pipeline –Bill Slaughter @ LCC 2013-06-25

You’re on your own if that pipeline company wants your property; the county government chooses to stay completely out of it, so said Lowndes County Chairman Bill Slaughter at the 25 June Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission.

He read a prepared statement about a proposed natural gas pipeline. Why the county couldn’t put it on their website as a press release is mysterious. I’ve added the links:

Lowndes County has been contacted by representatives of McKenna, Long, Aldridge law firm of Atlanta regarding a proposed project expected to impact property owners of Lowndes County. Spectra Energy Company and its subsidiary, Sabal Trail Transmissions LLC anticipates construction of a 465 mile interstate natural gas pipeline from Anniston, Alabama extending through Georgia and coming through Lowndes County, terminating in Orlando, Florida.

This project is for the benefit of and is the responsibility of Florida Power and Light. Lowndes County has been Continue reading →

Video Arraignment for Juvenile and Magistrate Court @ LCC 2013-06-25

Hm, if video saves the county all this money, how about video of the County Commission’s own meetings to save the public money keeping track of what the Commission is up to?

7.h. Video Arraignment for Juvenile and Magistrate Court

IT Director Aaron Kostyu said at the 25 June Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission:

As discussed yesterday morning, this is the video arraignment solution for the magistrate juvenile court. This solution will save tens of thousands of dollars a year for staffing and transportation that will not be required. It will save us quite a bit of money, and time as well. This solution will allow for the video presentation, signature, and certification of warrants and the carrying out of video arraignments and first appearances as well for Magistrates and Juvenile. And this will benefit the Magistrate Court, Juvenile Court, and all the local law enforcement agencies. As noted yesterday, the city of Valdosta is awaiting your approval, and they will purchase a portion of this to go in their facilities as well that will allow them to speak in the video warrants portion.

Commissioners had no questions. County Manager Joe Pritchard recommended Continue reading →