Category Archives: Lowndes County Commission

Dear Mr. Pritchard: How are we paying on something that was 100% paid off? —John S. Quarterman

I sent this today. -jsq

 
From: John S. Quarterman <questions@quarterman.com>
Cc: bslaughter@lowndescounty.com, jevans@lowndescounty.com, rraines@lowndescounty.com, cpowell@lowndescounty.com, dmarshall@lowndescounty.com, jpage@lowndescounty.com, questions@quarterman.com
Subject: How are we paying on something that was 100% paid off?

Dear Mr. Pritchard,

You may recall that at the Lowndes County Commission meeting of the 8th of January 2013, I asked the following:

“When this building complex was opened in 2010, the county put out a double-sheet flyer saying it was completely paid off out of SPLOST money, with zero dollars owed. I’m wondering how it is that then, either in November or December, the Commission just before your one here, refinanced bonds that included I think it was six or seven million dollars for this very building complex? I’m very confused by that. I wonder if someone could clarify how we’re paying on something that was completely 100% paid off with zero owed.”

I asked Commissioner Crawford Powell this question at the going-away reception for former Chairman Ashley Paulk on 14 December 2012, and he referred me to you for an answer. It has been more than two weeks since I asked in a Commission Regular Session and I have received no answer. So I ask again.

Specifically:

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KLVB Alapaha River cleanup at Old State Road in 2007

So if Old State Road to the Alapaha River has, according to the criteria recited by County Engineer Mike Fletcher, “ceased to be used by the public to the extent that no substantial public purpose is served by it”, why did Keep Lowndes/Valdosta Beautiful (KLVB) do a cleanup there in 2007? Is the removal of that section of road “from the county road system… in the public’s best interest”?

Jessica Pope wrote for the VDT 30 September 2007, River cleanup,

Saturday’s Alapaha River cleanup will be held in cooperation with Rivers Alive, a statewide annual volunteer waterway cleanup that targets Georgia’s 70,150 miles of streams and rivers each October, and Hands On Georgia Week 2007, which will culminate on Saturday with Hands on Atlanta Day, the largest volunteer service day in the country. A number of volunteers will spend the day cleaning Georgia’s waterways, building wheelchair ramps, collecting cans of food for Georgia’s food banks and as picking up trash along Georgia’s highways.

Anyone interested in participating in the Alapaha River cleanup Saturday should head on U.S. 84 East past Naylor, turn left on Good Hope Road then turn right on Old State Road. Small boats and canoes are welcome. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m., and participation waivers must be signed.

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Get a job —Lowndes County to waste site workers

Continuing to ignore its responsibilities to protect public health, safety, and well-being, the Lowndes County government proceeded with its plan to trash rural residents’ waste collection sites, and told part time workers there to get a job.

Jason Schaefer wrote for the VDT today, Trash centers dumped: Final week to make trips to county recycling centers,

The Lowndes County Board of Commissioners near the end of 2012 voted to approve a contract with Advanced Disposal to serve as the sole waste company to conduct curbside trash pick-up in unincorporated Lowndes County. Some citizens remain critical of the change in service, which will cost $12.80 per month, and many are trying to get their last loads to the collection/recycling centers before they close….

Full-time employees at the recycling stations, which are already employees of Public Works, said County Clerk Paige Dukes, will be moved to different positions within the department. Part-time employees will need to find new jobs.

Why might citizens be critical? Continue reading →

Videos: Taxing alcohol on the road to the jail @ LCC 2013-01-22

One citizen actually got a response out of a Commissioner in Citizens Wishing to Be Heard! Unfortunately, only half a dozen citizens where there to hear that, or to see the Lowndes County Commission vote on matters that affect everyone, from abandoning a road leading to a river to an alcohol license.

Here's the agenda, with links to the videos and a few notes. See also the Work Session the morning of that same day.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2013, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2013, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
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Blurt it out about the ankle monitoring system —Gretchen Quarterman @ LCC 2013-01-22

A citizen actually got an answer from a Lowndes County Commissioner at the Regular Session of 22 January 2013. Oh, and the set the clock correctly to five minutes.

Gretchen Quarterman noted Commissioner Marshall had looked up some old minutes, and she appreciated that old minutes are on the county’s website, but the last minutes there were for 9 October 2012. Then she asked them to blurt about the ankle monitoring program:

This morning, you had a really great report about the jail ankle monitoring system. And I would really like to encourage the county to do marketing. To call a press conference, to get some graduates from that program, to get the sheriff, to get the gentleman that spoke this morning, to stand out on the courthouse steps and talk about how great it was. People would have a really great feeling if they knew. This morning I was the only citizen here; now we’ve got three more. People aren’t finding out.. So if they didn’t come to this chamber, they wouldn’t know. So I encourage you, really, do a press release, do a press conference about that. It’s a gigantic huge important thing. Thank you.

The Chairman started to move on, but Commissioner Evans asked if she could answer the citizen’s question.

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Vote for a hearing to abandoning a road leading to the Alapaha River @ LCC 2013-01-22

Update 2013-01-25 9:48 AM: fixed an error and added some further detail. -jsq
Citing unspecified sources of information about water rights, the Lowndes County Commission voted to move to a hearing to abandon a road to a river they didn’t name, but which happens to be: the Alapaha River (it was named this time). This was at the Regular Session of 22 January 2013. See also the Work Session the morning of the same day.

7.b. Abandonment of a portion of Old State Road (CR 16)

County Engineer Mike Fletcher describe the case like this:

Georgia Statute says that for an initial determination that the section of county road has for any reason ceased to be used by the public to the extent that no substantial public purpose is served by it, or that its removal from the county road system is in the public’s best interest. And just to remind you, as we spoke yesterday, the bridge that goes across the Alapaha River has been washed out; it has not been replaced, so there is no access across the river to Lanier County.

Commissioner Demarcus Marshall remarked that this same item had been voted down 26 October 2010(?). Chairman Bill Slaughter asserted that the applicant had previously gotten permission to close the road and was merely asking to extend the length; he was corrected by staff (I think by County Manager Joe Pritchard) saying no, it wasn’t approved. Why doesn’t staff brief the Commission and the public on the history of a case like this when it comes up again?

Commissioner Joyce Evans said

It was not approved because of different circumstances. I think during that time, Mr. Fletcher, you researched it all and you got the information that we needed. And that was the reason it was not approved; we didn’t have the information that we needed about the water rights. Since then we have received that.

County Engineer Mike Fletcher added:

This is not considered a navigable waterway, so therefore Mr. Connell owns the bottom of the riverbed, so his property actually goes into the river, and not to the high water mark.

Marshall said he’d heard from a constituent Continue reading →

Where is the speed zone ordinance? @ LCC 2011-01-10

Lowndes County won’t install speed control devices: policy or ordinance or “decision”, by whom and when? And where is the speed zone ordinance they passed in January 2011, according to the Work Session Minutes of 10 January 2011:

Adoption of the Revised Speed Zone Ordinance,

County Engineer, Mike Fletcher, presented the Commission with a revised speed zone ordinance in accordance with Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) requirements. Mr. Fletcher added that 2 once approved, staff would send the document back to GDOT for execution. Commissioner Evans questioned the speed limit on Boring Pond Road. Mr. Fletcher explained that since the road has been paved, the new ordinance will allow for the new speed to be posted at 45 mph and 55 mph. Mr. Fletcher added that prior to the road being paved, the speed limit was 35 mph. Commissioner Raines asked if the document was a county ordinance. Mr. Fletcher replied yes, adding while the county can make certain recommendations, GDOT prepares the draft in accordance with their regulations.

Chairman Paulk asked Mr. Fletcher to provide those in attendance with a short explanation of speed control devices. Mr. Fletcher explained that in the 1990’s a previous Commission made the decision that speed control devices would not be allowed on county roads due to maintenance and safety issues. Mr. Fletcher added that over time that decision has become policy.

Commissioner Powell stated he had received a request from citizens to increase the speed limit on portions of Old Clyattville Road to 55 mph. Mr. Fletcher replied that due to the curb and gutter installed on the road, he would not recommend it. Mr. Fletcher added he would be glad to check with GDOT to see what the state’s recommendation might be. Commissioner Powell asked Mr. Fletcher to move forward with contacting GDOT.

When “in the 1990’s” was this Commission decision made? In which minutes can we see the vote and the text of this decision?

And how is policy made? By the Commission in an open meeting, or by the staff at some unspecified “over time”?

Plus, where is this speed zone ordinance?

-jsq

Special assessment: ordinance or policy? @ LCC 2011-01-10

Ordinance or policy? In the Work Session Minutes of 10 January 2011 the special assessment rate is set “in accordance with Lowndes County’s financial policies”:

Special Assessment Rate for 2011,

Finance Director, Stephanie Black, presented the proposed special assessment rate at 5.25% (two percent above prime), in accordance with Lowndes County’s financial policies. Commissioner Raines asked if the rate would fluctuate through the year in the event the prime rate adjusted. Ms. Black answered that the county is required to set the rate annually so the actual prime rate would not be considered again until the beginning of next year.

Yet yesterday she said:

“It’s just always been set at 2% above prime. I believe it’s in your ordinance.”

Which is it, a policy or an ordinance? Maybe it’s a policy set in an ordinance. If so, which ordinance? Is it one of the dozen on the county’s website or is it one of the many more that are not?

-jsq

PS: Owed to Jane Osborn.

Work Session Minutes @ LCC 2011-01-10

Ordinance or policy? That question comes up for at least two items, Special assessment and Speed control devices, in the minutes of the 10 January 2011 Work Session of the Lowndes County Commission. -jsq

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
MINUTES
WORK SESSION
Monday, January 10, 2011
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Videos: Airport, alcohol, taxes, road, jail @ LCC 2013-01-22

Commissioners discussed several items much more than last year’s Commission at this morning’s Work Session; they vote 5:30 PM tonight at their Regular Session. However, you’d think with an ankle monitoring program Commissioners praised so highly, they’d want the public to know the details. Nope, still none of the documents related to that nor any of the other items they were discussing were revealed to the tax-paying public. They don’t have a press release about that, nor about the Parade of Champions the Chairman talked about (twice) even though it wasn’t on the agenda. He was silent, however, on who the candidates for the Airport Authority are, and none of them were present.

That’s four reports that were not on the agenda: Parade of Champions, ankle monitoring, the county’s wellness program and the upcoming Bird Supper.

Here’s the agenda, with links to the videos and a few notes, followed by the video playlist.

Continue reading →