Category Archives: Transportation

Lift Station Pump, Juvenile Justice Grant, Fees for Web and Telephone Payments, 3 rezonings, 1 withdrawn, 1 lighting, beer @ LCC 2020-10-12

Here is a map of “North Central Lowndes County” which is the area the county wants most to develop with subdivisions.
It’s in the board packet materials for
Addition to Basic Decorative Street Lighting District – Coventry Villas Subdivision,
for last week’s Lowndes County Commission meeting.

Exhibit B: Basic Decorative; North Central Lowndes County 2; Revised 9/2020

PDF

This the first table of tax dollar amounts we’ve had add up to a positive total.

Cost	What
($1,107,500.64)	2021 LMIG Resurfacing Grant Application
($99,938.00)	2020 Addressing Victimization within the Juvenile Justice System Grant Application
$42,067.69	Nelson Hill Lift Station Pump Upgrade
$5.00	Approval of Increase in Convenience Fees for Web and Telephone Payments
($1,165,370.95)	Total

The real total should be both less than that (the LMIG grant has a 10% match)
and more (the $5.00 is times each telephone or online payment).

Here’s a list of what they plan to do with the
2021 LMIG Resurfacing Grant Application: Continue reading →

Appoint Tax Assessors, 3 water, 3 road, 1 pandemic, 1 software @ LCC 2020-09-21

Applying this morning for
Board of Tax Assessors
are
Mr. Gene Felts and Mrs. Gretchen Quarterman.
The Lowndes County Commission will vote tomorrow (Tuesday) at 5:30 PM.
That and almost $4 million in water, road, software, and fire items.

Cost	What
$1,681,770.84	Grading, Drainage, Base, and Paving of Clyattstone Road and Simpson Lane.
$1,417,333.98	Clyattstone Water Main Extension
$489,310.00	Motorola SUAII (Evergreen)
$128,075.58	Firefighter Personnel Request
$41,217.6.00	Foxborough Lift Station Pump
$34,169.28	Drainage Improvements to Brinson Lane and Oak Hill Drive
$22,500.00	FY2021 Joint Funding Agreement with USGS
$19,800.00	Land Application System (LAS) Expansion Agreement
$3,834,177.28	Total

Apparently paving does not solve all problems, because
one of the four water items is
Drainage Improvements to Brinson Lane and Oak Hill Drive
to

“eliminate flooding issues as a result of the paving of Oak Hill Drive.”.
The other three water items are
FY2021 Joint Funding Agreement with USGS for the
Folsom Bridge (GA 122 Little River & Skipper Bridge (Withlacoochee River) USGS gauges,
Foxborough Lift Station Pump,
and
Land Application System (LAS) Expansion Agreement.

In addition to Brinson Lane, there are two more road items:
Grading, Drainage, Base, and Paving of Clyattstone Road and Simpson Lane (how much have they spent on that project combined so far?) and
Acceptance of Infrastructure for Val Del Villas.
The latter is listed as no cost, despite the Brinson Lane episode.

Survey Plat

Also on the agenda:
Grant Submission Request – COVID-19 Response Grant Application, partly to
“Recruit and hire a sufficient number of poll workers and inspectors to ensure polling places are properly staffed,”
,
a
Firefighter Personnel Request,
and
Motorola SUAll (Evergreen) software.

Received in response to a LAKE open records request, the board packet is
on the LAKE website.
Here is

the agenda.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

PROPOSED AGENDA

WORK SESSION, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2020, 8:30 a.m.

REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2020, 5:30 p.m.

327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading →

Budget and wood pellet farm –Adel City Council 2020-09-08

Adel staff answered extensive questions about the budget,
in the Adel City Council meeting, Tuesday, August 8, 2020.
The

proposed wood pellet plant for export to Europe was criticised by several local citizens,
and defended by members of local authorities and commissions,
as well as its CEO, speaking from Houston, Texas, on a laptop screen.

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item and each speaker,
with a few notes.
See also Continue reading →

Education, Extension, Prisoners, Fire, Water, Sewer, Nelson Hill, Wages, Taxes, Clerk @ LCC 2020-08-24

A busy
agenda for 8:30 AM Monday morning, with voting 5:30 PM Tuesday,
includes
especially taxes, and

alcohol,

sewer,
twice,

education,

extension agents,

Prison Work Details,
and
Architectural Services for Lowndes County Fire Station #5 – Bemiss Road Fire Station Alterations and Additions.

Aerial Map for Uncle Carlo’s Italian Ristorante, 1024 Lakes Blvd., Lake Park, GA.

Plus appointment of a new
County Clerk, Belinda Lovern,
and Deputy Clerk, Sabrina Denson.
No posting of the positions is mentioned.

Cost	What
$147,954.00	Annual Contract Renewal, Georgia Department of Corrections – Prison Work Details
$141,841.00	Contract for Extension Agents and Staff
$110,000.00	Peterson Road Lift Station Emergency Repair
$44,400.00	Architectural Services for Lowndes County Fire Station #5 – Bemiss Road Fire Station Alterations and Additions
$41,840.00	Nelson Hill Discharge Manhole
$5,699.35	Tax Commissioners’ Back Wage Settlement with Department of Labor
$-32,000.00	USDA Building Lease Amendment No. 4
$459,734.35	Total

The Lowndes County Commission is

Repealing Approvals Authorizing the Tax Commissioner to Waive Penalties and Interest,
apparently because of a
Tax Commissioners' Back Wage Settlement with Department of Labor.

After last year’s vote of the people to ask the Georgia legislature to make
the Tax Assessors appointed, not elected, the legislature did that.
Now the County Commission is
setting
the number of Assessors at three, with initial staggered
terms of 3, 4, and 5 years, and after that 3 years for each.

This is after two weeks ago the Lowndes County Commission

rolled back the tax millage rate slightly.

Here is the agenda.
The entire board packet, together with the Minutes of the meetings of two weeks ago (Work Session, Millage Hearing, and Regular Session) is on LAKE website.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

PROPOSED AGENDA

WORK SESSION, MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 2020, 8:30 a.m.

REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2020, 5:30 p.m.

327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading →

Videos: Maybe revisit lowering millage rate @ LCC 2020-08-10

There was pushback on

lowering the millage rate at the Lowndes County Commission Work Session yesterday morning.
They will decide this evening at 5:30 PM at the Regular Session.

The Commissioners, like some of the public, also wanted to know when there will be a new County Clerk.
Answer, from the former County Clerk, Paige Dukes, who is now the County Manager:
not yet; maybe next meeting (two weeks from now).

The $0.9 million low bid from Reames for road paving and a box culvert got no discussion from Commissioners.

The

Scruggs Company was offered a special exception to the Comprehensive Plan;
one that actually makes sense.

Yes, the
Copeland property
backs up to PCA.

The

Verizon tower got no questions from Commissioners.

Below are links to each LAKE video with a few notes,
followed by a LAKE video playlist.
See also the

agenda and board packet,
and the
millage rate hearing at 5PM today (Tuesday).

Packet: $0.9 million paving project, reduction of millage rate, 3 small rezonings @ LCC 2020-08-10

For the Monday morning Work session and Tuesday evening voting Regular Session,
the Lowndes County Commission has
only one item that has “BUDGET IMPACT” in its agenda sheet, but it’s a doozy:

Cost	What
$899,744.40	Ridgecrest, Woodland and Glenview Paving & Drainage Project
$899,744.4	Total

The agenda sheet says:

Lowndes County solicited bids for Ridgecrest, Woodland and Glenview
Grading, Drainage, Base and Paving. The project will consist of
Grading, Drainage, Base and Paving of Ridgecrest and Woodland and
the installation of a box culvert under Glenview Drive. Vendors
present for the pre-bid meeting held on July 21, 2020, were James
Warren & Associates, Southland Contractors, Reames & Son
Construction, Rountree Construction, and The Scruggs Company. Three
bids were received on August 4, 2020.

Here are the bids:

Bids, NC-TIA 2019-04: Ridgecrest Street and Woodland Drive

Where is that?
South of the west end of W Savanna Ave, near I-75 Exit 16.

Google map:

Ridgecrest Street & Woodland Drive

Ah, yes, I got stuck in traffic there not so long ago,
trying to get around a stopped train.

We know this much because LAKE obtained a copy of the board packet
through an open records request; it’s
on the LAKE website.

I suppose if we rummage around enough we’ll find details of
NC-TIA 2019-04 somewhere on the county’s website.

Here is
the agenda.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

PROPOSED AGENDA

WORK SESSION, MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2020, 8:30 a.m.

REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2020, 5:30 p.m.

327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading →

Packet: Moody AFB, Library board, renaming and dedicating roads, two subdivisions, liability insurance @ LCC 2020-07-27

Will it take fifteen minutes, or twenty minutes, to approve almost a million dollars, in a packed agenda for Monday and Tuesday at the Lowndes County Commission?
It’s mostly Property & Liability insurance,
followed by a consulting contract for

a go-between with Moody AFB,
plus

UPSes for county radio sites.

Cost	What
$818,021.00	ACCG IRMA Property & Liability Program Renewal
$96,000.00	Agreement with Cornerstone
$24,257.88	Vertiv Service Contract for the Liebert UPS at the 911 Center & the 4 Tower Sites
$0; past gate name it Harper’s Lane	Renaming a Portion of Sara Road
$0	Acceptance of Infrastructure for Brayden Place Subdivision
$938,278.88	Total

They’ll also

appoint Thomas Lovett to the South Georgia Regional Library Board,
rename a road, and accept some subdivision roads.

Aerial Map: Sara Road Renaming

Received Friday 5:14 PM in response to a LAKE open records request,
the board packet is
on the LAKE website.

Here is the agenda:

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

PROPOSED AGENDA

WORK SESSION, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2020, 8:30 a.m.

REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2020, 5:30 p.m.

327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading →

Packet: Budget, MIDS, Rezoning, Clyattstone Road, Mosquito, Law, Fiber Optic, Alcohol @ LCC 2020-07-13

$3,200,415.50 was on the agenda for this week,
presumably approved by now by the Lowndes County Commission,
in which they also appointed Paige Dukes to succeed Joe Pritchard as Lowndes County Manager.

Table of Costs (by LAKE)

Cost	What
$2,500,000.00	GEFA Loan Application
$289,498.00	Acceptance of FY 2021 Juvenile Justice Incentive Grant
$198,775.00	Fiber Optic to Lowndes EOC
$102,762.00	Judicial System Software Purchase
$45,790.00	Annual Contract Renewal for Mosquito Identification and Testing
$40,000.00	Office of the Governor Criminal Justice Coordinating Council Accountability Court Lowndes County DUI Court- State Court
$23,590.50	Approval of Clyattstone Rd.-Simpson Ln. ROW and Easement Purchases (Parcels 26 and 34)
$0.00	Amendment to TPO Agreement FY2021 – Transit
$3,200,415.50	Total

That’s 2.6% of the $120 million county annual budget.

Curious that they’re willing to spend
$198,775.00 for fast, reliabile,

Internet connectivity to their own offices but nothing for the rest of the population of Lowndes County.

I’ve lost track of how much they’ve spent on

Clyattstone Road to connect Old US 41 N and Val Del Road
to promote development in that area.

I commend the county for the
GEFA Loan Application
for wastewater utilities projects:

HISTORY, FACTS AND ISSUES: The Georgia Environmental Finance
Authority offers funding through the State Revolving Fund. Local
governments are able to secure low interest loans to be used for
utility projects. Lowndes County has identified several lift station
and manhole rehabilitation improvement projects.

The loan can be structured to spread repayment over a period of up
to 30 years; however, there is no penalty for paying the loan off
early. The proposed interest rate will not exceed 1.94% While the
total loan amount is $2,500,000.00 it includes a grant component
which allows for forgiveness of up to $625,000.00 of the loan
amount. Staff recommends approval of the GEFA Loan Application.

The entire board packet is
on the LAKE website.
Documents received 12:26 PM, Friday, July 10, 2020, in response to a LAKE open records request.
LAKE looks forward to these documents being posted on the county’s own website
along with the agenda. Continue reading →

Pritchard hands over to Dukes as Lowndes County Manager @ LCC 2020-07-14

On August 1, 2020, Paige Dukes will be the new County Manager,
after the 20-year reign of Joe Pritchard.

Paige Dukes, County Clerk, Lunch and Learn, 2011-10-13

Chris Herbert, Valdosta Daily Times, 14 July 2020,

Dukes named Lowndes County Manager,

The vote was a split decision, 3-2, with commissioners Joyce Evans,
Clay Griner and Scottie Orenstein voting in favor. Demarcus Marshall
and Mark Wisenbaker opposed.

Marshall said his no vote was because he wanted to see the position
advertised to open the pool up to other candidates.

“I would expect no less than to have this position advertised,”
Marshall said. “To advertise it is saying, ‘we’re not just the good
ole boys system or good ole girls system.'”

Wisenbaker said he wanted to see a “fresh” perspective from county
leadership and hoped a broader search could provide some new
outlooks for the county’s future.

“I voted no because I think the citizens of Lowndes County need to
be better represented. We need to advertise this job…There’s
nothing personal against Ms. Dukes. She’s been here a while. She
does a good job. It’s just being able to look out there and see what
we may be missing,” he said. “We got a $120 million budget. That’s
not small and we need the right people and the right person to carry
this on. And we need fresh ideas. We need a fresh person, in my
opinion, that can bring new things to the table.”

Those two were in the minority, however, and the three in support
said they are certain Dukes is the right decision.

“I’ve been on this board for six years, and Continue reading →

Budget, Bevel Creek Lift Station, Val Tech Road widening, Appointments: ZBOA, Library, VLPRA, Construction @ LCC 2020-06-22

The big item on the Lowndes County Commission agenda for Monday to vote on Tuesday evening
is the
Adoption of Fiscal Year 2021 Budget totaling $59,443,920, with $22,774,781 or 38% to Public safety, i.e., the Sheriff’s department, including the jail.

A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE FISCAL YEAR 2021 OPERATING BUDGET

PDF

The board packet is
on the LAKE website after we obtained it through an open records request.

Although I hear the hotel/motel tax is down 80% due to virus pandemic,
the
Hotel/Motel Tax FY 2021 County Budget
Budgeted Proceeds are $400,000.00.
They are budget to go to:

$171,429.00
Transfer to Lowndes County’s Special Services Fund from which the County funds
(i) services the County provides primarily for the benefit of the unincorporated area and

(ii) the County’s share of funding of services the County
and one or more municipalities jointly fund

$171,429.00 Transfer to Valdosta-Lowndes County Conference Center and Tourism Authority

to promote tourism, convention, and
trade shows in accordance with the FY 2021 Budget Plan of
said Authority for same which is made a part of this Budget Plan

$57,142.00 Transfer to Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation
Authority

for capital costs and operating expenses of parks and
recreational facilities owned and operated by said Authority

A rare no-match federal grant: Acceptance of FY20 Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding brings the total expected expenditures from this Tuesday’s Regular Session down to less than a quarter million dollars:

Cost	What
$148,345.58	Val Tech Road Grading, Drainage, Base and Paving
$82,000.00	Bevel Creek Manhole Emergency Repair
$57,300.00	The Modernization/Upgrade of the Elevator in the Governmental Building
($58,008) in Federal Funding. There is no local match requirement.	Acceptance of FY20 Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding
$229,637.58	Total

I commend Lowndes County Utilities for moving ahead to fix the recent manhole collapse at the Bevel Creek Lift Station on GA 376 near Loch Laurel Road. See also Sewer line repair between manholes, Bevel Creek Lift Station @ LCC 2020-06-22.

Photo: Terry Richards, The Valdosta Daily Times,

Heavy rains cause problems in Lowndes 2020-06-08.

It’s a busy agenda for appointments, to Continue reading →

On the LAKE front

Citizen dialog for transparent process by the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange