Category Archives: Transportation

Studstill Road Traffic Light 2024-01-23

Update 2024-01-24: Why the traffic light: The Towns at 4443 (Bemiss Road @ Studstill Road) letter of intent and Conceptual Plan @ GLPC 2022-09-26.

Noticed this morning at the corner of Studstill Road and Bemiss Road.

Traffic light installation, 9:52 AM, Tuesday, January 23, 2024

Presumably this is related to some kind of work that is going on just to the west of Bemiss Road, on the right in this picture.

I don’t know whether it is a subdivision, or what.

The truck says CORBETT.

This location is in unincorporate Lowndes County.

-jsq

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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

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

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

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 →

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

Update 2024-01-20: LAKE videos of the Work Session 2024-01-08.

The board packet for last week’s Lowndes County Commission meetings does not include any further information about the dozen applicants to be Tax Assessors beyond their names that were in the agenda.

This is odd, since for every other board or authority, application sheets are usually included in the board packet.

We do learn what roads the county plans to resurface with the LMIG grant. Also confirmation in writing that $123,523.13 is the amount of the required 10% LMIG match.

Collage @ LCC Packet 2024-01-08

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

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

Update 2024-01-14: Packet: 12 applicants for 3 Tax Assessors, Francis Lake Warehouse $397,980, LMIG Match $133,769.41, VOCA Grant down but match up @ LCC 2024-01-08.

The Lowndes County Commission will hold both meetings Monday: the Work Session at 8:30 AM, and the voting Regular Session at 5:30 PM.

Collage @ LCC 2024-01-08

They will choose from a dozen applicants to fill three Tax Assessors positions:

In December 2023, the Board of Commissioners expanded the Board of Tax Assessors from three to five members. In addition, the initial three-year term of James Puckett ended December 31, 2023. Accordingly, the Board of Commissioners needs to make three appointments to the Board of Tax Assessors:

one to succeed James Puckett to complete a three-year term ending December 31, 2026
one to fill a new position to complete an initial three-year term ending December 31, 2026
one to fill a new position to complete an initial four-year term ending December 31, 2027

David Westberry, Samuel Clemons, Mike Tanner, Lucinda Guess, Mary Ellen Weeks, Elizabeth Highsmith, Sandra Jones, Richard Holcombe, Mary Green, Gene Felts, Amy Carter, and Thomas Reed have all expressed a desire to be appointed to the Board of Tax Assessors.

OPTIONS: 1. Make appointments and approve completion and execution of attached Orders as applicable
2. Board’s pleasure

It is hard to tell who many of these people are, for example there are several Amy Carters hereabouts. The county did not include the applications with the agenda.

We also don’t know what the “attached Orders” are, since they were not included with the agenda.

The BUDGET IMPACT is given as N/A for 2024 Georgia Department of Transportation Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant (LMIG) Application . But the agenda sheet says, “Lowndes County has been allocated $1,337,694.10 for FY 2024. As a part of this grant program, Lowndes County will be responsible for a minimum 10% match in local funding.”

Seems to me 10% of $1,337,694.10 is $133,769.41. Continue reading →

Videos: ULDC contractor extension, hospital revenue certificate reissuance, LAS generator, Juvenile Justice grant, Val Del Estates infrastructure @ LCC Regular 2023-10-24

EMA Director Ashley Tye reported that all the disaster recovery centers were closing after Hurricane Idalia, with Cook County still open for a bit. This was six weeks ago, at a Lowndes County Commission Regular Session.

Collage @ LCC 24 October 2023

That took six minutes of the seventeen-minute meeting. County Manager Paige Dukes took another three minutes for her report.

The Commissioners breezed through the other agenda items and unanimously approved them all.

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

Videos: ULDC contractor extension, hospital revenue certificate reissuance, LAS generator, Juvenile Justice grant, Val Del Estates infrastructure @ LCC Work 2023-10-23

Update 2023-12-07: Videos: ULDC contractor extension, hospital revenue certificate reissuance, LAS generator, Juvenile Justice grant, Val Del Estates infrastructure @ LCC Regular 2023-10-24.

The Lowndes County Commission took six minutes to breeze through this Work Session agenda.

Collage @ LCC 23 October 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. Well, she made no notes this time, because no Commissioners asked any questions, and the whole thing only took six minutes. The only slightly new information is that J.D. Dillard said the ULDC Updates were still within budget even with the requested extension.

See also the agenda and board packet, received in response to a LAKE open records request. Continue reading →

ULDC contractor extension, hospital revenue certificate reissuance, LAS generator, Juvenile Justice grant, Val Del Estates infrastructure @ LCC Packet 2023-10-23

Update 2023-12-07: Videos: ULDC contractor extension, hospital revenue certificate reissuance, LAS generator, Juvenile Justice grant, Val Del Estates infrastructure @ LCC Work 2023-10-23.

The ULDC updates are taking so long they’re extending their contractor agreement, in the Lowndes County Commission meeting Monday 8:30 AM and voting Tuesday 5:30 PM.

Collage @ LCC Packet 2023-10-23

The Hospital Authority of Valdosta and Lowndes County, Georgia, wants its revenue certificates reissued in the name of South Georgia Medical Center, Inc. They already had a public hearing that you didn’t hear about.

Lowndes Utilities got a deal on a generator for the Land Application Site (LAS).

And yet another acceptance of subdivision infrastructure claiming no budget impact, this time for 22 house lots in Val Del Estates Phase 4.

Cost	What
$48,068.00	Land Application System (LAS) Generator
$15,000.00	Extension of Agreement for ULDC Updates with Goodwyn Mills Cawood
$-50,000.00	Acceptance of FY2024 Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Grant
$13,068.00	Total

It’s a one-page agenda with no rezonings, so it probably won’t take long.

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

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2023, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2023, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
Continue reading →

Videos: Hurricane assistance, Golf carts, mental health, wetland credits, regional transit, Lift Station and Fire Station Access Roads, 2 TIA Road Bids @ LCC Regular 2023-09-26

Andrew Toussaint gave a report about the Small Business Administration and EMA Director Ashley Tye gave reports on hurricane assistance and local disaster group COAD, in this Lowndes County Commission Regular Session of September 26, 2023. Because of those reports and a second recognition of Leadership Lowndes (they showed up late), the meeting took 49 minutes.

Collage @ LCC 26 September 2023

Like the previous morning, Commissioners were unusually chatty.

Commissioner Scottie Orenstein had some questions and comments about 5.a. Quiet Pines Golf Course Ezgo Golf Cart Lease Agreement. and 5.b. Mental Health Model Resolution for ACCG. Commissioners Clay Griner, Demarcus Marshall, County Manager Paige Dukes, and Chairman Bill Slaughter discussed which statehouse bills the mental health resolution mentions, and that it does not support any particular current bill, specifically not HB 520. They passed the resolution unanimously. Continue reading →

Packet: Golf carts, mental health, wetland credits, regional transit, Lift Station and Fire Station Access Roads, 2 TIA Road Bids @ LCC 2023-09-25

Update 2023-09-10: Videos: Hurricane assistance, Golf carts, mental health, wetland credits, regional transit, Lift Station and Fire Station Access Roads, 2 TIA Road Bids @ LCC Regular 2023-09-26

It turns out the board packet for today’s Lowndes County Commission meeting contained little or nothing beyond the one-page agenda sheets for the four Bid items.

Collage, LCC Packet, 2023-09-25

So you actually learn more about those items from the LAKE post with the agenda and bid documents.

In the Minutes for the Work Session of September 11 and for the Regular Session of September 12, about REZ-2023-04 Chase, 6119 Quarterman Road, the LAKE letter is only alluded to as “a report from the opposition” in this passage: Continue reading →

On the LAKE front

Citizen dialog for transparent process by the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange