Category Archives: VLCIA

Videos: Datacenter Moratorium, Millage Rates, TIA agreements, CDBG-DR application, LAS Holding Pond Sludge Removal @ LCC Regular 2026-08-25

The 60-day moratorium on datacenter applications passed unanimously with no discussion.

Six citizens were heard against datacenters, and one about conduct unbecoming by the Commissioners.

The Lowndes County Commission also passed everything else unanimously in their Regular Session of August 25, 2026.

Including the four millage rate items. There was a millage presentation, with a promise that it would be on the county website. I don’t see it there yet. If it’s still not there this afternoon, I will post screenshots from the LAKE video.

[Collage @ LCC Regular 25 August 2026 --LAKE]
Collage @ LCC Regular 25 August 2026 –LAKE

Below are links to videos of each agenda item, with some notes by John S. Quarterman, followed by a LAKE video playlist.

See also the Continue reading →

Videos: Datacenter Moratorium, Millage Rates, TIA agreements, CDBG-DR application, LAS Holding Pond Sludge Removal @ LCC Work 2026-08-24

Update 2026-08-26: Videos: Datacenter Moratorium, Millage Rates, TIA agreements, CDBG-DR application, LAS Holding Pond Sludge Removal @ LCC Regular 2026-08-25.

At the Work Session yesterday morning, Gretchen Quarterman noted, “Not a Data Center Moratorium, just an application moratorium. State Law changed this year, because of pressures from big money, to require that permitting of Data Centers be processed in 30 days. Should the county get an application, they would not have time to make an ordinance. Seems like reaction, rather than proaction to me and while lip service was given to community involvement, 60 days isn’t very long for that to happen.”

There was also no promise to show the draft datacenter ordinance to the people, instead of the usual Lowndes County Commission practice that until it shows up in an agenda on a Friday to be voted on the next Tuesday, as is the usual practice with Lowndes County ordinances.

[Collage @ LCC 24 August 2026]
Collage @ LCC 24 August 2026

Finance Director Stephanie Black said millage rates for the two Authorities and Fire would remain the same, while there would be a rollback on the main millage rate.

The presentations on each of the millage rates will be this evening at the Regular Session.

Commissioners had questions on almost every item at the Work Session.

The CDBG-DR grant application is supposed to be for Community Development Disaster Recovery, but seems to be exclusively to help developers who want to develop in the Riverside Road area without taking responsibility to pave the road. Why not use those funds for actual disaster recovery?

The Land Application System (LAS) Holding Pond Sludge Removal is complicated; thus the wildly varying bid amounts.

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

See also the Continue reading →

Packet: Datacenter Moratorium, Millage Rates, TIA agreements, CDBG-DR application, LAS Holding Pond Sludge Removal @ LCC 2026-08-24

Update 2026-08-25: Videos: Datacenter Moratorium, Millage Rates, TIA agreements, CDBG-DR application, LAS Holding Pond Sludge Removal @ LCC Work 2026-08-24.

Something we’d been told for many weeks would never happen may happen Tuesday: the Lowndes County Commission will vote on a Data Center Moratorium, as promised by a county announcement Friday.

Does this mean no datacenters? Of course not. It’s just a delay of 60 days, while the county works on its datacenter ordinance.

But it’s some small sign that maybe the county is listening to the many people who have proposed a moratorium. As recently as July 28 we were told Lowndes County will not be doing a moratorium. Now it’s on the agenda.

We still see no indication of any planned Public Hearings for the draft datacenter ordinance, and nobody outside the county government has seen any draft, so far as I know.

They will also be setting the milage rates, with a rollback for the county-wide millage, and the same as usual for VLPRA, VLCIA, and Fire Services.

They will vote on two TIA items, one for Twin Lakes Road, and three items about a CDBG-DR funding application.

And, finally, a complicated bid solution for Land Application System (LAS) Holding Pond Sludge Removal.

[Packet: Datacenter Moratorium, Millage Rates, TIA agreements, CDBG-DR applic., LAS Holding Pond Sludge Removal @ LCC 2026-08-24]
Packet: Datacenter Moratorium, Millage Rates, TIA agreements, CDBG-DR applic., LAS Holding Pond Sludge Removal @ LCC 2026-08-24

Here is the agenda.

See also the board packet, received in response to a LAKE open records request, is on the LAKE website, with images of each page below. Why the county does not put that packet on its own website continues to be mysterious.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 2026, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2026, 5:30 p.m
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading →

Videos: Homestead Tax, Datacenter, Appointments to 3 Boards, 1 small subdivision, Old US 41 N widening, Alcohol, Sewage, insurance, bonds, and roads @ LCC Regular 2026-06-09

Update 2026-06-15: Proposed Local Act for Local Homestead Option Sales Tax (LHOST) @ LCC 2026-06-09.

The bulk of this long meeting was not on the agenda: another one cent sales tax, a report about services at Leila Ellis, and eight citizens wishing to be heard. Well, those citizens were collectively on the agenda of the Tuesday evening Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission, but the other two items were not.

By far the longest item at 21 minutes was added to the agenda at the beginning of
7.f. LHOST Consideration, SB 33 Special Local Homestead Option Sales Tax The title is my guess; I think Chairman Bill Slaughter just said LHOST.

The thirteen slides County Manager Paige Dukes presented are on the LAKE website, received in response to a LAKE open records request. Images of each slide are below.

We do not yet have the draft legislation the Commissioners unanimously approved sending to the Georgia legislature to enact this additional one cent sales tax, because I didn’t think to request it until this afternoon. Why the slides and the legislation are not on the county’s own website is mysterious.

[Videos: Homestead Tax, Datacenter, Appointments to 3 Boards, 1 small subdivision, Old US 41 N, Alcohol, Sewage, insurance, bonds, and roads @ LCC Regular 2026-06-09]
Videos: Homestead Tax, Datacenter, Appointments to 3 Boards, 1 small subdivision, Old US 41 N, Alcohol, Sewage, insurance, bonds, and roads @ LCC Regular 2026-06-09

They approved everything else unanimously, including reappointing James Ramsey and appointing Gary Wisenbaker to the Valdosta-Lowndes County Zoning Board of Appeals: his brother Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker recused himself.

They appointed James Warren to the Valdosta-Lowndes County Airport Authority.

They reappointed Andy Griffin and Scott Purvis to the Lowndes County Public Facilities Authority.

The longest regular item discussion at almost seven minutes was of the Industrial Authority Series 2026 Bonds.

Another long item (almost six minutes) not on the agenda occured when as part of the County Manager Report Paige Dukes asked Probation Director Ferlisha Rountree to talk about about services at Leila Ellis.

Six citizens spoke about the potential datacenter on Coleman Road: George Fisher, Jimmy LeFiles, John Smith, Amy Wiegenstein, Sarah Riggle, and Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman.

Also, Skyler Ramen(sp?) said his paycheck increases less than rent does and Robert Willis would like speed bumps on Danieli Drive in Lake Park.

Here is a LAKE video playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLshUv86fYkiG2JQe4jgsEi9L0R2O6z_GM Continue reading →

Videos: Appointments to 3 Boards, 1 small subdivision, Old US 41 N widening, Alcohol, Sewage, insurance, bonds, and roads @ LCC Work 2026-06-08

Update 2026-06-10: Videos: Homestead Tax, Datacenter, Appointments to 3 Boards, 1 small subdivision, Old US 41 N widening, Alcohol, Sewage, insurance, bonds, and roads @ LCC Regular 2026-06-09.

They took fifteen minutes to review everything: the Lowndes County Commission at their Work Session, Monday, 8:30 AM, June 8, 2026.

They vote tomorrow (Tuesday) at 5:30 PM, with Citizens Wishing to Be Heard at the end.

[3 Boards, 1 small subdivision, Widen Old US 41 N, Alcohol, Sewage, insurance, bonds, and roads @ LCC Work 2026-06-08]
3 Boards, 1 small subdivision, Widen Old US 41 N, Alcohol, Sewage, insurance, bonds, and roads @ LCC Work 2026-06-08

I tried a new video camera. The results are disappointing, as you can see. The sound is good, because of an external microphone. Maybe just get one of those for the regular cameras.

Here is a LAKE video playlist of each LAKE video of each agenda item.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLshUv86fYkiHlh5JBck2utM_6NdTcW1Sm Continue reading →

Packet: Appointments to 3 Boards, 1 small subdivision, Old US 41 N widening, Alcohol, Sewage, insurance, bonds, and roads @ LCC 2026-06-08

Update 2026-06-08: Videos: Appointments to 3 Boards, 1 small subdivision, Old US 41 N widening, Alcohol, Sewage, insurance, bonds, and roads @ LCC Work 2026-06-08.

It’s a relatively light agenda for the Lowndes County Commission Work Session Monday morning at 8:30 AM and its Regular Session 5:30 PM Tuesday evening.

Nobody seems to know anything about the mysteriously withdrawn-by-applicant TWR-2026-01 Salem Church Tower.

There are appointments to three boards, a small Lake Park subdivision rezoning, an alcohol license.

The big ticket items are:

  • eligible project costs up to $13,252.000.00 from TIA for the Old US 41 North widening,
  • a GEFA loan for $2,812,500.00 for bypass pumps at all county sewage lift stations,
  • $2,664,355.90 from TSPLOST for Twin Lakes Road work,
  • $1,248,947.00 for ACCG IRMA Property & Liability Insurance Renewal.

And the county is doing a supplemental agreement for Industrial Authority Series 2026 Bonds.

[Packet: Appointments to 3 Boards, 1 small subdivision, Old US 41 N widening, Alscol, Sewage, insurance, bonds, and roads @ LCC 2026-06-08]
Packet: Appointments to 3 Boards, 1 small subdivision, Old US 41 N widening, Alscol, Sewage, insurance, bonds, and roads @ LCC 2026-06-08

Here is the agenda.

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

Images of each page are below. Well, many of them. The bulk of the packet is long agreements and resolutions.

See also Continue reading →

Videos: 3 rezonings, 4 road items, 1 beer and wine, VLCIA bonds, servers, debris hauler @ LCC Regular 2026-05-12

Gretchen noted about these LAKE videos of the May 12, 2026, Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission, “Still having camera problems. No audio on two of the bits and agenda items 6e and 6f and the start of 7a did not get recorded at all.”

Yes, we know the county videos its own Regular Sessions:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PRqnqJwM8k

LAKE continues to video those meetings anyway, for a number of reasons I don’t have time to go into here.

Also, the county does not post videos of its Work Sessions, nor of the Planning Commission, nor of any of the other numerous Boards and Authorities, not to mention School Board meetings. LAKE does post videos of those Work Sessions and Planning Commission meetings. You can help. Volunteer to video some meetings. Or donate to LAKE to buy a better video camera.

Once again, Lowndes County plans to widen Old US 41 North the rest of the way up to the Hahira City Limits: 6.c. TIA – Local Delivery Application for Old US 41 North Widening Phase 4

Other than the Clyattville case was withdrawn by applicant, the Commissioners approved all the agenda items unanimously.

[Collage @ LCC 12 May 2026]
Collage @ LCC 12 May 2026

Two citizens spoke about datacenters: Michael Noll and George Fisher. See also what IT Director Aaron Kostyu said in the Works Session about massive hikes in memory and server prices because the AI industry is sucking up all the inventory even before it is manufactured.

Two citizens spoke about animals: Amie Burnam and Tara Parker.

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item for the May 12, 2026, Lowndes County Commission Regular Session, wWork ith a few notes by Gretchen Quarterman, followed by a LAKE video playlist.

See also the LAKE videos of the previous morning’s Work Session and the agenda and the board packet, received in response to a LAKE open records request.

For the rezonings (except Clyattville), see the LAKE videos of the preceding Planning Commission meeting.

Here is the LAKE video playlist:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLshUv86fYkiFwlE_EHC-C06NPB_VIXiPc&si=tVArGKPA4yehJA9h

-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: 3 rezonings, 4 road items, 1 beer and wine, VLCIA bonds, servers, debris hauler @ LCC Regular 2026-05-12

Gretchen noted about these LAKE videos of the May 12, 2026, Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission, “Still having camera problems. No audio on two of the bits and agenda items 6e and 6f and the start of 7a did not get recorded at all.”

Yes, we know the county videos its own Regular Sessions:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PRqnqJwM8k

LAKE continues to video those meetings anyway, for a number of reasons I don’t have time to go into here.

Also, the county does not post videos of its Work Sessions, nor of the Planning Commission, nor of any of the other numerous Boards and Authorities, not to mention School Board meetings. LAKE does post videos of those Work Sessions and Planning Commission meetings. You can help. Volunteer to video some meetings. Or donate to LAKE to buy a better video camera.

Once again, Lowndes County plans to widen Old US 41 North the rest of the way up to the Hahira City Limits: 6.c. TIA – Local Delivery Application for Old US 41 North Widening Phase 4

Other than the Clyattville case was withdrawn by applicant, the Commissioners approved all the agenda items unanimously.

[Collage @ LCC 12 May 2026]
Collage @ LCC 12 May 2026

Two citizens spoke about datacenters: Continue reading →

Videos: 3 rezonings, 4 road items, 1 beer and wine, VLCIA bonds, servers, debris hauler @ LCC Work 2026-05-11

Update 2026-05-24: Videos: 3 rezonings, 4 road items, 1 beer and wine, VLCIA bonds, servers, debris hauler @ LCC Regular 2026-05-12.

In case you haven’t heard, Lowndes County plans to widen Old US 41 North the rest of the way up to the Hahira City Limits: 6.c. TIA Local Delivery Application for Old US 41 North Widening Phase 4.

[Collage @ LCC 11 May 2026]
Collage @ LCC 11 May 2026

The Clyattville case was withdrawn by applicant: 5.a. REZ-2026-04 Jay Ma Khodiyar 5507 Central St. (Clyattville), R-10 to C-G. This is the same rezoning that was tabled for a month back on March 10, 2026, on a motion by Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker. I wonder how many times it will reapppear?

The Old Bemiss Road Blackwater case had quite a bit of discussion about roads, railroad, and access: 5.b. REZ-2026-11 Blackwater Development 4130 Old Bemiss Rd., (part 1).

Aaron Kostyu, Information Technology Services Director, spelled out a problem with so-called AI: 6.e. Replacement of Three Servers. Commissioner Michael Smith wondered why there was only one quote for the three servers IT requested.

It’s because we can’t find hardware anywhere. They have increased over the last two months by 800 to 1000 percent.

None of the drives are available; none of the memory is available, because the AI industry is sucking it all up. They have done something unprecedented, and the memory industry has allowed them to purchase the next three lots before they are even created. And so we don’t see this ending anytime soon.

We’ve had difficulty getting hardware that normally choose because the prices have gotten out of control. We’re jumping on the right now.

We know already that there’s a hundred and five day time limit on these quotes. They’ve already gone up since we got these quotes, but she agreed to extend it.

This is last month’s quote. It’s already higher.

She’s agreed to hold this pricing, and hopefully we’ll get 105 days. Tomorrow, if we purchase the next day, that will potentially get just in time to pay out of this year’s budget. So it’s a real race to get it done.

Continue reading →

Packet: 3 rezonings, 4 road items, 1 beer and wine, VLCIA bonds, servers, debris hauler @ LCC 2026-05-11

Update 2026-05-24: Videos: 3 rezonings, 4 road items, 1 beer and wine, VLCIA bonds, servers, debris hauler @ LCC Work 2026-05-11.

Yes, you can speak about datacenters, animals, water, or whatever else in Citizens Wishing to Be Heard at the voting Regular Session, 5:30 PM, Tuesday, May 12, 2026.

The Lowndes County Commissioners will notice if you show up for the Work Session, 8:30 AM, Monday, May 11, 2026.

The board packet doesn’t mention that 5.a. REZ-2026-04 Jay Ma Khodiyar, ~1ac, 5507 Central St. (Clyattville) was tabled for a month back on March 10, 2026, on a motion by Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker.

[Collage @ LCC Packet 2026-05-11 --LAKE]
Collage @ LCC Packet 2026-05-11 –LAKE

Here is the agenda.

The board packet, received in response to a LAKE open records request, is on the LAKE website, with images of each page below.

For the other two rezonings, see also Continue reading →