Category Archives: VLPRA

Videos: seventeen minutes for three appointments and other business @ LCC Regular 2023-01-09

All the votes took less than eight minutes, at the Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission, Monday, January 9, 2023.

Only one Commissioner had one question about a voting item, 6.e. Stop Loss Insurance Coverage through HM Insurance Group. Maybe they all knew how they were going to vote before they got to this public meeting.

There was discussion about inspections being efficient for “the development community” in the non-voting 7. Reports – County Manager.

They appointed people to three boards, accepted infrastructure for a subdivision, agreed to a lease, accepting a grant, and an insurance plan.

None of the appointees were present.

See especially Gretchen’s comments on 6.b. Extension of Agreement for ULDC Updates.

Collage @ LCC 9 January 2023

The whole thing took seventeen minutes. For sure, the County Manager’s Reports are informative, but subtract those eight minutes and the more than a minute for the preliminaries, and only eight are left.

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item, with a few notes by Gretchen Quarterman, followed by a LAKE video playlist. See also the LAKE videos of the preceding Work Session and the agenda and board packet. Continue reading →

Videos: Three appointments, lease, ULDC, roads, grant, insurance @ LCC Work 2023-01-09

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Update 2023-01-22: Videos: seventeen minutes for three appointments and other business @ LCC Regular 2023-01-09.

No item took even two minutes, although many departments spoke, at the Lowndes County Commission Regular Session, Monday, January 9, 2023. The whole thing took eight minutes.

Collage @ LCC Work 9 January 2023

I wonder what’s in these ULDC Updates, when will the public get to see them, and why was a contractor necessary to write them? Also, how much did that contract cost?

The Regular Session was later that same day; LAKE videos of that one will also follow.

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item of the Work Session, with some notes by Gretchen Quarterman, followed by a LAKE video playlist. See also the agenda and board packet. Continue reading →

Packet: Three appointments, lease, ULDC, roads, grant, insurance @ LCC 2023-01-09

Update 2023-01-22: Videos: Three appointments, lease, ULDC, roads, grant, insurance @ LCC Work 2023-01-09.

Both Work Session and Regular Session are Monday, January 9, 2023, for the Lowndes County Commission. Both will probably be brief, because it’s a short agenda of mostly routine items.

The rezoning at Skipper Bridge Road and GA 122 for a Dollar General is NOT on this agenda. However, those interested may want to show up and be seen by the Commissioners, to remind them that people care and will be there on January 24th at the Public Hearing.

Agenda, Cattle Crossing Subdivision infrastructure @ LCC 2023-01-09

They pretend as always that taking over more subdivision streets and water and sewer lines will not cost the county taxpayers anything.

The dollar items listed in the packet are small. Continue reading →

Videos: Millage, tax assessment, 3 utilities, ZBOA, Juvenile Justice @ LCC 2022-08-23

They approved all the utilities items, radios, building, and manholes, at the Lowndes County Commission Regular Session of Tuesday, August 23, 2022.

They adopted the FY2022 millage rate (slightly lowered), including the fire district millage rate (same as last year), and they approved a software module for the Tax Assessors to use to facilitate citizen appeals to appraisals.

Collage, Lowndes County Commission Regular Session 2022-08-23

They reappointed John “Mac” McCall to the Valdosta Lowndes Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBOA), they approved a Juvenile Justice grant, and they approved a subdivision decorative lighting district.

Commissioner Scottie Orenstein is also Chair of the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA).

County Manager Paige Dukes said the Commission’s year-end retreat would be Friday, November 18, 2022, and they would hold it in their offices (not on Jekyll Island this time). The Lake Alapaha drinking water treatment plant is still not finished, and there are ARPA funds available for that and other water projects. Utilities Director Steve Stalvey reported on a sinkhole problem near a lift station that they were dealing with. It was apparently caused by a lightning strike, for which they are seeking insurance reimbursement.

The whole thing took nineteen minutes.

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item, followed by a LAKE video playlist. See also Continue reading →

Videos: slides @ LCC Millage 2022-08-23

Update 2022-09-14: Videos: Millage, tax assessment, 3 utilities, ZBOA, Juvenile Justice @ LCC 2022-08-23.

They rolled back the millage slightly. Millage rates for Parks and Rec and Development Authority were unchanged, also for the unincorporated county fire district.

Pie and Commissioners

As usual, no citizens showed up for the millage rate public hearing. Gretchen was the only person there who was not a Commissioner or staff, and since she is a Tax Assessor, I guess she’s staff, too, although she was there for LAKE, taking these videos.

Two of the Lowndes County Commissioners also did not show up for that meeting nor for the Regular Session that same evening. But they voted to adopt the millage anyway.

Here’s a LAKE video playlist: Continue reading →

Packet: Juvenile Justice, Manholes, Tax Appeals Module, Subdivision lighting @ LCC 2022-08-22

Update 2022-08-23: Videos: Juvenile Justice, Manholes, Tax Appeals Module, Subdivision lighting @ LCC 2022-08-22.

That’s a lot of subdivisions in the Basic Decorative Lighting District.

Grove Pointe Phase V and Basic Decorative North West Lowndes County 2 Revised

The board packet for this week’s Lowndes County Commission Work and Regular Sessions is on the LAKE website, received in response to a LAKE open records request.

The County wrote, “There is no meeting packet for the Millage Rate Meeting.” They did send an agenda for that meeting, which consisted of this:

Call To Order
Public Hearing—Millage Rate
Adjournment

See also the LAKE videos of the Work Session and the agenda.

-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!

Videos: Juvenile Justice, Manholes, Tax Appeals Module, Subdivision lighting @ LCC 2022-08-22

Update 2022-09-14: Videos: Millage, tax assessment, 3 utilities, ZBOA, Juvenile Justice @ LCC 2022-08-23.

Update 2022-09-13: Videos: slides @ LCC Millage 2022-08-23.

A Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Grant was the longest item at yesterday morning’s Lowndes County Commission Work Session, followed by manhole improvements. The manholes will cost $439,836.00, but the grant will provide money to the county.

The two millage items taking no more than 18 seconds each, with presentation deferred to the 5PM Public Hearing today. They vote on all these items at 5:30 PM this evening.

Stills

Two technical items took Continue reading →

Almost a million dollars @ LCC 2022-08-22

Update 2022-08-22: Videos: Juvenile Justice, Manholes, Tax Appeals Module, Subdivision lighting @ LCC 2022-08-22.

Update 2022-08-26: Packet: Juvenile Justice, Manholes, Tax Appeals Module, Subdivision lighting @ LCC 2022-08-22.

The big item involves keeping ahead of sewer system problems to avoid sewage spills: “Lowndes County was awarded a Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) loan for lift station and manhole improvements. Staff identified approximately 100 manholes that need rehab and improvements, including structural repairs and coating the interiors. The project was advertised and bids accepted for the work. Two bids were received, one from Gulf Coast Underground for $1,508,450.00 and one from RPI for $439,836.00. Staff recommends approval and authorizes the Chairman to sign the contract with RPI, Inc. for $439,836.00.”

Collage

They will Continue reading →

Videos: Camelot Crossing subdivision tabled for two weeks @ LCC 2022-04-12

The Camelot Crossing subdivision, with no currently-planned outlet on Val Del Road, was tabled for two weeks at the request of the opponents, who filled the room. The county also still has an issue with a chokepoint through which both exits route, as mentioned by Commissioner Clay Griner, who made the motion to table, seconded by Demarcus Marshall. Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker said there was an outlet onto Old US 41 North, and he voted against tabling.

Presentation and rezonings

Commissioner Scott Orenstein mentioned that the YMCA still plans to build “an aquatic center” on its nearby property.

The other two subdivision rezonings were approved unanimously, as were all the other voting items.

Below are links to Continue reading →

Videos: Turn lanes and EV charging @ LCC 2022-04-11

Videos: Camelot Crossing subdivision tabled for two weeks @ LCC 2022-04-12.

An updated plan that no longer has any egress onto Val Del Road arrived Friday for 6.b. REZ-2022-07 Hayden Park. Nonetheless, the turn lanes on Val Del Road were already scheduled as a T-SPLOST project, expected to be completed in 2023. Not clear whether there are two egress points in the current plan.

Rezoning, EV, VAWA, Quit claim

The county’s sound system is working, so the LAKE video camera was plugged into it at yesterday morning’s Lowndes County Commission Work Session.
Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item, with a few notes, followed by a LAKE video playlist. See also Continue reading →

On the LAKE front

Citizen dialog for transparent process by the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange