The Lowndes County Commission passed everything unanimously. Plus they had a proclamation about 811, two citizens spoke about datacenters, one about an alleged sinkhole, one invitation to a fair, and one talked about Southern Georgia Black Chambers.
Vice-Chair Mark Wisenbaker again presided, this time over the Regular Session.
Here are the LAKE videos of this Regular Session, with a few notes by John S. Quarterman.
See also Continue reading
Vice-Chair Mark Wisenbaker presided over the Lowndes County Commission Work Session this morning. They vote Tuesday evening at 5:30 PM.
Commissioners spent almost six minutes on 6.a. REZ-2026-15 Mardun Ventures, 6434 Lake Alapaha Blvd ~10.7ac, R-21 To E-A.
Lowndes County Commissioner Michael Smith
wondered about possible blueberries instead of pine trees.
County Planner JD Dillard said it could happen.
https://youtu.be/AqAR2FViiMY?si=tvRo3DgMwlG2h9sF
David Crawford took about five minutes to talk about Partnership Health Center as part of 9. County Manager Report.
https://youtu.be/oFi7tV2aWV8?si=5g95qOAmPo6xhGns
He talked about the number of people that they have provided services to this year. He emphasized that people come from all county commission districts. The people that they help have no insurance and are not covered by Medicare or Medicaid or any other private insurance.
![[Partnership Health Center, 2026-08-10]](http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/loco/2026-08-10--lcc-work-videos/2026-08-10--partnership-health-center.jpg)
Partnership Health Center, 2026-08-10
Since Lowndes County does not post video of its Work Sessions, if you weren’t there this morning at 8:30 AM, you can watch it in these LAKE videos, which are followed by a LAKE video playlist.
See also Continue reading
In the County Manager Report there is this item: David Crawford – Partnership Health Center (Work Session).
Since Lowndes County does not post video of its Work Sessions, you’ll either need to be there Monday morning at 8:30 AM, or watch it later in the LAKE videos.
This contentious rezoning will be decided after a Public Hearing: REZ-2026-15 Mardun Ventures, LLC, 6434 Lake Alapaha Blvd, ~10.7ac, R-21 to E-A, County Water & Septic.
The big dollar item I believe comes from state money, i.e., your state taxes, or is it T-SPLOST, also your taxes?
| Cost | What |
|---|---|
| $1,808,850.75 | 2026 Local Maintenance and Improvements Grant (LMIG) Local Road Assistance (LRA) Resurfacing Bids |
| $64,302.26 | Jail Skylight Replacement |
| $62,440.00 | Jail Door Locking Control System Replacement |
| $1,935,593.01 | Total |
![[Collage @ LCC Packet 2026-08-10]](http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/loco/2026-08-10--lcc-packet/many.jpg)
Collage @ LCC Packet 2026-08-10
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 rezoning, see also the the preceding Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC) meeting.
LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Continue reading
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2026, 8:30 A.M.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2026, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
Could be a record: an hour and 14 minutes for Tuesday’s Lowndes County Commission Regular Session.
After many months, they had Recognition of return of Commissioner Joyce Evans. She is clearly still recovering from her medical issues, but Commissioner Demarcus Marshall wheeled her in. She didn’t say anything then, but, then, she seldom does. She did thank them at the end of the meeting.
The did not reappoint incumbent Tommy Willis to the Planning Commission. Instead they appointed John “Mac” McCall by a vote of 3-2. As near as I can tell, Commissioners Mark Wisenbaker and Demarcus Marshall were the 2.
By acclamation they reappointed incumbent Felicia Williams to the Lowndes County Board Of Assessors. Nobody even nominated Gretchen Quarterman. Ms. Williams later spoke about the Tax Commissioners in Citizens Wishing to Be Heard (CWTBH).
Mr. Gary Wisenbaker was appointed to the Lowndes County Library Board after he recused himself from the vote.
The seat reserved for Wild Adventures on the Valdosta-Lowndes County Conference Center And Tourism Authority had a new WA General Manager appointed: Donald Spiller III.
The meeting length was because of many agenda items, some postponed from last month, some because there’s only one Regular Session in each of November and December, and some year-end items.
The only item that took more than ten minutes was Continue reading
Monday morning’s Work Session took 55 minutes, despite many measures to power through it.
They vote tomorrow (Tuesday) evening at 5:30 PM.
Lowndes County Chairman Bill Slaughter said two of the presentations would be made Tuesday evening at the Regular Session. Ditto for the appointments to four boards.
They did spend almost nine minutes on 7.b. REZ-2025-16 2480 Copeland Rd, ~18ac, R-10/C To R-10, for example about ingress and egress.
And almost six minutes on 8.k. 2026 Public Defender Contracts, which they moved to the front of section 8 because the presenter had to get to another appointment.
Plus more than three minutes each on three other items.
If I heard correctly, 8.g. Transportation Investment Act (TIA) Val Del Road Widening, they’re going to four-lane at least part of Val Del Road.
They said the reason 8.h. Design-Build Contract For Lowndes County Animal Shelter. took this long because of requiring the contractor to stay within a tight budget.
Commissioners had some cost questions about 8.o. Motorola Migration Assurance Plan (MAP).
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 Continue reading
Update 2025-12-08: Videos: 4 Presentations, 4 Appointments, 2 Rezonings, 1 Dec. Lighting, 16 For Consideration, 1 Pump Station Upgrade @ LCC Work 2025-12-08.
Many people have asked when this would happen. 8.h. Design-Build Contract for Lowndes County Animal Shelter is to award a contract to Kellerman Construction, Inc.
“The breakdown for the contract is $450,000.00 for sitework, $4,050,000.00 for construction, $200,000.00 for contingency, and $300,000.00 for Architectural & Engineering. If approved, the design process will begin immediately and the Design-Builder will submit a final proposal for construction to Lowndes County for approval in April 2026.”
That firm was selected out of seven proposals by a scoring process.
![[Collage, LCC Packet 2025-12-08]](http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/loco/2025-12-08--lcc-packet/many.jpg)
Collage, LCC Packet 2025-12-08
For 9.a. LAS Pump Station Upgrade they’re upgrading from 3 to 4 pumps at the Land Application Site (LAS), plus adding a backup generator.
Last month the Lowndes County Commission tabled appointments to two boards, Library and Planning Commission. This month they will appoint to those and also to the Board of Tax Assessors.
They also postponed a rezoning on Copeland Road. This month it’s back, plus one on Shiloh Road.
For 6.a. Greater Lowndes Planning Commission, the term of Tommy Willis expired. He and John McCall want to be appointed.
For 6.b. Lowndes County Board of Assessors, the term of Felicia Williams expired. She and Gretchen Quarterman want to be appointed.
For 6.c. Lowndes County Library Board, Catherine Ammons resigned after she resigned as Valdosta Assistant City Manager. Kendal Crawford, Dean Poling, and Gary Wisenbaker want to be appointed.
Last month they postponed 7.b. REZ-2025-16 Copeland Road Subdivision, 2480 Copeland Rd, ~18ac, County Utilities, R-10/c to R-10 because of an error in the advertisement, so it’s on the agenda for December.
Plus 7.c. REZ-2025-17 Shiloh Road, ~8.2 ac 6641 Shiloh Road, E-A to R-A, Well & Septic, which the Planning Commission heard at its most recent meeting.
This week the Commissioners will consider about $15.5 million in the items on the agenda. Some of that is paid via state or federal grants. The biggest item (MAP) is split over five years. The next most expensive item, the Animal Shelter, comes from SPLOST. Then the LAS upgrades come from federal ARPA money. But the insurance payments appear to come out of the general fund, i.e., property taxes. The power line relocation comes from TSPLOST, i.e., another penny sales tax. Continue reading
Update 2025-12-06: Packet: 4 Presentations, 4 Appointments, 2 Rezonings, 1 Dec. Lighting, 16 For Consideration, 1 Pump Station Upgrade @ LCC 2025-12-08.
Update 2025-11-13: Gretchen found the rest of the videos. Some were on the card, others were in the camera internal memory. All posted now.
Apparently the video camera failed when I changed the battery, because all I’ve got is video of the last two cases at the October 27, 2025, Regular Session of the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC).
![[Videos: Greater Lowndes Planning Commission, Regular Session, 2025-10-27]](http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/glpc/2025-10-27--glpc-videos/many.jpg)
Videos: Greater Lowndes Planning Commission, Regular Session, 2025-10-27
After several citizens spoke against, the Planning Commissioners recommended approval 6:4 for the Eager Road rezoning, for decision by the Valdosta City Council.
They recommended approval 8:2 of the billboard variance, for decision by the Hahira City Council.
GLPC recommended approval with five new conditions of the one Lowndes County case, the Copeland Road rezoning (no video; sorry), for final decision by the Lowndes County Commission tomorrow, November 12, 2025.
Below are links to each LAKE video, followed by a video playlist. Continue reading
Update 2025-11-13: Videos: 1 County, 4 Valdosta, 1 Hahira @ GLPC 2025-10-27.
Update 2025-11-10: Packet: Appointments to Planning Commission & Library Board, Copeland Road rezoning, Holiday and meeting schedule, Jumping Gully Road Bridge over Bevel Creek @ LCC 2025-11-12.
You’ve seen the agenda and the LAKE videos of the Work Session. Here is the board packet for Regular Session of the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC).
The one Lowndes County case has a backstory going back ten years of failed and at least one successful rezoning.
At least two of the Valdosta City cases also have extensive backstory.
The Hahira case is to replace a billboard that was blown over by Hurricane Helene.
![[Packet: Collage @ GLPC 2025-10-27]](http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/glpc/2025-10-27--glpc-packet/many.jpg)
Packet: Collage @ GLPC 2025-10-27
The board packet, received in response to a LAKE open records request, is on the LAKE website.
Images of each page are below.
-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
2025-10-25: Packet: 1 County, 4 Valdosta, 1 Hahira @ GLPC 2025-10-27.
The one Lowndes County case has a backstory going back ten years of failed and at least one successful rezoning.
At least two of the Valdosta City cases also have extensive backstory.
The Hahira case is a billboard.
These cases were presented at the Work Session of the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC). GLPC will vote for their recoomendations next Monday, 27 October 2025.
![[Collage @ GLPC Work Session 20 October 2025]](http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/glpc/2025-10-20--glpc-work-videos/many.jpg)
Collage @ GLPC Work Session 20 October 2025
Here is the agenda.
Greater Lowndes Planning Commission
~ Lowndes County ~ City of Valdosta ~ City of Dasher ~
~ City of Hahira ~ City of Lake Park ~ City of Remerton ~Continue reading
Monday, October 20, 2025 5:30 P.M. Work Session
Monday, October 27, 2025 5:30 P.M. Regular Session
Lowndes County South Health District Administrative Office
325 West Savannah Avenue, Valdosta, Georgia
Most of the meeting (13 and a half minutes) was about
Bill Branham’s subdivision,
which passed,
with the Chairman breaking the tie because one Commissioner recused himself.
Opponents took up almost another minute
leaving the room.
On a split vote the Commission declined to modify the solid waste ordinance to give the County Manager more power.
Second longest at more than 6 minutes was Michael J. Killeen’s R-A to M-1 rezoning. Virdie Mae Lyons got her well and septic rezoning in a minute and a half.
Two water items: not clear how much Continue reading
![[Videos: R-21 to E-A rezoning, Jail door lock & skylight @ LCC Work, Subdivision Infrastructure & LMIG, Partnership Health Center 2026-08-10]](http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/loco/2026-08-10--lcc-work-videos/many.jpg)
![[Collage @ LCC 9 December 2025]](http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/loco/2025-12-09--lcc-regular-videos/many.jpg)
![[Collage @ LCC 8 December 2025]](http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/loco/2025-12-08--lcc-work-videos/many.jpg)