Tag Archives: Federal Emergency Management Agency

Videos: New Library Board, Wisenbaker Rd rezoning, communications tower in Langdale Park, Pre-Disaster Logistics, Juvenile Justice, Lift Station Bypass @ LCC Regular 2026-07-14

Update 2026-07-25:
Packet: Comprehensive Plan Update, Appointments to VLPRA and Library Board, Road Resurfacing and Widening @ LCC 2026-07-27. Plus, “There will be an information sharing session to address data center ordinance
considerations following the adjournment of the regular meeting.”

They voted separately on each of the nine posts on the reconstituted Library Board,
and appointed someone to each.
They ended up with one applicant left over somehow.
This was the Lowndes County Commission in their Regular Session of Tuesday, July 14, 2026,
where they also unanimously approved everything else.

Including the one actual rezoning, 6a. REZ-2026-14 Ray Colding, 6808 Wisenbaker Rd., Lake Park, ~8.5ac, M-1 & R-A to M-2, County Water and Septic.


https://youtu.be/u67fzIz5f_A?si=H-5SvDlHxdsPEny3

And of course they unanimously approved this in Langdale Park,
6.b. TWR-2026-02 Bermuda Run, New 159′ Telecommunications Tower near North Valdosta Road and Hyta Mederer Drive.


https://youtu.be/Yn_jbG5uM0g?si=TPgg7XvhVyEKR3EK

I did speak against it, and I pointed out they still weren’t in conformance with the ULDC,
at least because the existing tower locations are not in VALORGIS.
But they approved it anyway.


[Collage @ LCC Regular 2026-07-14]

Collage @ LCC Regular 2026-07-14

County Manager Paige Dukes in her Reports called on Fire Chief Billy Young, who called on someone else
to explain grants they had recently applied for, and they got some.


https://studio.youtube.com/video/7UYGpYf1-Zc/edit

She also had EMA Director Ashley Tye about changes of policy at GEMA that affect hurricane disaster recovery centers.
FEMA will no longer provide that service.
The county would have to do that: building, setup, staffing, equipment.


https://youtu.be/893tG8BrjYw?si=KLJoce54y8Cjh2mR

Datacenters

The County Manager kicked off the now-traditional datacenter discussion at the end of her Report.
She said the county staff were still working on a datacenter ordinance,
and were taking advantage of work other locations had done in environmental, legal, and other studies.
She noted there was still no application for a datacenter.
I hope the county doesn’t wait around until there is one,
after which any ordinance or moratorium they passed would not apply to that application.


https://youtu.be/pUmHRF7yfNE?si=GWOn-Iy9wUjTjHK2

Five Citizens were Heard about datacenters: Continue reading →

Videos: Alcohol, Health insurance, GEFA Lift State Pump Loan, Rascals demolition for Fire Station, Bemiss Road Mowing @ LCC Regular 2025-10-28

At the Tuesday evening Work Session, the Lowndes County Commissioners approved everything unanimously.

They chatted quite a bit about

6.a. Demolition for Lowndes County Fire Rescue Station 3.
Apparently the old Rascals did come with some equipment in the kitchen,
although County Manager Paige Dukes declined to call it kitchen equipment.

On the

5.c. GEFA Loan for Lift Station Bypass Pumps
Commissioner Demarcus Marshall wanted clarification that this was for sewage, not other kinds of water. Answer: yes.

In

7. Reports – County Manager
she had
EMA Director Ashley Tye talk about remaining federal funds promised
but not yet received.
The big batch will not qualify for the relaxed timeline for budgeting,
due to how late it is.

She also had Fire Chief Billy Young talk about fire safety in this dry season,
a topic the Commissioners continued to discuss for a bit.


[Collage @ LCC 28 October 2025]

Collage @ LCC 28 October 2025

In Citizens Wishing to Be Heard,

Steve Schreck apologized if the shirt he wore
Monday morning offended anyone. The Chairman had told him after that Work Session never to come back wearing that shirt.
Schreck talked about a display near him that children could see, which he said
was at least equally offensive.
He asked for an ordinance banning public obscenity.

Commissioner Joyce Evans remained absent due to Continue reading →

Videos: Alcohol, Health insurance, GEFA Lift State Pump Loan, Rascals demolition for Fire Station, Bemiss Road Mowing @ LCC Work 2025-10-27

Update 2025-10-29:
Videos: Alcohol, Health insurance, GEFA Lift State Pump Loan, Rascals demolition for Fire Station, Bemiss Road Mowing @ LCC Regular 2025-10-28.

Seven minutes for this morning’s Lowndes County Commission Work Session.

Commissioner Demarcus Marshall was absent.
Commissioner Joyce Evans remains absent due to health reasons.

They vote tomorrow (Tuesday) evening at 5:30 PM.


[Videos: Alcohol, Health insurance, GEFA Lift State Pump Loan, Rascals demolition for Fire Station 3, Bemiss Road Mowing @ LCC Work 2025-10-27]

Videos: Alcohol, Health insurance, GEFA Lift State Pump Loan, Rascals demolition for Fire Station 3, Bemiss Road Mowing @ LCC Work 2025-10-27

There were no surprises, except maybe County Manager Paige Dukes
lauding Public Works Director Robin Cumbus for organizing

6.b. Bid for Bemiss Road Right of Way Mowing.

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item,
plus a few stills of some people,
followed by a LAKE video playlist.

See also the Continue reading →

Packet: Alcohol, Health insurance, GEFA Lift State Pump Loan, Rascals demolition for Fire Station, Bemiss Road Mowing @ LCC 2025-10-27

Update 2025-10-27:
Videos: Alcohol, Health insurance, GEFA Lift State Pump Loan, Rascals demolition for Fire Station, Bemiss Road Mowing @ LCC Work 2025-10-27.

It’s a brief agenda with a long packet for the Lowndes County Commission this month.

It demonstrates planning ahead in the
GEFA Loan for Lift Station Bypass Pumps,
getting ready for the next hurricane season.

And they got multiple bids for both the old Rascals in Lake Park,
Demolition for Lowndes County Fire Rescue Station 3
and for
Bid for Bemiss Road Right of Way Mowing.

No emergency sole-source contracts in this agenda.


[Packet: Collage @ LCC 2025-10-27]

Packet: Collage @ LCC 2025-10-27

Here is the
agenda.

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 27, 2025, 8:30 a.m.

REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2025, 5:30 p.m.

327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading →

Videos: Opioid Litigation Settlement and Budget and Equity Reserve Policy @ LCC Regular 2025-09-23

The two regular business items (opioid litigation and budget policy update)
sped to unanimous approval
at the Lowndes County Commission Regular Session last week.


[Collage @ LCC 23 September 2025]

Collage @ LCC 23 September 2025

Three citizens spoke.


Janice Strickland worried that she was not represented because
Commissioner Joyce Evans had been absent for months.
See below for Chairman Bill Slaughter’s answer.


India Bell wanted to know if there was any financial assistance.
Chairman Bill Slaughter said he would speak to her afterwards about
various organizations, but the county itself probably did not have anything to help.


Kelly Saxon was concerned about housing after Hurricane Helene
now that temporary housing is ending.
There was no direct response.

Commissioner Demarcus Marshall reminded everyone that each citizen
actually has two Commissioners,
because of the superdistricts, one of which he represents.
And anyone could also call the Chairman.

Here 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 →

Videos: Opioid Litigation Settlement and Budget and Equity Reserve Policy @ LCC Work 2025-09-22

Update 2025-09-29
Videos: Opioid Litigation Settlement and Budget and Equity Reserve Policy @ LCC Regular 2025-09-23.

There were only two main agenda items, but the Lowndes County Commissioners
had questions on each of them.

That was in this morning’s Work Session.
They vote Tuesday evening at 5:30 PM.


[Collage @ LCC 22 September 2025]

Collage @ LCC 22 September 2025

Some previous opioid litigation settlement funds have been received,
about $600,000.
Those are escrowed in an intergovernmental grant fund
since the funds are earmarked.
They have to be used for treatment, prevention, and abatement of the opioid crisis.

The updates to the county’s
Budget and Equity Reserve Policy
are partly because of FEMA relief for Hurricane Helene and previous hurricanes,
which arrived after the corresponding Fiscal Years ended,
and after a 60-day grace period in the previous policy.
So they’re extending that grace period for grant funds only.

Last year about $3.9 million came in before the end of November,
but after the grace period for FY 2025.

The policy stays as changed, unless the Commission later votes to change it again.

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

See also the Continue reading →

Packet: Airport, Aging, Community Service Board Appointments, $1,677,028.92 LMIG funds from GDOT @ LCC 2025-05-27

The board packet for the Tuesday Work and Regular Sessions of the Lowndes County Commission, received in response to a LAKE open records request, is

on the LAKE website.


[Packet: Airport, Aging, Service, Board Appointments @ LCC 2025-05-27, $1,677,028.92 LRA funds via GDOT LMIG, Public Works mini-excavator bid]

Packet: Airport, Aging, Service, Board Appointments @ LCC 2025-05-27, $1,677,028.92 LRA funds via GDOT LMIG, Public Works mini-excavator bid

Images of each page of the packet are below.

See also the

LAKE videos of the Tuesday evening Regular Session,
the

LAKE videos of the same morning’s 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!


http://www.l-a-k-e.org/blog/donate

Continue reading →

Videos: Airport, Aging, Community Service Board Appointments, $1,677,028.92 LMIG funds from GDOT @ LCC Regular 2025-05-27

Update 2025-09-07: They appointed Commissioner Demarcus Marshall instead.
Videos: Lake Alapaha Well, Jail Expansion, Bicentennial, Millages, Opioid Litigation, Hightower Road, SPLOST IX, TREES Act, PFAS Groundwater Claims @ LCC Regular 2025-08-26.

Commissioner Joyce Evans was absent at both the morning’s Work Session and the evening’s Regular Session, but they appointed her to two boards anyway.

At the Tuesday evening Regular Session, the Lowndes County Commission approved everything unanimously, including appointing Jeff Sykes to the Airport Authority,
and “Miss Evans” to the Aging and Community Services Boards.

County Manager Paige Dukes said the opening on the Community Services Board
was because Chairman Bill Slaughter had been appointed to a statewise board,
and thus could not continue to serve on a local board.


[Collage @ LCC Regular 27 May 2025]

Collage @ LCC Regular 27 May 2025

Director of Engineering Services Chad McLeod clarified which parts of which roads
would be resurfaced if the county gets the GDOT LRA funds.

Finance Director Stephanie Black said it’s a mid-size excavator that Public Works wants, following up from discussion in the Work Session.

County Manager Paige Dukes said Val Del Road work began at North Valdosta Road that day (yesterday)
and there’s a county facebook page about it.
She indicated a meeting with FEMA and a need to deal with less federal funds
and more local preparedness.
She also talked about SPLOST IX, the Metropolitan Planning Organization,
the civic center, and emergency operations, rattling off a string of dates.
Seems like she could provide a written report if she expects people to remember those dates.
She did say the bicentennial dates would be updated on the county’s website,
although I cannot find them there.

Commissioner Demarcus Marshall Scottie Orenstein wanted to know if there was any update on the animal shelter.
Chad McLeod said the RFP was 90% approved.

There were no Citizens Wishing to Be Heard.

Below are LAKE videos of each agenda item, with a few notes by John S. Quarterman,
followed by a LAKE video playlist.
There are some one-second gaps between videos, because I was using my phone,
which does not cycle off and on quickly enough.
Plus one towards the beginning of the Minutes item,
because I accidentally bumped it off and had to turn it back on.

See also the Continue reading →

Videos: FY24 5311, USGS, Code Red, Disaster, Hazard, Facilities, TIA, FY23 Law, SDS, Exit 13 @ LCC 2022-10-25

Everything passed unanimously at the Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission on Tuesday, October 27, 2022.
There were a few questions, but nothing contentious.


[Collage @ LCC 2022-10-25]

Collage @ LCC 2022-10-25

Chairman Bill Slaughter said Valdosta had supplied all the needed signatures
from the City of Valdosta for the Service Delivery Agreement,
although two of the smaller cities (unnamed) still needed to sign.
City Manager Paige Dukes whispered to the Chairman that
Valdosta City Council Andy Gibbs was in the room,
and the Chairman thanked him.

The County Manager in her Report said Finance Director Stephanie Black had finished the “budget report” and it is on the county’s website for use by Commission, staff, and citizens.
She didn’t say where, but I’m guessing she meant the

Operating Budget, Fiscal Year 2023.
She also said the county is going to update its noise ordinance
to “get in line with citizens’ expectations”.
On
November 7th at 4-7 PM there wil be an Internet session with Windstream.

Rachel Thrasher said the county’s new videos have gotten 6,000 views in six weeks.
She didn’t say where. But here’s one, on facebook, about golf cart accidents.

Robert Tracy proposed a special session of the Commission
that citizens could attend, about property taxes.
Apparently as the Tax Assessors catch up with a many-year backlog of appraisals,
there have been some sudden rises in appraisals.

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

See also the

LAKE videos of the previous morning’s Work Session
and
agenda and board packet.

Continue reading →

Videos: River Gauges, Lift Station, Disaster Relief, Hazards, Facilities, TIA, Service Delivery @ LCC 2022-10-24

Most items sailed through this morning’s Work Session of the Lowndes County Commission.
They vote tomorrow, Tuesday evening, at 5:30 PM.

The county continues to be unhappy with the City of Valdosta about the

Service Delivery Agreement.

Chairman Bill Slaughter asked to have the

Patrol Car Laptop Lease tabled for further clarification.



[River Gauges, Hazard Mitigation, Facilities, Service Delivery, Lift Station, Reports @ LCC 2022-09-24]

River Gauges, Hazard Mitigation, Facilities, Service Delivery, Lift Station, Reports @ LCC 2022-09-24

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