Tag Archives: Fire Chief Billy Young

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

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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 →

Half a million or zero dollars for the bar Lowndes County bought with no agenda item? 2024-07-09

Did the Lowndes County Commission spend nothing or half a million dollars to buy an old bar in Lake Park? And why did they vote to buy it after an Executive Session, with no item entered on a public meeting agenda?

Where did the money come from? Apparently, it did not come from SPLOST. Since the property is to be repurposed for a fire station, did it come from the special fire tax?

[Half a million or zero for the bar Lowndes County bought with no agenda item?, Rascal's into a fire station]
Half a million or zero for the bar Lowndes County bought with no agenda item?, Rascal’s into a fire station

The only times I see Rascal’s appearing in Lowndes County Commission meetings of the past five years is in this week’s meetings of June 9 and 10, 2025, in April 2023, and in March 2025.

April 2023 Liquor license for Rascal’s become Twin Lake Club and Grill

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