Tag Archives: GEFA

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

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

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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

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.

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

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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

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: Development Authority appointment, VOCA grants, Coleman Road paving, LMIG, Water projects, Windstream @ LCC Regular 2025-01-15

Ms. Terri Lupo was reappointed to the 5.a. Valdosta Lowndes Development Authority.

The Lowndes County Commission at their Regular Session of January 14, 2025, also passed everything else unanimously, with little or no discussion.

Collage @ LCC 14 January 2025

Commissioner Demarcus Marshall did have a question about 7.k. GEFA Loan DWLSL2023097 for Lead Service Line Inventory. He also had a special thanks for Samaritan’s Purse in Commission Comments.

Former Valdosta City Council Alvin Payton, Jr., sat front and center the entire meeting.

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

Packet: Development Authority appointment, VOCA grants, Coleman Road paving, LMIG, Water projects, Windstream @ LCC 2025-01-13

Update 2025-01-16: Videos: Development Authority appointment, VOCA grants, Coleman Road paving, LMIG, Water projects, Windstream @ LCC Regular 2025-01-14

Yesterday morning Commissioner Mark Wisenbarker wanted to know whether the staff had a list of roads needing striping for 7.g. 2025 Georgia DoT Local Maintenance – Improvement Grant (LMIG) Application. Here’s the project list:

Road paving list and Broadband map @ LCC Packet 2025-01-13

The map appears to be where Windstream thinks Lowndes County already had broadband in 2021. Continue reading →

Videos: Development Authority appointment, VOCA grants, Coleman Road paving, LMIG, Water projects, Windstream @ LCC Work Session 2025-10-13

The Lowndes County Commission started the Work Session yesterday morning by welcoming new Commissioner Michael Smith. He will vote for the first time at the Regular Session this evening at 5:30 PM.

Collage @ LCC 13 January 2025

Chairman Bill Slaughter praised Terri Lupo, long-time baord member of the 5.a. Valdosta Lowndes Development Authority, although he noted there were two other applicants for her expired term.

There was some discussion on 7.f. Emergency Repair – Lowndes County Fire Station #5. Fire Station #5 is the one on Bemiss Road. Apparently after the November rain, there was a sewage back up in the fire station that was 3″ deep and everything from the floor to 2′ up the wall had to be replaced, including furniture. Insurance covered some of the cost.

Commissioner Mark Wisenbarker wanted to know whether the staff had a list of roads needing striping for 7.g. 2025 Georgia DoT Local Maintenance – Improvement Grant (LMIG) Application. Answer: yes.

They do not yet have a design for the 7.h. Local Bridge Replacement at Jumping Gully Road at Bevel Creek (0019937).

There was Commissioner discussion about the prices for the Continue reading →

Agenda: Development Authority appointment, VOCA grants, Coleman Road paving, LMIG, Water projects, Windstream @ LCC 2025-01-13

It’s a busy first agenda of the year for the Lowndes County Commission, Work Session Monday morning, voting Regular Session Tuesday evening.

Agenda: VLDA appointment, Coleman Road paving, LMIG, VOCA grants, Water projects, Windstream @ LCC 2025-01-13

Terri Lupo’s term has expired for the Development Authority. Robert Green and Brice Evans also want to be appointed. Usually the Commission reappoints the incumbent.

Cost	What
$1,300,000.00	Coleman Road NW Paving and Drainage Improvements, P.1.0016279 Supplemental Agreement No. 1
$635,000.00	GEFA Loan DWLSL2023097 for Lead Service Line Inventory
$160,122.00	Bid for Six Compact SUV Vehicles for Multiple Departments
$79,380.00	Emergency Repair – Lowndes County Fire Station #5
$50,000.00	Lowndes County Local Bridge Replacement at Jumping Gully Road at Bevel Creek (0019937)
$45,761.60	Union Road Lift Station Pump Replacement
$33,232.00	Approval of the Solicitor General’s FY25 VOCA Grant Award
$2,303,495.60	Total

The above table, generated by LAKE from the agenda items, is hard to add up because of items where the BUDGET IMPACT is actually incoming funds from a new source, such as this one: Continue reading →

Packet: Proposed Annual Budget, City of Valdosta, FY 2025, for Budget Meeting 2024-05-22

In this Proposed Annual Budget for the City of Valdosta Budget Meeting Wednesday afternoon, 3-8 PM, there are two bond series, one refinancing, the other new, both for water and sewer improvements.

Apparently the city has previously financed more than $32 million in loans from the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA), and last year floated a bond at a lower interest rate for about $22 million still to be paid.

Even more interesting, if I am reading it correctly, this budget proposes a new bond for $67 million.

Maybe the Valdosta City government is getting more serious about fixing their sewer system problems.

This is all in addition to the water and sewer improvements paid for by Special Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) line items, by American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, or from other revenue; see below.

Extracts, Proposed FY 2025 City of Valdosta Budget

W&S 2020 Bond Series

Purpose: Refinance GEFA notes at a lower interest rate
Maturity Date: 2033
Original Principal Amount: $32,134,000; July 1, 2023, Principal Outstanding $22,264,065
Interest Rate: 2.29%
Funding Source: Water and Sewer Revenue Fund

Pending for FY 25 – estimate
W&S 2024 Bond Series

Purpose: Upgrades Water and Sewer
Maturity Date: 2054
Original Principal Amount: $67,000,000; July 1, 2023, Principal Outstanding $67,000,000
Interest Rate: 4.5%
Funding Source: Water and Sewer Revenue Fund

See page 49, Debt Service, FY 2025, City of Valdosta. Continue reading →

Packet: Lead Service Line Inventory and MCWTP Micro Screen, Lakeland Ave. Stormwater, New water wells @ VCC 2024-01-25

The board packet for tonight’s Valdosta City Council meeting, full of wastewater, stormwater, and trash items, is on the LAKE website, all 137 pages of it.

The packet includes some details about the proposed Lakeland Avenue Regional Stormwater Facility, which is item 5.c) on the agenda.

Collage, Valdosta City Council Packet 2024-01-25

If you can’t attend in person, you can watch it on facebook live on Valdosta, A City Without Limits.
https://www.facebook.com/CityofValdosta

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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

Agenda: Lead Service Line Inventory and MCWTP Micro Screen, Lakeland Ave. Stormwater, New water wells @ VCC 2024-01-25

Update 2024-01-25: Packet: Lead Service Line Inventory and MCWTP Micro Screen, Lakeland Ave. Stormwater, New water wells @ VCC 2024-01-25.

Tonight’s Valdosta City Council agenda is full of wastewater, stormwater, and trash items.

Agenda, Valdosta City Council, 2024-01-25 and Lakeland Avenue map