Tag Archives: Georgia

7.b. REZ-2011-12 Cardwell, 5415 Railroad Ave @ LCC 12 Sep 2011

Applicant and County Planner Jason Davenport recommend tabling this rezoning case until one more test comes back from the health department.
7.b. REZ-2011-12 Cardwell, 5415 Railroad Ave, 0095 003, 1 lot, 1 acre, R-10 to R-21, well/septic

Here’s the video:


7.b. REZ-2011-12 Cardwell, 5415 Railroad Ave @ LCC 12 Sep 2011
Work Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 12 September 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

-jsq

7.a. REZ-2011-11 West-Fuller, 5303 Tucker Road @ LCC 12 Sep 2011

Commissioners and staff concerned with ironing out issues about rezoning before voting on it!

County Planner Jason Davenport said he wanted to talk one more time to the two parties before it comes to the Commission tomorrow.

7.a. REZ-2011-11 West-Fuller, 5303 Tucker Road, 137-25 & 25A, ~1.31 ac, E-A & R-1 to R-1 and R-21, well/septic
Commissioner Powell wondered whether it would be best to send it back to the Planning Commission first. Commissioner Evans said it was her understanding that the Planning Commission wanted it to come back to them. The County Planner said he thought they would enjoy seeing it again, but they might understand not making the applicant waiting another 30 days, so he wanted to talk to the applicant one more time first. Commissioner Powell wanted to be sure there would be documentation in the file so if something came up ten years down the road they’d know what went on.

Here’s the video:


7.a. REZ-2011-11 West-Fuller, 5303 Tucker Road @ LCC 12 Sep 2011
Work Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 12 September 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

-jsq

Photographers to the back of the room —Ashley Paulk @ LCC 12 September 2011

Another quick meeting, when at the end:
Chairman: Mr Quarterman, The County Commission wishes from this day forward that any filming be done from the media area in the back corner of the room.

jsq: Has the Commission taken a vote on that?

Chairman: Yes sir, we uh independently; I will submit the chairman without the Commission … do not question my authority.

jsq: So the Commission has not taken a vote on that.

Chairman: Commission doesn’t have to.

jsq: And you believe that legally you can do that?

Chairman: Yes sir I believe that. I do my research.

jsq: Can I see that legal opinion please?

Chairman: You’re looking at it.

jsq: In writing if you would.

Chairman: Mr Quarterman, I will not argue with you. Do not film except in the media area. Do you understand me? Don’t say you weren’t aware of it. It’s on the web site.

Here’s Camera 1: Continue reading →

Appointment – DBHDD Regional Planning Board @ LCC 12 September 2011

The previous member of the Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Addictive Diseases Regional Planning Board retired from the board after a term that expired in July. Previously they appointed Mrs. Henderson, I think at the meeting a month ago, but for some reason she could not serve. Another person is applying. She has not yet supplied a resume; they hope to see that by tomorrow.

Here’s the video:


Appointment – DBHDD Regional Planning Board @ LCC 12 September 2011
Work Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 12 September 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

Continue reading →

Lowndes County Commission, Monday morning and Tuesday evening

Monday morning the County Commission considers and Tuesday evening it decides three rezonings and an appointment, plus a Prison Detail Contract.

The appointment is to the Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Addictive Diseases Regional Planning Board, and was previously considered a month ago. According to DBHDD:

The Region Four Planning Board represents 24 counties in the region. Members are appointed by their county commissioners; they are business and civic leaders with a strong interest in mental health, developmental disabilities and addictive diseases as well as consumers or family members of consumers.

The role of the Regional Planning Board is to give a voice to consumers and their families and other citizens in the region in assessing needs and recommending priorities for DBHDD services. The planning board makes recommendations about services and works with the regional office to develop an annual plan. Regional planning board members stay informed about local needs and issues and serve as advocates with public officials. The main objective of the board is to identify community needs and gaps in the current DBHDD service system and to make recommendations based on their findings.

The Georgia Department of Corrections says about Valdosta State Prison work details:

The Annex protects the public by maintaining custody of medium and minimum security offenders while providing outside work details to the community.

…

VSP and Annex Inside details: Orderlies, Grounds Maintenance, Laundry, Trash, and Maintenance. The Annex provides the following outside details: Correctional Industries, Department of Transportation, Georgia State Patrol, City of Valdosta (3 details), Lowndes County (2 details), Cook County, Valdosta State Prison (2 details), Department of Transportation (Weigh Station), Valdosta Police Department, Mobile Construction and Maintenance (Outside Institution).

I don’t quite understand how prisoners are being paid pennies for doing jobs that a lot of local unemployed people might want.

Here’s the agenda: Continue reading →

Something seems familiar in Quartzite

Somebody else got arrested in Quartzsite, AZ, according to The Desert Freedom Press 2 September 2011:
Local Realtor Doug Gilford has gained notoriety as the blogger and videographer who filmed the unlawful removal of Desert Freedom Press Publisher Jennifer Jones, from a June 28th town council meeting. The video has been viewed almost two hundred thousand times on Gilford’s YouTube channel.

Yesterday afternoon, around 3:30 Gilford was at the counter in Town Hall, filing an open records request for town hall feed surveillance tape when Assistant Town Manager Al Johnson confronted Gilford. Apparently feeling threatened, Gilford set his camera on the counter but didn’t hit record, when suddenly Johnson snatched it from across the counter. When Gilford called for police assistance, he ended up being arrested instead of Johnson.

Well, I suppose there are several morals here, such as never set your camera down, never go into a public office alone, etc.

But that’s not what seems familiar. Oh, here it is: Continue reading →

Georgia and Florida Railway (GFRR) – Valdosta to Willacoochee Rehabilitation $6.25 million T-SPLOST

Now here’s a T-SPLOST project I like: upgrading the railroad that runs from Valdosta to Moody AFB and on to Ray City and Nashville in Berrien County, and Willacoochee in Atkinson County. This proposal is to aid freight, but with this upgrade to the track, the same track would be even more readily usable for passenger rail. That same track was used for passenger travel up into the 1950s. My mother used to catch the train at Barretts (just north of Moody) to go visit her relatives in Pearson (a bit east of Willacoochee).

It’s true the project sheet talks about “potential customers in the region”:

This project will provide for more efficient train operations along the rail corridor to accommodate the increase rail traffic serving the existing and potential customers in the region.
However, rail promotes development in existing population centers and at stations, unlike all along automobile roadways.

This project is also another example of how the economic area of Moody AFB includes Continue reading →

$12M to widen US 41 N is more than $7.5M for a bus system

There is no public transit in Lowndes County, except for the tiny MIDS bus system (I like it, but it’s small). Meanwhile, the county proposes to spend more in a new sales tax to widen one road, $12 million dollars for Old US 41 North, than a bus system would cost, $7.5 million.

One short stretch of road vs. a three-line bus system to connect Wiregrass Tech, Five Points, Downtown, Moody, East Side, South Side, West Side, and the Mall.

Road and bridge proponents usually mutter that a bus system won’t pay back for years, if ever. And that’s right: bus systems usually operate at a loss because local governments subsidize them for the social and economic benefits they bring, such as these:

This project will provide mobility options for all travelers; improve access to employment; and help mitigate congestion and maximize the use of existing infrastructure by promoting high-occupancy travel.
Employment, safety, and less sprawl, all from a bus system.

What road and bridge proponents don’t ever mention is: Continue reading →

September LAKE meeting: The Owl returns to Bemiss

We didn’t meet this week due to the holiday, so we’re meeting next week, also on a different day:
Monthly LAKE Meeting
When: 5:30 PM
&nbsp  Sunday 11 September 2011
Where: Smokin’ Pig BBQ Express
&nbsp 3960 Macey Dr.
&nbsp Valdosta, GA 31602
That’s behind the Taco Bell, off of Huntley Drive, off of Bemiss Road. Google maps doesn’t know Macey Drive exists, but Mapquest does.
Note this is not the one on North Valdosta Road.

We could use your help with something.

If you follow the LAKE blog, On the LAKE Front, which you can also see through the LAKE facebook page, you know what we cover, from protesters to private prisons to gardening to schools, all of which turn out to be related. What else do you want to investigate? You can be LAKE, too!

If you’re on Facebook, please sign up for the event there.

Or just come as you are.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

-jsq