Lowndes County Emergency Management Director Ashley Tye
reported to the Lowndes County Commission at their
Work Session yesterday morning
that
after the floods of 2009, Lowndes County negotiated with USGS to put a
stream level monitor on the Withlacoochee Little River at the GA 122 bridge,
and the county typically renews that funding once a year.
We shall see whether they approve that this evening.
Lowndes County continuing funding for USGS HWY 122 Stream Gauge —Ashley Tye
Work Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE), Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 10 September 2012.
In
yesterday morning's Work Session,
County Finance Director Stephanie Black
proposed a letter of understanding
for Morgan-Keegan to act as underwriter for
approximately $17 million
to refund the original bonds done for this building as well
as the water-sewer bonds only if the terms are favorable and
the net value savings are at least 3%.
Current projections show a savings of
$1.2 million or a little over 7% at this time.
Chairman Ashley Paulk remarked that:
The bond market has changed drastically.
At least the county palace that former Chairman Rod Casey got
a former commission to approve at his last Commission meeting
now won't cost we the taxpayers quite as much as we thought.
They vote on this tonight.
County to renegotiate bonds for the county palace
Work Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE), Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 10 September 2012.
He gave a brief verbal report, which he said
was a summary of a report he submitted last week
(which we the taxpayers haven’t seen).
He said at their Rivers Alive event last year
they had a record number of sites cleaned: seven.
Great American Cleanup, KLVB’s signature event
used to be 1 day, but this year was 3 days.
Valdosta asked for help with a creek project.
Helped emergency management after the
tornadoes,
through
Ashley Tye and a group called Vision 388(?).
Traditional cleanup day in Valdosta, Lowndes County, and Lake Park.
Commissioner Richard Raines wanted to know how much time commitment was involved.
Answer: an hour per board meeting and helping out with events and committees.
Apparently the Lowndes County Commission has noticed the
new provisions of the Georgia Open Records and Open Meetings laws
that
VLCIA’s lawyer explained to the Industrial Authority back in May,
seeing these two items on the agenda for Monday morning and Tuesday evening:
5.a. Adopt Resolution Appointing an Open Records Officer
5.b. Resolution Regarding Review & Approval of Minutes of Executive Sessions
LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2012, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2012, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
Where and when did the preliminary information or discussion happen?
And among whom?
According to
the county's website:
Lowndes County Work & Regular Session Meetings Cancelled (8/28/2012)
Due to lack of agenda items requiring additional information or
discussion, the Lowndes County Work and Regular Session meetings for
August 27-28, 2012, have been cancelled. For more information please
call County Clerk, Paige Dukes, at 229-671-2400.
Back to their old tricks! The Lowndes County Commission was already approving minutes a minute before the announced start time of their Work Session this morning. After that, it was another brief session. They vote Tuesday 5:30 PM 24 July 2012.
Here's the agenda. Below are some notes on some items.
5.a. Adoption of Millage County Manager Joe Pritchard reiterated that there would be a Public Hearing 5PM 24 July 2012. See other post for more details.
5.b. Acceptance of Proposal for Repair of Cat Creek Road County Engineer Mike Fletcher said what the project was for! See previous post for details.
5.c. Cameron Lane widening for industrial park @ LCC 2012-07-23 The Langdale Industrial Park rezoning REZ-2010-15 of 14 December 2010 was back this morning as a request to turn Cameron Lane into a boulevard entrance. See other post for details.
5.d. SPLOST VII Resolution and Agreement They somehow got an agreement between the cities and the county in time to announce a referendum for SPLOST VII. See other post for details.
Videos: Two taxes, Library bid, and two road repairs Work Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC), Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE), Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 23 July 2012.
She didn't provide the links; I googled them up with what are maybe the correct spellings. What was in the presentations remains a mystery. She said the Library Board unanimously selected CRA.
Chairman Ashley Paulk noted Kay Harris and Tom Gooding were present, and asked if Commissioners had any questions for them. None did.
Kay Harris is Chairman of the Library Board. What is Tom Gooding's role? Who are the rest of the Library Board, for that matter?
Videos: Two taxes, Library bid, and two road repairs @ LCC 2012-07-23 Work Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC), Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE), Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 23 July 2012.
County Manager Joe Pritchard announced at this morning’s Lowndes County Commission Work Session that the county and the cities had reached an agreement and resolution in time to announce a ballot referendum for SPLOST VII. He said the city of Valdosta already acted upon the agreement Thursday, and he expected the other cities would follow suit. He said Commissioners had a breakdown in front of them of projects to be paid for by the Special Projects Local Option Sales Tax. No Commissioners had any questions.
5.d. SPLOST VII Agreement Part 1 of 2: Work Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC), Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE), Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 23 July 2012.
County Chairman Ashley Paulk volunteered a laconic explanation of how an agreement was reached:
While the Industrial Authority has been busily spiffing up its various Industrial Parks, everyone may have forgotten they have some competition west of town. Back in December 2010 Attorney Jack Langdale convinced the Commission in case REZ-2010-15 to rezone about 542 acres from R-1 to I-S, M-2, M-1, and P-D, which they did with fifteen conditions, which you can see in their minutes from 14 December 2010. As I recall it, one of the most convincing arguments was that the Langdales' own Kinderlou Subdivision is next door, so they wouldn't be doing anything to damage that, thus other neighbors could rest assured. Anyway, the next step was before the Commission at their Work Session this morning, for a vote tomorrow evening at their 5:30 PM Regular Session.
County Engineer Mike Fletcher presented agenda item 5.c., about Cameron Lane.
In December of 2010 the Board of Commissioners approved a rezoning case for the industrial park located off of highway 84, state route 38 west, near Wetherington Lane. The developers are beginning their master plan for the industrial park and will be utilitizng Cameron Lane as an entrance off of State Route 38 into the park. The developers are requesting to demolish Cameron Lane and rebuild a boulevard type entrance to serve the industrial park.
Attached are plats in front of you that show the existing and the proposed layout. The developer will be responsible for the acquisition of the the additional right of way that is required, as well as all engineering and construction costs for Cameron Lane. The new infrastructure will be built to county standards amd then will be brought back before the Commissioners for executive acceptance of infrastructure.
Commisioner Raines wanted to know if the county needed to deed the road over to the developer while all this was being done. Fletcher assured him the contractor would be responsible for everything.
5.c. Cameron Lane widening for industrial park on US 84 W @ LCC 2012-07-23 Work Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC), Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE), Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 23 July 2012.
Apparently Cat Creek Road is sinking, and the county has to fix it fast. At least for this latest engineering emergency they didn’t no-bid it: they actually took bids. They vote tomorrow night.
There’s an existing triple line of 36 inch storm drain that goes under Cat Creek Road between Radar Site and Vienna Church. These storm pipes are failing under the road, causing the pavement to sag over the pipes. The project will be to remove the existing pipes, headwalls, realign the new cross drains, skewed to be more in line with the natural run of the creek, install new cross drains and concrete headwalls, and then repave that section of Cat Creek Road.
If the repairs do not take place immediately, Cat Creek Roiad is toing to have to be closed. This repair is considred to be an emergency. Quotes were obtained in lieu of bidding the work. We had four people we had requested proposals from. Two proposals were turned in: one from Reames for $59,640 and one from Scruggs for $66,257. The other two bidders were nonresponsive.
Commissioners had no questions. At least for this latest emergency, the county didn’t just award a no-bid contract; it did at least request bids.
5.b. Emergency repairs on Cat Creek Road Work Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC), Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE), Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 23 July 2012.
Lowndes County Emergency Management Director Ashley Tye
reported to the Lowndes County Commission at their
Work Session yesterday morning
that
after the floods of 2009, Lowndes County negotiated with USGS to put a
stream level monitor on the 
