Tag Archives: Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant

Videos: 3 rezonings, 4 road items, 1 beer and wine, VLCIA bonds, servers, debris hauler @ LCC Regular 2026-05-12

Leave a reply

Gretchen noted about these LAKE videos of the May 12, 2026, Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission, “Still having camera problems. No audio on two of the bits and agenda items 6e and 6f and the start of 7a did not get recorded at all.”

Yes, we know the county videos its own Regular Sessions:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PRqnqJwM8k

LAKE continues to video those meetings anyway, for a number of reasons I don’t have time to go into here.

Also, the county does not post videos of its Work Sessions, nor of the Planning Commission, nor of any of the other numerous Boards and Authorities, not to mention School Board meetings. LAKE does post videos of those Work Sessions and Planning Commission meetings. You can help. Volunteer to video some meetings. Or donate to LAKE to buy a better video camera.

Once again, Lowndes County plans to widen Old US 41 North the rest of the way up to the Hahira City Limits: 6.c. TIA – Local Delivery Application for Old US 41 North Widening Phase 4

Other than the Clyattville case was withdrawn by applicant, the Commissioners approved all the agenda items unanimously.

[Collage @ LCC 12 May 2026]
Collage @ LCC 12 May 2026

Two citizens spoke about datacenters: Michael Noll and George Fisher. See also what IT Director Aaron Kostyu said in the Works Session about massive hikes in memory and server prices because the AI industry is sucking up all the inventory even before it is manufactured.

Two citizens spoke about animals: Amie Burnam and Tara Parker.

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item for the May 12, 2026, Lowndes County Commission Regular Session, wWork ith a few notes by Gretchen Quarterman, followed by a LAKE video playlist.

See also the LAKE videos of the previous morning’s Work Session and the agenda and the board packet, received in response to a LAKE open records request.

For the rezonings (except Clyattville), see the LAKE videos of the preceding Planning Commission meeting.

Here is the LAKE video playlist:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLshUv86fYkiFwlE_EHC-C06NPB_VIXiPc&si=tVArGKPA4yehJA9h

-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

Videos: 3 rezonings, 4 road items, 1 beer and wine, VLCIA bonds, servers, debris hauler @ LCC Regular 2026-05-12

1 Reply

Gretchen noted about these LAKE videos of the May 12, 2026, Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission, “Still having camera problems. No audio on two of the bits and agenda items 6e and 6f and the start of 7a did not get recorded at all.”

Yes, we know the county videos its own Regular Sessions:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PRqnqJwM8k

LAKE continues to video those meetings anyway, for a number of reasons I don’t have time to go into here.

Also, the county does not post videos of its Work Sessions, nor of the Planning Commission, nor of any of the other numerous Boards and Authorities, not to mention School Board meetings. LAKE does post videos of those Work Sessions and Planning Commission meetings. You can help. Volunteer to video some meetings. Or donate to LAKE to buy a better video camera.

Once again, Lowndes County plans to widen Old US 41 North the rest of the way up to the Hahira City Limits: 6.c. TIA – Local Delivery Application for Old US 41 North Widening Phase 4

Other than the Clyattville case was withdrawn by applicant, the Commissioners approved all the agenda items unanimously.

[Collage @ LCC 12 May 2026]
Collage @ LCC 12 May 2026

Two citizens spoke about datacenters: Continue reading →

Videos: 3 rezonings, 4 road items, 1 beer and wine, VLCIA bonds, servers, debris hauler @ LCC Work 2026-05-11

2 Replies

Update 2026-05-24: Videos: 3 rezonings, 4 road items, 1 beer and wine, VLCIA bonds, servers, debris hauler @ LCC Regular 2026-05-12.

In case you haven’t heard, Lowndes County plans to widen Old US 41 North the rest of the way up to the Hahira City Limits: 6.c. TIA Local Delivery Application for Old US 41 North Widening Phase 4.

[Collage @ LCC 11 May 2026]
Collage @ LCC 11 May 2026

The Clyattville case was withdrawn by applicant: 5.a. REZ-2026-04 Jay Ma Khodiyar 5507 Central St. (Clyattville), R-10 to C-G. This is the same rezoning that was tabled for a month back on March 10, 2026, on a motion by Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker. I wonder how many times it will reapppear?

The Old Bemiss Road Blackwater case had quite a bit of discussion about roads, railroad, and access: 5.b. REZ-2026-11 Blackwater Development 4130 Old Bemiss Rd., (part 1).

Aaron Kostyu, Information Technology Services Director, spelled out a problem with so-called AI: 6.e. Replacement of Three Servers. Commissioner Michael Smith wondered why there was only one quote for the three servers IT requested.

It’s because we can’t find hardware anywhere. They have increased over the last two months by 800 to 1000 percent.

None of the drives are available; none of the memory is available, because the AI industry is sucking it all up. They have done something unprecedented, and the memory industry has allowed them to purchase the next three lots before they are even created. And so we don’t see this ending anytime soon.

We’ve had difficulty getting hardware that normally choose because the prices have gotten out of control. We’re jumping on the right now.

We know already that there’s a hundred and five day time limit on these quotes. They’ve already gone up since we got these quotes, but she agreed to extend it.

This is last month’s quote. It’s already higher.

She’s agreed to hold this pricing, and hopefully we’ll get 105 days. Tomorrow, if we purchase the next day, that will potentially get just in time to pay out of this year’s budget. So it’s a real race to get it done.

Continue reading →

Packet: 3 rezonings, 4 road items, 1 beer and wine, VLCIA bonds, servers, debris hauler @ LCC 2026-05-11

Update 2026-05-24: Videos: 3 rezonings, 4 road items, 1 beer and wine, VLCIA bonds, servers, debris hauler @ LCC Work 2026-05-11.

Yes, you can speak about datacenters, animals, water, or whatever else in Citizens Wishing to Be Heard at the voting Regular Session, 5:30 PM, Tuesday, May 12, 2026.

The Lowndes County Commissioners will notice if you show up for the Work Session, 8:30 AM, Monday, May 11, 2026.

The board packet doesn’t mention that 5.a. REZ-2026-04 Jay Ma Khodiyar, ~1ac, 5507 Central St. (Clyattville) was tabled for a month back on March 10, 2026, on a motion by Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker.

[Collage @ LCC Packet 2026-05-11 --LAKE]
Collage @ LCC Packet 2026-05-11 –LAKE

Here is the agenda.

The board packet, received in response to a LAKE open records request, is on the LAKE website, with images of each page below.

For the other two rezonings, see also Continue reading →

Videos: 3 Rezonings, 1 Subdivision, Paving, Alcohol, Housing Loan, LMIG @ LCC Regular 2026-03-10

The Lowndes County Commissioners voted to table 5.a. REZ-2026-04 Jay Ma Khodiyar, 5507 Central St. Clyattville, R-10 To C-G until their first meeting in May.

They unanimously approved the other two rezonings, and all the other agenda items, at the Regular Session of Tuesday, March 10, 2026.

However, they spent almost 20 minutes on 5.c. REZ-2026-06 Val Del Mobile Home Park, 3910 Val Way, R-A – P-D To P-D. One speaker got tired of them being called trailers and said they called them manufactured homes.

[Collage @ LCC 10 March 2026]
Collage @ LCC 10 March 2026

There were five Citizens Wishing to Be Heard, all against datacenters. One thought datacenters should go out in the woods in the country. I beg to differ.

They went into an executive session, but it’s not clear they said what for.

Below 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: 3 Rezonings, 1 Subdivision, Paving, Alcohol, Housing Loan, LMIG @ LCC Work 2026-03-09

Update 2026-03-12: Videos: 3 Rezonings, 1 Subdivision, Paving, Alcohol, Housing Loan, LMIG @ LCC Regular 2026-03-10.

Mary Beth Brownlee did not appear to report on One Valdosta-Lowndes (OVL). We don’t know why. They didn’t say.

At their Monday morning Work Session, the Lowndes County Commission heard the three rezoning requests. They had the most discussion about the third one, 5.c. REZ-2026-06 Val Del Mobile Home Park, ~34ac, 3910 Val Way R-A – P-D To P-D. Commissioner Demarcus Marshall seemed concerned that it’s about mobile homes. That is affordable housing these days.

They had less to say about the other items.

They voted Tuesday evening; LAKE videos of that to come.

[Collage @ LCC 9 March 2026]
Collage @ LCC 9 March 2026

Below 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 →

Packet: One-Valdosta Lowndes Report, 3 Rezonings, 1 Subdivision, Paving, Alcohol, Housing Loan, LMIG @ LCC 2026-03-09

Update 2026-03-12: Videos: 3 Rezonings, 1 Subdivision, Paving, Alcohol, Housing Loan, LMIG @ LCC Work 2026-03-09.

In the Work Session Monday morning, Mary Beth Brownlee will report on One Valdosta-Lowndes (OVL). Be there or watch it in the forthcoming LAKE video, because the Lowndes County Commission does not post videos of its work sessions.

The rezoning the Planning Commission recommended against last month because of inadequate site plan now has an updated plan. That’s REZ-2026-06 Val Del Mobile Home Park, ~34ac, 3910 Val Way, R-A & P-D to P-D, County Utilities. The other two rezonings look much the same.

Also on the agenda is $1,491,023.01 more from GDOT for resurfacing Radar Site Road, Coffee Road, Hamby Lane, and Webb Road North. And another $1,100,000.00 from TIA for Kinderlou-Clyattville Road Paving and Drainage Improvements. Plus acceptance of a subdivision’s infrastructure, a beer and wine license, and a half-million dollar housing loan.

[Packet: One-Valdosta Lowndes, 3 Rezonings, 1 Subdivision, Paving, Alcohol, Housing, LMIG @ LCC 2026-03-09]
Packet: One-Valdosta Lowndes, 3 Rezonings, 1 Subdivision, Paving, Alcohol, Housing, LMIG @ LCC 2026-03-09

The Lowndes County Commissioners vote Tuesday evening at 5:30 PM.

Here is the agenda.

The board packet, received in response to a LAKE open records request, is on the LAKE website. Images of each page are below.

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

Update 2025-05-28: Videos: Airport, Aging, Community Service Board Appointments, $1,677,028.92 LMIG funds from GDOT @ LCC Regular 2025-05-27.

They vote this evening at 5:30 PM in their Regular Session.

Here are LAKE videos of this morning’s Work Session of the Lowndes County Commission. Both the Work and Regular Sessions are being held today, because the Lowndes County Commission observed the Memorial Day holiday yesterday.

[Collage @ LCC 27 May 2025]
Collage @ LCC 27 May 2025

The Commissioners discussed several items, including more than four minutes on 6.b. Updated Debris Removal Contract Pricing with Ashbritt and about three minutes each on 6.a. 2025 Local Road Assistance (LRA) Administration Funds Application and 7.a. Bid for Mini Excavator for Public Works.

Plus there was a staff presentation in 8. Reports – County Manager – 10. Adjournment and County Manager Paige Dukes called for an executive session to discuss real estate.

Below are Continue reading →