Tag Archives: Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange

Videos: 1 County, 4 Valdosta, 1 Hahira @ GLPC 2025-10-27

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Update 2025-11-13: Gretchen found the rest of the videos. Some were on the card, others were in the camera internal memory. All posted now.

Apparently the video camera failed when I changed the battery, because all I’ve got is video of the last two cases at the October 27, 2025, Regular Session of the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC).

[Videos: Greater Lowndes Planning Commission, Regular Session, 2025-10-27]
Videos: Greater Lowndes Planning Commission, Regular Session, 2025-10-27

After several citizens spoke against, the Planning Commissioners recommended approval 6:4 for the Eager Road rezoning, for decision by the Valdosta City Council.

They recommended approval 8:2 of the billboard variance, for decision by the Hahira City Council.

GLPC recommended approval with five new conditions of the one Lowndes County case, the Copeland Road rezoning (no video; sorry), for final decision by the Lowndes County Commission tomorrow, November 12, 2025.

Below are links to each LAKE video, followed by a video playlist.

Packet: Appointments to Planning Commission & Library Board, Copeland Road rezoning, Holiday and meeting schedule, Jumping Gully Road Bridge over Bevel Creek @ LCC 2025-11-12

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Both meetings are on Wednesday this week because of the Memorial Day Holiday: the Work Session at 8:30 PM and the Regular Session at 5:30 PM of the Lowndes County Commission.

[Collage, LCC Packet, 2025-11-12]
Collage, LCC Packet, 2025-11-12

Here is the agenda.

They’ve got a rezoning asking for conditions to be removed from the Copeland Road subdivision, appointments to two boards (Planning and Library), a bridge replacement on Jumping Gully Road over Bevel Creek, and the 2026 Holiday Schedule and Commission Meeting Calendar.

Turns out that when Catherine Ammons resigned as Valdosta Assistant City Manager, she also quit the Lowndes County Library Board. Three people want to replace her.

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

For the rezoning case, see also the preceding Planning Commission meeting.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2025, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2025, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

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 →

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

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]
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.

See also the Continue reading →

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

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]
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 →

Packet: 1 County, 4 Valdosta, 1 Hahira @ GLPC 2025-10-27

Update 2025-11-10: Packet: Appointments to Planning Commission & Library Board, Copeland Road rezoning, Holiday and meeting schedule, Jumping Gully Road Bridge over Bevel Creek @ LCC 2025-11-12.

You’ve seen the agenda and the LAKE videos of the Work Session. Here is the board packet for Regular Session of the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC).

The one Lowndes County case has a backstory going back ten years of failed and at least one successful rezoning.

At least two of the Valdosta City cases also have extensive backstory.

The Hahira case is to replace a billboard that was blown over by Hurricane Helene.

[Packet: Collage @ GLPC 2025-10-27]
Packet: Collage @ GLPC 2025-10-27

The board packet, received in response to a LAKE open records request, is on the LAKE website.

Images of each page are below.

-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 →

Kinetic Windstream speeds 2025-10-24

So far, this seems pretty reliable:

[740 Mbps up, 598 Mbps down, 2025-10-25, 08:39:18, speedtest.net, Kinetic Windstream]
740 Mbps up, 598 Mbps down, 2025-10-25, 08:39:18, speedtest.net, Kinetic Windstream

That’s 598 Mbps down and 740 Mbps up. Yes, faster uplink than downlink. Both more than half a gigabyte.

There were some issues getting the fiber 2,000 feet up our driveway. But, unlike AT&T many years ago, we did not have to pay for that.

If you have one of these flowerpots next to the road at your driveway in an unincorporated area of Lowndes County, Georgia, you may be next. Continue reading →

Workshop 1, Lowndes County Comprehensive Plan Update 2025-10-20

Why I went to the Monday GLPC Work Session: after it was the first Workshop for the Greater Lowndes Comprehensive Plan, including the cities of Valdosta, Hahira, Remerton, Dasher, and Lake Park. Updates to the Comprehensive Plan are required by the state of Georgia every five years.

James Horton of the Southern Georgia Regional Planning Commission (SGRC) conducted the Workshop.

[Workshop 1, Lowndes County Comprehensive Plan Update, James Horton, SGRC, Monday, October 20, 2025]
Workshop 1, Lowndes County Comprehensive Plan Update, James Horton, SGRC, Monday, October 20, 2025

For the current Plan, see:
https://lowndescounty.com/DocumentCenter/View/1512/2021-Greater-Lowndes-Comprehensive-Plan-PDF?bidId=

James Horton gave a very comprehensive review of what’s in the Comprehensive Plan and what it is for. Then most of the session consisted of people filling out a SWOT analysis, mostly online. That’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. You can SWOT, too: follow the QR code.

Afterwards, County Manager Paige Dukes mentioned she had just been to a session with One Valdosta-Lowndes (OVL) and we all needed to make all these plans work together. I was slow to get the camera restarted, so I missed the first part of what she said, but you can get the gist from what’s on the video.

Each of the cities has its own planning beyond what’s in the Comprehensive Plan, Parks and Rec and the Tourism Authority each have their plans, and of course OVL was intended for projects that affect all of the above.

Reminds me of the old joke about when there were a dozen standards, so somebody started another standard to merge the standards. Then where were a dozen plus one standards.

James Horton says:

The next meeting is Workshop 2 on Monday November 17, 2025 at 325 West Savannah Avenue at 6:00 PM following the work session of the Greater Lowndes County Planning Commission.

And the third Workshop will also be after a GLPC Work Session, on January 20, 2026. Continue reading →

Videos: 1 Lowndes County Case, 4 Valdosta Cases, 1 Hahira Case @ GLPC Work 2025-10-20

2025-10-25: Packet: 1 County, 4 Valdosta, 1 Hahira @ GLPC 2025-10-27.

The one Lowndes County case has a backstory going back ten years of failed and at least one successful rezoning.

At least two of the Valdosta City cases also have extensive backstory.

The Hahira case is a billboard.

These cases were presented at the Work Session of the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC). GLPC will vote for their recoomendations next Monday, 27 October 2025.

[Collage @ GLPC Work Session 20 October 2025]
Collage @ GLPC Work Session 20 October 2025

Here is the agenda.

Greater Lowndes Planning Commission
~ Lowndes County ~ City of Valdosta ~ City of Dasher ~
~ City of Hahira ~ City of Lake Park ~ City of Remerton ~


Monday, October 20, 2025 5:30 P.M. Work Session
Monday, October 27, 2025 5:30 P.M. Regular Session
Lowndes County South Health District Administrative Office
325 West Savannah Avenue, Valdosta, Georgia

Continue reading →

Videos: Rezonings, Dogs, Roads, and Subdivisions @ LCC Work Session 2025-10-14

At this morning’s Work Session, the Lowndes County Commissioners spent the most time on the Telecommunications Tower on Rocky Ford Road (5:38) and on 6.a. Lowndes County Responsible Dog Ownership Ordinance.

They vote this evening at 5:30 PM (same day due to Monday being a holiday). Anyone can speak in the two rezoning Public Hearings,

[Collage @ LCC 14 October 2025]
Collage @ LCC 14 October 2025

Commissioner Mike Smith was absent this morning. Commissioner Joyce Evans is still absent due to illness.

They ended with an Executive Session about a potential real estate purchase and attorney-client privilege about potential litigation.

County Manager Paige Dukes mentioned in her Reports that the James Road water main project came out $800,000 under budget. Those funds can be used for other projects in the vicinity. She recommended a change order to work on a water main on Old Clyattville Road. Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker said to proceed.

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

See also Continue reading →