Tag Archives: Lowndes County Commission

Snake Nation Decision, Lowndes County Commission, Tonight 5:30PM

Here are videos of yesterday’s Lowndes County Commission work session. Tonight, come see the local government decide about a change order for routing around the sinkhole at Snake Nation Road. Agenda after the videos.

Here’s a playlist:


Snake Nation Decision, Lowndes County Commission, Tonight 5:30PM
Work Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 22 August 2011.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

Here’s the agenda.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, AUGUST 22, 2011, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

  1. Call to Order
  2. Invocation
  3. Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag
  4. Minutes for Approval
    1. Work Session — August 8, 2011
    2. Regular Session — August 9, 2011
  5. For Consideration
    1. Change Order to Snake Nation Road Contract
    2. Assistance to Firefighters Grant
    3. James Road Water Main Repair
    4. Capacity Fee Waiver for Country View Mobile Home Park
    5. SCADA Upgrade
    6. USGS Funding Agreement for Hwy 122 Stream Gauge
    7. Declaration of Merchandise as Surplus — Fire Department and Public Works
    8. Approval of TAN and Resolution
  6. Bids
    1. Training Tower for the Fire Department
    2. Asphalt Surfacing at Naylor and Clyattville Parks
    3. Striping and Signage on 29.34 Miles of Roadway
  7. Reports-County Manager
  8. Citizens Wishing to be Heard Please State Name And Address

-jsq

Lowndes County doesn’t do what it says —Ernest McDonald @ LCC 8 August 2011

County resident Ernest McDonald laid out a list of issues he said the county hasn’t addressed correctly. He said it wasn’t anything personal. He wasn’t mad. He just thought there were some issues that needed to be addressed.

For example, regarding moving a power line from one side of the road to another as agreed:

We met every person involved. The state, the high pressure gasline…. The telephone buried cable people, they came. The county engineer came…. And we all agreed…. Put stakes in the ground…. The stakes had rotted down.
It’s been so long the stakes rotted down, and nothing ever got done. As Ernest McDonald said:
That’s not right.
The County Engineer was missing from the meeting. It’s a bit hard to see in the picture, but there are only two heads in front of the glaring window, and the Engineer would be the third head in the middle.

In another issue, Ernest McDonald paid $650 to find a sewer line, marked it, and the county tore up Continue reading →

Lowndes County Commission meeting Monday AM, Tuesday PM

They’re back! Seems like this would normally be a rezoning consideration meeting, but there are no zoning cases on the agenda. Not even Nottinghill on Cat Creek Road.

Here’s the agenda:

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, AUGUST 8, 2011, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2011, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
Continue reading →

Let the Humane Society train animal control officers —John Gates @ LCC 26 July 2011

John Gates, director at the Humane Society of Lowndes County, noted that county law enforcement doesn’t seem to know much about animal laws and regulations, in addition to the problems at the shelter.

This part caused Joe Pritchard’s head to jerk back:

I think our animals in the community deserves the same rights as my children, myself, or your animals. If your animal is in the shelter, it should receive the same courtesy that you would give it at home.
Chairman Paulk clarified:
If you did certify the ACOs, they’d still have to be attached to an agency, which means they’d have to be attached to the Sheriff’s office.
I think it’s interesting that he’s listening to the idea.

Here’s the video: Continue reading →

There is no question how the Law reads —Susan Leavens

Received Monday as a response to Euthanization Violations at the Lowndes County Animal Shelter. -jsq
There is no question how the Law reads; the only question is who indicated there no wrong doing? And they were questioning my character? I question those people who indicated I had a bios opinion to read the laws of Georgia. I am aware you can mirror laws and even add to them in county ordinances but you cannot take away from the law in anyway.

From the United States Department of Agriculture Web Site on Euthanasia

http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?navid=AZ_INDEX

Under Guidelines for Euthanasia

When performing euthanasia in a shelter

Continue reading →

Euthanization Violations at the Lowndes County Animal Shelter —Judy Haverkamp @ LCC 26 July 2011

Lots of “don’t know the results of that” for drug testing, administrative review board, etc. Why don’t we know the results of those things?

Judy Haverkamp talked about what she’d discovered through open records requests.

“It seems like there’s been the same violations still occuring at the shelter even up to this year, and it doesn’t seem like anyone is trying to make an effort to correct these problems!”
She repeatedly cited Georgia code sections that had been violated.

This pretty much sums it up:

“Why would you not do the proper thing to make this process as painless as possible?”
Indeed, why not?

-jsq

Here’s the video: Continue reading →

Lunch and Learn —Joe Pritchard @ LCC 26 July 2011

New program for the public to learn about Lowndes County government.

In his County Manager report, Joe Pritchard announced the first first lunch and learn, which will be a discussion of general government, noon ’til 1PM, 11 August 2011, second floor of administrative complex.

“The lunch and learn program will take various topics, and allow the public to meet for an hour, ask questions, interact on those particular topics.”
County Clerk Paige Dukes will be conducting this first meeting.

Commissioner Crawford Powell asked Continue reading →

April Duncan APWA Employee of the Year for Georgia —Robin English @ LCC 26 July 2011

April Duncan was named 2011 Employee of the Year for the State of Georgia by the American Public Works Association, and acknowledged by her employers, the Lowndes County Commission. She was nominated by Public Works Director, Robin English, who reads the nomination in this video. Continue reading →

Shouldn’t the people running the facilities … be held accountable? —Susan Leavens

Received yesterday. -jsq
From: SUSAN LEAVENS
To: gary.black@agr.georgia.gov
Sent: Tue, July 26, 2011 2:31:16 PM
Subject: Your attention would be grateful in regaurds to the Lowndes County Animal Shelter

To the Honorable Agriculture Commissioner Mr. Gary Black,

July 26, 2011

I would like to introduce myself, my name is Susan Leavens I currently live in Quitman Georgia and I am an employee with Lowndes County, formally as an animal control officer with Lowndes County Animal Services. In June of last year I turned in three statements to Pat Smith who is no longer with the animal protection division she is currently running the Thomasville Animal Control. After speaking with Ms. Pat an advising her of the situations that have occurred and are currently occurring in the Lowndes County Shelter; she advised me to have statements written by individuals that were willing and not afraid of retaliation. Two current employees myself and Ronnie Ganas wrote statements, one previously employee Amanda Jordan. The issues were heard before Vinessa Sim-Green and several other animal protection employees along with Ms Cora Potter. An administration hearing took place an several “options” were offered to the Lowndes County Manager Joe Prichard. These were things that would help the shelter run more efficiently and perhaps come up to date with the Georgia Dept. of Ag. standards; but the issues of animal cruelty, inhumane treatment and practicing veterinarian medicine (surgery by castration of a 2 young adult pot belly pigs). My concern is that the director was never charged in any criminal court of law for her actions regarding the animals at the shelter.

Continue reading →

Millage and Budget

What will Lowndes County do with that millage it’s going to adopt Tuesday? That would be in the budget.

Maybe they think they sufficiently discussed that at the budget hearing where no citizen questions were entertained. About the budget they refused to post online until after they approved it.

So, did they post it by that Friday, 1 July 2011, as County Manager Joe Pritchard promised? Continue reading →