Tag Archives: Stephanie Black

Packet: Special Called Meeting to Adopt the Proposed FY 2027 Budget @ LCC 2026-06-30

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Update 2026-07-14: Lowndes County budget and transparency –WTXL TV 2026-07-13.

On July 9, I sent an open records request to Lowndes County asking for “the documents called out by Finance Director Stephanie Black:

  1. The Valdosta-Lowndes County Convention Center and Tourism Authority (VLCCCTA) plan for use of the proceeds provided for tourism, conventions, and trade shows.
  2. The budget plan for Hotel-Motel Proceeds for Fiscal Year 2027.
  3. the proposed county budget plan for 2027 for adoption.”

Less than two hours later, the county provided four documents. Apparently there were two resolutions that matched my third request.

[Packet: Special Called Meeting to Adopt the Proposed FY 2027 Budget @ LCC 2026-06-30]
Packet: Special Called Meeting to Adopt the Proposed FY 2027 Budget @ LCC 2026-06-30

Those documents are on the LAKE website. Images of each page are below.

I’m told they are also on the county’s website, but I cannot find them there under Finance, County Clerk, or County Manager.

It is a mystery to me why the county does not publish such documents on its own website, before it holds Budget Public Hearings.

And it’s a mystery why the county does not video its own Budget Public Hearings, which are held in the same room with the same audiovisual equipment they use to video the County Commission Regular Sessions.

See also the LAKE video of the Special Called Meeting to adopt the budget. That post includes the agenda and the relevant parts of the VDT story on the meeting. Continue reading →

Videos: Special Called Meeting to Adopt the Proposed FY 2027 Budget @ LCC 2026-06-30

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Update 2026-07-13: Packet: Special Called Meeting to Adopt the Proposed FY 2027 Budget @ LCC 2026-06-30.

Turns out there was another agenda item for the Special Called Meeting to Adopt the Proposed FY 2027 Budget, 8:30 AM, Tuesday, June 30, 2026, Lowndes County Commission. They did post the agenda on the county’s website, on June 26, 2026, the Friday before the Tuesday meeting.

On that Tuesday, first they adopted a budget plan for Hotel-Motel Proceeds for Fiscal Year 2027. That required first getting a plan from the Valdosta-Lowndes County Convention Center and Tourism Authority (VLCCCTA) their plan for use of the proceeds provided for tourism, conventions, and trade shows.

Finance Director Stephanie Black said, “You have a copy of the Authority’s budget plan and a proposed county budget plan for 2027 for adoption.”

I can’t find either of those documents on the county’s website nor on the VLCCCTA website. Naturally, LAKE has filed an open records request for those documents. Meanwhile, fortunately Malia Thomas was there to report for the Valdosta Daily Times and apparently got a copy of those documents; see below

[Videos: Special Called Meeting to Adopt the Proposed FY 2027 Budget & Hotel-Motel Budget @ LCC 2026-06-30]
Videos: Special Called Meeting to Adopt the Proposed FY 2027 Budget & Hotel-Motel Budget @ LCC 2026-06-30

They unanimously adopted the hotel-motel plan and then the county budget.

Why a special called meeting when they could have done these things in a Regular Session? If I’m not mistaken, the state requires counties to adopt a budget by the end of June. So they had an additional meeting on the last possible day to adopt these documents.

The entire meeting took 2 minutes and 14 seconds. Gretchen Quarterman drove an hour round trip to take this LAKE video for you.

The county could have videoed this meeting and put it on its YouTube channel the same way it handles its Regular Sessions. But it did not.

https://www.youtube.com/@lowndescountyboardofcommis7341

So here is the LAKE video of the June 30, 2026, Special Called Meeting to Approve 2027 Budget:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYr6CvpzLv2c&si=0LIfN6vq-MpzgZ8I Continue reading →

Notice: Special Called Meeting to Adopt the Proposed FY 2027 Budget @ LCC 2026-06-30

Update 2026-07-09: Videos: Special Called Meeting to Adopt the Proposed FY 2027 Budget @ LCC 2026-06-30.

There’s a Special Called Meeting to Adopt the Proposed FY 2027 Budget at 8:30 AM, Tuesday, June 30, 2026, in the Lowndes County Commission Chambers, second floor, 327 N. Ashley Street, Valdosta, GA 31601.

The FY 2027 Budget Public Hearing Presentation is linked from the Finance Department page on lowndescounty.com, and there is a link under Lowndes County News saying it was posted June 24, 2026. Images of each page are below.

[Notice: Special Called Meeting to Adopt the Proposed FY 2027 Budget @ LCC 2026-06-30]
Notice: Special Called Meeting to Adopt the Proposed FY 2027 Budget @ LCC 2026-06-30

This notice is on the calendar on lowndescounty.com: Continue reading →

Videos: Two rezonings and a beer and wine license @ LCC Regular 2025-07-08

The Lowndes County Commissioners approved everything unanimously at their Regular Session of July 8, 2025.

There was (for them) extensive discussion of the large rezoning off Coleman Road and North Valdosta Road that was controversial at their Work Session the previous morning, as it was at the preceding Planning Commission meeting. Each speaker pro and con and the Commissioners’ remarks are in these LAKE videos.

[Collage @ LCC 8 July 2025]
Collage @ LCC 8 July 2025

County Engineering Services Director Chad McLeod reported they are still on target to be finished by August 2nd with the Val Del Road intersection with North Valdosta Road.

Two citizens spoke. Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman thanked the Chairman for paddling in the Mayor and Chairmans Paddle by Suwannee Riverkeeper. He provide dates for the 2026 paddle. He invited everyone to a chainsaw cleanup on the Withlacoochee River, and to the WWALS River Revue including the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest.

Jamie Parks, 106 E Grace Street, Hahira, said on behalf of some people he had been trying to get a rezoning on on Horace Ave. off of Madison Highway next to Mud Creek, which he needed to get the Army Corps to delineate the floodplain. Chairman Bill Slaughter said they would look into it.

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item or speaker, with some notes by John S. Quarterman, followed by a LAKE video playlist.

See also Continue reading →

Videos: Two rezonings and a beer and wine license @ LCC Work 2025-07-07

Update 2025-07-18: Videos: Two rezonings and a beer and wine license @ LCC Regular 2025-07-08.

The large rezoning off Coleman Road and North Valdosta Road was controversial at the Lowndes County Commission (LCC) this morning, as it was previously at the Planning Commission.

The County Planner presented some maps and information that were not seen in the Planning Commission meeting, and the County Commissioners had many questions.

The LCC votes to decide tomorrow (Tuesday) evening at 5:30 PM, after a final Public Hearing in which citizens can speak.

The other rezoning and the beer and wine license were not controversial, but they will also have their Public Hearings.

[Collage @ LCC 7 July 2025]
Collage @ LCC 7 July 2025

Here are LAKE videos of each agenda item, with a few comments by John S. Quarterman, followed by a LAKE video playlist.

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 →

Cancelled: Millage and Special Called Meetings because Hurricane Helene @ LCC 2024-09-26

A lowndescounty.com news item yesterday says:

Millage Public Hearing Meeting and Adoption Meeting / September 26, 2024 / CANCELLED

The Lowndes County Board of Commissioners is postponing the Millage Public Hearing scheduled for Thursday, September 26, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. as well as the Special Called Meeting for the Adoption of the Millage Rate which was scheduled for Thursday, September 26, 2024 at 5:30 p.m. due to Hurricane Helene.

These meetings will be rescheduled at a later date.

Also yesterday they posted that, “Lowndes County Offices will be closed Thursday, September 26, 2024, and Friday, September 27, 2024 due to Tropical Storm Helene.”

[Cancelled: Millage Public Hearing and Special Called Adoption Meeting @ LCC 2024-09-26 County Offices closed Thursday and Friday]
Cancelled: Millage Public Hearing and Special Called Adoption Meeting @ LCC 2024-09-26 County Offices closed Thursday and Friday

That all seems sensible.

And that cancellation announcement resolves the question we posed of how was the Commission to approve the budget, given there was no meeting scheduled for that?

I don’t see a Public Notice anywhere for that Special Called Meeting. Of course, state law merely requires the notice to be sent to the local legal organ of record (The Valdosta Daily Times). The law does not require that the notice actually get posted.

So apparently they cancelled a Special Called Meeting without the public having seen a notice that it had been called.

-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

Final Millage Public Hearing and Vote to Approve @ LCC 2024-09-26

Update 2024-09-26: Cancelled: Millage and Special Called Meetings because Hurricane Helene @ LCC 2024-09-26.

5 PM, Thursday, September 26, will be the third and last public hearing opportunity for the millage rate. The first two were both on September 19, at 8:30 AM and 6:00 PM.

[Third and Final Public Hearing 2024-09-26, Lowndes County, Georgia, Millage Rate + Decision]
Third and Final Public Hearing 2024-09-26, Lowndes County, Georgia, Millage Rate + Decision

In the second hearing, Lowndes County Chairman Bill Slaughter said, “And then we will adopt the millage, setting the rate, on September 26, as well.”

How does that work? There is no Regular Session nor Special Called Meeting scheduled for September 26. Will they just vote after the Public Hearing, since presumably a quorum of Commissioners will be in the room? Or will they announce a Special Called Meeting, with at least 24 hours notice, as state law requires?

We don’t know, because no agenda is posted for this third meetings, just as no agenda was posted for the first two.

As usual, the presentation is not on the lowndescounty.com Finance Department web page.

-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: Millage Public Hearing @ LCC 2024-09-19

This was the second public hearing opportunity, said Lowndes County Chairman Bill Slaughter, after the first one was 8:30 AM the same day. The third and last one will be on September 26.

He added, “And then we will adopt the millage, setting the rate, on September 26, as well.”

The only Lowndes County Commission meeting scheduled for September 26 is that Millage Rate Public Hearing. Does this mean they will vote in that meeting?

[Collage @ LCC Millage 19 September 2024]
Collage @ LCC Millage 19 September 2024

In this September 19 meeting, Finance Director Stephanie Black explained the millage, including state requirements for announcements of tax increases or rollbacks. She included the usual reminder that two Authorites get their own millage: Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority (VLPRA) and Lowndes County Development Authority (VLDA). FYI, the county Tax Digest is $5.1 billion.

One citizen stood up in the Public Hearing. Alan Watson spoke against. Unlike their usual custom, Continue reading →