Tag Archives: tax

Video: Budget Public Hearings @ LCC 2026-06-23

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There was actually only one Budget Public Hearing last week. It was at 5 PM, Tuesday, June 23, 2026, before the Lowndes County Commission Regular Session.

This morning at 8:30 AM there is a Special Called Meeting to Adopt the Proposed FY 2027 Budget @ LCC 2026-06-30.

See that post also for the actual presentation slides for this year, which the county posted on its website the day after that Public Hearing last week.

http://www.l-a-k-e.org/blog/?p=25830

[Video: Budget Public Hearing @ LCC 2026-06-23, One citizen spoke, No Commissioners spoke]
Video: Budget Public Hearing @ LCC 2026-06-23, One citizen spoke, No Commissioners spoke

Meanwhile, here is the LAKE video of the June 23 Public Hearing, in which you can see Finance Director Stephanie Black presenting them.

https://youtu.be/QDp8cB2eh0c?si=5qPxAX9OWWEZiDg9 Continue reading →

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

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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 →

Notice: Two Budget Public Hearings @ LCC 2026-06-22

Update 2026-06-30: Video: Budget Public Hearing @ LCC 2026-06-23.

Update 2026-06-28: Actually, that Monday meeting and those slides were from last year. The last Budget Public Hearing and the this year’s slides: Notice: Special Called Meeting to Adopt the Proposed FY 2027 Budget @ LCC 2026-06-30.

Did you know Lowndes County is going to hold two Budget Public Hearings this coming week?

One will be 9 AM Monday morning, after the Work Session. I found that one on lowndescounty.com by googling for it. Monday is actually June 22 according to every other calendar; nevermind what that notice says.

The other Budget Public Hearing will be 5 PM Tuesday evening, before the Regular Session. Gretchen found that one in the Valdosta Daily Times via a google alert.

They will both be in the Commission Chambers on the second floor of 327 North Ashley Street, Valdosta, Georgia.

[Notice: Two Budget Public Hearings @ LCC, 9 AM Monday 2026-06-22, 5 PM Tuesday 2026-06-23]
Notice: Two Budget Public Hearings @ LCC, 9 AM Monday 2026-06-22, 5 PM Tuesday 2026-06-23

Neither of them are in the main calendar on lowndescounty.com.

I also found what appear to be the slides for these budget public hearings. They are on lowndescounty.com, but they are not linked from the web pages for the Finance Department nor the County Clerk nor the County Manager.

They are not in PDF or PowerPoint and they are not downloadable. So I took screenshots of each slide, which you can see below. You’re welcome.

Maybe at some of these Budget Public Hearings or at the Work Session or the Regular Session why these Public Hearings are not more prominently announced. Continue reading →

Videos: Homestead Tax, Datacenter, Appointments to 3 Boards, 1 small subdivision, Old US 41 N widening, Alcohol, Sewage, insurance, bonds, and roads @ LCC Regular 2026-06-09

Update 2026-06-15: Proposed Local Act for Local Homestead Option Sales Tax (LHOST) @ LCC 2026-06-09.

The bulk of this long meeting was not on the agenda: another one cent sales tax, a report about services at Leila Ellis, and eight citizens wishing to be heard. Well, those citizens were collectively on the agenda of the Tuesday evening Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission, but the other two items were not.

By far the longest item at 21 minutes was added to the agenda at the beginning of
7.f. LHOST Consideration, SB 33 Special Local Homestead Option Sales Tax The title is my guess; I think Chairman Bill Slaughter just said LHOST.

The thirteen slides County Manager Paige Dukes presented are on the LAKE website, received in response to a LAKE open records request. Images of each slide are below.

We do not yet have the draft legislation the Commissioners unanimously approved sending to the Georgia legislature to enact this additional one cent sales tax, because I didn’t think to request it until this afternoon. Why the slides and the legislation are not on the county’s own website is mysterious.

[Videos: Homestead Tax, Datacenter, Appointments to 3 Boards, 1 small subdivision, Old US 41 N, Alcohol, Sewage, insurance, bonds, and roads @ LCC Regular 2026-06-09]
Videos: Homestead Tax, Datacenter, Appointments to 3 Boards, 1 small subdivision, Old US 41 N, Alcohol, Sewage, insurance, bonds, and roads @ LCC Regular 2026-06-09

They approved everything else unanimously, including reappointing James Ramsey and appointing Gary Wisenbaker to the Valdosta-Lowndes County Zoning Board of Appeals: his brother Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker recused himself.

They appointed James Warren to the Valdosta-Lowndes County Airport Authority.

They reappointed Andy Griffin and Scott Purvis to the Lowndes County Public Facilities Authority.

The longest regular item discussion at almost seven minutes was of the Industrial Authority Series 2026 Bonds.

Another long item (almost six minutes) not on the agenda occured when as part of the County Manager Report Paige Dukes asked Probation Director Ferlisha Rountree to talk about about services at Leila Ellis.

Six citizens spoke about the potential datacenter on Coleman Road: George Fisher, Jimmy LeFiles, John Smith, Amy Wiegenstein, Sarah Riggle, and Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman.

Also, Skyler Ramen(sp?) said his paycheck increases less than rent does and Robert Willis would like speed bumps on Danieli Drive in Lake Park.

Here is a LAKE video playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLshUv86fYkiG2JQe4jgsEi9L0R2O6z_GM Continue reading →

Videos: Datacenter, paving, grants, breeding, health, 4 Board Appointments, 1 Alcohol, 1 Easement Exchange, 2 Solid Waste Franchises @ LCC Regular 2026-03-24

There was a somewhat startling citizen report about the possible future datacenter site at the Tuesday evening Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission. See other post for Tetiana Babcock.

The Commissioners breezed through all the voting items with unanimous approval. Except Commissioner Joyce Evans did ask if any applicants for the board appointments were present. Travis Cox was present. He had just been appointed to ZBOA in place of John Hogan. Also, John McCall was reappointed to ZBOA.

[Collage @ LCC 24 March 2026]
Collage @ LCC 24 March 2026

County Manager Paige Dukes asked for Ashley Tye to talk about Water Stewardship in the current drought, and Fire Chief Billy Young to talk about not burning while it is so dry.

Six citizens spoke: Mary Roe about Paving of Green Road, Kelly Saxon about Baldwin Place grants and shelters, Amanda Hall about pet Breeding limits, Kristina Cheek McBride about Maternal Health Issues, Michael Noll about Data Center collaboration and transparency, and Tetiana Babcock about Data Center Encroachment. See other post for Tetiana Babcock.

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: 4 Board Appointments, 1 Alcohol, 1 Easement Exchange, 2 Solid Waste Franchises @ LCC Work 2026-03-23

Update 2026-03-26: Videos: Datacenter, paving, grants, breeding, health, 4 Board Appointments, 1 Alcohol, 1 Easement Exchange, 2 Solid Waste Franchises @ LCC Regular 2026-03-24.

At their Monday morning Work Session, the Lowndes County Commissioners had the most to say about the 6.c. Advanced Disposal Services Residential Solid Waste Franchise Renewal, about prices, trash escaping, and recycling.

[Collage @ LCC 23 March 2026]
Collage @ LCC 23 March 2026

In 7. Reports, County Manager Paige Dukes called on Utilities Manager Steve Stalvey to talk about the Water Notifications that were recently mailed to all water customers, even though only some are affected.

They vote this evening, Tuesday, at 5:30 PM.

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: 4 Board Appointments, 1 Alcohol, 1 Easement Exchange, 2 Solid Waste Franchises @ LCC 2026-03-23

Update 2026-03-24: Videos: 4 Board Appointments, 1 Alcohol, 1 Easement Exchange, 2 Solid Waste Franchises @ LCC Work 2026-03-23.

This week, the Lowndes County Commission does not plan to approve spending any tax funds.

It does plan to appoint members to four boards.

And to approve a beer and wine license for a newly built establishment, plus a related easement exchange.

And to approve the usual two solid waste collection franchises.

[Packet: 4 Board Appointments, 1 Alcohol, 1 Easement Exchange, 2 Solid Waste Franchises, @ LCC 2026-03-23-24]
Packet: 4 Board Appointments, 1 Alcohol, 1 Easement Exchange, 2 Solid Waste Franchises, @ LCC 2026-03-23-24

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.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2026, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 2026, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading →

Videos: 2 of 4 Presentations, 4 Appointments, 2 Rezonings, 1 Dec. Lighting, 16 For Consideration, 1 Pump Station Upgrade @ LCC Regular 2025-12-09

Could be a record: an hour and 14 minutes for Tuesday’s Lowndes County Commission Regular Session.

After many months, they had Recognition of return of Commissioner Joyce Evans. She is clearly still recovering from her medical issues, but Commissioner Demarcus Marshall wheeled her in. She didn’t say anything then, but, then, she seldom does. She did thank them at the end of the meeting.

[Collage @ LCC 9 December 2025]
Collage @ LCC 9 December 2025

The did not reappoint incumbent Tommy Willis to the Planning Commission. Instead they appointed John “Mac” McCall by a vote of 3-2. As near as I can tell, Commissioners Mark Wisenbaker and Demarcus Marshall were the 2.

By acclamation they reappointed incumbent Felicia Williams to the Lowndes County Board Of Assessors. Nobody even nominated Gretchen Quarterman. Ms. Williams later spoke about the Tax Commissioners in Citizens Wishing to Be Heard (CWTBH).

Mr. Gary Wisenbaker was appointed to the Lowndes County Library Board after he recused himself from the vote.

The seat reserved for Wild Adventures on the Valdosta-Lowndes County Conference Center And Tourism Authority had a new WA General Manager appointed: Donald Spiller III.

The meeting length was because of many agenda items, some postponed from last month, some because there’s only one Regular Session in each of November and December, and some year-end items.

The only item that took more than ten minutes was Continue reading →

Videos: 4 Presentations, 4 Appointments, 2 Rezonings, 1 Dec. Lighting, 16 For Consideration, 1 Pump Station Upgrade @ LCC Work 2025-12-08

Monday morning’s Work Session took 55 minutes, despite many measures to power through it.

They vote tomorrow (Tuesday) evening at 5:30 PM.

[Collage @ LCC 8 December 2025]
Collage @ LCC 8 December 2025

Lowndes County Chairman Bill Slaughter said two of the presentations would be made Tuesday evening at the Regular Session. Ditto for the appointments to four boards.

They did spend almost nine minutes on 7.b. REZ-2025-16 2480 Copeland Rd, ~18ac, R-10/C To R-10, for example about ingress and egress.

And almost six minutes on 8.k. 2026 Public Defender Contracts, which they moved to the front of section 8 because the presenter had to get to another appointment.

Plus more than three minutes each on three other items.

If I heard correctly, 8.g. Transportation Investment Act (TIA) Val Del Road Widening, they’re going to four-lane at least part of Val Del Road.

They said the reason 8.h. Design-Build Contract For Lowndes County Animal Shelter. took this long because of requiring the contractor to stay within a tight budget.

Commissioners had some cost questions about 8.o. Motorola Migration Assurance Plan (MAP).

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: 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 →