Tag Archives: Valdosta

Packet: Subdivisions, Land taking, trash @ LCC 2021-03-22

As usual, the items with the most long-term expense are in the agenda for zero dollars,
for the Lowndes County Commission meetings Monday and Tuesday:
two subdivisions, one opposed by 200 neighbors
(REZ-2021-03 Johnston Subdivision, School House Pond Road),
another wanting the county to accept its roads, water, and other infrastructure
(Adopt Resolution Accepting Infrastructure for Quarterman [no relation] Estates Subdivision Phase III on Whitewater Road),
meaning the county is on the hook for maintenance,
in addition to costs of sending school buses, sheriff, fire, etc.

[Subdivisions, Taking, Trash collection sites]

Subdivisions, Taking, Trash collection sites

Cost What
$2,149,692.26 FY 2020 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant Application
$43,490.00 Bid for Breathing Air Machine for the Fire Department
$339.00 Approve Condemning Right of Way and Drainage Easement for Hightower Road – Cooper Road TSPLOST Paving Project
$0.00 Advanced Disposal Services Residential Solid Waste Franchise Renewal
$0.00 Deep South Sanitation, LLC. Residential Solid Waste Franchise Renewal
$2,193,521.26 Total

Most of the $2 million acknowledged in the board packet is for fire and rescue,
which seems good to me.

In a rare move, apparently negotiations fell through with a landowner for
land for utilities, so the county has condemned it and is taking it for a nominal fee:
Approve Condemning Right of Way and Drainage Easement for Hightower Road – Cooper Road TSPLOST Paving Project.

The board packet, obtained in response to a LAKE open records request,
is

on the LAKE website.
Here is
the agenda:

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

PROPOSED AGENDA

WORK SESSION, MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2021, 8:30 a.m.

REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 2021, 5:30 p.m.

327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading →

Two rezonings, contractors for personal property assessments and water tank cleaning @ LCC 2021-03-08

In addition to the big ticket items of $1.5 million
approved this week by the Lowndes County Commission,
one rezoning will probably actually cost the county nothing,
and the other will most likely eat up more tax dollars down the road.

The inexpensive one is
REZ-2021-02 on Loch Laurel Road,
where Nancy Hobby is returning some land to Estate Agriculture (EA) zoning.
The pricey one is
REZ-2021-01 Knights Landing Subdivision, Phase 5,
where most likely the county will end up paying for road maintenance
or fixing utilities or something else down the road,
plus fire trucks and school buses.

[Two rezonings and $252,000 for contractor, personal property assessment]

Two rezonings and $252,000 for contractor, personal property assessment

Cost What
$1,322,274.00 Tank Maintenance Contract
$252,000.00 Deen’s LLC Contract
$1,574,274.00 Total

The agenda packet item says that the
Deen’s LLC Contract
for personal property appraisal costs $84,000,
but that is per year, and the contract is for three years,
so the real price is $252,000. Continue reading →

Retreat at Jekyll Island Club @ LCC 2021-02-25

Lowndes County Commissioners and staff are
meeting tomorrow where those pesky taxpayers won’t be
“distraction to strategically address community needs and set goals
for the next year.”

Tripadvisor says: “A Historic Treasure not just for “Millionaires” of Jekyll Island Club Resort”, with rooms from $207 to $220 per night.

[Cherokee Cottage]

Cherokee Cottage

I do congratulate the newish Lowndes County Public Information Officer for
putting out a press release,
and for promising a daily
“synopsis of discussions” to be posted on the county’s website.

How about a daily video, such as LAKE has posted for several years?
Or livestream the meetings via facebook live, YouTube, or Zoom?

Meghan Barwick, Lowndes County Press Release, February 18, 2021,

Lowndes County Board of Commissioners Host Annual Planning Meeting,

Lowndes County, Georgia- The Lowndes County Board of Commissioners
will hold their annual planning meeting on Jekyll Island February
25-26, 2021 at the Jekyll Island Hotel, Cherokee Cottage, 371
Riverview Dr., Jekyll Island, Georgia. The planning meeting will
begin on Thursday, February 25 at 8:30 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. and resume
Friday, February 26 at 8:30 a.m. wrapping up at 12:00 noon.

The purpose of the annual planning meeting is Continue reading →

Roads, Water, and Taxes @ LCC 2021-02-22

Four million dollars in tax money discussed this morning,
to be voted on at 5:30 PM tomorrow (Tuesday) by the Lowndes County Commission.

[Table: Four Million Dollars]

Table: Four Million Dollars

Yet their video cameras seem to be broken and I haven’t seen anything
about paying to fix them or buy new ones.
Meanwhile, Valdosta City Council started online through an iphone,
and numerous other counties in Georgia and Florida have made their meetings
accessible online.

Cost What
$1,974,139.00 Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) Loan Application for the Lake Park Bellville Road Widening Project
$1,875,000.00
Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) Loan Application for Lift Station & Manhole Rehab Project
$219,000.00 Approve Purchase of West Savannah Avenue and Briggs Street Properties
$168,880.00 Purchase of Wetland and Stream Credits for Old US 41 North Widening Project
$59,500.00 Contract with Condrey and Associates, Inc.
$34,024.64 Request for the Purchase of Motorola Radios for Public Works
$19,167.00
Approval of the Solicitor General’s VAWA Competitive Grant Award
$10,195.00 Approval of Hightower Road and Cooper Road Right of Way Purchases
$6,000.00 GMASS Rural Land Maintenance Contract
$339.00 Just Compensation – Right of Way Parcel 10 Hightower Road and Cooper Road, TSPLOST Project
$4,366,244.64 Total

We don’t know where are the lift stations or manholes to be
financed through a GEFA loan for $1,875,000,
but I’d say that’s a good use of funds.
Not so sure about the

$1,974,139 for relocating utilities for widening
Lake Park Bellville Road,
because I’m not clear on why that road needs widening.
I do wonder why sewer and drinking water improvements have to be funded through loans
while road building gets tax funds.

Here is
the agenda.
The board packet is
on the LAKE website,
received Friday in response to a LAKE Open Records request.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

PROPOSED AGENDA

WORK SESSION, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2021, 8:30 a.m.

REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2021, 5:30 p.m.

327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading →

Alcohol, Public Defender, ULDC, Whitewater Road Lift Station Pump @ LCC 2021-02-08

Why does the county need

a consultant to help revise its Unified Land Development Code (ULDC), to the tune of $39,370.00?
On the agenda for discussion Monday morning 8:30 AM and voting Tuesday 5:30 PM
by the Lowndes County Commission, February 8 and 9, 2021.

The Utilities Department wants

a pump for its Whitewater Road Lift Station
before it fails, which is a good thing: preventive maintenance.

Public Works wants to

buy a lift instead of renting one.
Probably this will reduce overall expenditures for “building maintenance, maintaining banners in the parking lots and for Christmas decorating.”

Cost What
$39,370.00
ULDC Revision – Agreement with Goodwyn Mills Cawood (GMC)
$39,261.63
Bid for a Lift for the Public Works Department
$39,158.7.00
Whitewater Road Lift Station Pump
$117,790.33 Total

The annual
2021 Public Defender Contracts
are up for renewal.
While this is a good thing, it’s curious that it’s listed as having no effect on the budget, despite costing money.

And there are two alcohol licenses to vote on.
Curious that those show no effect on the budget.
Is there no fee for an alcohol license?

The entire board packet is

on the LAKE website, received Friday in response to a LAKE open records request.
Here is
the agenda.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

PROPOSED AGENDA

WORK SESSION, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021, 8:30 a.m.

REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2021, 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 – January 25, 2021 & Regular Session – January 26, 2021
  5. Public Hearing

    1. Beer, Wine, and Liquor License – Lucila Parker of Restaurante Mexicano San Judas Tadeo, Inc., DBA Restaurante Mexicano San Judas Tadeo, Inc. – 4333 Bemiss Rd. Suite 12, Valdosta, GA

      Documents:Beer, Wine, and Liquor License – Lucila Parker of Restaurante Mexicano San Judas Tadeo, Inc., DBA Restaurante Mexicano San Judas Tadeo, Inc.pdf

  6. For Consideration

    1. Wine License – Manishaben Patel of Sai Krupa 2018 LLC, DBA JP Foods #2 – 3663 New Statenville Hwy., Valdosta, GA

      Documents:Wine License – Manishaben Patel of Sai Krupa 2018 LLC, DBA JP Foods 2.pdf

    2. 2021 Public Defender Contracts

      Documents:2021 Public Defender Contracts.pdf

    3. ULDC Revision – Agreement with Goodwyn Mills Cawood (GMC)

      Documents:ULDC Revision – Agreement with Goodwyn Mills Cawood (GMC).pdf

    4. Whitewater Road Lift Station Pump

      Documents:Whitewater Road Lift Station Pump.pdf

  7. Bid

    1. Bid for a Lift for the Public Works Department

      Documents:Bid for a Lift for the Public Works Department.pdf

  8. Reports – County Manager

  9. Citizens Wishing to be Heard-Please State Your Name and Address

  10. Adjournment

-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!

Packet: Clyattstone Road rezoning yet again, Decorative lighting, Transportation, Alcohol, Taxes, Law, Cybersecurity, Pandemic @ LCC 2021-01-25

After discussion Monday morning, on Tuesday evening the Lowndes County Commission will approve spending $2 million tax dollars, mostly in $1.6 million on

Lake Park Bellville Road, including relocating water and sewer lines.
There’s another $90,000 on
Hightower Road and Cooper Road NE, Right of Way Purchases.

Cost What
$1,655,975.00 Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) Contract Item Agreement/Memorandum of Understanding Lake Park Bellville Road
$280,193.75 FY 2020 Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grant Application
$90,670.31 Approval of Hightower Road and Cooper Road NE, Right of Way Purchases
$29,400.00 Cybersecurity Maturity Tier 1
$12,500.00 Agreement with SGRC to Develop 2021 Lowndes County Comprehensive Plan Update
$20,000.00 FY 2020 Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Grant (to be fully reimbursed)
$2,068,739.06 Total

REZ-2020-20 Ballyntyne 6712 Clyattstone Road
is back yet again, this time probably to be improved.
The agenda sheet says no cost for that rezoning,
but remember last time we added up more than $3 million the county
has already spent on Clyattstone Road and water and sewer infrastructure.

The least expensive item with dollars listed is
FY 2020 Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Grant, because it will be fully reimbursed.

Also inexpensive and probably cost-effective is
Agreement with SGRC to Develop 2021 Lowndes County Comprehensive Plan Update.

[Subdivisions in northwest Lowndes County, GA]

Subdivisions in northwest Lowndes County, GA

Listed at no cost to the county is
Addition to Basic Decorative Street Lighting District – Creekside West, Ph. 6 & 7 and Val Del Villas,
which includes maps of subdivisions in northwest Lowndes County,
allowing you to see the extent of sprawl so far in that direction.

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


http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/loco/2021-01-25–lcc-packet/

We look forward to board packets being on the county’s own website along with

the agenda.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

PROPOSED AGENDA

WORK SESSION, MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 2021, 8:30 a.m.

REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2021, 5:30 p.m.

327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading →

Grinding by Valdosta and Nashville, FInances, Audit, Officers Election DSSWA 2021-01-20

Should be interesting.

The Deep South Solid Waste Authority (SSWA) Board packet is on the LAKE website:


http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/dsswa/2021-01-20–dsswa-packet/

If you want to attend, which you can do remotely, please contact
Elizabeth Backe, AICP,
Planning Director,
Southern Georgia Regional Commission,
229-333-5277 ext. 146,
ebacke@sgrc.us.

[Attorney Tommy Coleman]

Photo: John S. Quarterman for LAKE of DSSWA 2020-11-18 meeting

Meeting of the Board of Directors

Deep South Regional Municipal Solid Waste Management Authority

January 20, 2021

6:00 PM

Southern Georgia Regional Commission

Valdosta, Georgia

AGENDA

Continue reading →

COVID-19, Ballyntyne Subdivision, County expenses for Hightower Road, Sewer, Moody AFB, Fire Pumper @ LCC 2021-01-11

The agenda sheet for rezoning
REZ-2020-20 Ballyntyne (back again from last month)
claims no budget impact,
but that ignores the many thousands of county tax dollars already spent on

Clyattstone Road, as well as followup maintenance of roads,
sewer, and water,
not to mention School Board expenses for sending buses, as well as Fire Department and Sheriff Department expenses whenever called.

[WRPDO Site Map]

WRPDO Site Map

This is what I’ve found the Lowndes County Commission has already spent on Clyattstone Road, and I may have missed some.

Cost What When
$1,681,770.84 Grading, Drainage, Base, and Paving of Clyattstone Road and Simpson Lane. 2020-09-21
$1,417,333.98 Clyattstone Water Main Extension 2020-09-21
$43,245.50 The stated ROW cost in the agenda 2020-02-24

$23,590.50 Approval of Clyattstone Rd.-Simpson Ln. ROW and Easement Purchases (Parcels 26 and 34) 2020-07-14
$20,000.00
For wetland credits acquisition		 2020-04-28.

$11,535.00 and the other stated ROW cost in the agenda

$2,916.00 Up to that amount for an acre of drainage for Simpson Lane 2020-04-16.

$1,085.00 Approve Purchasing ROW and Drainage Easement for Clyattstone Rd.-Simpson Ln. TSPLOST Paving Project 2020-05-27
$3,201,476.82 County tax dollars so far spent on Clyattstone Road

So that’s more than $3 million tax dollars the county has already spent subsidizing subdivision developers on Clyattstone Road, before getting into maintenance and later School Board and Fire and Sheriff Department expenses.
Remember that when somebody says public transportation has to be subsidized.

Here are the expenses acknowledged in agenda sheets for this coming week’s Commission meetings:

Cost What
$351,115.00 Bid for a Pumper for the Fire Department
$315,557.58 Approval of Railroad Agreement for Hightower Road Project
$96,556.75 Low Pressure Sewer Force Main Upgrade on Old Bemiss and Bemiss Knights Academy Road
$28,000.75 Approval of Hightower Road and Cooper Road NE, Right of Way Purchases
$2,500.00 Moody Water Treatment Plant Emergency Repair
$793,730.08 Total

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

http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/loco/2021-01-11–lcc-packet

Here is

the agenda.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

PROPOSED AGENDA

WORK SESSION, MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 2021, 8:30 a.m.

REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, JANUARY 12, 2021, 5:30 p.m.

327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading →

Tax Assessors appointed, sworn in, Lowndes County, Georgia 2020-01-05

After many years of rising sentiment,
the voters in November 2019,
approved changing Lowndes County from
being one of only two of 159 Georgia counties that elected its Tax Assessors
to appointing them, and the legislature agreed.
Finally in September 2020 the Lowndes County Commission appointed three new
Assessors, and on January 5, 2021, they were sworn in.
Their first official meeting is tomorrow.

[Vote, Swearing, Judge, Assessors]

Vote, Swearing, Judge, Assessors

Applying for the
Board of Tax Assessors
according to

the agenda for the 21 September, 2020, Work Session and the Tuesday, 22 September Regular Session
were
Mr. Gene Felts and Mrs. Gretchen Quarterman.
The Tuesday voting was a bit more complicated. Continue reading →

Solar power is beating fracked methane like the Internet won over BITNET

Why am I so sure that I will live to see fracked methane pipelines shut down,
along with their tar sands and petroleum partners in crime?
Because I’ve seen it before, a quarter century ago,
when the Internet won over all other networks, including BITNET.


BITNET in the U.S. and Worldwide and the Internet, Matrix News 4.10 October 1994


BITNET in the U.S. and Worldwide and the Internet,
in

Matrix News 4.10 October 1994.

The exponential growth of the Internet sucked users away from all the other networks.
Coal is already crashing so fast that cleaning up coal ash is the biggest issue.
Nukes are closing left and right.
“Natural” gas is still growing, but not as fast as solar and wind, which produced more new electricity than any other source in 2020.
Soon, fracked methane will peak, and then it will fall fast, just like coal did. The bigger they are, the harder they fall.

Solar, wind, batteries and other storage will continue to soar until almost all electricity comes from them.
A cleaner world, with profit for those who buy in, and lower power charges for everyone: it’s coming fast.

Vote for clean energy and help it arrive faster.

Remember FidoNet?
Probably you’ve never heard of it, and this is why.
Remember BITNET?
Maybe not, but one of its neologisms lingers on: Continue reading →