Tag Archives: VLDA

Videos: Datacenter Moratorium, Millage Rates, TIA agreements, CDBG-DR application, LAS Holding Pond Sludge Removal @ LCC Regular 2026-08-25

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The 60-day moratorium on datacenter applications passed unanimously with no discussion.

Six citizens were heard against datacenters, and one about conduct unbecoming by the Commissioners.

The Lowndes County Commission also passed everything else unanimously in their Regular Session of August 25, 2026.

Including the four millage rate items. There was a millage presentation, with a promise that it would be on the county website. I don’t see it there yet. If it’s still not there this afternoon, I will post screenshots from the LAKE video.

[Collage @ LCC Regular 25 August 2026 --LAKE]
Collage @ LCC Regular 25 August 2026 –LAKE

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

See also the Continue reading →

Videos: Datacenter Moratorium, Millage Rates, TIA agreements, CDBG-DR application, LAS Holding Pond Sludge Removal @ LCC Work 2026-08-24

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Update 2026-08-26: Videos: Datacenter Moratorium, Millage Rates, TIA agreements, CDBG-DR application, LAS Holding Pond Sludge Removal @ LCC Regular 2026-08-25.

At the Work Session yesterday morning, Gretchen Quarterman noted, “Not a Data Center Moratorium, just an application moratorium. State Law changed this year, because of pressures from big money, to require that permitting of Data Centers be processed in 30 days. Should the county get an application, they would not have time to make an ordinance. Seems like reaction, rather than proaction to me and while lip service was given to community involvement, 60 days isn’t very long for that to happen.”

There was also no promise to show the draft datacenter ordinance to the people, instead of the usual Lowndes County Commission practice that until it shows up in an agenda on a Friday to be voted on the next Tuesday, as is the usual practice with Lowndes County ordinances.

[Collage @ LCC 24 August 2026]
Collage @ LCC 24 August 2026

Finance Director Stephanie Black said millage rates for the two Authorities and Fire would remain the same, while there would be a rollback on the main millage rate.

The presentations on each of the millage rates will be this evening at the Regular Session.

Commissioners had questions on almost every item at the Work Session.

The CDBG-DR grant application is supposed to be for Community Development Disaster Recovery, but seems to be exclusively to help developers who want to develop in the Riverside Road area without taking responsibility to pave the road. Why not use those funds for actual disaster recovery?

The Land Application System (LAS) Holding Pond Sludge Removal is complicated; thus the wildly varying bid amounts.

Below are links to videos of each agenda item, with some notes by Gretchen Quarterman, followed by a LAKE video playlist.

See also the Continue reading →

Packet: Datacenter Moratorium, Millage Rates, TIA agreements, CDBG-DR application, LAS Holding Pond Sludge Removal @ LCC 2026-08-24

Update 2026-08-25: Videos: Datacenter Moratorium, Millage Rates, TIA agreements, CDBG-DR application, LAS Holding Pond Sludge Removal @ LCC Work 2026-08-24.

Something we’d been told for many weeks would never happen may happen Tuesday: the Lowndes County Commission will vote on a Data Center Moratorium, as promised by a county announcement Friday.

Does this mean no datacenters? Of course not. It’s just a delay of 60 days, while the county works on its datacenter ordinance.

But it’s some small sign that maybe the county is listening to the many people who have proposed a moratorium. As recently as July 28 we were told Lowndes County will not be doing a moratorium. Now it’s on the agenda.

We still see no indication of any planned Public Hearings for the draft datacenter ordinance, and nobody outside the county government has seen any draft, so far as I know.

They will also be setting the milage rates, with a rollback for the county-wide millage, and the same as usual for VLPRA, VLCIA, and Fire Services.

They will vote on two TIA items, one for Twin Lakes Road, and three items about a CDBG-DR funding application.

And, finally, a complicated bid solution for Land Application System (LAS) Holding Pond Sludge Removal.

[Packet: Datacenter Moratorium, Millage Rates, TIA agreements, CDBG-DR applic., LAS Holding Pond Sludge Removal @ LCC 2026-08-24]
Packet: Datacenter Moratorium, Millage Rates, TIA agreements, CDBG-DR applic., LAS Holding Pond Sludge Removal @ LCC 2026-08-24

Here is the agenda.

See also the board packet, received in response to a LAKE open records request, is on the LAKE website, with images of each page below. Why the county does not put that packet on its own website continues to be mysterious.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 2026, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2026, 5:30 p.m
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading →

Videos: 3 rezonings, 4 road items, 1 beer and wine, VLCIA bonds, servers, debris hauler @ LCC Regular 2026-05-12

Gretchen noted about these LAKE videos of the May 12, 2026, Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission, “Still having camera problems. No audio on two of the bits and agenda items 6e and 6f and the start of 7a did not get recorded at all.”

Yes, we know the county videos its own Regular Sessions:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PRqnqJwM8k

LAKE continues to video those meetings anyway, for a number of reasons I don’t have time to go into here.

Also, the county does not post videos of its Work Sessions, nor of the Planning Commission, nor of any of the other numerous Boards and Authorities, not to mention School Board meetings. LAKE does post videos of those Work Sessions and Planning Commission meetings. You can help. Volunteer to video some meetings. Or donate to LAKE to buy a better video camera.

Once again, Lowndes County plans to widen Old US 41 North the rest of the way up to the Hahira City Limits: 6.c. TIA – Local Delivery Application for Old US 41 North Widening Phase 4

Other than the Clyattville case was withdrawn by applicant, the Commissioners approved all the agenda items unanimously.

[Collage @ LCC 12 May 2026]
Collage @ LCC 12 May 2026

Two citizens spoke about datacenters: Michael Noll and George Fisher. See also what IT Director Aaron Kostyu said in the Works Session about massive hikes in memory and server prices because the AI industry is sucking up all the inventory even before it is manufactured.

Two citizens spoke about animals: Amie Burnam and Tara Parker.

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item for the May 12, 2026, Lowndes County Commission Regular Session, wWork ith a few notes by Gretchen Quarterman, followed by a LAKE video playlist.

See also the LAKE videos of the previous morning’s Work Session and the agenda and the board packet, received in response to a LAKE open records request.

For the rezonings (except Clyattville), see the LAKE videos of the preceding Planning Commission meeting.

Here is the LAKE video playlist:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLshUv86fYkiFwlE_EHC-C06NPB_VIXiPc&si=tVArGKPA4yehJA9h

-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: 3 rezonings, 4 road items, 1 beer and wine, VLCIA bonds, servers, debris hauler @ LCC Regular 2026-05-12

Gretchen noted about these LAKE videos of the May 12, 2026, Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission, “Still having camera problems. No audio on two of the bits and agenda items 6e and 6f and the start of 7a did not get recorded at all.”

Yes, we know the county videos its own Regular Sessions:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PRqnqJwM8k

LAKE continues to video those meetings anyway, for a number of reasons I don’t have time to go into here.

Also, the county does not post videos of its Work Sessions, nor of the Planning Commission, nor of any of the other numerous Boards and Authorities, not to mention School Board meetings. LAKE does post videos of those Work Sessions and Planning Commission meetings. You can help. Volunteer to video some meetings. Or donate to LAKE to buy a better video camera.

Once again, Lowndes County plans to widen Old US 41 North the rest of the way up to the Hahira City Limits: 6.c. TIA – Local Delivery Application for Old US 41 North Widening Phase 4

Other than the Clyattville case was withdrawn by applicant, the Commissioners approved all the agenda items unanimously.

[Collage @ LCC 12 May 2026]
Collage @ LCC 12 May 2026

Two citizens spoke about datacenters: Continue reading →

Videos: 3 rezonings, 4 road items, 1 beer and wine, VLCIA bonds, servers, debris hauler @ LCC Work 2026-05-11

Update 2026-05-24: Videos: 3 rezonings, 4 road items, 1 beer and wine, VLCIA bonds, servers, debris hauler @ LCC Regular 2026-05-12.

In case you haven’t heard, Lowndes County plans to widen Old US 41 North the rest of the way up to the Hahira City Limits: 6.c. TIA Local Delivery Application for Old US 41 North Widening Phase 4.

[Collage @ LCC 11 May 2026]
Collage @ LCC 11 May 2026

The Clyattville case was withdrawn by applicant: 5.a. REZ-2026-04 Jay Ma Khodiyar 5507 Central St. (Clyattville), R-10 to C-G. This is the same rezoning that was tabled for a month back on March 10, 2026, on a motion by Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker. I wonder how many times it will reapppear?

The Old Bemiss Road Blackwater case had quite a bit of discussion about roads, railroad, and access: 5.b. REZ-2026-11 Blackwater Development 4130 Old Bemiss Rd., (part 1).

Aaron Kostyu, Information Technology Services Director, spelled out a problem with so-called AI: 6.e. Replacement of Three Servers. Commissioner Michael Smith wondered why there was only one quote for the three servers IT requested.

It’s because we can’t find hardware anywhere. They have increased over the last two months by 800 to 1000 percent.

None of the drives are available; none of the memory is available, because the AI industry is sucking it all up. They have done something unprecedented, and the memory industry has allowed them to purchase the next three lots before they are even created. And so we don’t see this ending anytime soon.

We’ve had difficulty getting hardware that normally choose because the prices have gotten out of control. We’re jumping on the right now.

We know already that there’s a hundred and five day time limit on these quotes. They’ve already gone up since we got these quotes, but she agreed to extend it.

This is last month’s quote. It’s already higher.

She’s agreed to hold this pricing, and hopefully we’ll get 105 days. Tomorrow, if we purchase the next day, that will potentially get just in time to pay out of this year’s budget. So it’s a real race to get it done.

Continue reading →

Packet: 3 rezonings, 4 road items, 1 beer and wine, VLCIA bonds, servers, debris hauler @ LCC 2026-05-11

Update 2026-05-24: Videos: 3 rezonings, 4 road items, 1 beer and wine, VLCIA bonds, servers, debris hauler @ LCC Work 2026-05-11.

Yes, you can speak about datacenters, animals, water, or whatever else in Citizens Wishing to Be Heard at the voting Regular Session, 5:30 PM, Tuesday, May 12, 2026.

The Lowndes County Commissioners will notice if you show up for the Work Session, 8:30 AM, Monday, May 11, 2026.

The board packet doesn’t mention that 5.a. REZ-2026-04 Jay Ma Khodiyar, ~1ac, 5507 Central St. (Clyattville) was tabled for a month back on March 10, 2026, on a motion by Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker.

[Collage @ LCC Packet 2026-05-11 --LAKE]
Collage @ LCC Packet 2026-05-11 –LAKE

Here is the agenda.

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

For the other two rezonings, see also Continue reading →

Videos: Community Service Board, Lake Alapaha Well, Jail Expansion, Bicentiennial, Millages, Opioid Litigation, Hightower Road, SPLOST IX, TREES Act, PFAS Groundwater Claims @ LCC Regular 2025-08-25

They actually increased the Industrial Authority’s millage to 1.1 mil, above its historic rate of 1 mil. This was not discussed in the preceding Budget Hearings, nor I think even in the previous morning’s Work Session. They unanimously approved that and everything else on the agenda.

Chairman Bill Slaughter added an item to the agenda, for 5.j. Appointment – Community Service Board – must be elected official. They appointed Commissioner Demarcus Marshall. You may recall that on May 27, 2025 they appointed Commissioner Joyce Evans to this board. She was absent at that meeting, and has been absent from every Lowndes County Commission meeting since then. Since she has not made public why, I will not say, other than that her absences are not because she does not want to be there.

County Manager Paige Dukes had three staff give reports at the end of this Regular Session:

[Collage @ LCC 26 August 2025]
Collage @ LCC 26 August 2025

Below are Continue reading →

Packet: Millages, Opioid Litigation, Hightower Road, SPLOST IX, TREES Act, PFAS Groundwater Claims @ LCC 2025-08-25

The board packet includes the SPLOST IX Agreement and Project Lists, as well as the agreements for the Opioid and Groundwater Claims and the Hightower Road Quit Claim and a resolution for the TREES Act.

This is for yesterday’s Work Session and this evening’s Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission.

[Collage, Packet @ LCC 2025-08-25-26]
Collage, Packet @ LCC 2025-08-25-26

The SPLOST IX Agreement and Project Lists are the same as LAKE already published two weeks ago from a usually reliable source.

The entire board packet, obtained in response to a LAKE open records request, is on the LAKE website, and images of each page are below.

It is still mysterious why Lowndes County does not publish its board packets on its own website, like many counties larger and smaller have done for years in Georgia and Florida.

See also the Continue reading →

Videos: Millages, Opioid Litigation, Hightower Road, SPLOST IX, TREES Act, PFAS Groundwater Claims @ LCC Work 2025-08-25

Only twelve minutes for the Lowndes County Commission to consider millages, taxes, lawsuit claims, and a quit claim, at their Work Session yesterday morning.

Here are LAKE videos of each agenda item, with a few notes by Gretchen Quarterman, followed by a LAKE video playlist.

[Collage @ LCC 25 August 2025]
Collage @ LCC 25 August 2025

See also the agenda.

We don’t have the board packet, because I forgot to send in the open records request until the other day.

It is still mysterious why Lowndes County does not publish its board packets on its own website, like many counties larger and smaller have done for years in Georgia and Florida. Continue reading →