County Manager Joe Pritchard asked
Chad McLeod Project Manager and
Mike Fletcher County Engineer to come forward, saying
“Turn in your book to that tab….”
A book you, the taxpaying public reader, do not have.
The county can publish board packets on their new website if they want to.
McCleod presented current facilities for SPLOST VII,
after a long introduction by Pritchard, who said McLeod
was the county’s liaison with Parks and Rec (VLPRA)
and the Sheriff’s Department
and other offices.
McLeod said VLPRA projects are built by the county
and turned over to VLPRA for administration, except
for two projects at Freedom Park, which are being managed
by VLPRA due to House Bill 489.
He listed dollar amounts.
I couldn’t catch all of them, but here are some of them: Continue reading →
please don’t take this as a diss, we think they have been missed….
Unlike Ko-Ko’s in the Mikado,
this list is of things previously
missed that are slowly being found (or created),
so local governments can tell the citizens what fine things they’ve
been up to, and so citizens can decide what they need to deal with
and what topics they can provide input on.
Here’s the
LAKE sunshine list for local government.
For those unaware, Super District 4 was a newly created district in
Lowndes County two years ago. I assumed this office without a
predecessor to this district seat. It was my understanding of this
district to compliment the other districts by adding more
responsiveness and accountability for the citizens of Lowndes
County.
Upon being elected and occupying the seat, I inherited a wonderful
staff; however, the county faced several challenges. The economy was Continue reading →
Three
citizens
spoke
against
the unnecessary and hazardous Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline.
Several Commissioners even spoke up in
Other Business,
turning it into de facto Commisioner Comments.
But none of them called for a resolution or ordinance against the pipeline.
The
emergency security monitor replacement
is, you guessed it, a no-bid contract with the same company that
originally installed them.
Which fits with the no-bid
Alapaha Water Plant Expansion,
back this time for property acquisition after twice failing to get
a setback variance at ZBOA.
I talked about the Water Trail that WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc.
is developing on the Alapaha River with a tiny grant from the
Georgia River Network, and how that was a plus for local economic
development that wouldn’t cost VLCDA a dime.
They seemed to like that, at the
19 August 2014 Regular Meeting of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Development Authority.
The Commission awarded no-bid contracts to Lovell Engineering (for Zipperer Road
and Boring Pond Road)
and
ASA Engineering
(for Coppage Road).
Three of the seven board appointees showed up and spoke:
Sam Allen and Penelope Schmidt for Library Board,
and
and Russell Mast for VLPRA.
The Commission appointed all of them unanimously, including
no-shows
Terri Lupo to VLCIA,
Martha Cunningham and Matt Lawrence to Library Board,
and
Susan Prince to VLPRA.
Chairman Bill Slaughter consistently omitted the “Valdosta”
from the names of all these boards, even though the reason VLCIA
and VLPRA exist is a state law requirement for no overlap between
uninincorporated and incorporated area taxation for such services.
There was no public hearing for Whitewater Road because the applicant withdrew it,
and half of Nelson Hill
was withdrawn while the other half was tabled.
They finally posted an agenda
after the Work Session.
And they added
another item
to an
amended agenda between the Work Session and the Regular Session.
Video.
Unanimously appointed:
Martha Cunningham (not present),
Sam Allen (retired Valdosta Schools Superintendent),
Penelope Schmidt (10-year educator from Hahira),
and Matthew Lawrence (not present).
Video.
They unanimously appointed
Susan Prince (not present)
and Russell Mast (Chairman; he said VLPRA had a positive fund balance)
They didn’t appoint Dan Deaver (not present).
Video.
The applicant withdrew the first part of the request, for a
75-foot high communications tower for high-speed Internet access.
The second part County Planner Jason Davenport said
“dealt with some of the rezoning conditions that were ultimately approved back in 2006”; they tabled it until August.
I wonder how much of that second part involves
retroactively approving
staff variances that were made in 2009 and 2011 without any public hearings?
Remember, you don’t even have to live in Valdosta to apply
to serve on one of the many appointed boards or authorities
(you do have to live in Lowndes County).
Details:
CITY OF VALDOSTA
APPOINTMENTS FOR BOARDS, COMMISSIONS,
AUTHORITIES & ADVISORY COMMITTEES
In accordance with the City of Valdosta’s Appointment Policy and to
provide an opportunity for qualified citizens to be made aware of
opportunities to serve on various Boards, Commissions, Authorities,
and Advisory Committees, the City of Valdosta announces the following
openings: Continue reading →
