{"id":23786,"date":"2023-08-23T09:26:36","date_gmt":"2023-08-23T13:26:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/?p=23786"},"modified":"2023-08-23T09:31:24","modified_gmt":"2023-08-23T13:31:24","slug":"videos-danny-weeks-millage-rate-3-alcohol-animals-paper-ballots-lcc-regular-2023-08-22","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2023\/08\/videos-danny-weeks-millage-rate-3-alcohol-animals-paper-ballots-lcc-regular-2023-08-22.html","title":{"rendered":"Videos: Danny Weeks, Millage Rate, 3 Alcohol, Animals, Paper Ballots @ LCC Regular 2023-08-22"},"content":{"rendered":"

\r\n$4.2 million per mill times 2.5 mills is $10.5 million dollars a year that the county fire department is to get with no budget.\r\n

\r\nThat’s up from last year’s $3.2 million per mill for $8 million,\r\nso the county fire department is to get an extra $2.5 million.\r\nYet they never advertised it as a tax increase.\r\n

\r\nFor what, and with what accounting, was not explained.\r\nChairman Bill Slaughter said it was to maintain a “healthy fund balance”\r\nfor five years since they established the fire department.\r\nWhere can citizens see this fund balance, and what it is being spent on?\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"[Collage<\/a>\r\n
Collage @ LCC 22 August 2023<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\r\nBoth millage rate votes passed only by 3:2.\r\nIf all three of the Lowndes County Commissioners who voted against on one or the other had\r\nvoted against both,\r\nor if one of the other two had joined against on those votes,\r\nthe county would have had to think again.\r\n

\r\nHowever, for the main millage, they approved\r\n8.778 mills, which the Chairman said is a rollback of 1.434 (from last year).\r\nThis is noticeably less than the\r\nDepartment of Revenue recommendation of 8.896 mills.\r\nLess as in 0.118 mills or $283,200.\r\nUntil Commissioner Clay Griner the previous day asked what millage would actually match the projected budget,\r\nthey seemed to be heading for the larger figure.\r\n

\r\nStill no explanation of why only one of the three beer and wine licenses got a Public Hearing.\r\n

\r\nThey added an item for a change order on a Val Del Road water main for “about $180,000”.\r\nThat reminds me that in July\r\n\r\nthey approved almost $10 million<\/a>\r\nfor another water main in advance of development.\r\nGot to have sprawl.\r\n

\r\nMore questions about the condition of the old dog box.\r\n\r\n\r\nIt’s still not clear what will happen to it.\r\n

\r\nThey had a nice recognition of 911 Director Danny Weeks, retiring this month after many years with the county.\r\nThere will be a more formal event on August 31.\r\n

\r\nAnd despite the County Commission’s tradition of never responding to Citizens Wishing to Be Heard,\r\nafter Citizen Diane Cox spoke about paper ballots with more people demonstrating outside,\r\nthe County Attorney Walter G. Elliott held forth about how there was nothing the county could do because the state decides that.\r\n

\r\nRemind me again, what is the Bird Supper about?\r\nI thought it was when the county and its cities each February feed legislators while trying to convince them to pass laws?\r\nUsing their influence with the state, like Diane Cox asked them to do?\r\n

\r\nCitizen Cheri Whitney noted Citizens to Be Heard seems like a political black hole by design, to applause.\r\nThat was just before here point was demonstrated when\r\nthe Chairman asked the County Attorney to give excuses for why the County Commission could do nothing.\r\n

\r\nBelow are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item, with a few notes by Gretchen Quarterman,\r\nfollowed by a LAKE video playlist.\r\n

\r\nSee also the\r\n\r\nLAKE videos of the previous morning’s Work Session<\/a>\r\nand the\r\n\r\nagenda and board packet<\/a>.\r\n