{"id":4823,"date":"2013-07-22T17:35:59","date_gmt":"2013-07-22T21:35:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/?p=4823"},"modified":"2013-07-22T17:42:55","modified_gmt":"2013-07-22T21:42:55","slug":"splost-vii-county-list-lcc-2013-07-22","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2013\/07\/splost-vii-county-list-lcc-2013-07-22.html","title":{"rendered":"SPLOST VII county list @ LCC 2013-07-22"},"content":{"rendered":"

\r\n\r\n<\/a>\r\nNot quite most of the money for roads, streets, and bridges\r\n(none of them named to the public), plus everything from animals to public safety,\r\nin the county’s SPLOST VII list.\r\nBut don’t be alarmed: it contains no new library and no new auditorium,\r\nand the Chairman referred to it as a “back to basics” list.\r\nIt also contains nothing about Internet access; more on that in a separate post.\r\nYou can be told about this list tomorrow night or at a forthcoming joint county-cities\r\npublic telling: no town hall meetings have yet been scheduled.\r\nThese videos and slides are from\r\n\r\nthis morning’s Lowndes County Commission Work Session<\/a>.\r\n

\r\n

\r\n5.\r\nSpecial Presentation & Consideration — Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax VII \r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

\r\nThere was something new in what Joe Pritchard said:\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n<\/a>\r\nCommissioners each had an opportunity for independent review and evaluation.\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

\r\nThat’s better than the county tradition of the staff write down the list\r\nand Commissioners rubber-stamp it.\r\nHowever, where are\r\n\r\nthose town hall meetings Commissioner Joyce Evans promised<\/a>?\r\nShe reminded me afterwards that she had said “hopefully”.\r\nMayor Gayle told me afterwards the problem was they were too close\r\nto the deadline for turning in the lists for the election.\r\nHe indicated that was because the county was late.\r\nRemember Valdosta already presented its list\r\n\r\n9 July 2013<\/a>.\r\nRumor has it the delay was in some Commissioners insisting on actually\r\nhaving input.\r\nThat’s a good thing, but if the county planned ahead, there still\r\nwould have been time for the rest of us to provide input before\r\nthe lists were finalized.\r\n<\/p>

\r\nThe slides presented say they’re also available on the county’s website,\r\nbut I don’t see them there, so I’m posting stills from the LAKE video here.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"SPLOST<\/a>\r\n
\r\nSPLOST VII cover slide\r\n\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"History\"<\/a>\r\n
\r\nHistory\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"Evaluating<\/a>\r\n
\r\nEvaluating the List\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"$26,839,000<\/a>\r\n
\r\n$26,839,000 Roads, Streets & Bridges\r\n

\r\nPritchard referred to a list of named projects for Roads, Streets & Bridges,\r\nbut did not display it.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"$17,560,500<\/a>\r\n
\r\n$17,560,500 Water\/Sewer\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"Public<\/a>\r\n
\r\nPublic Works Director Robin Cumbus, Engineer Mike Fletcher, Utilities Director Mike Allen\r\n

\r\nCommissioner John Page came in between Water\/Sewer and Public Safety.\r\nCommissioner Richard Raines never arrived.\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"Enter<\/a>\r\n
\r\nEnter Commissioner John Page\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"$10,784,500<\/a>\r\n
\r\n$10,784,500 Public Safety\r\n

\r\nPublic Safety includes Animal Shelter and Public Safety Radio System.\r\nThe latter is to be jointly funded by the county and by the city of Valdosta.\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"Fire<\/a>\r\n
\r\nFire Chief and Emergency Directors\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"Valdosta<\/a>\r\n
\r\nValdosta Mayor John Gayle\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"Planning,<\/a>\r\n
\r\nPlanning, Finance, and IT Directors\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"$3,500,000<\/a>\r\n
\r\n$3,500,000 Parks & Recreation\r\n

\r\nParks and Rec list is from a list submitted by VLPRA.\r\nIt includes “Boat ramp”; the slide doesn’t say where.\r\nCould it be for the Alapaha River?\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"$3,732,000<\/a>\r\n
\r\n$3,732,000 General Facility Improvements\r\n

\r\nGeneral Facility Improvements includes Civic Center, Courthouse, and Library.\r\nBut not to worry: no new library and no new auditorium.\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"Allocation<\/a>\r\n
\r\nAllocation Percentages\r\n

\r\nAllocation Percentages:\r\n