{"id":9577,"date":"2014-07-06T19:11:29","date_gmt":"2014-07-06T23:11:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/?p=9577"},"modified":"2014-07-06T19:15:14","modified_gmt":"2014-07-06T23:15:14","slug":"videos-budget-baords-and-approvals-lcc-2014-06-24","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2014\/07\/videos-budget-baords-and-approvals-lcc-2014-06-24.html","title":{"rendered":"Videos: budget, baords, and approvals @ LCC 2014-06-24"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n
\n<\/a>
\nNone of the appointees spoke, but all were appointed unanimously,
\nand they unanimously approved
\n
\na landfill expansion item<\/a> without ever seeing a site plan.
\nRay Devery and Barry Barr to the
\n
\nLibrary Board<\/a>,
\nSheila Wakeley to the
\n
\nSouth Georgia Community Service Board<\/a>,
\nand
\nJohn Sineath to the
\n
\nValdosta-Lowndes County Construction Board of Adjustments and Appeals<\/a>,
\neven though Valdosta’s web page says he’s a city appointee.<\/p>\n

\nThey also unanimously approved everything else: a
\n
\ngrant for help getting a grant<\/a>,
\nre-evaluation of
\n
\nall rural agricultural tax assessments<\/a>,
\nthe annual
\n
\nmosquito testing contract with VSU<\/a>,
\nand the
\n
\nlandfill public hearing<\/a> clarification item
\nabout the hearing of the
\n
\npublic notice already posted<\/a> for 17 July 2014.\n<\/p>\n

\nHere’s
\nthe agenda<\/a>, with some notes, and links to the videos.<\/p>\n

\nLOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
\n
\nPROPOSED AGENDA
\n
\nWORK SESSION, MONDAY, JUNE 23, 2014, 8:30 a.m.
\n
\nREGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 2014, 5:30 p.m.
\n
\n327 N. Ashley Street — 2nd Floor\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/p>\n

\n
    \n
  1. \n
    \nCall to Order<\/a>
    \n    \"Order<\/a><\/p>\n

    \nVideo.<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

  2. \n
    \nInvocation<\/a><\/p>\n

    \nMinister Commissioner Richard Raines actually said he liked
    \na government led by the people.
    \nPerhaps the people of Florida, where many people tell me he’s moving.\n<\/p>\n

  3. \n
    \nPledge of Allegiance to the Flag<\/a><\/p>\n
  4. \n
    \nMinutes for Approval<\/a>
    \n    \"Approval<\/a><\/p>\n

    \nVideo.<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. \n
      \nWork Session — June 9, 2014<\/a><\/p>\n
    2. \n
      \nRegular Session — June 10, 2014<\/a>\n<\/ol>\n
    3. \n
      \nAppointments<\/a><\/p>\n
        \n
      1. \n
        \nLowndes Library Board (2)<\/a>
        \n        \"Lowndes<\/a><\/p>\n

        \nVideo.<\/a>
        \nCounty Manager Joe Pritchard said the term of
        \nBarry Barr expires 30 June 2014, 4 year term, reappointment.
        \nAnd the other applicant is to fill “a one year term”
        \npresumably referring to what he said yesterday,
        \n“to fill a vacancy”.
        \nThe second applicant is former Library Board member
        \nRaymond Devery of VSU; see
        \n
        \nthe previous morning’s Work Session<\/a> for more about Devery.
        \nAt that Work Session
        \nPritchard said both applicants would be present at the Regular Session.
        \nNeither spoke, but the Commission appointed both of them unanimously anyway.<\/p>\n

        \n\"Lowndes<\/a>
        \n        Video.<\/a>
        \nThen the Chairman thanked the mute appointees.\n<\/p>\n

      2. \n
        \nSouth Georgia Community Service Board<\/a>
        \n        \"South<\/a><\/p>\n

        \nVideo.<\/a>
        \nSheila Wakeley was present this time,
        \nunlike         at the Work Session<\/a>.
        \nCommissioner Evans said “I talked to her already.”
        \nCommissioner Raines wanted to verify the applicant lives in Lowndes County.
        \nShe does. They reappointed her unanimously.\n<\/p>\n

      3. \n
        \nValdosta-Lowndes County Construction Board of Adjustments and Appeals<\/a>
        \n        \"Valdosta-Lowndes<\/a><\/p>\n

        \nVideo.<\/a>
        \nPritchard said John Sineath wanted to be reappointed for a three-year term.
        \nYet Valdosta’s
        \n
        \nweb page on that board<\/a> says John Sineath is a city appointee.
        \nAlso what about Tommy Radney, whom the city lists as a county appointee
        \nwhose term expires in June 2014?
        \nCommissioners had no questions for Sineath, and he did not speak.<\/p>\n

        \n\"Construction<\/a>
        \n        Video.<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

        \n\"Construction<\/a>
        \n        Video.<\/a>
        \nOnce again, Chairman Bill Slaughter took up time after they
        \nunanimously made the appointment, this time saying he had served
        \non that same board.\n<\/p>\n<\/ol>\n

      4. \n
        \nFor Consideration<\/a><\/p>\n
          \n
        1. \n
          \nFY 2015 Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grant Application<\/a>
          \n          \"FY<\/a><\/p>\n

          \nVideo.<\/a>
          \nRequired every five years.
          \nTakes two years to have all the meetings and get approval,
          \nso starting again even though just got last grant in 2012.
          \nThis is for a $28,000 grant for assistance in applying for another grant.
          \n25% match, which is staff time in meetings and such.
          \nUnanimously approved.\n<\/p>\n

        2. \n
          \nRural Land & Agricultural Improvement Schedules<\/a>
          \n          \"Rural<\/a><\/p>\n

          \nVideo.<\/a>
          \nBoard of Assessors has approved for 2015 reevaluating all
          \nrural land and agricultural improvement schedules.
          \nSeeking the Commissioners’ approval of the contract with the
          \nBoard of Assessors and GMASS[?].
          \nThis was budgetted for this fiscal year.
          \nAt the previous morning’s           Work Session<\/a>
          \nCounty Attorney said state law requires Commission approval
          \nof any contract between Board of Assessors and a third party.
          \nAt the Regular Session, no questions and unanimous approval.\n<\/p>\n

        3. \n
          \nMosquito Contract<\/a>
          \n          \"Mosquito<\/a><\/p>\n

          \nVideo.<\/a>
          \nPublic Works Director Robin Cumbus said this was an annual renewal
          \nof a mosquito testing contract with VSU.
          \nUnanimously approved.\n<\/p>\n

        4. \n
          \nAuthorization and Direction to Conduct Public Hearing Regarding Evergreen Landfill<\/a>
          \n          \"Authorization<\/a><\/p>\n

          \nVideo.<\/a>
          \nThis is about that
          \n
          \npublic hearing already posted<\/a>.
          \nThe
          \n          alleged County Attorney<\/a> said the purpose is<\/p>\n

          \nto conduct a hearing for purposes of giving the citizens an opportunity
          \nto speak so that those comments may be submitted to EPD.
          \nThe Board of Commissioners doesn’t have any involvement or role
          \nin issuance of the permit or approving the landfill.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

          \nThat’s interesting; is the county giving up its land use zoning authority?
          \nIs it mute about any concerns it might want to convey to GA EPD about
          \nthe proposed landfill expansion?
          \nThose are at least two roles the Board of Commissioners could play.<\/p>\n

          \nCommissioner Demarcus Marshall said he was asking because
          \nhe was informed that land had been donated to prevent encroachment
          \non Kinderlou, and that a modification to the westward could
          \naffect that.<\/p>\n

          \nAs well as you know we have complaints about our trash as is, so
          \nwhen you’re talking about capacity, is it going to help
          \nimprove the trash pick up?\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

          \n\"Landfill<\/a>
          \n          Video.<\/a>
          \nCommissioner Richard Raines made a motion to hold the public hearing
          \nfor the benefit of ADS, just as he made
          \n
          \nall the other motions<\/a>
          \nin recent years
          \n
          \nabout trash collection<\/a>, all in favor of ADS.<\/p>\n

          \n\"Landfill<\/a>
          \n          Video.<\/a>
          \nAfter the unanimous vote in favor, Raines asked if County Planner
          \nJason Davenport could provide a site plan for the Commission and the
          \npublic to see.
          \nWhich means he made the motion and the voted without a clue as to
          \nwhat the hearing was actually to be about.
          \nChairman Bill Slaughter said:\n<\/p>\n

          \nI think Mr. Davenport could put us together a little packet of information
          \nthat could kind of give you a little more background.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

          \nI’m sure the little public thanks the little Chairman for the proposed little packet.\n<\/p>\n

          \nCommissioner Crawford Powell added:<\/p>\n

          \nOr you could attend the public hearing and you’d find it all.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

          \nMaybe that was a joke, perhaps about the budget hearing of an hour before<\/a>;
          \nthe one for which the Chairman refused to release any draft prior,
          \nand for which the approved budget still doesn’t seem to be on
          \nthe county’s website two weeks later.\n<\/p>\n

        5. \n
          \nBudget<\/a>
          \n          \"Budget\"<\/a><\/p>\n

          \nVideo.<\/a>
          \nChairman Bill Slaughter referred to the
          \nthe second and last
          \n
          \nBudget Hearing<\/a> just held at 5PM,
          \nafter which they unanimously approved the budget.
          \nAnd Chairman Slaughter once again spoke after the vote,
          \nthis time saying he also supported the budget.\n<\/p>\n<\/ol>\n

        6. \n
          \nReports-County Manager<\/a>
          \n          \"Reports<\/a><\/p>\n

          \nVideo.<\/a>
          \nNo report.\n<\/p>\n

        7. \n
          \nCitizens Wishing to be Heard Please State Name And Address<\/a><\/p>\n

          \nNobody wanted to be heard. So they adjourned.\n<\/p>\n<\/ol>\n<\/blockquote>\n

          \nHere’s
          \n
          \na video playlist:<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

          \n