Alcohol, development, and a tank? @ LCC 2012-04-09,10

A somewhat complicated agenda at Lowndes County Commission Monday morning (Work Session) and Tuesday evening (voting Regular Session): adoption of infrastructure for Laurelbrooke Subdivision Phase II, four public hearings (a rezoning, a road abandonment, a beer and wine license, and a liquor license). And these cryptic items:

7.a. Seminole Circle Property
7.b. Request from LCSO — GOHS Grant #2013-TEN-0077-00 & #2013-GA-0040-00

Your guess is as good as mine about the Seminole Circle Property. If the Commission wanted we the public to know, they would have told us.

Update 2012 05 06: fixed the date in the title.

However, I believe that 7.b. alphabet soup translates as Lowndes County Sheriff's Office (LCSO) — Governor's Office of Highway Safety (GOHS). The TEN in the grant numbers makes me wonder if those grants are related to GOHS's Georgia Traffic Enforcement Networks:

The Governor's Office of Highway Safety in cooperation with state and local law enforcement agencies has organized regional Traffic Enforcement Networks around the State of Georgia. There are currently sixteen regional traffic enforcement networks servicing all 159 counties in Georgia. The regional networks are open to all sworn law enforcement officers and prosecutors and are designed to enhance traffic enforcement activities through networking, training and legislation. The networks serve as a catalyst for traffic enforcement officers to voice their concerns and share ideas with their counterparts from other agencies in their region. Guest speakers and panelists have included state and municipal court judges, prosecutors, legislators, MADD representatives, Public Service Commission, and ALS judges.

LCSO participates in this TEN:

Southern Regional Traffic Enforcement Network (SRTEN) Counties included: Atkinson, Lowndes, Berrien, Brooks, Clinch, Coffee, Cook, Echols, Irwin, Lanier, Ben Hill and Tift.

Or maybe they're just buying another tank. Or will the Commission require that "surrounding counties could be persuaded to contribute" financially like they did when refusing an emergency vehicle grant?

I'm guessing the Commissioners won't like me guessing what they're up to. But, you know, if they told us, for example by putting board packet details online with the agendas, we wouldn't have to guess.

Here's the agenda.

-jsq

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, APRIL 9, 2012, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, APRIL 10, 2012, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2^nd Floor

1. Call to Order
2. Invocation
3. Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag
4. Minutes for Approval
   1. Work Session — March 26, 2012
   2. Regular Session — March 27, 2012
5. Resolution — Adopt Resolution accepting infrastructure for Laurelbrooke Subdivision, Phase II
6. Public Hearings
   1. REZ-2012-04 PSC Valdosta, 2813 Cameron Lane, ~1.97 acres **Pending DRI Review — ` Appearance Per Advertisement Only*
   2. Abandonment of a Portion of Fiveash Road (CR 218)
   3. Beer & Wine License — Marco's Pizza — 4320 Kings Way
   4. Liquor License — J & D Montague, Inc. — 4038 N. Valdosta Road
7. For Consideration
   1. Seminole Circle Property
   2. Request from LCSO — GOHS Grant #2013-TEN-0077-00 & #2013-GA-0040-00
8. Reports-County Manager
9. Citizens Wishing to be Heard Please State Name And Address

Comments

[Barbara Stratton]

Simply musings since by now the meeting is history, but it seems the county has been eager to grant road closures lately. These roads were created for a reason at one time although I'm sure the county is happy to deduct road maintenance mileage. They may be an inconvenience to current land owners requesting they be closed, but I'm wondering if this practise won't create land locked parcels sometime in the future.

Once again we are being handed Regional Government entities like it is something the citizens want and need when we were never consulted. Everyone is concerned about Big Government from Washington, while we placidly accept constantly mushrooming numbers of regional bureaucracies that do not answer to citizen election controls. We need to realize that Washington can not increase Big Government network agendas without the seemingly eager compliance of state and local conduits. I don't hear or see any "voice of the people" questioning these regional tentacles, many with offices and/or huge buildings right in our midst. Is everyone part of or intimidated by the legendary "Good Old Boy System"?

Perhaps we need to communicate our mutual concerns about the non-public meeting "packets" to Sam Olens for official comment since we are ignored locally.