On the LAKE Front

Internet and Energy at the Bird Supper

Dear Bird Supper attendees,

Two things could greatly help south Georgia: better Internet access and solar power. You could help stop two telecommunications bills and help pass two energy bills for jobs and education in south Georgia.

Internet Access: help stop two telecommunications bills

The local Industrial Authority, Chamber of Commerce, Valdosta City Council, and Lowndes County Commission have recently realized that fast Internet access is essential to attract businesses, for their employees to work at home, for applicants to apply for jobs, for students to submit assignments, and for general quality of life.

• HB 282 against muni broadband
  This bill would prohibit local governments from providing Internet access if any local census block has 1.5Mbps access. Localities may or may not want to do it themselves, but they shouldn't be prohibited from using this option now that it is obvious to everyone that the commercial incumbents are not doing the job. Legislators please vote this bill down.
• HB 176 for higher cell towers with less local government oversight
  This really bad bill would let cell telephone companies build towers wherever they want to at any height, taking away local government power to regulate that. It could even let private companies exercise eminent domain. Legislators please vote this bill down.

Energy: help pass two energy bills

Solar power can be a distributed source of jobs in south Georgia. Antique laws and a subsidized nuclear boondoggle are hobbling solar power.

• GA SB 51, The Georgia Cogeneration and Distributed Generation Act
  Senator Buddy Carter has introduced a Senate bill for the current session of the legislature, SB 51, "The Georgia Cogeneration and Distributed Generation Act of 2001". It attempts to fix Georgia's special solar financing problem, the antique 1973 Territorial Electric Service Act, which says you can only sell power you generate to your one and only pre-determined electric utility, at whatever rate that utility sets.
• HB 267 Financing costs; construction of nuclear generating plant
  Stop Georgia Power from charging customers for cost overruns for Plant Vogtle, already 15 months behind schedule and a billion dollars overbudget for power that nobody has received, yet Georgia Power has already billed customers about $1.7 billion. Bipartisan cosponsors are Jeff Chapman (R—Brunswick) District 167 and Karla Drenner (D—Avondale Estates) District 85. This boondoggle on the Savannah River is what Georgia Power and Southern Company are doing instead of deploying solar inland and wind off the coast.

-jsq

Make sure people in my age group know who they're voting for —Brett Huntley @ LCC 2013-02-26

Brett Huntley responded to the Commission's mysterious ruling against the public at the 26 Febuary 2013 Lowndes County Commission meeting, to close the only public access to the Alapaha River in Lowndes County. Neither County Manager Joe Pritchard nor County Engineer Mike Fletcher were paying any attention.

I would like to publicly say that I am shocked with the decision. I feel the decision was in favor of a sole person, and not in the interests of the community and the citizens. We tried to speak and explain our side of the story. And the county road has not ceased to be used. It's been being used in our county for over 100 years. I feel your guys just made a decision that will have an impact on our culture and heritage in the community that is not good. It's a bad decision, I feel.

I kind of feel hurt. I feel it's a personal thing for our community. That whole road abandonment idea stems from one sole person

Really, really, shocking and surprising that this road would be closed as much public purpose that it serves —April Huntley @ LCC 2013-02-26

April Huntley responded in shock to the Commission's mysterious ruling against the public at the 26 Febuary 2013 Lowndes County Commission meeting, to close the only public access to the Alapaha River in Lowndes County. The County Attorney and the County Manager appeared to be busy working on something else and paying no attention.

I don't know there's a whole lot more to say. Really, really, shocking and surprising that this road would be closed as much public purpose that it serves.

[long pause]

I've done so much research on it and it's in the best interests of the public to have this access that's been there for over 100 years.

The 2030 plan that the county has, this would cause less destruction

to that area; less change. There's already a road there. It only needs parking, and signs, and rules and regulations that people can abide by. And the county, after the last time when it was denied, should have worked with the landowner to mediate things, to get a decent set in place where this could kept for hundreds more years for our county.

And I hope there will be a way to open it back up.

Here's the video:

Really, really, shocking and surprising that this road would be closed as much public purpose that it serves —April Huntley
Regular Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE), Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 26 February 2013.

-jsq

Back on the job in the park —Geraldine Houston @ LCC 2013-02-26

At the 26 Febuary 2013 Lowndes County Commission meeting, Geraldine Houston wanted to inform the Commission on behalf of George Page, director of Parks and Rec, that she was back on the job. She sells cakes, cookies, peanuts, etc. in the parks. She had previously had a contract to do that, but someone else had gotten the contract. The someone else moved to Alabama, and now Geraldine has the contract again. She also sells at Valdosta Farm Days.

Here's the video:

Back on the job in the park —Geraldine Houston
Regular Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE), Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 26 February 2013.

-jsq

 

County response to 10 inches of rain —Ashley Tye @ LCC 2013-02-26

Emergency Services Director Ashley Tye spoke about Local weather conditions at the 26 Febuary 2013 Lowndes County Commission meeting. He said the Withlacoochee River at Skipper Bridge Road was expected to crest at 20 feet within hours. He didn't expect Valdosta's Withlacoochee Wastewater Treatment Plant to flood.

He said most of the rain fell to the west of Valdosta, so the Little River actually absorbed more water than the Withlacoochee this time. Only Shiloh Road and a few other roads were closed.

The boat ramps at Langdale Park were closed in conjunction with Parks and Rec.

A few schools were closed, but all expected to reopen the next day.

Commissioner Demarcus Marshall asked

Tourism Authority met this morning @ VLCCCTA 2013-02-27

Did you know the Valdosta-Lowndes County Convention Center and Tourism Authority was meeting this morning? Well, if you happened by the Convention Center you would find this Announcement on the door:

Picture by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE), Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 27 February 2013.

Most boards post an actual agenda on the door, but this one is just an announcement. If they posted that on their website or their facebook page I can't find it.

Gretchen says they did have a quorum ( unlike last month) and they were quite welcoming of her and the LAKE video camera. However, they did not provide her with an agenda. She says they didn't give anything to the VDT reporter, either.

-jsq

Videos: Commission voted against the people @ LCC 2013-02-26

Apparently one person with a lawyer can persuade the Lowndes County Commission that hundreds of people are just an unruly mass, not the public it's supposed to represent. For whatever reason, not clear to the public, the Commission voted 3 to 1 with 1 absent to close the end of Old State Road to Hotchkiss Crossing, thus barring the only public access to the Alapaha River in Lowndes County. We shall see whether they will follow through with their hint that they might make a park on the Alapaha River at another location. Congratulations to Commissioner Demarcus Marshall for speaking up for due process and for voting for the public!

Public Works Director Robin English spoke about road conditions and Emergency Services Director Ashley Tye spoke about Local weather conditions,

Update noon 27 Feb 2013: Link to weather conditions, and to Citizens Wishing to Be Heard.

The Commission reappointed J. Glenn Gregory to the South Regional Joint Development Authority and appointed Commissioner Joyce Evans to the Southern Georgia Area Agency on Aging Advisory Council. They are applying for a grant for the county's MIDS bus system and reapplying for a CDBG grant for Second Harvest.

Here's the agenda, with links to the videos and some notes, followed by a video playlist. See also the videos of Monday morning's Work Session.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2^nd Floor

Please deny the closure of County Road 16 leading to the Alapaha River —three neighbors

Received today; they sent it to all the Commissioners. -jsq

To the Lowndes County Commission:

It has been quite an experience dealing with the proposed closing of a portion of County Road 16. Our quaint spot on the river in Naylor, Lowndes County is something that can easily be taken for granted, but it is something that should be treasured and appreciated by the entire county. While we have learned a rich history about Naylor and the County Road proposed to be closed, we will not encumber you with these details. We will let you know in this letter the laws and reasons why the proposal should be denied.

First off, the landowner did not legally own the land when he made his request for the closing of the road. The legal date this property was deeded to Phillip Connell is February 8, 2013. The day his request was made is unknown because the letter sent had the date whited out and is an exact copy of the September 10, 2010 letter he submitted. It is known that the proposal for a public hearing was made in the Commission meeting January 22, 2013. The county should not be hearing this proposal for being misled by Phillip Connell. Why instead is the County claiming that a legal transaction for this land occurred 2 or 3 years ago and now has extended it to 3 or 4 years ago? Where is the proof for this claim?

Second, the landowner's claim about liability, trash and trespassing is

Reconsider closing this road —James Manes

Received today; he sent it to all the Commissioners. -jsq

James Manes 107 Shiloh Rd. Ray City, GA 31605

Regarding Regular session held Jan 22, 2013; Agenda 7 B, a request for road abandonment, I would like to state my opinion.

The road abandonment was to close a section of County Road 16 Old State Road. I feel this issue is not a open and shut case.

The county has determined “the road has been ceased to be used by the public”, and has no “substantial public purpose”.

I am aware the law (32-7-2 a) states “The department must confer with the governing authority of the county’s or municipalities (Unincorporated Naylor GA.), and give due consideration to their wishes in such abandonment.”

I have not been able to find any public records of

Video: two appointments, a public hearing, and two grants @ LCC 2013-02-25

Newsflash! "no new information" and "questions were resolved" about the proposed abandonment of Old State Road at Hotchkiss Landing on the Alapaha River, according to the Commission. They vote tonight at 5:30 PM.

Dr. Bill Grow talked for fifteen minutes about South Health District, and managed not to ask the county for money, although the Health Dept. clearly could use some. Ashley Tye reported on local weather conditions and the county's Code Red emergency warning system, in which lack of Internet access by some county residents came up.

It's J. Glenn Gregory again for the South Regional Joint Development Authority and Commissioner Joyce Evans for the Southern Georgia Area Agency on Aging Advisory Council. They are applying for a grant for the county's MIDS bus system and reapplying for a CDBG grant for Second Harvest.

Here's the agenda, with links to the videos and some notes, followed by a video playlist.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2^nd Floor