Cancelled: Lowndes County Commission meetings 2025-03-10-11

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Maybe they were tired after three days on Jekyll Island.

Once again, they let the public know the day before.

Their alert system civicplus sent a notice at 9:30 AM this morning, Friday, March 7, and a notice appeared on lowndescounty.com.

There has been no response yet to the LAKE open records request for the board packet for the now-cancelled meetings. Nor to the other LAKE request for the agenda and board packet for the three-day Jekyll Planning Meetings.

[Cancelled: LCC, Meetings 2025-03-10-11, Lowndes County Commission, Lack of agenda items]
Cancelled: LCC, Meetings 2025-03-10-11, Lowndes County Commission, Lack of agenda items

Posted on: March 7, 2025

Commission Meetings Cancelled

Due to a lack of agenda items requiring attention at this time, the Lowndes County Commission Meetings scheduled for Monday, March 10, 2025, at 8:30 am and Tuesday, March 11, 2025 at 5:30 pm, have been cancelled.

-jsq

Investigative reporting costs money, for open records requests, copying, web hosting, gasoline, and cameras, and with sufficient funds we can pay students to do further research. You can donate to LAKE today!
http://www.l-a-k-e.org/blog/donate

One Day Notice: Lowndes County Annual Planning Meeting, Jekyll Island, GA 2025-03-05

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Update 2025-03-07: Cancelled: Lowndes County Commission meetings 2025-03-10-11 2025-03-10.

If you were signed up for Lowndes County’s civicplus alert system, yesterday you got a notice that today starts the three-day Lowndes County Annual Planning Meeting on Jekyll Island.

No agenda is posted.

The name of the venue is not mentioned, but at 110 Ocean Way, Jekyll Island, GA, is The Westin Jekyll Island Beach Resort, with rooms listed at $299/night, or $372 with taxes and fees.

[One Day Notice: LCC Annual Planning Meeting, Westin Jekyll Island Beach Resort 2025-03-05-07]
One Day Notice: LCC Annual Planning Meeting, Westin Jekyll Island Beach Resort 2025-03-05-07

Generally I agree the budget of the Lowndes County Commission is frugal.

But not this resort island splurge away from the eyes of the taxpayers and voters.

LAKE has filed a Georgia Open Records Act (GORA) request for the agenda and board packet. The three-day statutory limit does not expire until after this retreat is over. We would have filed the request earlier, had we known. Continue reading →

Videos: Final Public Hearing: Intent to Opt Out of Homestead Exemption, HB 581 @ LCC 2025-02-24

Yes, the Lowndes County Commission will vote on the subject today, Tuesday, February 25, although that item is not yet on its agenda.

Yesterday they held the third and final Public Hearing about opting out of the homestead exemption scheme passed by the state legislature as HB 581. No citizens spoke, and very few even attended.

[Collage @ LCC 24 February 2025]
Collage @ LCC 24 February 2025

The county already has better homestead exemptions for both people younger than 65 years and older. Staying in would have no option of opting out later. Opting out leaves the possibility of opting in later.

For the previous Public Hearings, see Continue reading →

Videos: Accountability Court Grant and truck for Magistrate Court @ LCC Work 2025-02-24

Update 2025-02-25: Videos: Final Public Hearing: Intent to Opt Out of Homestead Exemption, HB 581 @ LCC 2025-02-24.

The Work Session yesterday morning took the Lowndes County Commission four minutes. Most of that was two officials explaining the Accountability Court Grant.

[Collage @ LCC 24 February 2025]
Collage @ LCC 24 February 2025

County Manager Paige Dukes asked “for an executive session for attorney client privilege to consult and meet with legal council pertaining to pending claims brought against the county possibly.” Usually we hear “for current or pending litigation”. It must be important, since they had three attorneys in their executive session.

They vote this evening at 5:30 PM.

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item, with a few notes by Gretchen Quarterman, followed by a LAKE video playlist.

See also the agenda and board packet, received in response to a LAKE open records request. Continue reading →

Final Public Hearing: Intent to Opt Out of Homestead Exemption, HB 581 @ LCC 2025-02-24

Update 2025-02-25: Videos: Final Public Hearing: Intent to Opt Out of Homestead Exemption, HB 581 @ LCC 2025-02-24.

The Lowndes County Commission is considering doing what the Lowndes County School System is doing: opting out of the homestead exemption scheme passed by the state legislature as HB 581. The county already has better homestead exemptions for both people younger than 65 years and older. Staying in would have no option of opting out later. Opting out leaves the possibility of opting in later.

[Final Public Hearing, Intent to Opt Out of Homestead Exemption, HB 581 @ LCC 2025-02-24]
Final Public Hearing, Intent to Opt Out of Homestead Exemption, HB 581 @ LCC 2025-02-24

At the previous two hearing, Commissioners did not seem in favor of the state’s idea of an additional one-cent sales tax to reimburse property owners.

LAKE videos and minutes of the two previous Public Hearings are here: Continue reading →

One Valdosta case, for VLDA @ GLPC 2025-02-24

It seems pretty straightforward, the one case on the Monday evening agenda for the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC).

The site is at the top of Dukes Bay Canal, but there’s a detention pond next to it.

[One Valdosta case, for VLDA @ GLPC 2025-02-24, Bimbo QSR Blvd, Plastics Manufacturing]
One Valdosta case, for VLDA @ GLPC 2025-02-24, Bimbo QSR Blvd, Plastics Manufacturing

Evidently VALORGIS needs to update their maps, which are old enough to show no buildings on the site. Continue reading →

Accountability Court Grant and truck for Magistrate Court @ LCC 2025-02-24

Update 2024-02-25: Videos: Accountability Court Grant and truck for Magistrate Court @ LCC Work 2025-02-24.

It’s a slow Lowndes County Commission week when the most expensive item on the agenda is a truck.

[Accountability Court Grant, truck for Magistrate Court, Lowndes County Cmmission, February 24 & 25, 2025]
Accountability Court Grant, truck for Magistrate Court, Lowndes County Cmmission, February 24 & 25, 2025

The other item with “BUDGET IMPACT” listed is a grant with no match, which means it brings money in to the county government.

Cost What
$39,852.00Bid for One Truck for Magistrate Court
$-7,500.00Lowndes County Accountability Court Grant Approval
$32,352.00Total

Here is the agenda.

The board packet, received in response to a LAKE open records request, is on the LAKE website. Continue reading →

Videos: Four rezonings, mobile home decals, Lift Station Pump, Tax Refunds @ LCC Regular 2025-02-11

Another meeting so long it had to be interrupted by the second scheduled Public Hearing on opting out of the state homestead exemption law: Tuesday evening’s Lowndes County Commission Regular Session.

[Bethany Drive & River Run Passed over GLPC recommendation, Lowndes County Commission, February 11, 2025]
Bethany Drive & River Run Passed over GLPC recommendation, Lowndes County Commission, February 11, 2025

The longest items Tuesday evening were the same that had had opposition in the Planning Commission.

5.a. REZ-2025-01 Hurtado Property, Bethany Dr., ~6.4ac, R-A to R-1 after much opposition and discussion passed 3:1 with a condition: no more than 5 residences.

5.d. REZ-2025-04 River Run Farm, 6490 River Run, ~27ac., C-C to R-21. passed 3:2 with Chairman Bill Slaughter breaking a tie.

Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker was not present the entire meeting.

Everything else passed unanimously.

For 5.c. REZ-2025-03 Thomas Linville, 4888 Break Thru Rd., ~16.3ac, R-1 to E-A the applicant clarified that he does not use chemicals for fire retardant, only water, most of his work is computer work, and there will be no big light on the property.

Two items passed 3:0 because a Commissioner had stepped out of the room.

Commissioner Smith was out for 6.a. Resolution Authorizing Lowndes Co. Tax Com. to Receive Checks etc..

Commissioner Orenstein was out for 6.h. Rules and Regulations for Claims for Refunds of Taxes

For 6.f. Acceptance of Hazard Mitigation Grant for Generators Commissioner Orenstein noted that when Ashley Tye fixes a problem, it does not cost the county anything. See also 7. County Manager Report about FEMA, GEMA, and water wells.

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item, with a few notes by John S. Quarterman, followed by a LAKE video playlist.

See also Continue reading →

Videos: Lowndes County Considers Opting Out of House Bill 581 Public Hearing 2025-02-11

Update 2025-02-24: Final Public Hearing: Intent to Opt Out of Homestead Exemption, HB 581 @ LCC 2025-02-24.

Lowndes County Commissioners and staff emphasized that they were working on further homested tax exemptions for seniors, as is the Lowndes County School System, without need for the state’s exemption. And they did not seem in favor of the state’s idea of an additional one-cent sales tax to reimburse property owners.

Here are LAKE videos of yesterday’s second Public Hearing about Lowndes County considering opting out of the statewide homestead exemption legislated last year by HB 581, effective January 1, 2025.

Three citizens spoke. The first two seemed to be addressing some other meeting. The Chairman had to tell the second speaker that her school system concerns should be brought to the school board.

The third speaker was more to the subject: Pam Hubbard, at 9 minutes and 50 seconds:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOfqnu_BsvY&t=590s

[Opt out of GA HB 581? Public Hearing 2025-02-11, Re: Homestead Property Tax Exemption, Lowndes County Commission]
Opt out of GA HB 581? Public Hearing 2025-02-11, Re: Homestead Property Tax Exemption, Lowndes County Commission

A final Public Hearing will be Monday, February 24 at 9:00 a.m.

The School System already had its Public Hearings.

The Lowndes County Commission will vote on the subject on Tuesday, February 25.

So go to that last public hearing and speak up, or call or write your Lowndes County Commissioner.

After the videos below, there is a LAKE video playlist.

For other related material (the bill, the Lowndes County press release, the ACCG and GMA position, etc.), see the LAKE blog post on the first such Public Hearing:
http://www.l-a-k-e.org/blog/?p=24786 Continue reading →

Videos: Four rezonings, mobile home decals, Lift Station Pump, Tax Refunds @ LCC Work 2025-02-10

Update 2025-02-13: Videos: Four rezonings, mobile home decals, Lift Station Pump, Tax Refunds @ LCC Regular 2025-02-11.

A meeting so long it had to be interrupted by the scheduled Public Hearing on opting out of the state homestead exemption law: yesterday morning’s Lowndes County Commission Work Session.

They vote on the regular items this evening at 5:30 PM.

The longest items yesterday morning were the same that had had opposition in the Planning Commission:
5.a. REZ-2025-01 Hurtado Property, Bethany Dr., ~6.4ac, R-A to R-1 and
5.d. REZ-2025-04 River Run Farm, 6490 River Run, ~27ac., C-C to R-21.

[Collage @ LCC 10 February 2025]
Collage @ LCC 10 February 2025

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item, with a few notes by Gretchen Quarterman, followed by a LAKE video playlist.

See also the agenda and the Lowndes County Commission board packet, received in response to a LAKE open records request:
http://www.l-a-k-e.org/blog/2025/02/four-rezonings-mobile-home-decals-lift-station-pump-tax-refunds-lcc-2025-02-10.html

For the separate homestead exemption opt-out Public Hearing, see:
http://www.l-a-k-e.org/blog/2025/02/lowndes-county-considers-opting-out-of-house-bill-581-lcc-public-hearing-2025-02-10.html

For the rezonings, see also the preceding Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC) board packet materials, its agenda, and the LAKE videos of the GLPC meeting. Continue reading →