The Lowndes County Commission is holding its annual planning retreat this weekend at the 4-H Camp in Lake Park.
Officials are stating that projected decreases in revenue will cause a massive budget shortfall, in the area of $2 million county-wide. With the anticipated cuts in funding from state and federal sources, the county will be handicapped in its ability to continue funding at current service levels to citizens.
The county funds the sheriff’s department, the jail, the court system, the public defender’s office, the library system, animal control and much more. The county has numerous mandated expenditures that are set by legislators that cannot be changed.
The county has been running a relatively lean government for several years, leaving positions unfilled for long periods, but cannot continue to operate in that manner indefinitely.
Last year, most all departments got cut, many severely, in the county’s budget, and there is no reason to expect things will be different this year.
So what’s left to be cut? Good question. Good luck to the chairman, county manager and commissioners as they try to figure it out this weekend.
What We Think
What We Think: Retreating in Lowndes County
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Leaving NCLB behind
Georgia schools may be sighing in relief today, following the announcement that the U.S. Department of Education granted a waiver to the state, along with nine others, from the rigorous requirements of the No Child Left Behind act.
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Don’t jettison landmark
While we respect the request to relocate the F-86 aircraft from outside Mathis City Auditorium to the new Moody Air Force Base Airpark, we would hope the city and MAFB would reconsider moving it.
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Shame in Berrien County
Unfortunately for Sherrie Williams of the Berrien County school-based health clinic, she talked to The Times and praised the program that she oversees. This pride in her work led to the loss of her job.
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Grading policy: A second chance?
In clarifying the Lowndes County Schools’ controversial grading policy, Superintendent Dr. Steve Smith spoke of second chances.
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Be up to any weather challenge
Georgia’s Severe Weather Awareness Week starts today and runs through Friday. The idea behind the week is to prepare Georgians for weather emergencies and how to keep these situations from becoming tragedies.
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Parents and schools
There is a lot of talk lately about school systems and grading policies, and how all of a child's problems come back to a lack of parenting. But is it really that simple? Can it be a case where the school systems are so focused on the problem few that the majority of students are ignored?
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Thumbs up, thumbs down
THUMBS UP: To Brooks County High School engineering and technology teacher Don Morgan and his students. They recently received national attention for their work with biodiesel fuel. They collect used cooking oil from area fast-food restaurants then process this oil into biodiesel. Morgan hopes to next interest the Brooks County school buses into running on the fuel created in his class. This classroom not only prepares students for the future but may prepare all of us for an alternative energy source.
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Take me out to the ball park
The Valdosta State baseball season begins today. The Blazers host Lindenwood at 2:30 p.m. Nothing beats quality baseball played in warm weather with a great venue like Billy Grant Field.
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What We Think: Signing Day
Wednesday was National Signing Day, the day when high school athletes across the country make official announcements about what school they’ve chosen to sign with.
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School policy fails expectations
Lowndes County Schools recently implemented new grading guidelines for students. These guidelines have left many parents upset ...
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Leaving NCLB behind
