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Lowndes County Board of Commissioners, minus Chairman Ashley Paulk, wrapped up a number of agenda items in its final regular session of the year.

District 2 Commissioner Richard Raines took the reins as substitute chairman for the meeting which included a request to introduce a six-month program to provide ankle monitors for non-violent offenders.

“I think what we have here is the first step on a road to really doing some great things in Lowndes County,” said Raines. “This is going to potentially free up some jail space and save some money, but even more importantly than that is the human element involved. Taking people who are not a threat to fleeing or a violent threat as best as the judges can determine; moving them out of the jail, which is not a good environment for anybody.”

Raines then publicly thanked District 1 Commissioner Joyce Evans for her work on this program and her leadership on the board.

Commissioners were offered three options for the number of total ankle monitors, each of which would also include hiring an employee to administer the program, a county vehicle, smartphone and office supplies. Monitors are quoted at $7 a day and total administrative costs are estimated at $45,000.

The request was unanimously approved, but the number of monitors was not specified at the meeting.

In other news:

Commissioners tabled a request to rezone 1.7 acres located on U.S. Highway 41 from suburban density residential (R-10) to

general commercial (C-G) for the development of a restaurant. District 3 Commissioner Crawford Powell suggested they table the request until the second meeting in January to allow the developer more time to work with neighbors of the property and finalize architectural plans.

A request to a bid for the construction of a new commercial entrance gate at the Moody Air Force Base at the intersection of Davidson and Roberts Road was also tabled by commissioners since the lowest bidder, the Scruggs Company at $1,648,497, was over the amount still available for the project.

Commissioners also approved a request to allow a public hearing and submit updated sections of the Comprehensive Plan to the Department of Community Affairs and Southern Georgia Regional Commission. Gretchen Quarterman spoke during the public-hearing portion of the agenda to speak in favor of the request, but asked commissioners to reconsider their involvement in the upcoming Five Points Municipal Auditorium project.

“That used to be a project that Lowndes County was included on and now we’ve dropped that project and it’s just a City of Valdosta project,” said Quarterman. “I know that the county may not be too interested in that project, but that’s a big project and it will impact our county in a big way and I think it would be a mistake for the county to (eliminate) its voice from that project.”

Commissioners unanimously approved the following items Tuesday night:

• An updated reapportionment resolution which would establish the five districts for the Board of Commissioners, including the two new overlay districts. In March 2011, the General Assembly approved the original reapportionment submission by Lowndes County, but 2010 Census data requires an update to keep all districts similar in population size and with fair minority representation. Upon approval by the General Assembly, the maps still must be verified by the Department of Justice.

• A request for the repair of the Hart Road lift station. Radney Plumbing, Inc., provided the lowest bid at $47,810 for the repairs.

• Approval of new standard operating procedures for the Lowndes County Animal Shelter and Lowndes County Fire Rescue. Pritchard said he and the fire chief have been working on the SOP’s for several years and they would lay guidelines for both volunteer and paid staff.

• A contract to continue providing public defender services to indigent defendants in Lowndes County superior and juvenile courts for calendar year 2012 at the same funding level.

• A request to renew health insurance contracts for county employees.

• A request for a beer and wine license for the sale and consumption off-premises by Hari Om at D/B/A Quick Mart 41, located at 3954 Old Highway 41 North due to change of ownership.

• An ordinance to allow Lowndes County to collect 911 surcharges for prepaid wireless services. According to Lowndes County Manager Joe Pritchard, the state of Georgia has been charging for these calls but has kept the 75 cents per call fee. This was passed in an effort to have that money stay in the area that the call was made from.

• A request to abandon the section of Bethany Road from Richard Rykard’s property to Bethany Drive. Daily traffic counts for Bethany Road are approximately 180 vehicles.

• An approval of contract with Flatwood Forest Products for the sale of timber at the Lowndes County Landfill on Madison Highway at rate of $149.48 per ton.

• A request to set qualifying fees for any county or municipal office to be filled in the upcoming primary or election.

Commissioners heard the following requests but took no action:

•  Approval of funding of two organizations seeking partnership through Fiscal Year 2012 from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs Community Development Block Grant. The two organizations seeking partnerships are the Second Harvest of South Georgia food bank and the Lowndes Advocacy Resource Center. Action will take place at a later date.

• A quarterly financial report update.

Powell wanted to publicly recognize the following Lowndes County Public Works Department employees for their outstanding work at decorating the old Courthouse for the holidays. He said he had received many compliments and mentioned the following names: Duke Paulo, Richard Washington, Stephen Pendelton, Don Shurtleff, Judge Burke, Brett Fraiser, Robby Hunter, Randy Hampton, Dariel Spires and Darrell Hall Jr.

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