VALDOSTA — The Valdosta-Lowndes County Development Authority approved its 2018-19 Fiscal Year budget during its monthly meeting Monday.

The new budget had a slight increase of $5,300 from last year.  

In FY 2017-18, the authority budgeted $945,910, and for FY 2018-19, the authority is budgeting for $951,210, according to the budgets for FY 2017-18 and FY 2018-19.  

The budget includes $40,000 for a staff vehicle. The vehicle will be used for company business such as picking up clients from the airport and taking clients on site visits to the various business parks the authority oversees.

The authority plans to get a larger vehicle with four-wheel drive, said Andrea Schruijer, executive director.

Because the vehicle will be used for site visits, the authority sometimes needs to seat a large number of individuals. Schruijer said she currently has a site visit planned that will include eight people. 

The four-wheel drive is necessary because site visits will sometimes go off of the beaten path, so the vehicle must handle various terrain including swampy areas, she said.

The authority unanimously voted to amend its bylaws to change the time when officers in the authority are elected.

Previously, the officers were elected in the middle of the year, but with the change in the bylaws, officers will now be elected in January.

Schruijer said the old bylaw created awkward transitions from time to time. 

During the meeting, Stan Crance, existing industry coordinator, said the authority had several site visits recently, and has a few more visits planned in the near future.

“(It’s) all good news, and things have been really busy here recently, so hopefully we can have an announcement soon,” Crance said. 

The development authority meets 5:30 p.m., the third Tuesday of every month, at 103 Roosevelt Drive. The meetings are open to the public. 

Jason Smith is a reporter at The Valdosta Daily Times. He can be contacted at 229-244-3400 ext.1257.