VALDOSTA — The Lowndes County Board of Commissioners will vote whether to adopt a millage rate at a 10 a.m. called meeting Friday. If adopted, the millage rate will be lower than 2014’s and will result in a 1.65 percent decrease.

The county commission is the only local government in Lowndes County set to roll back its millage rate following an increase in property assessments. 

With the exception of text amendments to the Lowndes County Unified Land Development Code, that the commissioned tabled to the Dec. 9 meeting, the board voted, with little discussion, to approve each item on its Tuesday meeting agenda.

The board voted to approve the appointment of an associate probate judge to assist Probate Judge Terri Adams McDowell from Nov. 2016 until Dec. 2016, the end of McDowell’s term. The associate probate judge will work part-time and will receive $38,765 per year — half of a probate judge’s salary. 

After taxes and worker’s compensation, the the total budget costs amounts to $41,986.

The board voted to approve Doctors Direct Healthcare as the county’s employee wellness program provider. The company will provide annual biometric screenings, health risk assessments, health coaching, health challenges and healthy breaks, officials said.

Kevin Beals, human resources director for Lowndes County, expects DDH to “individualize the (wellness) experience for each employee with a focus on prevention, risk reduction and goal setting,” he said.

The commission voted to a approve pre-tax deduction for healthcare coverages, which allows the county to withdraw premium only payments from employees’ paychecks.

The board also voted to approve a $20,076.42 Val-Tech lift station pump.

Before approval, the Val-Tech station had one in-service pump, and costs to repair the other pump, $18,219, exceeded 66 percent of the cost of a new pump.

The board voted to approve $13,353.65 in repairs to Whitewater lift station pump.

Both the new Val-tech pump station and the Whitewater lift station pump repairs come out of the annual budget, officials said.

The board voted to renew the District Attorney’s Federal Victim’s of Crime Act grant application.

Grant money is funneled through Lowndes County to the remaining counties of the Southern Circuit, officials said.

The district attorney’s office requested the grant money be deposited directly to the DA’s office, in place of the funds first going through Lowndes County.

The district attorney’s office also requested the board authorize the district attorney future paperwork pertaining to the VOCA continuation grant.

Money from the grant goes toward paying victim services.

The board voted to approve land maintenance license with the Air Force, which will allow the Air Force to maintain the right of way along Davidson Road and along Grassy Pond Road.

The commission voted to approve Valdosta-Lowndes County Land Bank Authority’s resolution.

The board voted to approve the sale of the county’s .471 parcel of property on Seminole Circle.

The county no longer needs the parcel, officials said, and the acreage is less than the minimum acreage for residential zoning.

The commission also voted to extend pre-event agreements for disaster-related debris removal proposals to Crowder Gulf, Ashbritt and TAG Grinding Services. 

Jason Stewart is a reporter for the Valdosta Daily Times