[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6348899,"mediaKeyId","2239799-1732f66901aee67be872d7f4a9b20979","parentId",2239799,"title","Commissioners approve routine business: minutes, appointments, liquor license, assessment rate and purchase cards","audioSeconds",238,"startMs",111000,"endMs",349000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2239799-1732f66901aee67be872d7f4a9b20979&start=111&end=349","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2239799-1732f66901aee67be872d7f4a9b20979/thumbnail_111000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6348899/Lowndes-County/Georgia/Commissioners-approve-routine-business-minutes-appointments-liquor-license-assessment-rate-and-purchase-cards","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6348899-2bb6e01273125e024c398dc6e776a471/orig.mp4?Expires=1771204760&Signature=MOShj-pxTFpGFxRL8qY92wq4uvAADh7w-2uGQNwlMNs7zaj4JBKBuUMn9MMpO13YOJZ8zOYoMWglC5k6plRCEO3YJrGDQLrcnhnFGNiepWPjg2LV2gNj8B5Ele-teQ4TZKjeVTm1pGeA1PCSdeO41TFtCPGNAv4U3uPQQmq-8r5QgHa7tI8DNbzcq4FUYM34SKDwJC1IyU6KBVM3XS9aW1NIJPaj64Tlv8VKHAGugZi0OxgtuNCfxMJ3sM3huiWpl3S4y7TdylYINLHu3sqJnS33yYlooiUr5URN3l~5ulQwbhwkjkIn5h7ypq22dajC2bPuw5SAHKxjjFec8xlb~w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-02-06T17:00:10Z","article","The Lowndes County Board of Commissioners approved a package of routine items Tuesday night, including minutes, appointments, a business liquor license, the 2025 special assessment interest rate and county-issued purchase cards for two elected officials.

The board approved minutes from the Jan. 13 meeting by voice vote. The motion to approve carried with the customary voice vote; no roll-call tally was recorded.

On a nomination and vote for the Board of Tax Assessors, the board considered two candidates: Mike Tanner and Gretchen Quarterman. Commissioners raised hands for their choices; the initial tally was 2-2. The chairman broke the tie and appointed Mike Tanner to the board.

Commissioner Evans was reappointed to the Valdosta-Lowndes County Land Bank Authority by acclamation.

The board approved a beer, wine and liquor license for Lisa Ash for Lisa's Billiards and Sports Bar, at 5129 Mill Store Road in Lake Park. \"This is for a beer, wine, and liquor license for consumption on premise. This is Lisa's Billiards and Sports Bar. It was previously Lake Park Billiards Academy, and it's just due to a change of ownership,\" Ms. Black said. The board approved the license by voice vote.

Finance Director Stephanie Black said the board must set the special assessment interest rate for 2025 at prime plus 2 percent; with the current prime rate at 7.5 percent, she recommended a rate of 9.5 percent. The board adopted the 9.5 percent rate by voice vote.

The board also approved two elected officials to use county-issued purchasing and credit cards as required by state law. Ms. Black told the board that during the 2015 legislative session the General Assembly passed House Bill 192, which changed requirements for county-issued purchasing cards; the county adopted a related ordinance in February 2016. The board approved requests from Clay Gask, tax commissioner, and H. Burke Sherwood, probate judge, who had each signed the county's credit card user agreement.

Most items were approved by voice vote without extended discussion. Several commissioners and County Manager Miss Dukes offered brief comments of thanks to staff during the meeting.

Votes at a glance: minutes approved (voice vote); Mike Tanner appointed to Board of Tax Assessors (chair broke 2-2 tie); Commissioner Evans reappointed to Valdosta-Lowndes County Land Bank Authority (acclamation); Lisa Ash's on-premise beer, wine and liquor license approved for 5129 Mill Store Road, Lake Park (voice vote); special assessment rate set at 9.5% for 2025 (voice vote); county purchase/credit cards approved for Clay Gask and H. Burke Sherwood (voice vote).","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","LCBOC CM 1 28 25","oneSentenceSummary","The Lowndes County Board of Commissioners approved routine minutes, made appointments, approved a liquor license, adopted the 2025 special assessment interest rate and authorized two elected officials to use county-issued purchasing cards.","taxTitle","Lowndes County, Georgia","taxId",4636,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6348904,"Board approves continuation of VAWA grant; county must provide $26,371 match",64,646000,710000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2239799-1732f66901aee67be872d7f4a9b20979&start=646&end=710","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2239799-1732f66901aee67be872d7f4a9b20979/thumbnail_646000.jpg","/articles/6348904/Lowndes-County/Georgia/Board-approves-continuation-of-VAWA-grant-county-must-provide-26371-match","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6348904-e9b13d158e27276885c13f970a5322cf/orig.mp4?Expires=1771204760&Signature=TcZn1KOaIkz~4F27QapZQuiqE5rMEKv7v4OBlehEXCLAuXuxkPmacQ1k2Z8AZHBp8kqgM-4S50yy6QFGDe497ZvD9znjSvTj-18TdikkeLOsY2QxyhOjQpdv3z7yLQc8MuftWsju4IOoTwB7uyrt3~7r9cjZK~jsikBWJzngR0r63XIbP-6qT~RFBuhHnXPIhioA78u90-5I~KKZbGvyj1YMNHAh5rviOjMVYtd76VdHg4-i9oVEJ2iYHQa0CrHjJo~A3chotWeZ7dgYTf6bKn3Q0Vdm7NBPBxXHKaPxV4N9hvss5pKKNQxNXaQDSqXK8idzniIqnrhy19--lyiDzw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lowndes County Board of Commissioners approved a FY2025 Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) continuance grant application from the Solicitor General's Office. The federal request is $79,112; the county will provide a required match of $26,371.

\"These funds are used to fund special prosecutor to prosecute these cases,\" Miss Dix said, describing the purpose of the grant. Miss Dix also said the office has received VAWA funding since February 2018.

The motion to approve the grant request was made by Commissioner Evans and seconded by Commissioner Weisenbaker. The board voted in favor by voice vote; the motion carried.

County officials did not provide additional detail in the meeting about the grant's duration beyond the FY2025 request or whether the match will come from existing appropriations or require a budget amendment. Miss Dix said staff would answer questions as needed.

The approval allows the Solicitor General's Office to submit the application for the FY2025 VAWA continuance grant and obligates the county to provide the stated local match if the award is made.","The board approved the Solicitor General's FY2025 Violence Against Women Act continuance grant application for $79,112; the county will provide a required local match of $26,371, officials said.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6348908,"Lowndes County commissioners publish intent to consider opting out of House Bill 581",117,704000,821000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2239799-1732f66901aee67be872d7f4a9b20979&start=704&end=821","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2239799-1732f66901aee67be872d7f4a9b20979/thumbnail_704000.jpg","/articles/6348908/Lowndes-County/Georgia/Lowndes-County-commissioners-publish-intent-to-consider-opting-out-of-House-Bill-581","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6348908-6fad6600e0372c2800bf6b2ce8873609/orig.mp4?Expires=1771204760&Signature=L7~vQaoLORbz0NlPqnaImVxT8lGDnY3TvD69uCtVJaMM~ohFYuNQy42NYCYxX5PyGGNCGYODQ11~pStkJELPTK3MNcu1axkg6ltihRW9exCINF4q3KNC1iSvbEHlJKrx1N6489jrbM~B0H-zhnGg64UIzAWDZM5opPZGtLaHE2nR3QH3qUOuZ7AfqsGqcd83W5X8aE2YfJ9k8FLIWsNzEne0pP1mIQxinuhcrf3UwrGaZODV1GtvS7aTY9UQaXdrgF6aQypkUFTY7E85zYpujxodqR3rvjTglaSMB9YyvwYVzKqngZ1~pV~T2Fp27CwO-ZKpr1k5vak8u0tFxO4o6A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lowndes County Board of Commissioners voted to publish a notice of intent to opt out of House Bill 581, a procedural step the board described as the start of a timeline for public information and later action.

Chairman (unnamed) told commissioners that publishing the notice does not itself opt the county out. “And again, this doesn't mean that you're opting out. This means it just gives us sets the timeline in motion so we can work with the timeline that you would need to do the advertising. And then at the end is when we would actually take the vote of either opting out or staying in,” the chairman said.

County Manager Miss Dukes introduced the request as an item added after the work session; she and the chairman said the publication and a press release are intended to inform residents and establish required timelines before any final vote. The board moved and seconded the item and approved the publication by voice vote.

The board did not decide whether it will ultimately opt out. Commissioners said the publication step is intended to allow staff time to prepare legally required notices and to give the public an opportunity to learn about the issue and comment before any final decision is taken.

The vote to publish carried on the voice vote; no roll-call tally was recorded in the transcript.

Next steps include the scheduled publication and the subsequent, separate public hearing and final vote on the county's participation status under House Bill 581.","The Lowndes County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to publish a notice of intent to opt out of House Bill 581, a procedural step that starts a public timeline but does not itself remove the county from the law, the board said.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Commissioners approve routine business: minutes, appointments, liquor license, assessment rate and purchase cards

Board approves continuation of VAWA grant; county must provide $26,371 match

Lowndes County commissioners publish intent to consider opting out of House Bill 581