The Development Authority is twice as under budget as it is under revenue, and they expect tax collections to catch up in January. National Manufacturing Day had great local and national media coverage. Fussell Tire wants to build a warehouse with a non-coforming face towards St. Augustine Road; the board sent back a look askance. They’re also still feuding with the Post Office about mail delivery to Nature Nate, the only tenant in Miller Business Park.

Prospective businesses want to see communities that “have their arms wrapped around millenials”, including bike trails. Hm, what about water trails, asked WWALS president John S. Quarterman?

They lacked a quorum with just Teri Lupo and Roy Copeland until Jerry Jennett arrived, when they went back and voted on minutes and financials. The meeting next morning, despite what the VDT public notice said, was for the South Regional Joint Development Authority; LAKE video of that to come.

Not in the same order as the agenda, but in the order the items were actually covered, below are LAKE videos of the meeting with a few notes, followed by a video playlist.

• Call to Order without quorum, Invocation, Welcome guests

  Video. No quorum with only Terri Lupo and Roy Copeland. Copeland as Vice-Chair called the meeting to order for non-decision items.

• Community Relations and Marketing –Meghan Schunhoff

  Video. Mostly ads. New TV in airport with VLCIA ad. National Manufacturing Day had great local and national media coverage. Roy Copeland wanted to know what metric could measure number of marketing clicks, etc. She just took salesforce training and will produce some marketing reports.

• Project Report –Stan Crance

  Video. Lowe’s, VSU, city and county luncheon, local industry site visits, Fussell Tire wants to put a new warehouse on St. Augustine Road that wouldn’t match VLCIA’s building front standards. Fussell Tire wants a variance. VLCIA board is sceptical (as apparently the tire company expected), and send back that message. Jerry Jennett arrived during this discussion and made a quorum.

• Mailbox at Miller Business Park: Postmaster denied request

  Video. Stan Crance discovered the postmaster could make an exception to the rule about only one mail delivery location at a business park, but the postmaster denied that request. Jerry Jennett referred to the rule as a requirement to put mail at risk of being stolen. They continue negotiating with the PO.

• With quorum: approve minutes

  Video.

• Financials: under budget and under revenue due to slow millage collections

  Video. Under budget ($80,000) on almost everything. Also under revenue ($40,000) due to slow millage tax collection, but that’s expected to catch up in January. Jerry Jennett wants to compare to similar situation last year.

• Executive Director Report –Andrea Schruijer

  Video. VSU Medical School: Valdosta School Board signed a Memorandum of Understanding, and are awaiting an appraisal of Valdosta High School. Which I’m guessing means they want to site the medical school at the old VHS. County, city, hospital authority board, all hands on board for medical school.

  Prospective businesses want to know what community is doing about bike trails and community development. They want to see communities that “have their arms wrapped around millenials”.

• Attorney Report –J. Stephen Gupton

  Video.

• CTBH: SRJDA clarification and WWALS Water Trails John S. Quarterman

  Video.

Here’s a LAKE video playlist:

Videos: South Georgia Alliance and BRAT
Regular Meeting, Valdosta-Lowndes Development Authority (VLCIA),
Tom Call Chairman, Roy Copeland, Mary Gooding, Jerry Jennett, Terri Lupo, Andrea Schruijer, Executive Director, J. Stephen Gupton, Attorney, Tom Davis, CPA, Stan Crance, Existing Industry Coordinator,Lu Williams, Operations Manager, Meghan Schunhoff, Marketing and Research Manager,
Video by John S. Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 18 October 2016.

-jsq

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