Author Archives: John S. Quarterman

Appointments to 3 boards @ LCC 2016-01-25

Did you know there were openings on three boards? Probably not, since the county didn’t post anything in public. Now the day before they’re appointed, we learn “Dr. Lynne Feldman resigned from the Hospital Authority, leaving a vacant seat on the board. Dr. Steven Brian Dawson, Dr. John W. Devine, and Dr. John D. Roan have all been recommended for the position.” County Manager Joe Pritchard did not say who recommended them, or how they knew to apply. Similarly, on the Lowndes County Division of Family and Children Services Board (DFCS), somebody unnamed didn’t want to be reappointed, and “Elsie C. Napier has been recommended for the position.” And on the Valdosta-Lowndes County Conference Center and Tourism Authority Board, David Motley wants to be reappointed. At least we know how he knew.

There’s more on the agenda.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 2016, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2016, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

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Chancy R6M, Stallings Road Cemetery, 4 County cases, one to E-A @ GLPC 2016-01-25

The owner of a parcel on US 41 South wants to rezone from R-10 back to Estate Agriculture. That Lowndes County case is the opposite of the Hahira case that wants rezoning from single-family to multi-family, and there are many other cases in between, plus another cemetery case!

Here’s the agenda for Monday’s Regular Session, and also for last Monday’s Work Session, even though it doesn’t say that.

Greater Lowndes Planning Commission
Lowndes County City of Valdosta City of Dasher City of Hahira City of Lake Park
REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING
AGENDA
Lowndes County South Health District Administrative Office
325 West Savannah Avenue
Tuesday, January 25, 2016 * 5:30 P.M. * Public Hearing

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Seven levels of disagreement

Many people these days think name-calling is argument (thank you, Newt Gingrich*), so here’s a handy picture of seven levels of disagreement.


Image by abagond 26 July 2010, from How to Disagree, by Paul Graham, March 2008.

There’s nothing like a good discussion, with actual arguments on facts, theories, or context. But we really don’t have time for name-calling or ad hominem here on the LAKE blog. As noted in our submissions policy, you can submit anything you like, but “LAKE reserves complete discretion to select, edit, and annotate submissions, and to delete blog or facebook comments that are spam or personal attacks, or for any other reason whatever.” Name-calling and ad hominem are personal attacks.

The source of the above image includes some useful examples, and Continue reading →

CAUSES in VDT, and the mini-films show 7PM tonight at VSU 2016-01-23

90-second movie trailers of local issues, tonight at 7PM, Bailey Auditorium, VSU, Valdosta, Lowndes County, GA. We sent in some submissions, and I hope you did, too; once we thought of them as trailers, it was pretty easy (by “we” I mean Gretchen”).

Printable Flyer Desiree Carter, VDT, 22 Jan 2016, Valdosta State showcases ‘Causes’,

“Causes” is a mini-festival created by Dr. Matthew Richard in the anthropology department of Valdosta State University.

“I came up with this in 2008 when Facebook and YouTube were new,” said Richard. “It’s a neat way to challenge students and to show that things learned in class can be applied to real life.”

To Richard, this project embodies Continue reading →

Six board slots to be appointed by Valdosta

You have to live in Lowndes County, but not necessarily in Valdosta, to volunteer to serve on one of these appointed boards. City of Valdosta PR 14 January 2016, Six Opportunities to Serve in New Year,

Valdosta-Lowndes County residents who have made serving their community a New Year’s resolution have until Wednesday, Feb. 3, to apply for one of six city appointments to serve on a board, commission, authority or advisory committee.

The Valdosta City Council will vote on the new appointments at their Feb. 11 City Council meeting to fill the following vacancies:

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Public Hearing, 2016 Comprehensive Plan Update @ SGRC 2016-01-19

Received Friday 5 January 2016:

Subject: Lowndes Comprehensive Plan Kickoff Jan. 19th

The kick-off public hearing for the joint Lowndes County and Cities of Dasher, Hahira, Lake Park, Remerton, and Valdosta 2016 Comprehensive Plan Update will be held on:

Tuesday, January 19, 2016, 5:30 p.m.

Lowndes County South Health District Administrative Office
325 W. Savannah Avenue
Valdosta, Georgia

The purpose of this public hearing will be Continue reading →