Maybe we’ll see CUEE at some of the three forums VBOE is organizing. Maybe they’ll address issues such as consolidation producing no improvement in academic achievement, consolidation causing increased taxpayer expense, and the need for any consolidation proposal to come from educators and parents, and to be voted on by all the citizens in the affected school districts; you know, the issues LCBOE just called them on.
-jsq
| Mayor | John Gayle
Gary Minchew |
|---|---|
| At Large | Matt Flumerfelt
Ben Norton * |
| Council 1 | James Wright * |
| Council 3 | Sonny Vickers * |
| Council 5 | Tim Carroll* |
Well, you have to qualify.
That costs
$750 down at the Board of Elections.
According to the City of Valdosta’s website, there are a few other requirements:
Qualification Mayor. To be eligible for election or appointment and service as Mayor, a person must be a minimum of 21 years of age, be a resident of the City of Valdosta for one year prior ro the date of qualifying, and a registered and qualified voter of the City of Valdosta at the time of qualifying.Then you have to campaign and win. Some people will doubtless spend a lot of money running for mayor. However, some recent elections to Lowndes County Commission and Valdosta Board of Education indicate Continue reading
In addition to the Draft Constrained List for T-SPLOST
draft constrained list of T-SPLOST projects, which doesn’t even include dollar estimates,
this
longer report
contains details for each project.
And the cost to widen Old US 41 North from North Valdosta Road to
Union Road has gone up from
the previous estimate in June of
$8 million to $12 million in August, for a 50% increase!
I wonder if the County Commissioners know about this rapid cost inflation.
| Previous | Current | Difference | Increase% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PE | $650,000 | $800,000 | $150,000 | 23% |
| ROW | $850,000 | $1,200,000 | $350,000 | 41% |
| CST | $6,500,000 | $10,000,000 | $3,500,000 | 54% |
| Total | $8,000,000 | $12,000,000 | $4,000,000 | 50% |
Curious how when the components went up by odd amounts,
the total went up by exactly 50%.
It’s almost like the total was increased and then the components
were arranged to add up to that.
Also curious how the biggest increase, percentage (54%) and total ($3,500,000) is for construction. I could see how Rights of Way (ROW) acquisition costs might go up because people might not want this boondoggle in their front yards, but why was it so hard to estimate construction costs the first time?
And curious how that construction increase is a bit more than Continue reading
Craig Cardella said his wife Anne
was a current Valdosta City Schools teacher and former Teacher of the year,
and he was a former city manager who had done community development all his life.
I can tell you without doubt this is the most damaging useless thing I’ve seen proposed in many many years. This will do more damage to our community than just about anything I can think ofshort of a hurricane running through the middle of town. It will damage both the county and the city school systems severely. It will hinder the growth of the education of our children. It will cause chaos among the city and county school staffs, both of which are like this, because a lot of times they’re the same people.
Here’s the video:
The most damaging useless thing —Craig Cardell @ VBOE 29 August 2011
education, referendum, consolidation, statement,
Work Session, Valdosta Board of Education (VBOE),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 29 August 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
More transcription; he’s just getting to the best parts: Continue reading
This is truly a time for educators, and the families of students in our communities’ schools to celebrate the leadership that the BOEs have shown.
That said, I would like to commend the LCBOE on the strength of their resolution. They not only state clearly that consolidating the schools would not increase in academic achievement, but a large tax increase would be expected. Another point that LCBOE included in their resolution is that such a referendum should only be brought by citizens, families, or educators.
Jame Wright also made this point in his statement to city council last week. Without the support of the educators involved, and the families impacted, such a referendum question is just a big buck political agenda on the ballot.
This town is still small enough to call this spade – money trying to drive the education bus into the ditch.
Let me just say this-
NOT WITH MY KIDS’ EDUCATION, YOU DON’T!!!
I see nothing in consolidation that would improve education,
so I see no need for it ever.
I got to the VBOE meeting really early, so I was the first to sign up to speak. My main topic was to praise the Valdosta Board of Education for putting their agendas online in web-readable form (rather than entombed in PDF as so many other organizations do).
Here’s the video:
Consolidation won’t improve education so I see no need for it ever —John S. Quarterman @ VBOE 29 August 2011
education, referendum, consolidation, statement,
Work Session, Valdosta Board of Education (VBOE),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 29 August 2011.
Videos by George Boston Rhynes for
K.V.C.I.
Later I also complimented the chair for having one of those rare objects, a clock on the wall where everyone can see it so they can know how long they’ve spoken already.
Thanks, George, for the compliments in the information on your YouTube video. You were blogging long before LAKE. Everyone please look at George’s blog, K.V.C.I. Keeping Valdosta Citizens Informed.
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Hm, they noticed yesterday’s VBOE meeting with its statement and today’s LCBOE meeting with its resolution.Two south Georgia School systems don’t want to consolidate.
Almost as interesting is what they don’t mention.
CUEE is not named; it’s just “a citizen group”.
And there’s no mention that both meetings were full of FVCS people
opposing consolidation, and not one single CUEE member willing to
speak up for it.
Less than two months ago, both WALB and WCTV named both groups
and
used words like “Talks Heat Up” (WALB) and “Showdown” (WCTV).
What’s changed, TV media?
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adopted today by the Lowndes County Board of Education.
It does not seem to be on their web pages yet.
First a video of Superintendent Steve Smith reading the resolution,
followed by the text of the resolution.
Here’s the video:
LCBOE resolution against school consolidation, read by Supt. Smith
education, referendum, consolidation, statement,
called meeting, Lowndes County Board of Education (LCBOE),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 30 August 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
This text is my transcription of what was read. I have added a few links.
-jsq
Continue readingRESOLUTION
WHEREAS the Lowndes County Board of Education, Valdosta, Georgia, met on August the 30th 2011, to discuss positions regarding the consolidation of the Valdosta City School System and the Lowndes County School System.
WHEREAS the Valdosta City School System met in session on Monday
It took the Lowndes County Board of Education less than two minutes
at today’s 1PM called board meeting
to adopt a resolution against school consolidation.
Here are a few excerpts, followed by the video:
Nobody had any comments or discussion.Superintendent Steve Smith: As y’all are well aware, we have had numerous requests from our constituents that we adopt a stance regarding consolidation. So I think this resolution pretty much describes our position regarding consolidation.
So they moved and seconded.
Philip Poole made the motion.
I didn’t catch who seconded.
Chair Fred Davis asked for a vote indicated “by raising your hand individually
and reciting your name, please.”
Continue reading