Category Archives: Government

Community Building vs Anonymity

LAKE aims to provide transparency through citizen involvement and publishing information on the web and through the press.

There is a balance between citizen participation when saying things which one believes may be controversial and being protected from retaliation for having those potentially unpopular views. Because retaliation can happen there are times when anonymity is appropriate. If someone were to obtain, and want published, important documents about a local issue, they might choose to remain behind the scenes. This does happen with press sources and could happen here.

However, in the realm of community participation and community building, it is important for those who have a say to do so in public: both citizens and elected officials. Leigh Touchton has commented on this comparing people who speak at the citizen portions of public meetings or signing petitions with those who only meet privately with elected officials. People who are willing to put their name on their opinion are more respected than those who will not.

We recognize that people often share an IP address because they have one DSL or Cable connection at their home (like John and Gretchen Quarterman do). Or, they are using a shared network (say at the library or at a coffeeshop, as Gretchen Quarterman and George Rhynes have also been known to do). So, we recognize that an IP address is not a personal identifier. However, when comments from mulitiple people come from the same IP address (leigh.touchton, wow, duh, amen, thankyou, sludge) it behooves the address owner to take care with their network access. We agree with what jsq wrote about sockpuppets .

Everyone has a voice and this forum is an opportunity to have yours heard, if you choose. If you are too ashamed of your opinion to put your name on it, perhaps this forum is not for you. Community building comes from people building relationships and having dialog. We may not all agree, but if light is shined on issues, informed decisions might be made and in building community, fears may be decreased.

– Carolyn, Gretchen and jsq for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange

Congressional redistricting meeting for Georgia in Valdosta

According to the Moultrie Observer, Redistricting meeting set for Valdosta:
A joint meeting of the House and Senate Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment committees will be held in Valdosta on Tuesday, May 24, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Brooks Hall Conference Center of Wiregrass Georgia Technical College. The meeting will a public hearing.

For more information or for directions, visit the Wiregrass Technical College Web site at www.wiregrass.edu. Parking is free for the meeting.

That’s at the Brooks Hall Conference Center at 4089 Val Tech Road.

Here’s some further information on redistricting from Ballotpedia. This is the only redistricting meeting in the current Georgia First Congressional District (GA-01) and I think the only one in the Second Congressional District (GA-02).

That’s the same evening as the next Lowndes County Commission meeting, so LAKE could use some owls to get video at both locations. We can loan cameras. Interested parties please contact information at l-a-k-e.org (yes, the hyphens are part of the address).

-jsq

Using oil to move an automobile down the street … not something you’re going to see in 20 to 25 years. —Pete Marte

Pete Marte of Hannah Solar predicted that within a generation cars will run on electricity generated by solar arrays like the one commissioned last Thursday.

Col. Allan Ricketts introduced Pete Marte, CEO of Hannah Solar.

Here’s Part 1 of 3: Continue reading →

Do you miss him yet? Brad Lofton in SC

He may be gone, but he’s still up to his old tricks, and he’s using us for a reference.

Adva Saldinger wrote in The Sun News 8 May 2011, Lofton hits ground running in new post; CEO asking taxpayers for $1.6 million:

The new Myrtle Beach Regional Economic Development Corp. president and chief executive is by many accounts aggressive and personable, and he says, ready to take charge and bring much needed jobs to the area quickly.

Brad Lofton said he will bring 500 jobs in the first 18 months, and an average of 500 jobs each year over the next five to 10 years.

And a pony!

Has anybody verified the jobs Lofton claimed he brought to Lowndes County? Continue reading →

What does this mean? —Leigh Touchton

This comment from Leigh Touchton came in last night on It’s not over until it’s over. I have added links and pictures. -jsq
I asked VLCIA Board member Roy Copeland afterwards whether this means the biomass incinerator is STILL going to be built? He shrugged and walked away.

Karen Noll asked Allan Ricketts what does this mean, since we all heard Lowndes County Commission Chairman Paulk give us a very different scenario at the last LCC meeting, and his remarks were covered in the Valdosta Daily Times. Mr. Ricketts said he was not aware of Chairman Paulk’s remarks.

Continue reading →

Cheap prison labor used to build U.S. military weapons?

Destroy local labor while building weapons to destroy foreign enemies!

Mike Elk wrote for Alternet 28 April 2011, Defense Contractors Using Prison Labor to Build High-Tech Weapons Systems

It is a little known fact of the attack on Libya that some of the components of the cruise missiles being launched into the country mayl have been made by prisoners in the United States. According to its website, UNICOR, which is the organization that represents Federal Prison Industries, “supplies numerous electronic components and service for guided missiles, including the Patriot Advanced Capability Missile (PAC-3)”.

In addition to constructing electronic components for missiles, prison labor in the United States is used to make electronic cables for defense items like “the McDonnell Douglas/Boeing (BA) F-15, the General Dynamics/Lockheed Martin F-16, Bell/Textron’s (TXT) Cobra helicopter, as well as electro-optical equipment for the BAE Systems”.

Traditionally these types of defense jobs would have gone to highly paid, unionized workers. However the prison workers building parts for these missiles earn a starting wage of 23 cents an hour and can only make a maximum of $1.15 an hour.

Maybe you’re out of a job. Can you compete with 23 cents an hour?

More detail in Noah Schactman’s Danger Room story

And Justin Rohrich, who apparently broke the story, says Lockheed Martin demanded a correction because they claim: Continue reading →

Rezoning on Old Pine Road again: is anything different this time?

Has anything changed since the contentious Glen Laurel rezoning on Old Pine Road? Maybe yes.

The new case decided yesterday (REZ-2011-05 – Laurel Brooke), was also represented by Bill Nijem, who got up and started speaking for it, and after a bit said:

First let me introduce myself, there are new faces up here. Bill Nijem. I represent the applicant.
Assuming that Commissioners should just know who he is may not sound like a good start, But, as he already said, nobody was speaking against this rezoning. Why is that?

I would like to note when the applicant first submitted this application, it was submitted as planned development, and worked with Mr. Davenport, we did tweak the site plan somewhat, made larger lots, and now it’s R-10.
And that’s what the opponents of the Glen Laurel rezoning asked for. At least a couple of them were present this time. Gretchen talked to them later, and they told her that since this subdivision had what they asked for last time, they had no objections this time.

Bill Nijem even discussed traffic and accidents, which you may recall Continue reading →

Developers refused to budge and Commissioners caved: Glen Laurel

Should the County Commission approve rezoning for a subdivision just because developers say they won’t compromise any more?

Bill Nijem presented Moody and schools nearby and the proposed house price as arguments for the Glen Laurel subdivision, plus county services, which, remember, were put in for them to use. This was after Pine Grove Elementary closed and moved farther away.

Here’s Part 1 of 5: Continue reading →

Put there for us to use —Barbara Herring

Should developers drive the extension of county services, or should there be a planning process that takes other factors into account? The Glen Laurel rezoning case suggests that developers drive the process now.

Speaking for the Glen Laurel subdivision were Bill Nijem and Barbara Herring. She described the original layout as “a very efficient layout”. She said they redesigned it and added a park in the middle and other green space in addition to natural vegetation.

All the neighbors on the outside wouldn’t be able to see into it very well.
She said they also increased the lot sizes, but they did not change the road plan.

Here’s Part 1 of 2: Continue reading →

Density and traffic

A retired Air Force veteran weighed in, asserting that new subdivisions need to be compatible and consistent with homes already in the area, and Glen Laurel would cause a lot of traffic and drive land values down.
In the long run, as far as Lowndes County is concerned, do you feel in your hearts that this is going to enhance Lowndes County as a place to come and live and enjoy?

Here’s Part 1 of 3: Continue reading →