Category Archives: Lowndes County Commission

What are they going to put for a buffer for farms at Nottinghill —Calvin Marshall @ LCC 12 July 2011

Neighboring landowner demolishes developers’ arguments; explains agriculture to Lowndes County Comission.

Neighboring landowner Calvin Marshall, speaking against rezoning for REZ-2011-10 Nottinghill, said neighbors,

“We’re not interested in a Bluepool, We’re not interested in a Chatham Place. And we’re certainly not interested in what they built out on Val Del Road. We’ve also looked at what they’ve done with Old Pine, and we’re definitely not interested in that, either. Too small lots, small homes.”
That last one is presumably Glen Laurel, which had a roomful of neighbors opposing it last year.

Calvin Marshall asked for the Commissioners to deny the Nottinghill rezoning request.

He also asked:

“The other thing that we asked the developer … what you going to do about the neighbors that have got a farm on each side? What kind of buffer are you going to put there?
…
We farm that land, we grow crops, we run cows, we run goats, we run hogs, and we’re going to continue to do that.
…
We don’t have an answer as to what they’re going to do for a buffer.”

Calvin Marshall continued with the economic argument:

“There’s three or four generations of property owners in this room tonight. These people go back for three or four generations. And these people have worked hard.
Continue reading →

Nottinghill, Cat Creek Road, rezoning —Jason Davenport

County Planner Jason Davenport introduced REZ-2011-10 Nottinghill, Cat Creek Rd, 0144 0255-0258, ~15.75 ac., 49 lots, Co W/S, R-1 to R-10.

He said the TRC recommended approval with a condition, the Planning Commission recommended approval with a different condition, and now staff preferred requiring a minimum lot size of 12,000 square feet.

Here’s the video:


Nottinghill, Cat Creek Road, rezoning —Jason Davenport
Regular Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 12 July 2011.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

-jsq

I was disinvited to be on Black Crow radio —Ashley Paulk

It wasn’t after the Commission meeting that Ashley Paulk said
“I was disinvited to be on Black Crow radio.”
It was during the meeting, as in this video. I was confused because I left the room briefly and didn’t see it. Fortunately, Gretchen had a camera going.

Here’s the video:


I was disinvited to be on Black Crow radio —Ashley Paulk
Regular Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 12 July 2011.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

-jsq

Graphic horse case —Susan Leavens

Received 28 June 2011. -jsq
On 05-07-2010 horse was euthenised

This 18 month old Tenn. Walking Horse was refused vet care or euthensia not only by its owner but by my Director as well. I was alerted through 911 dispatch on a Saturday while working. I spoke to my director (Linda) about the colts situation and she advised me she was not going to WASTE COUNTY FUNDS picking him up, euthenising him or disposing of him. Five days later with a Lowndes County deputy and Officer Ronnie Ganas and Dr. Mary Rogers, he was darted (colt was not halter broken) and euthenised; Tifton Diagnostic Lab found a high utensil wire embedded in the left hind leg (pastern) which had severed his deep flexor tendon. PLEASE REMEMBER vet care or euthenising was REFUSED

Continue reading →

Arrests for speaking in an Arizona town

Something seems familiar about this story of a couple of people being arrested at small town council meetings for speaking up.

Ben Popken wrote for the Consumerist 15 July 2011, Small Arizona Town In Furor After 2nd Citizen Arrested For Speaking At Town Meeting:

The town of Quartzsite, AZ, population 3,466, is in disarray after a video showing police hauling away a citizen for speaking at the town meeting podium went viral. The woman was saying that the town council had been violating open meeting laws.

It was the second citizen arrested at a Quartzsite town meeting in two weeks.

What’s all this about? Continue reading →

Return of the Sock Puppets!

A new spate of sock puppets, this time spitting against animals!

Someone commenting as lowndes county tax payer and resident yelled and screamed a bit, concluding

“DAMN.”
Less than an hour later, long time citizen as well commented:
“I certainly can agree with you on that….”
Guess what? They both posted from the same IP address and supplied the same email address. And then lifetime citizen of lowndes county, not just a visitor complaining posted
“STOP BOTHERING THOSE PEOPLE”
with a different IP address, yet the same email address. You may have suspected that just from the same kind of ALL CAPS INVECTIVE.

This is a sock puppet:

sock puppet: the act of creating a fake online identity to praise, defend or create the illusion of support for one’s self, allies or company. — New York Times

As I pointed out back in April, Sock puppets may not be such a good idea, because: Continue reading →

If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything

LAKE does not generally repost anonymous comments, but I’ll make an exception for this one that came in today on Somebody has gotten fired at the animal shelter. -jsq
Alot of times, the local county residents are too afraid of retaliation TO bring forth allegations of cruelty, or corrupted officials. So I’m all for outsiders tossing in their two cents. I don’t live in Lowndes Co – far from it – but I do know how corruption can fester in these rural counties when the residents choose not to speak out.

Kudos to ALL of the Lowndes Co taxpaying residents who speak out – not only for the animal’s rights, but for their own human rights, as well.

Corruption corrupts. Period. And if you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.
-An Outsider Looking In

Many other comments have appeared on that and other recent posts, some of which will probably get reposted here, but meanwhile you can go to the blog and see for yourself. In general, saying who you are will greatly increase the chances your comment will get reposted, as will sticking to issues and avoiding personal attacks.

-jsq

Somebody has gotten fired at the animal shelter

Improper use of drugs for euthanizing animals is apparently enough to get someone fired from the animal shelter, at least if there is a parade of witnesses and paperwork, but only after someone files a complaint with GA Dept. of Ag.

On 16 June 2011 Susan Leavens got a letter from Shirley King, with attached PDF, containing:

  • complaint from Susan Leavens (unknown date):
    “Employee working with Lowndes County Animal Services euthanizing animals wihtout certification.”
  • 2011-06-03 PDF notice of violation from Ga. Dept. Ag. to Lowndes Co. Animal Services
  • a long handwritten statement by Pat Smith, also annotated:
    “Copy of report received by [signed] Joe Pritchard 6-3-11”
Continue reading →

hold for safe keeping mother and puppy’s born at the shelter —Susan Leavens

Received 28 June 2011. -jsq
This puppy was born at the shelter, the mother and litter mate was on hold for “SAFE KEEPING” the owner was in jail and the Director (Linda) removed the dew claws by forcyps and spinning them off, the litter mate to this puppy died at a later date.

-Susan Leavens

Crawford Powell is a big man

According to David Rodock in the VDT today about last night’s County Commission regular session:
Only one citizen, Dr. Michael Noll, came forward to speak with commissioners. Noll asked commissioners to speak with Industrial Authority board members about the 22.2 acre tract of land that is being considered for purchase by Wiregrass Power LLC. Noll is concerned the company will use the land to pursue previous plans to construct a biomass facility, a proposal which has seen considerable negative community backlash over the last year.

“I think commissioners made this very clear that the Industrial Authority should have been done with this project,” said Paulk. “I don’t think we’ve changed our mind. I can’t speak for the City of Valdosta, but I think they’re prepared to make some moves and make a statement on their behalf in the immediate future. It’s a project that didn’t work and when things don’t work, move on to things that do. That’s my personal opinion.”

District 3 commissioner Crawford Powell offered his insight on the issue, “The issue the Industrial Authority has is they had a contractual agreement on the sale of the property and so they’re trying to work through that but I don’t think there’s any particular excitement on their behalf to continue down that road.”

According to usually reliable sources, it was Crawford Powell who Continue reading →