Category Archives: Transparency

Industrial Park Acreage —Andrea Schruijer @ VLCIA 19 July 2011

Apparently VLCIA has few or no tracts of 200 acres or up out of their 577 acres.

New Executive Director Andrea Schruijer said:

We’re looking at having prospects in, or existing industries are looking to come here, we don’t actually look like we have a 577 acre tract that we can market. It’s actually a lot smaller than that. So when a company comes in and wants 200 acres that’s something we have a gap in.
She’s following up on former chairman Jerry Jennett’s request. Jennett remarked at this meeting Continue reading →

LCC Lunch and Learn 11 August 2011

The first Lowndes County Lunch and Learn was Thursday, 11 August, 2011. Paige Dukes, County Clerk and Public Information Officer, presented.
“I work in everyone’s business, just a little bit.”
Commissioner Joyce Evans made a brief viridian green appearance. Gretchen Quarterman videoed for LAKE. I think that’s Jody making the loud paper crackling noises. I hear Paige is sending her slides for posting on the LAKE web pages. Looks to me like they could use some more attendees. They’re going to the trouble to do this; y’all come and help them out!

Here’s a playlist:


LCC Lunch and Learn 11 August 2011
Lunch and Learn, Lowndes County Staff (LCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 11 August 2011.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

-jsq

Planners Post for August —Alexandra P. Arzayus

City of Valdosta Planning and Zoning is trying to keep people informed about Five Points redevelopment and other things.

Received 12 August 2011, with attached PDF. -jsq

Hi all,

We have some really interesting projects and events this issue. Since school is back in session most are planning for football games and other semester activities. Since we are in the planning mode, please read our article on Community Planning Month in October. We have lots of fun and exciting events for citizens to participate in this year. Our theme is “New Ideas for America’s Future”. Since the youth are our future, we want to extend this invitation to any youth groups that may be interested in government and planning. Please contact us to RVSP for a lunch & learn or tour. We look forward to seeing you there!!

Also, check out an update on the Five Points Project and Tax Incentives for Historic Preservation.

August 2011 Planner’s Post
http://www.valdostacity.com/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=3D4017

Continue reading →

Quitman 10, Rally & News Media Whiteout! Nearly 200 Citizens Ignored! —George Boston Rhynes

Received yesterday. It’s a YouTube video. -jsq


Video by George Boston Rhynes for K.V.C.I. Keeping Valdosta Citizen Informed

George has written up most of this in K.V.C.I. with pictures and YouTube videos.

Also, I appreciate the shoutout, George, and I’m sure the other people involved with LAKE and this blog do, as well.

-jsq

Suburbia dangerous for pedestrians

Maybe people are starting to notice that far more people die in traffic accidents in the U.S.A. than in foreign wars. The projects submitted by Lowndes County for TSPLOST funding would make this problem even worse, except the bus system, which wouldn’t require road widening.

John Larson and others, PBS, 22 July 2010, Profiles from the Recession: [VIDEO] Dangerous Crossing: A new suburbia as economy changes:

In recent years a little noticed shift has been transforming suburbia: the home of the middle class has become the home of the working poor. As a result, roadways that were built for the car are now used by a growing population that can’t afford to drive. The consequences can be deadly.

Watch the full episode. See more Need To Know.

According to a recent report, by two national transportation groups, about 43 thousand pedestrians were killed in the U.S. in the last decade; “the equivalent of a jumbo jet going down roughly every month.”

Of course, the problem didn’t start with an increase in pedestrians. Continue reading →

Hahira City Council Meeting —Barbara Stratton 4 August 2011

Received today, and I saw the owl chortling with glee at the prospect of reports on another local council. -jsq
The LAKE blog has been doing an excellent job of publishing what is happening in various Valdosta and Lowndes County public meetings. I have been attending the Hahira City Council meetings for several months now and decided I would start posting a monthly blog summary of council meetings so Hahira residents will be aware of what is happening in their city. This is not intended to be an official documentation and citizens should depend on the official meeting minutes and/or discuss issues with city officials.

It was announced that a hearing had been advertised to discuss changing the millage rate for the city and it was decided the mileage rate would remain the same with no increase.

The review of bills/budget overages were approved by the council.

Addendum to the summary – Per history records, on Feb. 15, 2011 the Valdosta Daily Times printed an article about a special meeting of concerned citizens and Hahira city officials which discussed several agenda items relating to the city’s trash services. During the meeting citizens were not allowed to speak. Mayer Wayne Bullard recused himself after stating he was employed by All Green Services which could be a

Continue reading →

Lowndes County doesn’t do what it says —Ernest McDonald @ LCC 8 August 2011

County resident Ernest McDonald laid out a list of issues he said the county hasn’t addressed correctly. He said it wasn’t anything personal. He wasn’t mad. He just thought there were some issues that needed to be addressed.

For example, regarding moving a power line from one side of the road to another as agreed:

We met every person involved. The state, the high pressure gasline…. The telephone buried cable people, they came. The county engineer came…. And we all agreed…. Put stakes in the ground…. The stakes had rotted down.
It’s been so long the stakes rotted down, and nothing ever got done. As Ernest McDonald said:
That’s not right.
The County Engineer was missing from the meeting. It’s a bit hard to see in the picture, but there are only two heads in front of the glaring window, and the Engineer would be the third head in the middle.

In another issue, Ernest McDonald paid $650 to find a sewer line, marked it, and the county tore up Continue reading →

Lowndes County isn’t the only one with a trash problem

Curbside pick up for $196 per year. Mandatory.

Jerry Askin wrote for WCTV 2 August 2011, Wakulla County Soon To Have Mandatory Curbside Trash Pickup? Folks in Wakulla County could soon be forced to pay mandatory fees for curbside trash pickup.

“It’s going to provide our residents a way to easily dispose of their garbage. And it will provide recycling opportunities for the citizens of Wakulla County,” says Wakulla County Commissioner Alan Brock.

“I personally don’t want to spend the expense of having

Continue reading →

No inhumane treatment issues other than the pot belly pig?

Received Sunday a PDF of a letter from Joe Pritchard, County Manager, to Mary Greene, GA Dep. of Ag. together with the appended cover letter from Susan Leavens. -jsq

Mr. Prichard has made many comments in reference to several of his employees; in recent news paper articles and on the evening news indirectly of course that “they” had bios opinions and even questioned my character in one article.

Mr. Prichard also informed everyone there were no inhumane treatment issues other than the pot belly pig. Well I believe in this document from County Manager Joe Prichard to Ms. Mary Green with Department of Agriculture animal protection says otherwise. I believe Mr. Prichard’s recent statement to the media was though our investigation we found no wrong doing… lets list them here.

Continue reading →

Hospital Authority

Who approved the $40 million purchase of Smith Northview Hospital by South Georgia Medical Center (SGMC)? The Valdosta-Lowndes County Hospital Authority. Who is that?

Let’s look on their web pages. We would, if they had any. Let’s try the Valdosta city web pages: the link to Hospital Authority gets 404 not found. How about the Lowndes County web pages? Don’t be silly! The Lowndes County government doesn’t provide links to any of the 20+ boards and authorities to which it appoints members.

So where can we find a list of who’s on this board? Why, SGMC: Continue reading →