Gretchen reports from Macon that Lowndes County Commissioner Clay Griner (District 5), Paige Dukes (County Clerk), Joyce Evans (District 1), Scott Orenstein (District 2-elect), and Valdosta City Clerk Theresa Bolden (not pictured)
are all at the
VDT Open Government Symposium in Macon.
Congratulations, Jim Zachary and the VDT, on getting them to show up! Continue reading
Category Archives: Transparency
The Case of the Six Missing Screams: Nydia Tisdale’s video edited by sheriff’s office?
It looks like the “public” Pumpkin Farm Republican campaign rally headlined by Gov. Nathan Deal not only caused a citizen journalist to be roughed up and evicted, and her camera taken, apparently the local law edited her video recording to remove the sound of her screams.
Jim Galloway wrote 22 September 2014,
The Case of the Six Missing Screams,
You’ll remember Tisdale as the citizen-journalist from Roswell who was arrested in August at a GOP rally at a pumpkin farm in Dawsonville for pointing a video recorder at candidates. Which is what she does.
In front of the top of the GOP ticket, including Gov. Nathan Deal, Tisdale was grabbed — then roughed up. Her camera was Continue reading
VDT Open Government Symposium: in Macon?
Yay open government symposium!
But why in Macon, why not in Valdosta,
if it’s organized by the new VDT editor?
Sure, Macon is the geographic center of the state, but it’s only
about an hour from Atlanta, and one thing most people in Atlanta don’t
understand is how big Georgia is, so asking them to drive four hours
to Valdosta would be educational for them.
And if the VDT is so interested in government transparency,
why doesn’t it investigate the county’s lawsuit against local business Deep South Sanitation
at the expense of the local taxpayers that benefits nobody but
“exclusive franchise” ADS and its investors in New York City?
Why is the VDT’s front page story that gave a platform for
Spectra’s Andrea Grover no longer online, especially now that
the Sabal Trail deadline she announced has been busted?
Let’s see the VDT lead the way.
Here’s a first test:
Gretchen is going to Macon with the LAKE video camera.
Will the VDT let her video?
Unsigned article, VDT, 11 October 2014, VDT leading way in open government, Continue reading
Board Packet @ LCC 2014-10-13
The address is correct for the road abandonment public hearing
agenda item
The
board packet,
unlike on
the agenda,
so if citizens had ready access to this board packet they’d know whether
they should show up tonight
at
yesterday morning’s Work Session
and tonight’s Regular Session
for
6.a. Abandonment of Unopened Right of Way off Water Oak Drive.
There’s one quote, from xylem, for the Continue reading
Videos: GLPC appointment, abandonment, septic, pump, and VOCA @ LCC 2014-10-13 @ LCC 2014-10-13
It’s
Water Oak Trail, not Water Oak Drive, for the
road abandonment: how are people supposed to know to show up
for a public hearing when the address isn’t even on the right street?
Update 2014-10-14: The board packet has the correct address, so if the county put that packet on its website the citizens wouldn’t be confused. And the lift pump replacement got a single quote for $30,040.20, so this is yet another single-sourced non-competitive deal. Why do Commissioners have no questions about that?
Plus an unscheduled recognition of Leadership Lowndes attendees, a Planning Commission reappointment with no previous advertisement, yet another water pump replacement, a well and septic rezoning on Madison Highway, and a legal grant, on the agenda.
Continue readingLOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2014, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2014, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
Videos: Transportation, Water, Safety, and Alcohol @ LCC 2014-09-23
Commissioner Demarcus Marshall recused himself
in the Regular Session of 23 September 2014,
for the
Public Safety Radio System System Upgrade,
in case anybody thought a Motorola VP with the same last name was related. (Update 11:10 AM: added transcription of the three-part motion.)
Rental leases for the
Leila Ellis Social Services Building
got more discussion.
They added
VOCA-funded VWMAP
and
GDOT at Clay and Hollywood (from the previous morning’s Executive Session), that the Tax Assessor’s database says is owned by the School Board,
to the
amended agenda.
Everything else,
including
the USGS water level gauge on the Little River,
was breezed through with no discussion,
so fast the Chairman almost forgot to ask for speakers
in
an alcohol license public hearing,
and he didn’t bother to mention
before they adjourned that
nobody had signed up for Citizens Wishing to Be Heard.
Here’s the amended agenda with links to the videos and a few notes, followed by a playlist. See also the LAKE videos of the previous morning’s Work Session and Board Packet.
LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS PROPOSED AGENDAContinue reading
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2014, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2014, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
County Planning Commission arrests citizen for speaking in public hearing
The Payette County, Idaho Planning and Zoning Commission
accused somebody of having previously provided false information
and had her arrested for responding in a public hearing to
a direct accusation by name.
It appears that it was a Commissioner’s information that
was misleading, and the same Commission has a history of not
revealing relevant information even in response to an open records request.
There is video of the Thursday event.
She is still being held in jail, and permitted no outside communication.
Jerry Nelson wrote for Epoch Times 12 October 2014, Alma Hasse, Idaho Fractivist, Arrested in Public Meeting, Continue reading
Another Planning Commission appointment, plus abandonment, septic, pump, and VOCA @ LCC 2014-10-13
This morning: another
Planning Commission appointment with no previous
advertisement that there was an opening,
yet another
road abandonment,
yet another
water pump replacement,
a
well and septic rezoning on Madison Highway,
and a
legal grant,
on the agenda.
Continue readingLOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2014, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2014, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
Bailey Gung Scintilla Land @ GLPC 2014-09-29
A request in the county
for heavy manufacturing.
In Valdosta,
Scintilla Charter Academy
wants
a school Conditional Use Permit;
Julie Hiers spoke about that proposed school
at the most recent county commission meeting.
And the tabled
Gung event center and flea market is back.
Here’s the agenda.
Greater Lowndes Planning CommissionContinue readingLowndes 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 AvenueMonday, September 29, 2014* 5:30 P.M. * Public Hearing
Board Packet @ LCC 2014-09-22
Here is the board packet for yesterday morning’s Work Session.
Notice it does not have anything about
reporting on services provided or number of citizens serviced
for the Leila Ellis leases,
and no contracts at all for
the Public Safety Radio System Upgrade.
And nothing at all about the non-even-on-the-agenda
Victim Witness Program renewal.
Maybe those items will be added to the board packet Commissioners get
before they vote tonight at 5:30 PM.
Here are
videos of their Work Session from yesterday morning, at which Commissioners Marshall and Powell made it clear they would like to see some additional items.
At least this packet cost a lot less ($7.80) than the last one.
-jsq