Category Archives: VLCIA 2011-03-15

How the Industrial Authority can stop the CCA private prison: no third extension by 13 March 2012

Apparently the Industrial Authority can end the contract for CCA’s private prison
six weeks from now, by simply not doing anything until then.

CCA has already paid for two extensions on their Option Agreement
for land purchase.


The

Second Extension Term
was paid for in March 2010

and forwarded to the land owner.
Here’s video of

Col. Ricketts announcing it to
the VLCIA board 15 March 2011.
That second extension expires 13 March 2012, six weeks from today.

A Third Extension Term is possible, but has to be negotiated.
Here’s what

Purchase and Development Agreement of 17 August 201
says:

1.4.2.3. Third Extension Term.
The Authority shall use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain an option
for a third extension term of twelve (12) months
(the “Third Extension Term“).
In the event the Authority is able to obtain such extension option
on terms and conditions such that any required earnest money to be paid
by the Company in connection with the exercise of such extension option does not
exceed $75,000, and there is no increase of the price of the Site
or any other payments not already required by the Option Agreement,
then the Authority shall enter into a written agreement
(the “Third Extension Term“)
with the Seller reflecting the terms and conditions of such extension option….

What happens if the Authority does not provide such an extension option?

Continue reading →

Let’s see these “many” biomass opponents

So what’s the evidence that these

biomass opponents are many, as the VDT says?
We could review letters to the editors in the VDT,
but let’s look at the visual evidence LAKE has recorded.

With no pro-biomass demonstrators anywhere to be seen.
Sure, a few people show up at government meetings to speak for the
biomass plant, but by my tally they are indeed very few,
and most of them are either former employees or board members
of the Industrial Authority.
Yes, LAKE has posted videos of
them, as well:

Ken Garren,

Nolen Cox.

Crawford Powell.
Or watch the people at the microphones during the
6 December 2011 VLCIA biomass “forum”
and see what you think the ratio is.

My opinion is

the same as I posted last month:
“Black and white, young and old, conservative and liberal, college professors and unemployed”.
Come see for yourself

today outside Valdosta City Hall starting at 5PM.

-jsq

Corey Hull explains T-SPLOST to VLCIA, 15 Feb 2011



What’s this about yet another sales tax decided on by
regional transportation boards and GDOT?

Corey Hull of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Metropolitan Planning Organization
(VLMPO)
explained T-SPLOST
at the regular monthly meeting,
Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA).
Georgia HB 277, which was passed by the legislature and signed into law
last year,
calls for a 1% regional sales tax (T-SPLOST) to fund
transportation projects.


The region including Lowndes County has 18 counties,

Continue reading →

Wiregrass Technical College @ VLCIA 15 March 2011



Wiregrass Technical College wants to expand onto some land owned
by the Industrial Authority, using
SPLOST funds.

Chairman Jerry Jennett:

The point is they’re landlocked.

And so what you want to do is you want to take what your tract is now
and have the ability to expand your building in the future.
You want to move your training facility now and….

More transcription after

the video:





Regular monthly meeting, Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority, VLCIA,
Norman Bennett, Roy Copeland, Tom Call, Mary Gooding, Jerry Jennett chairman,
J. Stephen Gupton attorney, Brad Lofton Executive Director,

Allan Ricketts Program Manager, 15 March 2011.

Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

Roy Copeland:

Continue reading →

Competition for CCA’s private prison? –Roy Copeland



Roy Copeland had a question about Project Excel,
the
private prison that Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) wants
to build in Lowndes County,
at the

15 March 2011 VLCIA board meeting.

Q: He wanted to know if there are other communities competing for the project,
and whether they had also paid a second extension.

A: Col. Ricketts answered that there is another community competing,
but he did not know whether they had made that payment:

Continue reading →

CCA has made second payment towards private prison –Col. Ricketts



Regarding the
private prison that Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) wants
to build in Lowndes County,
at the 15 March 2011 VLCIA board meeting,
Col. Ricketts gave an update,

saying CCA had made a second payment as stipulated in the purchase
and development agreement:





Regular monthly meeting, Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority, VLCIA,

Norman Bennett, Roy Copeland, Tom Call, Mary Gooding, Jerry Jennett chairman,

J. Stephen Gupton attorney, Brad Lofton Executive Director, Allan Ricketts Program Manager,

15 March 2011

Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

The story continues in later posts.

-jsq

Goodbye –Brad Lofton @ VLCIA 15 Mar 2011



And now the moment

that’s been discussed
since

Thursday,
Brad Lofton’s

goodbye:

Like Mr. Minchew I’m not good at goodbyes either.
I wanted to say I’ll be brief…
I’m not articulate enough to begin to thank y’all
for the unbelievable privilege I’ve had for the last five years.
…unbelievable board of directors,
the most talented staff I’ve ever worked with.
…
My wife was going to be here but she would have been too emotional.
Thank you all for your trust and confidence in me.
It really has been the best five years of my life.
I just want you to know your leadership….
Wish you the best of luck.
That’s all Mr. Chairman.
Thank you.





Brad Lofton saying goodbye at the

regular monthly meeting, Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA)

Norman Bennett, Roy Copeland, Tom Call, Mary Gooding, Jerry Jennett chairman,

J. Stephen Gupton attorney, Brad Lofton Executive Director, Allan Ricketts Program Manager,

15 March 2011.

Video by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

He didn’t mention the community.

-jsq

Beliefs are good, but facts are better –John S. Quarterman @ VLCIA, 15 March 2011



First I praised the

completion of the Wiregrass Solar LLC plant in Valdosta.
Then I complimented

Brad Lofton on finding his new job and hoped he’d be happy in Myrtle Beach.
Then I praised the VDT for

its editorial recommending using this opportunity to consult
the councils of the various municipalities and the County Commission,
and in particular that one way to produce

unity in the community
as G. Norman Bennett had previously advocated,
would be to find out what the community wants VLCIA to do.

I understand the point about beliefs.
But it’s not all about just the beliefs of just the people on the board.
It’s also about things like
is there enough water, and do we want businesses that soak up
a lot of water, like

Ben Copeland said at the Lake Park Chamber of Commerce.
Beliefs are good, but facts are better.
Thank you.





John S. Quarterman at the

regular monthly meeting, Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA)

Norman Bennett, Roy Copeland, Tom Call, Mary Gooding, Jerry Jennett chairman,

J. Stephen Gupton attorney, Brad Lofton Executive Director, Allan Ricketts Program Manager,

15 March 2011.

Video by David Rodock for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

-jsq

Praise for Brad Lofton –Crawford Powell @ VLCIA 15 March 2011



Former VLCIA board member Crawford Powell

remarked in Citizens Wishing to be Heard:

I was on the board as most of you know when we hired Brad
and I just want to publicly say Brad
I think you’ve done an exceptionally great job for this community.
I’m very proud of the accomplishments you and the authority have done
over the last five years since you’ve been here
and I wish you continued great success wherever you go,
and prosperity.





Former VLCIA board member Crawford Powell at the

regular monthly meeting, Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA)

Norman Bennett, Roy Copeland, Tom Call, Mary Gooding, Jerry Jennett chairman,

J. Stephen Gupton attorney, Brad Lofton Executive Director, Allan Ricketts Program Manager,

15 March 2011.

Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

He did mention community.

-jsq

Farewell second take –Gary Minchew @ VLCIA 15 Mar 2011



Former VLCIA board member Gary Minchew

said he wanted to have a Take 2 on his goodbye speech.

I have great admiration for what y’all are doing,
sticking to your guns.
I learned a lot.
One thing I didn’t learn was to keep my mouth shut.
I run into a guy the other day who remembered me from
a college course from the University of Georgia.
The only thing he remembered was me and the professor,
and I always argued with him.
And you pay the price for saying what you believe.
I paid the price in that course.
I think in that course I got the only A I ever made in college.
I mean, really,
anybody in politics that can sit there and take whatever
is dished out and you stick to your beliefs, I have the greatest
admiration in the world for you.
We did not always agree, but I have the greatest admiration for you,
and that’s great.
It’s a lot more fun sitting out here than it is up there.
I didn’t break down this time, so give me a break.





Former board member Gary Minchew at the

regular monthly meeting, Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA)

Norman Bennett, Roy Copeland, Tom Call, Mary Gooding, Jerry Jennett chairman,

J. Stephen Gupton attorney, Brad Lofton Executive Director, Allan Ricketts Program Manager, 15 March 2011.

Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

It’s interesting that he accurately characterizes what VLCIA does as politics.
Also that he refers to beliefs, but says nothing about evidence or facts
or the community.

For reference, here is

Gary Minchew’s parting speech Take 1.

-jsq