Taking water for granted? –Matthew Richard

This LTE appeared in the VDT today. -jsq
In the aftermath of Valdosta’s recent water calamity, it might be a good time to ask whether residents of Lowndes County are taking things like plentiful water for granted? Apparently, the Valdosta City Council is already thinking ahead, for on the agenda of their January 20, 2011 meeting, was a “Consideration of an Ordinance to establish standards for outdoor watering for the City of Valdosta.” One wonders if they’re worried about people watering their lawns in the summer? If that’s the case, it’s good that they acknowledge that the South is in the midst of a long-term drought.

Or perhaps I’m giving Council credit where it’s not due?

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Ben Copeland on water and growth in south Georgia

Ben Copeland asked the big question: “How much growth do we want?” He related it to regional water in the aquifer, rivers, growth, and planning, speaking at the Lake Park Chamber of Commerce annual dinner, 28 January 2011.

Copeland is Past Chairman of the Board, Wiregrass Technical College. He serves on the regional water planning council. He said those councils were started due to worries about Atlanta not having a reliable water supply. He said the councils were planning for water and wastewater to 2050. The local regional council is the Suwannee-Satilla regional water council. He described the extent of the water planning region (see map). He expects finalization of the water plan by May. He talked about the Floridian aquifer, and how he’s worried not so much about Atlanta taking our water as about Orlando, Jacksonville, and Tallahassee. “Because they all have their straws in that same aquifer.”

Finally, Ben Copeland asked the big question: “How much growth do we want?”

“Do we want to be Jacksonville? Do we want to be Tallahassee? Do we want to be a large metropolitan region?

Folks are going to move to south Georgia, I can tell you that, because of all the resources that we have. I’m a great believer in the free enterprise system. How much do we try to limit that?

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“Using words like green, renewable, etc. does not magically make it so.” –Russ Anderson

Following up on his previous correspondence. -jsq

From: Russ Anderson
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2011 16:20:24 -0500
Subject: Re: Attn: Clarifications on my comments
To: blofton@industrialauthority.com, info@sterlingplanet.com, bmaddox@sterlingplanet.com

Brad,

I’m not saying the project is good, responsible, that it will actually happen, and def. not that you are in any way right in your opinions of “green” and “renewable”.

Furthermore, I really wish you could get beyond the talking point of “the agencies and groups endorsing similar projects”, because again that is a highly contestable and skewed figure as many local, regional, and national agencies, groups, and networks still voice heavy opposition to this issue and biomass incineration.

Using words like green, renewable, etc. does not magically make it so. I know all about framing language and tactics of those wishing to line their pockets and exploit subsidy and tax loopholes. The simple fact that you are so set in your opinion and mentality is quite alarming..

For example, I am more than willing to embrace control technologies and

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the myth that biomass constitutes a “health benefit” –Dr. Noll

A followup to his presentation at LCC last Tuesday. -jsq
Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2011 21:59:50 -0500
From: noll_family
To: apaulk@lowndescounty.com, jevans@lowndescounty.com, rraines@lowndescounty.com, cpowell@lowndescounty.com
CC: kay.harris, “John S. Quarterman”
Subject: Last Night’s Meeting

Dear Chairman Paulk and Commissioners.

Thanks for providing my wife and I and others opposed to the biomass plant the opportunity to address you last night. As a follow-up to last night’s meeting, let me share some thoughts with you, including reflections on a comment made about other “biomass incinerators” in our county and the continuing myth that biomass constitutes a “health benefit”:

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Municipal elections this year

City elections are this year in Lowndes County, Georgia. According to Deb Cox, Lowndes County Board of Elections, in the Sunday Valdosta Daily Times (30 Jan 2010), the following positions are up for election in 2011 (incumbent in parentheses):

City of Valdosta

Mayor (John Fretti)
City Council At Large (Ben Norton)
City Council Dist 1 (James Wright)
City Council Dist 3 (“Sonny” Vickers)
City Council Dist 5 (Tim Carroll)

City of Hahira

City Council District 2 (Allen Cain)
City Council District 3 (Ralph Clendenin)

City of Dasher

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Blazer Gardens gets organized at VSU

So, what’s happened after our rooftop tour? Bobbi Anne Hancock explains how she got the idea for Blazer Gardens after she heard about Blazer Pantry, which is Crystal Hardy’s project that provides food for VSU students who don’t have any.

Everybody explained how they heard about Blazer Gardens. Here are few I videoed. Continue reading →

Celebrate citizen participation –John S. Quarterman

A message to the only elected body in Lowndes County that represents the entire county. I’ve added a few links, and otherwise what you see is the suggestions I sent to the Commissioners and the County Clerk Thursday after offering them Tuesday. -jsq
From: John S. Quarterman
Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2011 1:40 PM
To: Commissioner@lowndescounty.com
Cc: Paige Dukes
Subject: Policies and Procedures for Citizens Wishing to be Heard

Dear Commissioners,

At your most recent meeting I mentioned I had a few suggestions about your new Policies and Procedures for Citizens Wishing To Be Heard, and at least one of you has indicated he would like to see them, so here they are.

“2. A maximum of 10 persons shall be allowed to speak at any meeting.”
I think that number is too low. On the one hand,

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The owl is watching! February 2011 LAKE meeting

Come help watch:
Monthly LAKE Meeting
When: 5:30 PM, Tuesday 1 February 2011
Where: Family Pizza House
5945 Bemiss Road @ Radar Site (in front of Moody AFB)
(229) 244-1845
The LAKE blog, On the LAKE Front, quadrupled its page views this month!

http://lake.typepad.com/on-the-lake-front/

People want to see what happened at the County Commission, and what didn’t can be just as important.

Lots of meetings recently: Continue reading →

What you didn’t hear at the County Commission meeting

The interesting commission meeting will be the next one. Remember, Chairman Paulk said they were still operating by the old rules at the meeting that happened this week. So next meeting they may actually refuse to let people speak on certain topics.

On the Frank Barnas Newstalk105.9 WVGA radio show 25 Jan 2011 the morning before the County Commission meeting, County Commmission Chairman Ashley Paulk complained that Citizens Wishing to be Heard has been abused and meetings are not free; there are people to pay.

“In these times we’ve got to run efficient meetings.”
Chairman Paulk also invoked Tuscon and said:
“You need to monitor people who are there.”

…

“You want a little better control over who and where they are.”

So posting videos of the meeting to the web should be a good idea so everyone could see what is going on.

And in the larger picture, should we be more concerned with a few dollars now or with the ability of citizens to be heard or for that matter with the long-term economics and health of the county?

Policies and Procedures for Citizens Wishing to be Heard

The host asked if tonight would be the time to comment on the new policy, and Chairman Paulk responded: Continue reading →

Wrapup –Ashley Paulk

Chairman Paulk notes the sheriff has a very difficult job in trying to find the younger Eunice in the Ocean Pond. He asks people also to keep the Eunice family and Joyce Evans in mind since her niece was recently murdered.

The Commission adjourns.


Video by Gretchen Quarterman
of the regular meeting of the Lowndes County Commission, 25 Jan 2011
for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

This second version is both noisier and perhaps somewhat easier to hear. Continue reading →