Tag Archives: 19 July 2011

I live in the shadow of … the biomass plant —protester @ VLCIA 19 July 2011



A protester I hadn’t seen before:

I live in the shadows of where they were talking about building it.
So I’m a little sceptical when they tell me that, you know, it’s safe.

They told me the same about Agent Organge before I went to Vietnam.
It turned out it was dangerous to us.

He told me his name, but my memory for names is like, er, what was I saying?
Somebody please help identify him.

Here’s

the video:

Continue reading

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

Workforce development meeting at Wiregrass Tech —G. Norman Bennett @ VLCIA 19 July 2011



G. Norman Bennett advocated attending the

Wiregrass Tech town hall on a soft skills/work
ethics curriculum 8 August 2011.

“Georgia is leading the nation in workforce development.”

Wiregrass Tech is one of the keys to
local workforce development. If you’re interested in that, please go.
It’s this coming Monday.

Here’s

the video:




Workforce development meeting at Wiregrass Tech —G. Norman Bennett @ VLCIA 19 July 2011

Regular Meeting, Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA),

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

Andrea Schruijer Executive Director, J. Stephen Gupton attorney, Allan Ricketts Project Manager,

Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 19 July 2011.

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

I already posted another view of this,



by George Rhynes.

But that one was at the end of a video of me talking, and I think
what Norman Bennett had to say is important and deserves its own post.

-jsq

Protesters @ VLCIA 19 July 2011



In case you thought they had gone away,
here’s a video of biomass protesters at the most recent
Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA) meeting.
I suggested they put up some permanent signs.

Here’s

the video:




Protesters @ VLCIA 19 July 2011

Regular Meeting, Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA),

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

Andrea Schruijer Executive Director, J. Stephen Gupton attorney, Allan Ricketts Project Manager,

Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 19 July 2011.

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

-jsq

Okra and Workforce Development @ VLCIA 19 July 2011

People keep mentioning the okra gift, and George Rhynes was kind enough
to video it for

his blog, K.V.C.I.,

so here it is.


  1. I suggested to VLCIA as I earlier did

    to the Lowndes County Commission

    that they hang up a clock so people can see how much more
    time they have to speak.
    You can see Crawford Powell lurking in the doorway. Joyce Evans was also
    in the hallway at this VLCIA meeting.
    That’s 2 out of 3 voting Lowndes County
    Commissioners.
    Maybe VLCIA will get organized enough to find chairs for them next time.
  2. I pointed out Project Excel is

    the private prison CCA wants to build
    in Lowndes County
    , and I still owe VLCIA a letter about why I think that’s a bad idea.


  3. Finally, I gave new executive director Andrew Schruijer a present.
    Crawford Powell suggested it was potatoes.
    Nope, this time it’s okra!
    Picked it myself that morning.

Here’s

the video:

Continue reading

Roy Copeland elected Chairman @ VLCIA 19 July 2011



Outgoing chairman Jerry Jennett asked nominating committee chair Tom Call
to read the slate of officers discussed

last time

to server for FYE 2012.
They were:
Roy Copeland Chairman, Mary Gooding Vice-Chairman, and Norman Bennett Secretary-Treasurer.
The board voted unanimous to approve that slate, and Jennett
practically threw the hot potato gavel to new
Chairman Roy Copeland.

Here’s

Part 1 of 3:

Continue reading

Small emerging businesses —Mr. Robinson @ VLCIA 19 July 2011



John Robinson congratulated Roy Copeland for accepting the position
as chair of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA)
and said:

We’re looking forward to working along with you guys,
because we truly need the help now on
the other side of the railroad track over there.



And we do believe that if everyone try to work together
we can get something done.

Update: What the VDT said:

Received a thank you from John Robinson of the Black Businessmen’s Association during the Citizens to be Heard portion of the meeting for agreeing to work with small and emerging businesses, with the goal of removing the “social divide” in the city;

Here’s

the video:




Small emerging businesses —Mr. Robinson @ VLCIA 19 July 2011

Regular Meeting, Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA),

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

Andrea Schruijer Executive Director, J. Stephen Gupton attorney, Allan Ricketts Project Manager,

Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 19 July 2011.

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

-jsq

Thanks to all who helped —Jerry Jennett @ VLCIA 19 July 2011



Outgoing Industrial Authority Chairman Jerry Jennett thanked all who helped him, and offered to help incoming chairman Roy Copeland.

Here’s

the video:




Thanks to all who helped —Jerry Jennett @ VLCIA 19 July 2011

Regular Meeting, Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA),

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

Andrea Schruijer Executive Director, J. Stephen Gupton attorney, Allan Ricketts Project Manager,

Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 19 July 2011.

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

-jsq

Because of my mother —Dr. Noll @ VLCIA 19 July 2011



Dr. Noll, president of WACE, welcomed VLCIA’s new executive director Andrea Schruijer, and
then reminded the board that the honking cars outside
indicated an ongoing community assessment of biomass,
and he encouraged them to consider previously presented
materials and to prevent the biomass plant from
finding a back door to come back in.

He remarked that he had visited his mother in Germany:

One and half years ago she was in the intensive care unit for about three weeks
because she had severe lung issues.
She moved away after that
to an area where there isn’t the kind of air pollution she was
exposed to before hand,
and every single day she wakes up she feels like she’s on vacation.

Here’s

the video:




Because of my mother —Dr. Noll @ VLCIA 19 July 2011

Regular Meeting, Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA),

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

Andrea Schruijer Executive Director, J. Stephen Gupton attorney, Allan Ricketts Project Manager,

Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 19 July 2011.

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

-jsq