They said almost nothing last month about
Project Max, so we don’t know for sure if for example it is really a glass container company.
They meet again tonight. Actually, that one is cancelled; they meet next April 19th.
At the end, Gretchen
spoke about:
Dr. Noll of WACE said he was there to “harrass” Continue reading
The secretive Project Max container company
better not be like when the Industrial Authority bragged about a prospect that would bring in 300 clean jobs and it turned out to be
a private prison,
which fortunately (after much public opposition) never happened.
At last Tuesday’s Lowndes County Commissioner Regular Session, nearby landowner Mike Paine said he is afraid of many things, because it’s a rush job
and nobody has told him anything concrete.
The Industrial Authority, now called the Development Authority, says we should
trust them.
It would help if they wouldn’t say things like no emissions but steam,
when burning natural gas produces CO2,
and if they would admit that methane often leaks, and then it’s a far worse
greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.
5.a. REZ-2016-01 Project Max, Rocky Ford Rd, E-A to M-2 123 acres
Video. About the public hearing for rezoning from Estate Agricultural (E-A) to heavy-duty manufacturing (M-2) for the hush-hush Project Max, the big-fish container manufacturing plant proposed for Rocky Ford Road, next to the protected watershed of Mud Swamp and near Valdosta Airport, see Continue reading
Citizen Billy Rowland complained about poor road grading,
his dogs being shot, and misuse of Knights Ferry Landing on the Withlacoochee River.
Maybe the Commission will listen to what he said this time, at last Tuesday’s Lowndes County Commissioner Regular Session.
Apparently G. Norman Bennett wants Hall Web Road paved for the mile to his house at the Little River, but
Julia Bass,
Ralph Niehenke,
and
Diane Guess
spoke up saying they don’t want it paved.
Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker tried to ask them questions,
but Chairman Bill Slaughter cut him off.
Slaugher did have time earlier fo
an extra announcement of a joint governmental meeting Tuesday morning.
It’s not clear citizens will even get to speak there, much less get questions answered.
See
separate post.
They passed the resolution to ask the legislature to start the proecess to appoint rather than elect Lowndes County Tax Assessors.
They already did emergency repairs to Clyattville Nankin Road Bridge (problem discovered by a local citizen) and Jumping Gully Road Bridge (found by GDOT), and the Commissione approved payment after the fact. So two more no-bid contracts were let, this time without even a Commission vote before the work was done.
They agreed to the North Lowndes Park Quitclaim and Custodial Agreement by which Valdosta-Lowndes Parks & Rec. Authority (VLPRA) takes charge of some land west of I-75 north of Hahira for a soccer field.
A few citizens spoke about rezoning for the mysterious Project Max, but of course they passed the rezoning anyway, even though apparently none of the Commissioners know who the prospective tenant is.
The Lowndes County Commission agenda contained quite a few other items as the Commission caught up after the holidays. See also the LAKE videos of the previous morning’s Work Session. Below are links to each LAKE video of the Tuesday evening 12 January 2016 Regular Session, followed by a video playlist. Continue reading
The only named existing industry project is
Smith Drug, which
according to the VDT,
showed up here in 2009.
Tuesday 8 Sep 2015 at 10AM (no reason given for the odd date and time), the Development Authority is preparing for the Chamber Economic Summit 2015-010-08 and various other events, plus the usual reports. Here’s the agenda.
Valdosta-Lowndes Development Authority
Continue reading
Tuesday, September 8, 2015 11:00 a.m.
Development Authority Conference Room/103 Roosevelt Drive
Monthly Meeting Agenda
They meet again tonight; here are videos from last month, when
Electrical Test Labs of Georgia was recognized, and claimed dibs on some land.
The Development Authority re-elected its same officers, after extending the term of the Chairman to two years.
SGRC’s Corey Hull presented very briefly about the 2040 Transporation Plan, and asked for questions. The Development Authority had none.
Lots of dials showing Continue reading
The Development Authority begins tonight with a
presentation
by
A foreign trade zone is a federally approved location within the United States, which is considered outside of US Customs territory where domestic and foreign merchandise may be placed without formal customs entry and without payment of duties and taxes. Subzones are special-purpose facilities for companies unable to operate effectively at public zone sites. Foreign trade zones are usually located in or near Customs ports of entry, at industrial parks or terminal warehouse facilities. Their purpose is to attract and promote international trade and commerce.
WTC has more on that page, but never actually says where FTZ 104 is.
Mary Carr Mayle, SavannaNow, 31 May 2015, World Trade Center Savannah expands FTZ 104, Continue reading
They meet again tonight with
a bylaw amendment scheduled, which is probably for extending officer terms to two years as Roy Copeland proposed.
(He first suggested that at least several years ago when he was re-elected Chairman.)
And their nominating committee nominated
the same officers again.
Lots of dials showing targets and where they are in reaching them, which is good, because I keep getting questions about what they’re doing with all that tax money and are they doing enough to justify it.
One citizen asked about the airport and another (OK, me) handed out Alapaha River Water Trail brochures and once again suggested solar panels at the airport to turn that otherwise-unusable space into profit.
Here’s the agenda and below are LAKE videos, followed by a playlist. Continue reading
VLMPO’s Corey Hull presents today at 5:30 PM to the Valdosta Development Authority. 
Their agenda doesn’t say about what, but one can guess about the proposed studies for public transit and for trucking around Valdosta. Don’t forget to go to the VLMPO Open House on 2040 Transportation Vision tomorrow.
Electrical Test Labs of Georgia, located in Lake Park, will talk about themselves.
And the Authority will elect officers, which I predict will be the same ones they’ve got now since that’s what their nominating committee recommended last month, plus the bylaw amendment I predict will be Roy Copeland’s recommendation to extend officer terms to two years.
Valdosta-Lowndes Development Authority
Tuesday, July 21, 2015 5:30 p.m. Continue reading
Late o
tonight’s agenda but big on their minds, and described and pictured by
Stuart Taylor, VDT, 31 May 2015,
as consisting of:
Here’s the agenda:Valdosta-Lowndes Development Authority’s Business Retention Action Team, or BRAT, brings together a number of local and state organizations to offer services, information, solutions and contacts that a company might need.
“We’ve always had an existing industry program,” said Meghan Duke,VLDA marketing and community relations. “These organizations have always worked together, but now we’re formalizing it.”
Valdosta-Lowndes Development Authority
Tuesday, June 16, 2015 5:30 p.m. Continue reading
And a report on
dual enrollment at Wiregrass Tech,
on the agenda today.
Valdosta-Lowndes Development Authority
Tuesday, May 19, 2015 5:30 p.m.
Development Authority Conference Room
103 Roosevelt Drive
Monthly Meeting Agenda Continue reading