Tag Archives: Brad Lofton

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Environmental Justice –Leigh Touchton @ VLCIA 15 March 2011

Chairman Jerry Jennett asked for Citizens Wishing to be Heard, and first up was Leigh Touchton, President of Valdosta-Lowndes NAACP, who presented them a letter from Dr. Robert D. Bullard, about his findings that 80% of the residents within one mile of the proposed Wiregrass Power Plant are black and 75% of biomass facilities in Georgia are sited in minority/poor communities.
“This is what is called environmental racism.”
She also said she was tired of people who are against biomass being represented as a fanatical fringe crew, primarily by Mr. Lofton, considering she stood before them representing the local NAACP, the Georgia state conference of the NAACP, “the largest organization non-profit of voters in the state of Georgia”, and the national NAACP.


Leigh Touchton, President, Valdosta-Lowndes NAACP
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.

Perhaps I missd it because I was a few minutes late, but this was the only mention of the Wiregrass Power LLC biomass plant that I heard at this VLCIA board meeting.

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Protesters at VLCIA, 15 March 2011

The first thing I saw when I drove up to the Industrial Authority building: protesters outside. They don’t seem to like some biomass plant.


Protesters, Wiregrass Activists for Clean Energy (WACE) 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.

Let’s ask these two what this is about. Dr. Michael Noll, President of Wiregrass Activists for Clean Energy (WACE) said:

“We’re here to protest against biomass. We wish Brad Lofton well in his new job, but we want biomass to go as well.”


Karen and Michael Noll, Wiregrass Activists for Clean Energy (WACE) 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.

I asked Leigh Touchton, President of Valdosta-Lowndes NAACP about a letter she forwarded to LAKE, and she said: Continue reading →

Wiregrass Solar Plant Completed

Last Saturday I heard Hannah Solar had completed the Wiregrass Solar plant installation in Valdosta. Today Col. Ricketts confirmed that. Congratulations, Industrial Authority, Wiregrass Solar LLC, and Hannah Solar!

The first slide shows the location of the solar plant, which is in the back of Valdosta’s Mud Creek Water Treatment Plant on Water Plant Road off of GA 94 (New Statenville Highway).

Where there used to be just a bare field, it’s now covered with solar panels.

The current holdup is waiting for Georgia Power to connect the panels to the grid. After that, they just need to schedule a commissioning ceremony. Col. Ricketts said they’d discuss that “later”.

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

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Industrial Authority board meets tonight

The Board of Directors of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA) meets tonight, 5:30 PM 15 March 2011 in the Industrial Authority Conference Room, 2110 N. Patterson Street, Valdosta, Georgia. I hear they’re having a personnel change.

Maybe with new staff they can finally get agendas and minutes on their website, and maybe a picture of Tom Call. The picture of Call below was found elsewhere by LAKE.

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Roy Copeland
Roy Copeland 		Tom Call
Tom Call 		Mary B. Gooding
Mary Gooding 		Norman Bennett
Norman Bennett 		Jerry Jennett
Jerry Jennett,
Chairman

“Parameters on the types of industry” –VDT Editorial

And what about all that land?

In addition to a news story about Brad Lofton moving on up to Myrtle Beach, the Valdosta Daily Times also had an editorial yesterday (14 March), Lofton’s leaving a void in which they make some good points, including:

While the search is on for a new director, now is the time for the city, county and industrial authority board to come together to make some decisions about the organization and what the community leadership needs and wants it to be.
Here are a few modest suggestions along those lines, including considerations such as water.

More from the VDT: Continue reading →

VDT on Lofton Leaving

What’s Brad Lofton’s legacy?

The VDT finally published something today about Brad Lofton moving to Myrtle Beach, apparently mostly drawing on the same SC newspaper story LAKE picked up on last Thursday, with some material from the second SunNews story of Friday. The VDT did add some local interviews: Continue reading →